Moving to Georgia with a pet is an exciting adventure, but also a responsible task. For your furry companion to cross the border comfortably and without stress, it is important to understand veterinary rules in advance, prepare documents, choose suitable transport, and plan adaptation in the new place.
In this detailed guide, we have compiled everything that dog, cat, and other pet owners need to know: from microchipping and vaccines to the nuances of air travel, queues at Upper Lars, and veterinary medicine in Tbilisi and Batumi.
Table of contents:
Entering Georgia with pets (dogs and cats) is governed by clear international standards. To cross the border quickly and without unpleasant surprises, you will need to gather a mandatory package of veterinary documents.
Photo: user788993 / Freepik
A veterinary passport is the pet's main personal document throughout the entire journey. It must be of an international format (with fields duplicated in English).
The passport must be neatly filled out: owner's data in Latin letters, pet photo (recommended for dogs), pet name, breed, color, date of birth, as well as a microchip barcode sticker and records of all vaccinations and treatments with veterinarians' signatures and clinic stamps.
Microchipping is mandatory for any cross-border travel. The animal receives a microchip conforming to international standard ISO 11784 / ISO 11785. It contains a unique 15-digit code.
📌 Critically important "golden rule" of microchipping: the chip must be implanted BEFORE the rabies vaccination or on the same day as it! If, according to dates in the veterinary passport, the chip was implanted even one day later than the vaccination date, veterinary control will declare the vaccination invalid. In this case, the animal will be considered unvaccinated, and you will have to vaccinate it again and wait out 21–30 days of mandatory quarantine.
Crossing the border is impossible without a valid rabies vaccination. The vaccination must be administered with an inactivated vaccine (Nobivac, Rabisin, Biocan, and others) no less than 21 days before departure (for primary vaccination or if revaccination deadlines were missed) and no more than 1 year ago.
Also, comprehensive vaccination is mandatory for processing documents at a state veterinary clinic:
• For dogs: comprehensive protection against canine distemper, infectious hepatitis, parvovirus enteritis, parainfluenza, and leptospirosis (DHPPi+L complex).
• For cats: vaccination against panleukopenia, calicivirus, and viral rhinotracheitis (herpesvirus).
All vaccine stickers in the passport must be certified with the veterinarian's signature and the round/triangular stamp of the veterinary clinic.
Before crossing the border, the animal must undergo official antiparasitic treatment with mandatory adherence to deadlines:
• Deworming (against tapeworms and echinococcosis): carried out with praziquantel-based medications (Milbemax, Drontal, Caniquantel, and others) 1–5 days (from 24 to 120 hours) before crossing the border.
• Protection against external parasites (fleas and ticks): spot-on drops, spray, or tablets (Bravecto, Simparica, Frontline, and others) are also applied 1–5 days before the trip.
• Official recording: it is best to perform the treatment at a state veterinary clinic (SBBZh) when obtaining the Form No. 1 certificate. The veterinarian will paste the medication stickers into the passport, indicate the date and exact time of treatment, and provide a signature and stamp. Home treatment without veterinarian marks is not accepted at border control.
The official algorithm for obtaining an export permit from Russia to Georgia consists of two sequential steps:
Step 1. Obtaining Form No. 1 at SBBZh: 1–5 days before the trip, visit the state animal disease control station (SBBZh) with your pet. The veterinarian will conduct a clinical examination, verify the microchip with a scanner, confirm parasite treatment, and generate electronic veterinary certificate Form No. 1 in the state FGIS Mercury system. Private clinics are not authorized to issue such a certificate.
Step 2. Exchange for Certificate 5a: at the veterinary control point of the departure airport (before baggage drop-off and check-in) or at the Upper Lars automobile checkpoint, a Rosselkhoznadzor inspector exchanges Form No. 1 for international Certificate Form 5a (in English).
📌 Important: International Certificate 5a is valid for 90 days; with it, you can enter Georgia and return to Russia without problems without collecting new documents (provided that the validity period of the rabies vaccination has not expired).
For direct entry into Georgia from Russia, a rabies antibody titer test is not currently required: a microchip, a valid vaccination, and Certificate 5a are sufficient at border control.
📌 However, note: if you plan transit through Georgia to European Union countries or Turkey, or intend to travel further with your pet:
• Stricter EU requirements: since autumn 2024, European Union countries introduced a mandatory requirement for rabies antibody titers for animals from Russia and Belarus.
