Requirements for travelling to Russia
- Russia approves of the EU passport
- Identification marking, max. 2 animals permitted without import permit
- The vaccinations have to be administered a minimum of 20 days before the trip, if they have not been vaccinated during the last 12 months (can also be recorded by a private veterinarian).
- Dogs should be vaccinated against rabies, distemper, hepatitis, viral enteritis, (parvovirus and adenovirus infections) and leptospirosis.
- Cats should be vaccinated against rabies and feline panleukopenia .
- A municipal/city veterinarian must carry out a clinical examination of the animal within 14 days of travel.
- Declaration by the municipal/city veterinarian that the dog/ cat originates from an area that is free from infectious animal diseases.
Finnish Food Authority has received a lot of enquiries on the import requirements for e.g. cats and dogs set by the Eurasian Economic Union.
The information is based on the Russian authority Rosselhoznadzor and on the legislation of the Eurasian Economic Union.
We have collated a summary of the conditions for import of cats and dogs to the Eurasian Economic Union. The conditions are written in Italics in the text. The Food Authority is not responsible for whether the information is updated According to section 69 of the national Animal Diseases Act (76/2021) the exporter/sender/owner of the pet is responsible for finding out the requirements set out by the country of destination and any country of transit outside the EU.
Please note that the Russian veterinary border control checks incoming dogs against the legislation of the Eurasian Economic Union. The Russian authority can carry out border controls both when going to Russia and when leaving Russia. If the Russian authority notes during the border control that the dog doesn’t have for example a valid vaccination for leptospirosis, the Russian authority solves the issue in accordance with their regulations and instructions in force. We have no information on any potential penalties. It is likely that a dog would be turned back to Finland from Russia.
EU pet passport as travel document
Russia accepts the EU pet passport as a document on the animal’s health, i.e. a health certificate.
The vaccination entries in the EU pet passport required by Russia (see “Vaccinations required” below) can be certified by a private veterinary practice. Please note that vaccination against leptospirosis is included for dogs in the vaccination requirements!
In addition to what is mentioned above, the city/municipal veterinarian also has to record the following in the EU pet passport:
- The clinical examination carried out by the city/municipal veterinarian before the trip (see “Clinical examination”).
- Declaration by the city/municipal veterinarian that the dog originates from an area that is free from infectious animal diseases (see “Declaration on the Animal diseases situation”).
On the return to Finland, the EU pet passport indicates that the requirements for import into the EU and Finland are fulfilled. The EU pet passport has to include the entries showing that the requirements for Finland are fulfilled.
Clinical examination
The clinical examination has to be carried out by a competent body. The examination has to be carried out within 14 days of departure.
The clinical examination has to be carried out by a municipal/city veterinarian within 1-14 days of departure. This examination has to be recorded by a municipal veterinarian in the EU pet passport under “Clinical examination”.
Declaration by the municipal veterinarian on the animal disease situation
In addition to the statement that the pet is clinically healthy, it has to originate from a farm officially free of anthrax during the last 20 days and from farm or an administrative area officially free from rabies and tuberculosis during the last 6 months.
This requirement can be certified for example in the EU pet passport under “Others”. In Finland, the declaration that the dog/cat originates from an area free from infectious animal diseases can only be certified by a city/municipal veterinarian as official veterinarian. The city/municipal veterinarians confirm the disease-free status within their administrative area or municipality.
The disease-free status can be reported under “Others” for example in accordance with the template below. The certificate is authorised with signature, clarification of signature, title and an official stamp:
I, the undersigned official veterinarian, hereby certify that the dog/ cat exported from Finland to the Russian Federation originate from farm officially free of anthrax during the last 20 days and from farm or an administrative area officially free from rabies and tuberculosis during the last 6 months.
_____________________________
Signature of the Official Veterinarian
Official stamp
_____________________________
Name and position in capital letters
Vaccinations required
Dogs have to be vaccinated 20 days before travel at the latest if they have not been vaccinated within the last 12 months against the following diseases: Rabies (it is forbidden to import and transfer dogs within Russia that are not vaccinated against rabies), canine distemper, hepatitis, viral enteritis, parvovirus, adenovirus infections and leptospirosis.
Cats have to be vaccinated on the same terms against rabies and panleukemia.
All vaccinations have to be valid.
Echinococcosis medication for dogs when returning to Finland (for example trips to shows)
Please note that dogs have to be medicated for a tapeworm causing echinococcosis within 1-5 days before the return to Finland. We recommend that the dogs are medicated twice for tapeworm in Finland before the trip in accordance with the so-called 28-day rule. The 28-day rule can only be used if the trip outside the EU lasts less than 28 days. This means in practice that the dog will be medicated in Finland on two days (with an interval of a minimum of 24 hours in between) and a third time after the return to Finland within a maximum of 28 days after the last administration of the medication in Finland. The medication is recorded and confirmed in the EU pet passport in Finland by a Finnish veterinarian. Then the medication does not have to be administered and confirmed in the EU pet passport by a Russian veterinarian when going to a show.
Two pets per traveller
One owner can bring a maximum of two of their own dogs to Russia.
When leaving Russia it is important that the owner has the same number of pets (max 2/person) and the same pets as when arriving in the country. If the number of pets or the information on the pet do not match when leaving Russia, the Russian border control authority can make the judgment that you have either sold or bought a pet during your trip and penalise you accordingly.
A list of products subjected to veterinary control including dogs: Regulation (EU) 2021/404
On the Finnish side of the border different requirements are applied as to the number of pets permitted. The owner can bring with them a maximum of 5 pets on arrival in Finland/the EU, if they are not brought to Finland with the intent of surrender or to be resold.
Return to Finland
As part of the border control, the Finnish customs checks the dogs returning to Finland from shows. The dogs have to be brought in via approved border crossing points.
On the return to Finland, the EU pet passport indicates that the requirements for import into the EU and Finland are fulfilled. The EU pet passport has to include the entries showing that the requirements for Finland are fulfilled. Acquaint yourself well with the conditions for import. The Food Authority’s border veterinarians can be contacted for more information on the conditions for import by email.