Non-commercial movement of pet animals
Trading with pet animals creates the necessary preconditions for the entry and spread of particularly dangerous infectious diseases, especially rabies. In order to minimise the adverse impact of the subject factors on human and animal health, the European Commission prescribed new rules on non-commercial movement of pet animals into the European Union from third countries, as well as non-commercial movement of pet animals between the Member States of the European Union. The new rules on non-commercial movement of pet animals are applicable in all Member States of the European Union from 29 December 2014.
In addition to the veterinary and health requirements to be met by pet animals during the non-commercial movement, new regulations also define the model identification documents, which shall accompany pet animals during non-commercial movement in trade and forms of declarations, which shall be signed by the owner of a pet animal or an authorised person attesting the compliance of non-commercial movement with the conditions provided by the new regulations. Obligations of an owner of the pet animal or authorised person during non-commercial movement of the pet animal When the owner or authorised person travels with a pet animal, they shall know and follow the rules on the non-commercial movement of pet animals determined by EU regulations, as well as national regulations, which vary depending on the country from which the pet animals originate and/or the country of destination. Travelling with a pet animal shall be well planned, and the owner of the pet animal or the authorised person shall bear full responsibility for meeting the stipulated conditions for non-commercial movement of pet animals. The owner of the pet animal or the authorised person shall, prior to travelling, be informed of the conditions for the non-commercial movement of pet animals, which are valid in the Republic of Croatia or in another Member State of destination of the European Union so that, in the event of non-compliance with the prescribed conditions for the entry of the pet animal in the Republic of Croatia or in another member State of the European Union, the entry of the pet animal is not refused, whereby the animal can be returned to the country of departure or placed in quarantine until meeting the prescribed health requirements. As a last option, when returning the animals is not possible or isolation is not practical, the animal can be put down (killed) in accordance with applicable national rules. All liability and costs incurred by implementing these measures shall be borne by the owner of the pet animal or the authorised person. In accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No. 576/2013, the owner of the pet animal or the authorised person shall, at the request of an official of the competent authority responsible for checking pet animals in trade within the Member States of the European Union, do the following:
Legal basis
National legislation of the Republic of Croatia
Definitions of terms
Non-commercial movement - any movement of pet animals not aimed at selling or transferring the ownership of the pet animal, meaning that the pet animals at the time of initiating the movement are not intended for sale, handing over to another owner or other commercial purposes; “Pet animal” is an animal species listed in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No. 576/2013 accompanied by its owner or an authorised person; “Owner” means the natural person listed as the owner in the identification document; “Authorised person” means any natural person authorised by the owner in writing for the non-commercial movement of the pet animal; “Transponder (microchip)” is a passive read-only radio frequency identification device; “Identification document” is a document prepared in accordance with the model set out in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 577/2013 and national regulations of the destination Member State of the European Union “Authorised veterinarian" means a veterinarian authorised by the competent authority (in the Republic of Croatia; the Veterinary and Food Safety Directorate) “Official veterinarian” means the veterinarian appointed by the competent authority; “Documentary check” is a check of the identification document accompanying the pet animal; “Identity check” is a check of the consistency between the identification document and the pet animal and, if appropriate, the check of the presence and conformity of the mark; “Passenger entry point” is an area (border crossing) determined by the Member State for the purposes of checking pet animals accompanying their owners or authorised persons. “Third countries” are all countries that are not EU Member States (including the following countries: Andorra, Switzerland, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Vatican City State) General provisions applicable in the non-commercial movement of pet animals Which animal species are considered pet animals? Animal species listed in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No. 576/2013
What is the meaning of non-commercial movement of pet animals?
