It is advisable that each DCF meet all of the following conditions:
- having been identified by means of a transponder (chip) or tattoo. (A tattoo may still count as valid identification if applied before 03/07/2011 and is clearly legible). Identification must be carried out before or at the latest at the time of rabies vaccination. Although a tattoo is still accepted in Europe as a transitional measure in certain situations, it will not be accepted in most third countries!
- having a European passport, as defined in Annex III to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013, drawn up and issued by an authorised veterinarian in accordance with the provisions of Article 21 of Regulation (EU) No 576/2013
- having a valid antirabies vaccination:
- Primo-vaccination
- Minimum age for administration of vaccine: 12 weeks
- Valid after 3 weeks at the earliest
- Decision: the DCF must be at least 15 weeks old to have a valid vaccination
- Revaccination
- Is immediately valid if the vaccination protocol was duly followed (before the end of the validity of the previous vaccination)
- Pay attention! The duration of validity of the anti-rabies vaccination shall be determined by the country of destination. A vaccination valid for three years in Belgium may not be valid for as long outside Belgium and, therefore, considered invalid by the country of destination.
More specifically, the period of validity of a rabies vaccination is described and determined by the technical specifications of the vaccine in the country where it was administered and/or as stated by the authorised or official veterinarian in the identification document (passport or certificate) of that country.
- Even if for a limited number of countries, it is not compulsory to have a valid vaccination, we recommend that you have your DCF vaccinated against rabies. It is compulsory anyway if you wish to return to the European Union.
- Primo-vaccination
The country of destination may impose additional conditions to be met by the DCF in order to be admitted. In most cases, a health certificate is required by the country of destination to import your DCF. The procedure to be followed in order to find out the conditions that apply to the country of destination is mentioned on the FASFC website. In any case, you remain responsible for ensuring that the import of your DCF will be accepted by the country of destination.
In a nutshell:
- Sometimes the conditions are known by the FASFC:
- In this case, they will be mentioned on the FASFC website: here if it concerns a negotiated country-specific certificate or here if it concerns a country-specific certificate available in the LCU. However, it is always up to the owner to check which type of certificate is required by the country of destination.
- In this case, they will be mentioned on the FASFC website: here if it concerns a negotiated country-specific certificate or here if it concerns a country-specific certificate available in the LCU. However, it is always up to the owner to check which type of certificate is required by the country of destination.
- If the conditions are not known by the FASFC:
- You should enquire whether a certificate, an import permit and/or additional conditions are prescribed by the country of destination to import your DCF. Embassies and regional export-promoting bodies can help you to contact the competent authority of the country of destination.
- You should enquire whether a certificate, an import permit and/or additional conditions are prescribed by the country of destination to import your DCF. Embassies and regional export-promoting bodies can help you to contact the competent authority of the country of destination.
- If the country of destination imposes a health certificate but does not prescribe its own model:
- In this case, you can use the general model of certificate for the export of dogs/cats. This can be found here. It is up to you to present this model to the competent authority of the country of destination. This model can be accepted by the country of destination with or without additional conditions.
- In this case, you can use the general model of certificate for the export of dogs/cats. This can be found here. It is up to you to present this model to the competent authority of the country of destination. This model can be accepted by the country of destination with or without additional conditions.
- If the country of destination imposes its own or additional conditions:
- In this case, you must provide official proof that these conditions have been imposed by the authorities of the country of destination, together with a sworn translation if necessary. The conditions imposed by the country of destination must be submitted to the LCU in advance and not at the time of certification. The LCU must be able to check the certifiability and possibly discuss this internally. Some examples of additional conditions that may need to be included on the certificate are:
- the legalisation of the European passport by an official veterinarian attached to the FASFC (section XI will be completed for this purpose),
- a stay in Belgium prior to export (you must present a declaration from your veterinarian approved in Belgium who monitored your DCF to prove it),
- an additional treatment (to be entered in sections VII, VIII and IX of the European passport by the veterinarian approved in Belgium who treated your animal),
- a clinical treatment (to be entered in section X of the European passport by the veterinarian approved in Belgium who examined your animal), etc.
- In this case, you must provide official proof that these conditions have been imposed by the authorities of the country of destination, together with a sworn translation if necessary. The conditions imposed by the country of destination must be submitted to the LCU in advance and not at the time of certification. The LCU must be able to check the certifiability and possibly discuss this internally. Some examples of additional conditions that may need to be included on the certificate are: