How to take an animal abroad

To take an animal out of Ukraine, you need to:

Stage 1 of preparation:

• 4 months before departure: Check the country's regulations on the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection website or at the consulate of the country of departure
• Check the requirements not only in the destination country but also in any transit countries.

Stage 2 of preparation: Microchipping

• The animal must be microchipped—this is an electronic tag with a unique number.
• The chip must comply with the international standards ISO 11784/11785.
• It can be performed starting at 2 months of age; the procedure is safe and takes just a few minutes.
• Important: The microchip must be implanted before the rabies vaccination or on the same day (any vaccinations or treatments administered before microchipping will be considered invalid)
• Without a microchip, it is impossible to pass through passport control when leaving Ukraine

👉 At the Zoolux clinic, they microchip pets and immediately enter the data into the international database at tracer.com.ua.

Stage 3 of preparation: Rabies vaccination

• This is done only after microchipping.
• The first vaccination can be given starting at 12 weeks of age.
• The vaccine takes effect after 30 days—this is the minimum period required for the animal to be considered vaccinated.
• If you miss a vaccination by even one day, it is considered a "first dose," and the timeline starts over.
• It is recommended to use imported vaccines, as not all countries recognize Ukrainian ones.

👉 Zoox has vaccines from European manufacturers available

Stage 4 of preparation: International passport

• You can obtain an international veterinary passport at a state veterinary clinic (there is a state clinic in every district of Kyiv and in other cities)
• The passport must include:
  • date of birth, breed, and name of the animal;
  • microchip number and date of implantation;
  • vaccination records (vaccine name, date, signature, and stamp)

Step 5: Rabies Antibody Titer Test

• 30 days after rabies vaccination (the time required for the animal's body to produce antibodies)
• Blood is drawn on an empty stomach (10–12 hours without food).
• The analysis is conducted exclusively by certified laboratories in Ukraine.
• Result: confirmation that the animal has sufficient immunity (≥0.5 IU).
• The certificate is valid for life, provided that you get vaccinated on time every year.
• Important: After donating blood, you must wait 3 months before traveling
• After the blood test for antibody titers, the animal may not be transported for at least 3 months (after that date)
• This is a crucial step for traveling to the EU and many other countries.

👉 At Zoox, you can have your blood drawn and get your paperwork processed; the clinic will transport the samples to the lab itself.

Step 6: Veterinary certificate (certificate for travel).

• Issued no earlier than 5 days prior to departure, following a clinical examination of the animal and provided the owner has all the required documents:

  1. A written application or an electronic request sent to the KODLVM;

  2. The original and a copy of the rabies antibody titer test results;

  3. The original and a copy of the animal’s veterinary health passport (with all endorsements);

  4. The owner’s passport or a power of attorney for the carrier;

  5. The animal must be present for a clinical examination and microchip scanning.

  ⚠️ If the locality from which departure is planned is subject to quarantine restrictions, a veterinary certificate will not be issued.

• This is the primary document required for transporting animals (issued upon presentation of the pet’s passport, microchip, vaccination records, and titer test results). It is exchanged for an international certificate at the border. This requires an additional set of documents.
• valid for 3–5 days;

Stage 7 of preparation: Deworming and parasite treatment

• 72 hours before departure, the animal is treated for worms and fleas.
• There must be a stamp from a veterinarian in the passport. It is affixed at the same time the veterinary certificate is issued.
• For travel to the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta, Finland, and Norway, a special treatment for echinococcosis is required.
• In addition, deworming should be performed regularly every three months, and this should be noted in the veterinary passport.

👉 At the Zoolux clinic, they treat pets with certified medications and record this in their health records 

Step 8: Preparing for the trip

• Please review the airline's or carrier's rules.
• Purchase a carry-on bag that meets IATA standards.
• Make sure your pet is comfortable: water, bedding, a favorite toy, and food

Clear steps:
Microchip → vaccination → passport → 30 days → antibody titer → 3-month waiting period (for the EU) → 72-hour processing period + F-1 visa → certificate → departure.

• For those who already have a chip and a title

If your pet is already:

• has a chip;
• successfully passed the antibody test;
• has been within the required 3-month period following titration;

Then all you need to do is:

• Get a rabies booster shot (booster) within the permitted timeframe (to ensure it remains valid).
• Wait 30 days after this vaccination before you can obtain permission to travel.
• A few days before your trip, obtain a Veterinary Certificate from a public clinic.

Owners often misunderstand this point: even if the dog has a certificate, it can only travel 30 days after the last vaccination.

• If you have an old-style (non-international) passport

If you have an old (non-international) passport with entries regarding microchipping, vaccinations, and antibody titers, you will need to carry two passports until your next vaccination:

• old (to confirm the titer result),
• international (for crossing the border).
• From now on, all vaccinations will be recorded only in the international passport.