How to export a pet from Montenegro?

Masya can't wait to travel

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

• It’s very important to research the animal import regulations of your destination country. Besides general rules, some countries have additional requirements.
• If you are traveling by plane, you need to inquire about the pet transportation policies and requirements of the particular airline before booking your tickets.
• You need to prepare a carrier for your pet that complies with transportation requirements.
• If the animal travels without you (using a pet transport service), research the company thoroughly: look for reviews (especially negative ones!) and then contact the company to clarify their requirements. Unclear answers and too confident sounding messages like “We’re done this a hundred times, don’t worry” are red flags!
• Plan your trip in advance to have enough time for preparation and organization.

Masya checks out the new carrier

TO LEAVE MONTENEGRO, YOUR PET MUST HAVE:

✅ International pet passport
✅Microchip
✅Rabies vaccination
Your pet should be given an anthelmintic 10-14 days before every vaccination.
After the first rabies vaccination in the pet's life, a 21-day quarantine period is required.
❗️It’s important to follow this order: passport -> microchip -> rabies vaccination
✅Health certificate from a vet clinic - Potvrda o zdravstvenom stanju.
The certificate can be obtained from any vet clinic (approximately 5 days before departure) and costs ~€10.
✅Veterinary certificate from vet inspector - Veterinarski sertifikat o zdravstvenom stanu.
The certificate is issued per person, not per animal. Since you can take out of Montenegro up to 5 animals per person, the certificate will be 1 if you take out from one to 5 animals.
- - on the coast:
  Contact inspector Zoran (+38267524787 Viber, +38267035354 WhatsApp.) after obtaining the health certificate from vet clinic.
  Inform him about your destination country and transit countries.
  He will provide instructions for getting documents and request the €30 payment.
  He personally delivers the certificate to your city on the coast.
  If Zoran is on leave you can try contacting Mikka +38269330699, +38267239917 Viber.
- - in Bar:
  Inspector Ruza (Ruzica), +38267239916
  Fill out this application, pay €10 to the account specified in the application form. Contact Ruza and visit her with the payment receipt, vet passport and pet health certificate from the clinic.
- - in Podgorica:
  You can try to contact inspector Dragana (+38267637275).
  In case there is a slow response from she, it's easier to fill out this application,, attach all the required documents, pay €10 to the account specified in the application form and then, указанный там же. Then visit the Veterinary administration office with the documents 3 working days before your departure.
- - in Ulcinj:
  Inspector Cedo, +38268872811 Viber.
  Contact him after obtaining the health certificate from a vet clinic. Inform him about your destination country and transit countries. He will let you know what documents he needs from you and the cost of his services.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS BASED ON THE COUNTRY OF DESTINATION

European Union:

The original document can be found on this website.

Kittens and puppies

Importing an animal under 12 weeks old without a rabies vaccination OR between 12 and 16 weeks old after rabies vaccination (without 21-day quarantine period) is possible under one of the following conditions:

• the animal travels with its nursing mom, who has a valid rabies vaccination received before the baby was born.

• the pet owner or accompanying person must provide a signed declaration that from the birth until the time of travel the pet had no contact with any wild animals that carry rabies.

Pets over 16 weeks old

For entry into the EU countries in addition to the requirements ✅ for leaving Montenegro the animals must:

✅comply with any preventive health measures for diseases or infections other than rabies.
✅You need to research the specific regulations of your destination country to determine if any other additional treatments or vaccinations are required.
For example, for Finland, Ireland, Malta, the UK and Norway dogs must be treated for the “Echinococcus multilocularis” parasite. This treatment should be carried out by a veterinarian no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours before entering the country.
✅ have Rabies Antibody Titer.
The test is performed to measure your pet's immunity (antibodies in the blood) to rabies. After 30 days upon the rabies vaccination you need to go to the vet clinic. Veterinarian will draw a blood sample and will send it to an accredited laboratory (normally it's in Novi Sad in Serbia). Prices are different in different clinics, but definitely more than €100.
❗️ Please note that even though results are normally sent to you within 2-4 weeks, this test is considered valid 90 days after the blood sample is taken. It’s believed that if the pet didn’t die during this period, the antibodies formed due to vaccination and not because of disease.
❗️ If you adhere to your animal revaccination schedule (once a year), the titer certificate will be valid indefinitely. But if the yearly rabies vaccination is even only a day overdue, the titer test should be repeated.