Non-commercial movement of pet animals involves the movement of up to 5 pet animals (which need not be of the same species, for instance, it can be two dogs and three cats), accompanied by the owner or other person responsible for them, provided that these pet animals, at the moment of starting the movement, are not intended for sale, handing over to another owner or for other commercial purposes. Their movement shall be reasoned by the need for movement of the owner or authorised person with whom they most often travel in the same means of transport. In accordance with the new regulations on non-commercial movement of pet animals, the pet animal may travel temporally and/or spatially separate from the owner, i.e. in another vehicle at different times, however not longer than 5 days. Ownership Ownership of a pet animal is evidenced by a properly registered name and surname of the owner of the pet animal in the identification document (passport or veterinary certificate) accompanying a pet animal. Authorisation of the owner for non-commercial movement of pet animals to another person (authorised person) The owner of the pet animal may authorise another natural person for representation during the non-commercial movement of the pet animal. Since the EU legislation does not prescribe the model of the document by which the owner would authorise another natural person for representation during the non-commercial movement of the pet animal, the officials of the competent authorities carrying out controls of the non-commercial movement of pet animals in the Republic of Croatia (customs officers and veterinary inspectors) shall accept a signed declaration by the owner of the pet animal in which they clearly state the authorisation of another natural person, name and surname of the owner of the pet animal, as well as the name and surname of the natural person authorised for non-commercial movement of pet animals. The example of the model by which the owner of the pet animal may authorise another natural person for representation during the non-commercial movement of the pet animal. Maximum number of pet animals during a single non-commercial movement The largest number of dogs, cats, ferrets and birds as pet animals, which can be accompanied by their owner or the authorised person during a single non-commercial movement shall not exceed five. The largest number of other pet animals that can be accompanied by their owner or a person authorised by the owner during a single non-commercial movement until the adoption of relevant delegated acts by the European Commission is determined by the national regulations of the destination Member State. Derogations regarding the maximum number of pet animals during a single non-commercial movement The number of dogs, cats and ferrets in non-commercial movement may exceed five when the pet animals are moved non-commercially due to participation in competitions, exhibitions or sporting events, or training for the purpose of such events. In such cases, during the non-commercial movement of pet animals, the following requirements shall be fulfilled:
Derogations regarding the non-commercial movement of pet animals traveling separately from the owner in another vehicle over a period of up to five days from the date the owner started their trip
During the trip, the pet animal can be placed in the passenger compartment of the vehicle together with the owner or may be a temporally and/or spatially separated from the owner, which means that the owner is located in the passenger compartment, and the animal in the luggage compartment of the same vehicle or the owner and the pet animal can travel in separate vehicles, provided that the owner signs a statement appointing another person to be responsible for the animal, for example, the captain of the aircraft or a representative of the shipping, i.e. transport agency. In the case of separate trips in accordance with the new regulations on the non-commercial movement of pet animals, the pet animal may arrive in the destination Member State of the European Union up to 5 days prior to or up to 5 days after the arrival of the owner or authorised person. In such cases, the owner or the authorised person shall, at the request of the competent authority performing the check, provide evidence that the movement is associated with the movement of the pet animal in the form of flight tickets, boarding passes, train tickets and similar. Identification document During non-commercial movement of pet animals, the animals shall be accompanied by an identification document. Depending on the pet animal species, the identification document can be a passport, veterinary certificate, or in the case of pet animals other than dogs, cats or ferrets, other documents required by national regulations of the destination Member States.
In accordance with the provisions of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 2016/561 of 1 September 2016, the new veterinary certificate model for non-commercial movement of dogs, cats and ferrets in the European Union is applied;
In accordance with the provisions of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 2016/561 of 1 September 2016, the new veterinary certificate model for non-commercial movement of dogs, cats and ferrets in the European Union is applied;
In order to prevent the movement of wild animals, according to the rules that apply to non-commercial movement of pet animals, the identification document accompanying the pet animal (veterinary certificate or passport) shall specify, other than the language of the Member State or third country, the Latin name of the pet animals; since animals obtained by crossing domestic with wild species (e.g. a Bengali or savannah cat, wolfdog, etc.) are not considered pets.
