Traveling with your pet in the EU — passport, chip, rabies

The three non-negotiables

Every dog or cat moving freely within the EU needs, in this order:

1. A microchip (ISO 11784/11785 standard) — implanted before anything else

2. A valid rabies vaccination — given after the chip, and the animal must wait at least 21 days after the first vaccination before travelling

3. A pet passport — issued by a registered vet, free or low cost, renewed by the vet when entries expire

By transport mode

• Car or train: no special rules beyond the documents; a muzzle may be required on public transport
• Plane: each airline has its own rules (size, carrier, direct booking) — check at least a month ahead
• Boat/ferries: check the specific route; some short routes have extra rules for non-EU countries

Coming from Serbia to the EU (or back)

Serbia is outside the EU, so a pet passport alone is not enough:

• You need an official veterinary health certificate issued under EU rules, within 10 days of entry
• The microchip and a valid rabies vaccination (21+ days) are still the base
• A rabies titer (ANTIBODY) blood test is only required for the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland or when moving more than one pet — for a single pet between Serbia and most EU states it is not needed
• Enter the details of the journey and the certifier vet into the certificate before you travel

Leaving a pet behind

Never leave a pet in a car in the sun, and if you are travelling for a long time, arrange a caretaker who will feed and walk the animal daily — shelters and vets see the worst of abandoned pets in summer, every year.