❗️Most EU countries have a list of dog breeds considered “dangerous” or “aggressive” and are prohibited for entry. Please check the rules of the destination country.

Russian Federation:

If less than 90 days passed since the animal’s entry into Montenegro from Russia and you've got a valid Veterinary Certificate Form 5a, no additional documents are required. Otherwise, continue reading.

In addition to the documents mentioned above for leaving Montenegro ✅, the pet must have:

✅Complex vaccine:
- for cats, it's a vaccine against feline panleukopenia virus, feline rhinotracheitis virus, feline calicivirus,
- for dogs it's against canine distemper, canine adenovirus, canine parvovirus and canine parainfluenza,
✅or Veterinary Certificate Form 15 (for unvaccinated puppies and kittens under 3 months old).

The USA:

The official website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) can be found here.

Dogs

As of August 1st, 2024, the United States of America has changed its entry rules for dogs. There is a primary criterion: whether the dog has been in a high-risk country for rabies in the last 6 months. A list of such countries can be found here.

1. The dog has not been in any high-risk countries for dog rabies.

Montenegro is not on the list, so if the dog has spent the last 6 months in Montenegro, the procedure for entering the US will be straightforward.

Requirements and documents for importing a dog:

✅The pet must be at least 6 months old at the time of entry.
Animals under 6 months old cannot be imported into America.
✅ Must have a microchip implanted before rabies vaccination.
✅ Rabies vaccination.
✅ Must be in good health at the time of entry.
The dog will be inspected by a veterinarian upon arrival. If any signs of illness or parasites are detected during the inspection, additional tests or treatments may be required. If the dog appears ill, entry may be denied.
✅Completed CDC Dog Import Form. Instructions for filling out the form can be found here. The form is valid for 6 months, but for the specific entry date indicated on the form. This means you can fill it out even on the day of arrival, but it's recommended to do it a few days in advance. An individual form needs to be completed for each dog. The form can be printed out or displayed on a phone screen.

2. If the dog has been in a high-risk country for rabies in the last 6 months and has a non-US rabies vaccination.

This includes countries like Russia and Ukraine, for example. A full list of countries can still be found here.

Requirements and documents for importing a dog:

✅Must be at least 6 months old at the time of entry.
✅Must be in good health at the time of entry.
✅Must have a microchip implanted before rabies vaccination.
✅Rabies vaccination.
✅The CDC Dog Import Form Receipt.
The form is filled out online here. A response will be sent to your email after approval. Instructions for filling out the form are here.
✅A Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip Form.
This form is filled out by a veterinarian and certified by an official veterinary inspector. The form is valid for 30 days and must be presented in printed form upon entry into the US.
✅ Rabies antibody titer test results. If they exist! If they don’t, read the next ✅ item.
Blood for analysis must be taken no earlier than 30 days after rabies vaccination and no earlier than 28 days before entering the US. The analysis must be conducted at one of the approved laboratories, a list is here.
✅Confirmation of reservation at CDC registered Animal Care Facility.
Contact one of the animal care facility centers about a month before entry and arrange for the animal to be examined and revaccinated directly at the airport upon arrival.

• Atlanta, Georgia
• Los Angeles, California
• Miami, Florida
• New York, New York
• Washington, DC
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Thanks to the wonderful "Taking Rabbits Away" (Uvozhu krolikov) Telegram chat, there is an example of the medical examination and revaccination costin various animal care facility centers if a dog has titer test. Prices range from approximately $850 to $1400.

If the dog does not have rabies titer test results, entry is still possible, but a 28-day quarantine at one of the centers after inspection and revaccination will be required, and the cost will increase significantly (~$3000-4000).

The CDC website also has a checklist with recommended timelines and actions for preparing and importing a dog to the US, it can be foundhereat the end of the article.

Cats

No additional documents are required for cats beyond those needed for leaving Montenegro ✅.

❗️ State regulations. Besides federal rules each US state has additional animal import rules, that can be more stringent. For example, some states prohibit the import of flat-faced dogs and cats from June to August due to high temperatures that can cause breathing difficulties. Be sure to check the specific rules for your destination state.

❗️ Animal must appear healthy. Otherwise, the pet may need to get examination by a veterinarian at the port of arrival at the owner’s expense.

Masya is all set!