In Mexico, you got yourself a pet and now you are going to take it with you to your homeland. Now we will tell you how to draw up papers for the export of dogs and cats from Mexico and what are the criteria for importing animals to Ukraine or Russia.
The entire process of transporting an animal can be divided into three main stages:
- paperwork and export from Mexico,
- transportation by airline,
- importation into the country of destination.
Exporting an animal from Mexico
In turn, the preparation of documentation for the export of an animal from Mexico will involve two stages: obtaining documentation from a local veterinarian and purchasing an Export Certificate at the airport.
When should I start filling out the paperwork?
The answer to this question depends on several key points.
Should I do it?rabies vaccination?
If the mandatory annual rabies vaccination for a dog or cat was completed less than 12 months before the date of travel, the process of completing documentation for the export of an animal from Mexico can begin shortly before the trip itself, but not earlier than 5 days before export.
If more than 12 months have passed since the last rabies vaccination or such a vaccination has not been done at all, you first need to get it, wait 30 days, and then begin processing export documents no earlier than 5 days before the flight. In addition, you may be required to have other vaccinations and have your animal microchipped (see below).
Although Russian legislation allows the import of an animal with a rabies vaccination given 20 days before import, Mexico defines this period as 30 days, and it is better to adhere to Mexican requirements.
Should I do it?antibody titerto the rabies virus (FAVN test)?
Since November 2019, when importing animals into Ukraine, such a titer is required. A test for immunity to the rabies virus (antibody titer) must be done no later than 3 months and no earlier than 12 months before transporting the animal. The content of neutralizing antibodies must be at least 0.5 IU/ml. So, first you need to get vaccinated against rabies, and after 30 days — donate blood to check for antibodies. If after vaccination and the blood titer the number of antibodies has not reached the required level, another vaccination is given, and after 30 days a blood test is performed again for antibodies.
Russia does not require such a titer when importing pets into its territory. But if you are flying through a third country, such a test may be necessary. It all depends on the requirements of a particular country and airline. Some European airlines require this test when flying through EU airports, even in transit.
According to the EU Implementing Regulation No. 577/2013, Mexico and Russia are among the countries from which the FAVN test is not required when transporting animals, from Ukraine — required. So, if you transport animals through the EU from Mexico, the antibody titernot required.
When docking independently in Turkey, a formal antibody titer will be required (according to the official Regulations on the non-commercial movement of pets to Turkey dated 12/05/2011). But in fact, this requirement is not observed, and in most cases, customs does not even ask about the presence of a title.
When transiting through the USA, a titer will not be required beyond this.
The test should be done between 4 and 12 months after the rabies vaccination, so the first visit to the veterinarian should be 4 months before the start of the trip. If subsequent rabies vaccinations were carried out regularly, the test only needed to be done once; it has no statute of limitations.
So, preparations for the international transportation of an animal should begin no less than a month before the travel date or even earlier.
Visit to the veterinarian
So first you need to visitveterinarian. Anyone, since in Mexico all veterinarians are licensed and have the right to draw up documents necessary to export an animal abroad. All veterinarians know (or know where to find out) the requirements of countries for the import of animals. Therefore, most often it is enough to say that you need a certificate of animal health (Certificado de salud del animal) for export to such and such a country, and the doctor will prepare all the documents. At the same time, he will advise you on a laboratory where it is possible to make a titer for antibodies, or he will organize the sending of a blood sample to such a laboratory. In principle, all veterinarians in Mexico have the right to independently collect blood samples for testing.
The certificate must contain all the information about the pet, your name and your address in Mexico, and also state that at the time of examination the animal had no fresh or healing wounds or signs of infectious diseases. If there are wounds or signs of disease, this will complicate the process, but will not stop it. Then the veterinarian should attach a medical history and describe the methods of treatment and medications used.
To import into Russia, in addition, it must be indicated that the dog does not suffer from tuberculosis, and the cat — dermatophytosis. You will not need such marks for import into Ukraine.
The veterinarian will give youvaccination card, which should indicate the date of rabies vaccination (as we said, no less than 30 days ago) and all the data on the vaccine itself. If you have an International Animal Passport, you can put stamps on vaccinations and anti-parasite treatments on it.
