Published in 2025 / Updated in 2026
ATTENTION! Check if your country is on this list: High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies
Vaccination – rabies vaccination is a mandatory requirement for transporting cats, dogs and ferrets to absolutely any country in the world. Often, countries’ requirements also include vaccination against complex diseases. Vaccination marks are placed in the veterinary passport in the form of stickers, certified by the doctor’s signature and the clinic’s seal. If the country’s requirement includes microchipping, vaccination must be carried out after the date of insertion of the chip into the body, or on the same day as microchipping.
Only a veterinarian is authorized to vaccinate a pet for travel abroad. The pet is injected with the drug in the withers area (sometimes in the paw), and then a sticker from the pack with the drug is pasted into the pet’s veterinary passport. The doctor places his signature, seal and the seal of the clinic next to the sticker. After vaccination, you must wait 21 days before you can be issued a certificate.
There are different sets of vaccines required for transporting animals abroad
Everything you need to know about different countries’ pet import requirements
Dogs need two vaccines: rabies and a complex vaccine against canine distemper, adenovirus (adenovirus infection), parvovirus (parvovirus enteritis), leptospirosis and canine parainfluenza. They can be administered simultaneously. It is not necessary to treat for parasites before vaccination; these are two independent and parallel processes with their own schedules. At least 21 days must pass after vaccination with both the rabies vaccine and the complex vaccine before you can receive a certificate for travel. If this is a revaccination before the expiration of the previous vaccination (364 days inclusive), then quarantine is not required, including if the revaccination was due to the installation of a chip. Vaccination with any vaccine is valid for one year, including for travel abroad.
Cats need two vaccines: against rabies and a complex vaccine against panleukopenia, calicivirus and viral rhinotracheitis (herpesvirus infection) of cats. They can be given at the same time. It is not necessary to treat for parasites before vaccination, these are two independent and parallel processes with their own schedules. After vaccination with both the rabies vaccine and the complex vaccine, at least 21 days must pass before you can get a certificate for leaving. If this is a revaccination before the expiration of the previous vaccination, then quarantine is not required, including if the revaccination was due to the installation of a chip.
Rabbits must be vaccinated against myxomatosis and VGBK in rabbits.
Rabies vaccines CANNOT be given to rabbits! Rabies vaccination is dangerous to the health of the rabbit!
Attention! In Turkey, Israel, Thailand, Canada, China and some other countries it is impossible to vaccinate rabbits against myxomatosis and VGBK due to the lack of necessary vaccines in these countries.
When importing a rabbit to another country, you should also read the country’s requirements for rabbits.
Ferrets must be vaccinated against rabies, leptospirosis and canine distemper.
Additional vaccines that are worth getting for health
Additional vaccination of dogs and cats is not mandatory and does not affect travel abroad and movement between countries. Such vaccination is of a recommendatory nature and is intended to protect the pet from some dangerous viruses.
Cat
Viral leukemia (leukemia) Viral leukemia is a rather dangerous disease for cats. This is a viral infectious disease that affects the hematopoietic system and immunity. As a result of the activity of the leukemia virus, the animal becomes completely unprotected against any secondary infection. Despite the fact that this disease belongs to the class of oncological, it is transmitted by airborne droplets, through saliva, urine, shared food, and also with fleas.
Since the probability of your animal coming into contact with others during transportation is quite high, we recommend vaccinating cats against this disease.
Important: cats that are already carriers of the FeLV virus cannot be vaccinated. Therefore, before vaccination, it is necessary to conduct serological testing for the presence of antibodies to the leukemia virus.
Dog
Kennel cough Infectious tracheobronchitis, also popularly called “kennel cough”. This is a highly infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract of a dog. It is transmitted by airborne droplets or by direct contact with the animal’s mucous membranes (for example, touching the nose). The main symptom is a cough with a feeling that the dog has something stuck in its throat.
Since there is a high probability of contact between the pet and other animals during the move, and the virus is transmitted very easily between dogs, it is recommended to vaccinate the dog against this virus (for this reason, many foster homes refuse to take dogs without vaccination against tracheobronchitis).
Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is a disease transmitted by sand flies. It is typical for the Mediterranean coast and warm countries with access to the sea. This disease affects the skin, mucous membranes or internal organs. All those moving to warmer climates are recommended to get a vaccine against leishmaniasis, at the moment there is only one drug: LetiFend. Important: it is impossible to vaccinate dogs that are carriers of leishmaniasis, therefore, before the primary vaccination, it is necessary to conduct testing.
The effectiveness of vaccination is approximately 72%, accordingly, do not forget about additional protective measures (drops or collars). Choose those that protect against phlebotominae or leishmaniose (the words may vary slightly depending on the country of your stay)
How to Travel with a Pet to Different Countries 2025
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