A dog in The Balkans (1 Viewer)

[RogueStorm]

Gradually losing the will to live. My wife and I are planning a motorhome trip from the UK to Greece in April with some friends and their motorhome. Our planned route, after getting to Hungary is Serbia > Macedonia > Greece where we will spend about a month and then Albania > Montenegro > Bosnia (possibly) > Croatia > Serbia > Italy > France and home. I have read so many conflicting reports about the requirements regarding taking a dog through these countries that my head is spinning. My vet asked me to visit the DEFRA site but they seem more interested in animals coming into the UK. One site has said that pets are Ok as long as they are not entering from a high risk rabies country, in which case the dog will need a rabies titre test which requires that it is done 90 days before travel. We're inside than now. As all of the previously mentioned countries are on the high risk list I don't see how we can get through. We have decided not to take the ferry, expense being one factor but we'd like to visit the coast up the Adriatic. Does anyone have any, recent, experience traveling through these countries with a pet? Any help, website links appreciated.

 

[Hollyberry]

You are coming back to the UK from France and as far as I can see, UK immigration can't know that your dog has been anywhere else.
The pet check at France departure point is a tick list of chip implanted & matched, rabies jab in date, worming done by vet in correct time frame.
Pet passports aren't stamped, and when I imported my animals into France from Cyprus ( via Charles de Gaulle airport) no one even looked at their passports.

Have you had the titre test done ? As long as that complies, your dogs rabies is in date and s/he's been wormed by a French vet you can't do anything else to ensure your dog is rabies & worm free.

Only other thing I can think of is to try one of the organisations that brings rescue dogs into the UK from non EU countries and ask their advice.

 

[Tykatem]

You are coming back to the UK from France and as far as I can see, UK immigration can't know that your dog has been anywhere else..

Chance it at your own risk!
In the last 5yrs I have driven to Turkey 3 times, twice my car has been singled out at Dover and questioned as to where I've been and driven from! On the last occasion, the official freely admitted to me that they know from the vehicle registration which borders they have passed through and what countries they have visited.
This year we are taking the motorhome with our 2 dogs down to Italy then taking the ferry over to Greece & Bulgaria, Returning to the UK via Romania and Hungary.

Pete

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[The Dudess]

A couple of years ago we travelled to Greece via Croatia, Montenegro and Albania. Our dog obviously has a full pet passport but no-one in any of these countries was remotely interested in whether or not we had a dog or seeing her passport. I can't comment on Hungary, Serbia or Macedonia though. We have also travelled through Italy to get the ferry to Greece several times and the only time we were asked for her passport was at Camping Butterfly at Lake Garda. When re-entering the UK they check your dog's passport for the tapeworm treatment and scan the chip - as long as the rabies jab is up to date you will be fine** . If you want to avoid Bosnia you can get the Ploce/Trpanj ferry from Croatia - think it cost us 44 euros one way for a 7.5 metre mh.

**The first rabies vaccination given to a dog at around four to six months of age lasts for one year, at which time the dog requires a booster rabies vaccination. The second round of rabies vaccinations and all subsequent vaccinations last for three years

 

[RogueStorm]

You are coming back to the UK from France and as far as I can see, UK immigration can't know that your dog has been anywhere else.
The pet check at France departure point is a tick list of chip implanted & matched, rabies jab in date, worming done by vet in correct time frame.
Pet passports aren't stamped, and when I imported my animals into France from Cyprus ( via Charles de Gaulle airport) no one even looked at their passports.

Have you had the titre test done ? As long as that complies, your dogs rabies is in date and s/he's been wormed by a French vet you can't do anything else to ensure your dog is rabies & worm free.

Only other thing I can think of is to try one of the organisations that brings rescue dogs into the UK from non EU countries and ask their advice.

Don't see where this is going. The original post is about taking a dog TO the Balkans. Not coming back to the uk. Thanks anyway.

 

[RogueStorm]

Thanks 'The Dude', I was hoping it was something as simple as that. I'd still be a lot happier if I could find something written in stone, or at least, on the internet that gave a definitive answer. We're going as a small convoy, two motorhomes, and I don't want to hold the other guys up with border shenanigans.

We've done the return trip a few times so we're familiar with the pet requirements prior to returning to the UK. PITA and an added expense but a necessity to come home.

Many thanks for a question specific reply.

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[JillandNala]

Roguestorm. Just wondering if you managed to sort your trip? I too am finding the process of planning a trip with a dog through the Balkans somewhat painful. I was hoping to drive with my dog from uk to Macedonia in May via Hungary and Serbia but can’t work out if an eu pet passport will be sufficient in Serbia. Seems like I may need a titre rabies test and health certificate? At this point I’m thinking of going the slightly longer route through Romania and Bulgaria and hoping this will be more straightforward given they are eu countries.

 

[Tykatem]

I was hoping to drive with my dog from uk to Macedonia in May via Hungary and Serbia but can’t work out if an eu pet passport will be sufficient in Serbia. Seems like I may need a titre rabies test and health certificate? At this point I’m thinking of going the slightly longer route through Romania and Bulgaria and hoping this will be more straightforward given they are eu countries.

Hello and welcome to the forum.
For travelling through Serbia you'll need to have your dog titre tested and a health certificate. You'll be fine and legal going via Romania & Bulgaria with an EU pet passport.

Pete

 

[JillandNala]

Thanks Pete. That’s a relief. A few sites mention that for travel to Bulgaria & Romania, the pet passport rabies vaccination needs to have been administered no less than 21 days and up to a year - i.e that ‘whilst they honour the 3 year rabies vaccination for dogs, it should only be administered as a booster unless specified by the manufacture’. Any idea what this means? I still have time to get a new pet passport and rabies jab, leaving the 21 days before I travel if this is necessary?

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[Tykatem]

Thanks Pete. That’s a relief. A few sites mention that for travel to Bulgaria & Romania, the pet passport rabies vaccination needs to have been administered no less than 21 days and up to a year - i.e that ‘whilst they honour the 3 year rabies vaccination for dogs, it should only be administered as a booster unless specified by the manufacture’. Any idea what this means? I still have time to get a new pet passport and rabies jab, leaving the 21 days before I travel if this is necessary?

Whilst we continue to be a member of the EU, travel with the Pet Passport is still valid for Bulgaria and Romania. When we took our dogs for their rabies booster in December we did ask the vet about the difference between the 1 year vaccine and the 3 year vaccine - he said there is no difference it is the same vaccine but some countries use it more frequently.