• 3-month quarantine rule: blood for analysis is drawn at an accredited laboratory no earlier than 30 days after vaccination (the titer must be at least 0.5 IU/ml). But most importantly, entry into EU countries is permitted strictly 3 months after the blood sampling date! Getting a quick test and leaving immediately will not work.
• Recommendation: if future travel is planned, take the titer test in advance while still in the Russian Federation (VGNKI, ARRIAH, Chance Bio). In Georgia, the test costs substantially more, and results take a long time to arrive due to international shipment of serum. With annual timely revaccination, the test result remains valid indefinitely.
Each mode of transport has its pros, limitations, and safety rules. The choice depends on the pet's size, its temperament, and your route.
Photo: freepik
An airplane is the fastest way to reach Georgia (on direct flights from Moscow, Sochi, Mineralnye Vody, and other cities to Tbilisi, Batumi, and Kutaisi). Rules depend on the pet's dimensions:
• In the cabin under the seat (up to 8 kg including carrier): the classic option for cats and small dogs. The carrier must be soft or semi-rigid, with a waterproof bottom and good ventilation, fitting within carry-on baggage dimensions (usually the sum of three dimensions is up to 115–126 cm).
• In an adjacent seat (up to 15–20 kg with carrier): a modern service available with several carriers (S7, Red Wings, and others). You purchase a separate ticket for the neighboring passenger seat by the window. The pet flies in a rigid or semi-rigid carrier right next to you under your constant supervision: a lifesaver for medium-sized dog breeds (corgis, beagles, spaniels) that owners do not want to check into baggage.
• In the baggage compartment: for large dogs weighing more than 8–20 kg. The carrier must be rigid (IATA standard), with a reliable metal latch, bolted fasteners, and a drinking bowl. The pet baggage compartment is heated and ventilated just like the cabin, but for a dog it is serious stress.
🚨 STRICT BAN FOR BRACHYCEPHALIC BREEDS: dogs and cats with shortened muzzles (pugs, French and English bulldogs, Pekingese, Boston terriers, Persian cats) have respiratory anatomical peculiarities and are extremely sensitive to pressure and temperature drops. Most airlines strictly prohibit checking brachycephalic animals into the baggage hold! In the baggage compartment, they have the highest risk of asphyxiation and fatal heat stroke. Such animals are transported exclusively in the aircraft cabin (if the weight meets the limits) or land transport by car is chosen.
📌 Important flight rules:
• Quota on board: no more than 2–4 animals are allowed on each flight, and airlines do not seat cats and dogs in the same cabin. Request a reservation for your pet immediately upon purchasing a ticket (no later than 48–72 hours before departure) and await official confirmation from the airline.
• Extra time at the airport: arrive at the airport at least 3–4 hours before departure to pass border veterinary control and exchange documents before flight check-in closes.
Traveling by personal car offers maximum flexibility: you control the cabin climate yourself, can make stops for walking, and keep your pet right next to you. The only land border crossing between Russia and Georgia is the Upper Lars checkpoint (Georgian Military Road).
Photo: pikisuperstar / Freepik
Realities of crossing the border with a pet:
• Queues and waiting: at Upper Lars, waiting times can range from 2–3 to 10–15 hours (in summer during the tourist season or in winter during snowfalls at the pass). Be sure to have a supply of drinking water in the car (at least 5 liters per pet), habitual dry food, absorbent pee pads, and bowls.
• Veterinary control at the checkpoint: on the Russian side of the border crossing, a Rosselkhoznadzor duty veterinary station operates, where inspectors scan the chip, check the passport, and exchange Form No. 1 for Certificate 5a. On the Georgian side, border guards inspect the animal and scan documents.
• Safety on mountain roads: under no circumstances let the dog off the leash near the border or during stops along the Georgian Military Road. Heavy truck traffic lines the highway, and unfamiliar mountainous terrain and scents can provoke the animal to flee.
Scheduled long-distance buses (Moscow, Mineralnye Vody, Vladikavkaz - Tbilisi) have strict attitudes toward passengers with animals: most carriers prohibit pet transport or only agree to take a cat or miniature dog in a carrier on your lap if a separate passenger ticket is purchased.
