Return of EU dogs, cats and ferrets to the territory of the European Union/the Republic of Croatia after a temporary stay in third countries

If the owner or authorised person travels with a dog, cat or ferret originating in the European Union as a pet animal to a third country (except in Andorra, Switzerland, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino and Vatican City State) and intends to return with the pet animal to the European Union through the external borders of the Republic of Croatia, such return of a pet animal is possible only through the entry points for travellers over which the supervision of the non-commercial movement of pet animals is performed by customs officials.
The list of entry points for travellers at the external borders of the Republic of Croatia is available on the following website of the Veterinary and Food Safety Directorate:

http://www.veterinarstvo.hr/default.aspx?id=1170

The veterinary and health conditions to be met by EU dogs, cats and ferrets when returning to the European Union after a temporary stay in a third country vary depending on the health status of the national territory or a third country with regard to rabies, i.e. whether the dogs, cats and ferrets will return to the European Union after a temporary stay:

in the territories and in third countries listed in Part 2 of Annex II to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 577/2013 or
other third countries.

Return to the European Union after a temporary stay of pet animals in the territories and in third countries listed in Part 2 of Annex II to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 577/2013

Territories and third countries listed in Part 2 of Annex II to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 577/2013

Ascension Island, United Arab Emirates, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Aruba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Barbados, Bahrain, Bermuda, Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba, Belarus, Canada, Chile, Curacao, Fiji Islands, Falkland Islands, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Japan, St. Christopher and Nevis, Cayman Islands, St. Lucia, Montserrat, Macedonia, Mauritius, Mexico, Malaysia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, French Polynesia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Russia, Singapore, Saint Helena, Saint Martin, Trinidad and Tobago, Taiwan, United States of America (including the territories: American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, British Virgin Islands, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna

During the return of dogs, cats and ferrets from the abovementioned territories and third countries, the following conditions shall be fulfilled:

the pet animals are accompanied by the owner or the authorised person;
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.
pet animals are older than 12 weeks, vaccinated against rabies, in accordance with the vaccination manufacturer’s instructions, which shall comply with the validity requirements set out in Annex III to Regulation (EU) No. 576/2013;
pet animals are marked/identified with a transponder or a clearly readable tattoo, which was tattooed prior to 3 July 2011;
pet animals are accompanied by:

passport prescribed in Part 1 of Annex III to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 577/2013; or
passport prescribed in Annex I to Commission Decision (EC) No. 2003/803 if it was issued prior to 29 December 2014;

In case that during such movement dogs, cats and ferrets are in transit through other territories and third countries (not listed in the table in Part 2 of Annex II to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 577/2013 that are considered high-risk in relation to rabies, the animals shall also be accompanied by the performed rabies antibody titration test prior to leaving the territory of the European Union.
The rabies antibody titration test shall not be performed if the owner or authorised person has a signed written statement that during such transit the pet animals were not in contact with animals susceptible to rabies and that they were closed inside the vehicle or within the area of the international airport.

Return to the European Union after a temporary stay of pet animals in other third countries

During the re-entry of dogs, cats and ferrets from other third countries (not listed in the table in Part 2 of Annex II to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 577/2013) that are considered high risk in terms of rabies, the following shall be met:

all requirements stated for the return of dogs, cats and ferrets to the European Union from the territories and third countries listed in Part 2 of Annex II to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 577/2013 and
the animals shall also be accompanied by the performed rabies antibody titration test prior to leaving the territory of the European Union.

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. The list of approved laboratories in the Member States of the European Union is available on the following website of the European Commission:

http://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/pet-movement/ms-websites/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 be tested, and the authorised veterinarian shall enter the satisfactory result in the appropriate section of the passport.

The rabies antibody titration test shall not be performed if the pet animal previously obtained a satisfactory 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).

If dog, cat and ferret as a pet animal do not meet the abovementioned requirements, the entry of the pet animal into the European Union / the Republic of Croatia 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.

All liability and costs incurred by implementing these measures shall be borne by the owner of the pet animal or the authorised person.

Last updated: 30/09/2016