The identification document (passport or veterinary certificate) is issued by and the data therein are recorded and verified by veterinarians authorised by the competent authorities of the countries from which the pet animals originate. Identification of pet animals Prior to trading, the pet animals shall be identified and/or described in the appropriate manner. Dogs, cats and ferrets prior to trading shall be identified with a microchip (transponder) or a clearly readable tattoo. As of 03 July 2011, the transponder is the only valid manner of identifying dogs, cats and ferrets. The tattoo is accepted only if the animal was tattooed prior to 03 July 2011 and the tattoo is clearly legible. The transponder type is not stipulated, but transponders that conform to ISO standard 11784 or 11785 are commonly used in the EU Member States. If the transponder does not meet these standards, the owner of the animal shall, at their own expense, provide the appropriate reader in order to read the transponder during the check. Identifying the pet animal with a transponder can be performed at any age of the animal in accordance with the recommendations of the transponder manufacturer; however, the identification with a transponder shall be performed prior to the anti-rabies vaccination. If the pet animal was vaccinated first, and then identified with a transponder, the vaccination is not considered valid. In this case, after identification with a transponder, the animal shall receive a new anti-rabies vaccination and 21 days shall pass after the vaccination before entry into Member States of the European Union. Identification requirements for other pet animals are determined by the national regulations of the destination Member State. Anti-rabies vaccination Dogs, cats and ferrets older than 12 weeks prior to trading shall be vaccinated against rabies, which is in accordance with the validity requirements set out in Annex III to Regulation (EU) No. 576/2013. The validity period of the anti-rabies vaccination shall begin with the creation of protective immunity, which occurs on the 21st day after the vaccination and usually lasts a year (depending on the vaccine type and the manufacturer's instructions). If the animal is vaccinated against rabies for the first time, it may be traded after the expiration of 21 days from the anti-rabies vaccination. If the vaccine manufacturer stipulates a vaccination on two occasions, the period of 21 days is calculated from the date of the second vaccination (i.e. booster dose). If the animal was regularly revaccinated after the first vaccination before the expiry date of the previous vaccination, it is not necessary to wait for the aforementioned 21 days before trading with the animals. Derogations with regard to anti-rabies vaccination of young dogs, cats and ferrets The provisions of Regulation (EU) No. 576/2013 allow Member States to adopt their national regulations in order to decide whether to allow the entry into their territory of dogs, cats and ferrets, which are:
In the event that a Member State of the European Union allows the entry on its territory of unvaccinated young dogs, cats and ferrets from other EU Member States or third countries during the non-commercial movement of pet animals, the following requirements shall be fulfilled:
Such statement is not required if young pet animals accompanied by their mother on whom they still depend, and from the identification document accompanying the mother it may be determined that prior to their birth the mother had an anti-rabies vaccination.
