Movement of pets

If you are bringing a pet to the Republic of Croatia, you need to keep in mind the necessary documents and which points of entry allow entry of pets

The following animals are considered pets: dogs, cats, ferrets, invertebrates (except for bees and crabs), decorative tropical fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, rodents and rabbits.
Pets transported for non-commercial purposes are pets which are not intended for sale or to be handed over to another person, and which are accompanied by the owner or a person authorised by the owner.
 
Documentation and identification checks of up to five pets entering Croatia for non-commercial purposes are conducted by the officials of the Customs Administration at points of entry at which pets can enter the country.
 
Pets which are not birds and are accompanied by the owner or person authorised by the owner may enter the Republic of Croatia at the following points of entry:
  • Road: Bajakovo, Batina, Erdut, Gunja, Gornji Brgat, Ilok, Kamensko, Karasovići, Klek, Ličko Petrovo Selo, Maljevac, Metković, Nova Sela, Slavonski Brod, Slavonski Šamac, Stara Gradiška, Strmica, Tovarnik, Vinjani Donji, Vukovar, Zaton Doli and Županja;
  • Railway: Tovarnik;
  • Port: Dubrovnik, Ploče, Rijeka, Split and Zadar;
  • River: Drava–Osijek and Vukovar;
  • Airport: Dubrovnik, Mali Lošinj, Osijek, Pula, Rijeka, Split, Zadar and Zagreb.
 
The following points of entry are designated for the entry of pet birds into the Republic of Croatia accompanied by their owner or person authorised by the owner:
  • Road: Bajakovo, Karasovići, Nova Sela and Stara Gradiška;
  • Airport: Zagreb.
 
Pet animals, accompanied by the owner or person authorised by the owner, may enter the Republic of Croatia from Andorra, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and Vatican City State via all points of entry, including ports and airports towards EU where customs supervision is carried out.

When transporting dogscats and ferretsthe following requirements have to be met:
  • The animal has to be microchipped or have a clearly legible tattoo (made before 3 July 2011). If the animal’s microchip (transponder) does not comply with ISO standards 11784 or 11785, but is of a different type, the owner or handler accompanying the pet has to provide the reader needed to read the microchip.

At all times it has to be possible to establish the name and address of the animal's owner. The microchip number is entered into the passport or certificate which the owner or handler accompanying the pet carries with the animal.
  • The animal has to travel with a passport or certificate issued by a veterinarian authorised by the competent authority (the passport has to indicate the date until which the vaccination is valid)
  • The animal has been vaccinated against rabies.
Dogs, cats and ferrets originating from high-risk countries must fulfil one other requirement in addition to those listed above:
  • They must be subjected to an antibody titration test of at least 0.5 IJ/ml on a sample taken by an authorised veterinarian, no sooner than 30 days after vaccination and three months before movement across border, conducted in a certified laboratory included in the list published here.
 
Movement of animals younger than three months and unvaccinated, which originate from low-risk countries outside the European Union, is permitted if the owner or handler possesses a passport or certificate and if the animals stayed in one place from birth and did not come in contact with wild animals that could have been exposed to the infection, or if they are accompanied by their mother on which they are still dependent.

The entry and temporary stay in the Republic of Croatia of dangerous dog breeds (e.g. pit bull terriers and their crossbreeds) that are not entered into the register of the World Canine Organisation (FCI) is not allowed.
The list of such dogs and the requirements under which their keeping is exceptionally allowed is regulated by the Ordinance on Dangerous Dogs.
 
Veterinary checks
 
In case of non-commercial movement of more than 5 pets from third countries into the territory of the Republic of Croatia, documentation and identification checks will not be conducted by the officials of the Customs Administration since this such movement is subject to veterinary checks at veterinary border inspection posts.
 
 
For further information about the obligations of pet owners or persons authorised by owners in non-commercial movement of pets and potential additional requirements that might have to be met, please visit Pets—non-commercial movement and Customs Administration—Movement of animals, or send an e-mail to: veterinarstvo@mps.hr.