Import of animals to Georgia
Georgia is renowned for its natural beauty and is a popular destination for tourists, including those who wish to travel with their pets. However, before bringing an animal into the country, it is important to understand the rules and regulations related to import of animals. This article covers the rules and regulations for importing animals into Georgia, as well as the necessary documents and vaccinations required.
Getting ready for the trip
Traveling to Georgia with your pet usually requires collecting a set of documents. Depending on the circumstance, some pets may need to undergo mandatory microchipping and vaccination procedures in order to be able to travel to Georgia without any complications.
Microchipping
During border crossing into Georgia, the animal must be identified through a microchip, which is an international means of identifying the animal and the information about it. The information about the microchip is contained in the veterinary passport.
Reminder! The date of the animal's rabies vaccination should be later than the date of microchipping. This rule is not crucial for travel within Georgia, as the country's requirements are quite lenient. However, if you are planning a trip outside of Georgia, it is important to ensure that this rule is followed.
Vaccination
Vaccination is a crucial step for importing animals into Georgia from Russia. In order to obtain the necessary permit, the following vaccinations are required:
- A rabies vaccination with a mandatory 21-day quarantine following the shot. It is also essential to make sure that the vaccination is up-to-date, and the trip should not occur if the vaccine is due for renewal in less than two months.
- A comprehensive vaccination, the schedule of which is not tied to the flight date. This type of vaccination is administered to cats and dogs at an early age, as mentioned in the veterinary passport.
Rabies Antibody Titration Test
As of 2023, a Rabies Antibody Titration Test has become a mandatory requirement for importing animals into Georgia from Russia. It is crucial to determine the effectiveness of the animal's rabies vaccination, and this procedure can only be carried out by authorized laboratories, such as «NoviStem» laboratory. In many cities of Russia, «NoviStem» has partner clinics that can collect blood samples for further analysis in our laboratory.
International certificate
To be able to travel internationally with your pet, it is necessary to have an official certificate, also known as the EU pet passport. The document provides information about the animal, such as name, age, breed, et cetera. In addition, it includes details of all the vaccinations administered, if any, and confirms whether the pet has undergone de-worming.
Other Requirements
In addition to all above-mentioned requirements, de-worming is mandatory procedure for animal transportation into Georgia. The parasite treatment must be conducted no earlier than five days before the departure date, and a note in this regard must be made in the pet's passport. Another necessary requirement for transporting animals to Georgia is Veterinary Certificate Form 1. The document must be issued no more than five days prior to departure, and it involves:
- A veterinary passport, which includes information about the animal's microchip number and vaccination record;
- The results of the analysis of de-worming;
- A clinical examination to confirm the animal's health.
It is important to note that a Veterinary Certificate form number 1 can be exchanged for the International Veterinary Certificate form 5a in any airport.
Furthermore, tourists travelling by car can obtain the certificate ahead of their journey at a Rosselkhoznadzor office in their own city. The validity period for the document is five days.
In most cases, importing animals to Georgia from Russia does not require obtaining a permit from the Rosselkhoznadzor. The only exception is when the animal is exported for the purpose of sale, which does require a permit. To obtain one, you will need to contact the relevant department of Rosselkhoznadzor and have the animal's veterinary passport with you.