If you have a medium or large dog and no personal car, the best practical solution is an individual transfer by passenger car or minivan from Vladikavkaz with a verified pet-friendly driver. This will cost more than a bus, but eliminates the risk of boarding refusal and provides comfort for the animal when passing through the neutral zone.
Photo: freepik
Special rules apply to the transport of birds, rodents (rabbits, chinchillas, hamsters), or reptiles:
• CITES certificate: if your pet belongs to rare species (many types of parrots, turtles, iguanas), an international CITES permit is required confirming the legality of purchase and the absence of a threat to population extinction.
• Veterinary certificates: for birds, laboratory tests for ornithosis and avian influenza are mandatory. For rodents and reptiles, an SBBZh veterinarian issues a certificate indicating the absence of clinical signs of infections.
• Temperature conditions: bird cages are covered with lightweight cloth to protect from drafts and visual stress, while thermal containers with temperature control are used for exotic reptiles.
Assemble a separate "pet travel bag" that should always remain close at hand in the car interior or in carry-on luggage:
• Documents: the original veterinary passport with chip and vaccines, Certificate 5a (or Form No. 1), test results (if titers were done). Keep them in a waterproof folder together with your passports.
• Water and travel bottle: a travel bottle with a foldable spout or a collapsible silicone bowl. Offer water in small portions during the journey.
• Familiar food: a supply of habitual food for the road and for at least 1–2 weeks of life in Georgia. A sudden change of food against the backdrop of moving stress will almost certainly cause gastrointestinal upset.
• Hygiene: a roll of disposable absorbent pads (for the carrier and seat), wet antibacterial wipes for paws and coat, waste pickup bags.
• First aid kit: a sorbent (Enterosgel or Smecta), an antihistamine (for allergies or insect bites), an antiseptic (Chlorhexidine), a bandage, and herbal calming drops (as recommended by your veterinarian).
• Familiar items: a home blanket, favorite pet bed, or toy with a familiar home scent so that the pet feels secure.
Georgia is a very warm and hospitable country where people love animals. However, on site, owners will face a number of everyday and climatic specifics.
Photo: EyeEm / Freepik
Finding an apartment in Tbilisi or Batumi with a pet is entirely realistic, but there will be approximately 2–3 times fewer options than without animals. Main rules during the search:
• Always honestly warn the realtor and landlord before viewing about the breed, weight, and number of pets.
• Be prepared for an increased deposit: standardly in Georgia, payment for the first and last month is taken, but with a pet, owners may ask for an additional refundable security deposit in case of damage to furniture or walls.
• Be sure to record permission to live with a pet in the lease agreement.
In major cities (Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi), veterinary care is developed at a high level. There are 24-hour hospitals, modern diagnostics (ultrasound, digital X-ray, blood biochemistry), and pharmacies.
• Tbilisi: among expats, these clinics are popular: Vet Life, Veterinary Clinic Aibo, Balto. Staff in many clinics speak Russian and English fluently.
• Batumi: qualified care is available at these clinics: Vet House, Fauna, Batumi Vet.
• Food and pet supplies: popular international foods (Royal Canin, Pro Plan, Monge, Hill's, Farmina) are easy to buy in Georgia both at pet store chains (Zoomart and others) and with delivery through Wolt and Glovo courier services.
When walking a pet in Georgia, it is important to take local urban specifics into account:
• Urban street dogs: on the streets of Georgian cities there are many stray dogs with colored ear tags (a sign that the animal is sterilized, vaccinated, and cared for by the municipality). Most are peaceable and well-fed, but they may show territorial aggression toward domestic dogs, especially on a leash. During the first weeks, avoid narrow alleys with packs and keep your dog on a short leash.
• Ticks and parasite season: due to the warm and humid subtropical climate (especially in Batumi and the coastal zone), the tick activity season lasts almost year-round. Tick treatment (tablets or drops) should be continuous.
• Summer heat: in summer, temperatures in Tbilisi can exceed +35...+38 °C, and asphalt heats up intensely. Reschedule walks to early morning (before 8:00) and late evening, avoid scorching stone pavements, and always bring water with you.
Moving with a pet to Georgia requires thorough preparation, but all the trouble pays off a hundredfold when your tailed friend happily runs along the Batumi promenade or frolics in Vake Park in Tbilisi. Save this guide, follow the checklist, and may your journey go smoothly and joyfully!
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