Pets arriving in Finland from Ukraine must meet normal entry requirements from July. The European Commission has decided that the special entry conditions for dogs, cats and ferrets owned by Ukrainians fleeing the war into the EU will expire on June 30, 2023.
After the start of Russia's war of aggression, on the recommendation of the Commission, people fleeing from Ukraine have been allowed to enter the EU territory with their own pets under special conditions. In the future, pets that do not meet the entry conditions defined by legislation can be returned to the country of origin or euthanized at the owner's expense.
The purpose of entry requirements is to protect human and animal health. Rabies, which is dangerous for both human and animal health and is spread through animal bites occurs in Ukraine. So does the fox tapeworm, Echinococcus multilocularis, an intestinal parasite which is dangerous for human health.
During the war of aggression that has lasted more than a year, more than 2,100 pets have arrived in Finland with refugees thanks to the Commission recommendation. Upon arrival in the country, the owner of the pet has been given instructions on follow-up measures, including rabies vaccination and isolation of the pet, and the dogs have been medicated against Echinococcus.
According to the Finnish Food Authority's border veterinarians, there are indications that the eased entry requirements have been used to bring in pets from Ukraine to the EU for commercial purposes.
More information on the conditions for pets traveling with their owners from Ukraine from 1 July 2023 can be found on the website of the Finnish Food Authority.
More information:
Head of Section Kitty Schulman, tel. 029 520 4985
Head of Unit Sirpa Kiviruusu, tel. 029 520 4436
Border veterinarian Marika Rättö, tel. 029 520 4407 (from June 19)
E-mails: firstname.surname@ruokavirasto.fi
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Conditions for importing dogs, cats and ferrets
Conditions for importing dogs, cats and ferrets (on the Commission's website)