Moving a dog or cat in Uzbekistan and abroad: documents, vaccines, carriers

Traveling with a pet isn’t just a carrier and a leash. It’s documents, vaccines, microchip, vet certificates, and sometimes quarantine on arrival. This article is a step-by-step checklist so you don’t get turned back at the airport.

The main ruleIf a big trip is in the plan, start the paperwork 4 months ahead. The bureaucracy in this field never hurries.

Inside Uzbekistan

Moving dogs and cats around the country is the easy case. On a train or by car, this is enough:

• A rabies vaccine, given no more than a year ago.
• An international-format vet passport (about 50,000 sums; any clinic does it).
• For trains: certificate №4 — issued by the state vet office 1–2 days before the trip.

Domestic flights (Air Samarkand, Uzbekistan Airways): the pet must be in a carrier matching the airline’s size and weight rules. Small pets up to 8 kg ride in the cabin, larger ones in the cargo hold.

Abroad: general rules

Most countries need:

• An ISO 11784/11785 microchip.
• A rabies vaccine given after the chip was implanted.
• An export certificate issued by the State Veterinary Service 1–2 days before flight.

Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan

The simplest case — no quarantine. Chip + valid vaccine + form №1 vet certificate or export certificate.

Turkey, UAE, Georgia

Additionally, a rabies titer test if Uzbekistan isn’t on their “green list.” Done at a licensed lab, costs 300–500,000 sums, results in 7–14 days.

EU, UK

The hardest. Required: ISO chip, rabies vaccine at least 21 days before departure, titer test 3 months before arrival, and a state-vet EU certificate within 10 days of the flight.

USA, Canada, Australia

On-arrival quarantine from 10 days to 3 months — Australia is especially strict.

Don’t go it aloneFor the USA, Canada, or Australia, work through a pet-cargo agent. Any paperwork mistake — and the pet flies back at your expense.

Choosing a carrier

• For the cabin: soft-sided, fitting under the seat. Airlines cap it at 40×30×20 cm and the pet at 8 kg (with carrier).
• For cargo: hard-sided, IATA standard, with a lock that won’t pop open. Line it with an absorbent pad.
• For the car: hard or soft, with a seatbelt attachment (special anchors exist).

Preparing the pet

A month before the trip — train it on the carrier: leave it open with a treat inside, in the room overnight. By the day of the trip the cat should walk in voluntarily.

The day before the flight — don’t overfeed. Light dinner, only water in the morning. Tranquilizers — only on a vet’s prescription (they can suppress breathing at altitude).

On the road

• Plane: cargo holds aren’t refrigerated for pets — but they’re not heated either. Wrap the carrier in a blanket if it’s winter.
• Train: the compartment needs to be near a power outlet for a water bowl.
• Car: a stop every 2 hours — walk and water. Never leave the pet alone in the car in summer, not even for 5 minutes.