Each Member State shall notify the European Commission whether it accepts from other Member States or third countries on their territory the non-commercial movement of young dogs, cats and ferrets that have not been vaccinated against rabies, and this information is published on the following website of the European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/pet-movement/eu-legislation/young-animals/index_en.htm Additional requirements Additional requirements with regard to the rabies antibody titration test During the entry of dogs, cats and ferrets from third countries that are considered high risk in terms of rabies, the animals shall additionally be monitored and the rabies antibody titration test shall be performed. Blood sampling required for the performance of the rabies antibody titration test shall be carried out by an authorised veterinarian at least 30 days after the vaccination date. The rabies antibody titration test shall be performed in an approved laboratory in a Member State of the European Union or third countries. The list of approved laboratories in the EU Member States and third countries is available on the following website of the European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/pet-movement/approved-labs/index_en.htm. The level of neutralising antibodies to the rabies virus in the serum shall be at least 0.5 IU/ml. The laboratory that performed the rabies antibody titration test shall send the results to an authorised veterinarian who sent the blood sample to testing, and the authorised veterinarian shall enter the satisfactory test result in the appropriate section of the identification document. The rabies antibody titration test shall not be performed if the pet animal previously obtained a satisfactory test result and the animal is regularly vaccinated against rabies in the validity period of the previous vaccination (in such cases, during the lifetime of a pet animal, only one rabies antibody titration test is sufficient). Additional requirements with regard to the entry of cats from Australia and dogs and cats from Malaysia In accordance with Commission Decision (EC) No. 2006/146, cats coming from Australia to any of the EU Member States along with the veterinary certificate provided for in Part I of Annex IV to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 577/2013 shall be accompanied by a guarantee issued by an official veterinarian confirming that there is no risk for the introduction of the Hendra disease, and for dogs and cats from Malaysia, that there is no risk for the introduction of the Nipah disease. Cats may be imported from Australia provided that the animals were not kept at holdings where there were confirmed cases of the Hendra disease during the past 60 days. Dogs and cats may be imported from Malaysia (peninsula) under the following conditions:
Additional requirements with regard to dogs that are shipped to Finland, Malta, Ireland or the United Kingdom
If dogs are shipped to Finland, Malta, Ireland or the United Kingdom, the identification document shall also contain the data on the treatment of dogs against Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm. Specifically, in accordance with the provisions of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No. 1152/2011, Finland, Malta, Ireland and the United Kingdom are considered countries free of Echinococcus multilocularis parasite and for the entry of dogs into the territories of these countries dogs shall additionally be treated against Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm, with a drug based on praziquantel or other equally effective drug. The treatment against parasites shall be performed by an authorised veterinarian up to 5 days (120 hours) and at least 1 day (24 hours) prior to the entry into the aforementioned countries. The veterinarian shall enter and verify the information on conducted treatment in the identification document (passport or veterinary certificate) accompanying the pet animal. Supervision of the non-commercial movement of pet animals and entry points for travellers In accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No. 576/2013, the Member States shall implement in a non-discriminatory manner, the documentary and identity check of pet animals that are the subject of non-commercial movement into their territory from another Member State or from a third country. Accordingly, the supervision of the non-commercial movements is possible during the movement of pet animals between the Member States of the European Union, regardless of whether they are pet animals originating in the European Union or have already been entered from a third country into the European Union and the supervision is performed during their movement between the Member States. The competent authorities performing the supervision of the non-commercial movement of pet animals are defined in the national legislation of a Member State of the European Union. In the Republic of Croatia, the supervision of non-commercial movement of pet animals is carried out by the customs officers and veterinary inspectors. The entry points for travellers are the areas, i.e. border crossings that have been defined by a Member State in accordance with national legislation for the purposes of checking pets accompanied by their owners or authorised persons arriving to the territory of the European Union from third countries (except for Andorra, Switzerland, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Vatican City State). The non-commercial movement of birds as pet animals in the Republic of Croatia from third countries is permitted only through border crossings where there are approved border inspection posts (BIP) in which customs officials and border veterinary inspectors carry out documentary and identity checks. Each Member State shall submit to the European Commission the lists of entry points for travellers and they are published on the following website of the European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/pet-movement/eu-legislation/non-commercial-non-eu/tpe_en.htm In the case of non-compliance with the prescribed requirements for the entry of the pet animal into the European Union / the Republic of Croatia, the entry of the pet animal will be refused, whereby the animal may be returned to the country of departure or placed in quarantine until the fulfilment of the prescribed health conditions. As a last option, when returning the animals is not possible or isolation is not practical, the animal can be put down (killed) in accordance with applicable national rules. All liability and costs incurred by implementing these measures shall be borne by the owner of the pet animal or the authorised person. Additional information on the rules applied to non-commercial movement of pet animals from third countries into the territory of the European Union, as well as non-commercial movement of pet animals between the Member States, is available on the following website of the European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/pet-movement/index_en.htm
Last updated: 30/09/2016
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