The rest should also be indicated there.required vaccinations(or polyvalent vaccine), date of each vaccination, drug, dose and other data on the vaccine:
- for Russia:
- dogs: against canine distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus infections and adenovirus infections, leptospirosis,
- cats: against panleukopenia;
- for Ukraine:
- dogs: against canine distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus infections and parainfluenza, leptospirosis,
- cats: no requirements.
Although not explicitly required, we strongly recommend obtaining labels indicating that the animal has been treated against internal and external parasites (helminths, ticks and fleas), indicating the date of treatment and the drug. These procedures must be done as close as possible to departure.
In addition, when importing dogs and cats into Ukraine, they must be microchipped, therefore data onmicrochipmust also be indicated. In addition, antibody titers are not performed on unchipped animals. Russia does not require dogs and cats to be microchipped. Veterinarians in Mexico offer microchips in two standards — «American» (650-1000 MXN) and «European» (1850-2000 MXN). So, to import an animal into Mexico, Russia or Ukraine, it does not matter which standard you choose.
Russian veterinary legislation requires that imported animals must have an international veterinary passport. However, Mexican veterinarians do not issue such passports. In fact, the papers that the veterinarian will give you will be sufficient.
The veterinarian will also attach copies of his papers confirming his professional status.
At the airport
On the day of departure, you need to arrive at the airport in advance. There, find the office of the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture (look for the signSAGARPA/SENASICA), present your animal and show them all the papers you received from the veterinarian, as well as your passport and ticket.
After examining the animal and checking the documents, you will receive an Export Zosanitary Certificate (Certificado Zoosanitario para Exportación), which is the International Veterinary Certificate required for the import of animals into Russia and Ukraine. In addition, it is also called Veterinary Certificate in Form No. 1.
The certificate is free of charge and valid for 8 days. However, Ukraine requires that it was issued no earlier than 5 days ago.
You have the opportunity to apply for the purchase of an Export Certificate in advance, and at the airport receive the original certificate itself with two seals. To do this, download the application from the pageSENASICA, print, fill out. When submitting, please attach scanned copies of all documents received from the veterinarian. You will find instructions for filling out the application.here.
After issuing the Export Certificate, at the airport you need to register the animal with the airline, fill out a customs declaration, issue a customs stamp and, if necessary, check the pet in your baggage.
So, to import an animal into the country of destination, you will have the following set of papers:
- for Russia:
- International veterinary (export) certificate,
- vaccination card or International veterinary passport of the animal,
- for Ukraine:
- International veterinary (export) certificate,
- vaccination card or International veterinary passport of the animal,
- microchipping document. Sometimes it's just a sticker in the animal's passport,
- certificate of determination of antibodies to the rabies virus (titer).
Transporting an animal by airline
The requirements for transporting an animal by the chosen airline determine what other documentation you may need. If you are flying in transit through a third country, the airline may require compliance with the rules for the transit of animals through that country.
We have already talked about the need for antibody titres when flying across the EU. If you are flying through the US or Canada, the basic documentation described above: vaccination card and Export Certificate will be sufficient. Let us add that if the final destination were the United States, it would be enough to simply show the animal to the veterinarians at the Mexican airport, and no paperwork from the veterinarian would be required.
We strongly advise that you check with your airline for pet travel requirements before planning your travel. In addition, check out these requirements forMexicanAndRussianairlines.
If you plan to transport a dog or cat in luggage (the weight of the animal together with the carrier is more than 8 kg), the correct selection of the container will be of fundamental importance. We know that European airlines have the strictest criteria for containers for transporting animals.
Importing animals to Ukraine and Russia
Upon arrival in the country of destination, you must fill out a customs declaration indicating that you are importing a pet. At the airport, go to veterinary control. There, those issued in Mexico will be checked and stamped with permission to import. You may be asked to indicate your destination within a nation. After this you must go through customs.
No further procedures are necessary. Upon arrival home, we recommend visiting a veterinarian to get your pet a local veterinary passport.
Please note that Belarus and Kazakhstan, together with Russia, are members of the Eurasian Economic Union; for this reason, the import of dogs and cats into these three states is carried out according to general rules.