Confusion When Moving Pets to the EU
My family and I will be moving to Poland with two cats. Will they need to have the FAVN test done? I've read so many conflicting requirements while pursuing an answer via the web that I'm at a total loss as where to begin. Thanks for your help! Carolina
Carolina, we hear you. If you're moving with pets to the EU, you can get so bogged down in bureaocracy that it can make your work permit application process look like a cake walk!
But I can't fully answer your question, because you don't say what country you're coming from -- or, in "pet shipper" speak, what country your pet will be originating in.
Most countries outside of the US, including the EU, base their import requirements on where the pet originates. The origin country dictates what documents are required, whether there is quarantine, and -- of course -- whether you'll need to do a FAVN blood test for your cats.
For example, let's say your cats are leaving from New York City, New York and traveling to Poland. The EU views the USA as a "Third Country with a Favorable Situation With Regard to Rabies" which means, in plain english, that the US is not part of the EU (thus making it a "third country") and, while the US is not "Rabies Free," it is "Rabies Controlled." This means that you wouldn't need to do the FAVN test. You would just need to follow the Poland Pet Import Rules & Requirements for pets coming from the US, which we have listed on our website for your reference.
However, let's say your cats we're leaving from Bangkok, Thailand, which is not on the EU's list of "Third Countries with a Favorable Situation With Regard to Rabies." Then they would need to fulfill the rest of the EUROPA EU requirements, including the FAVN test and a four month pre-import "home quarantine" in order to avoid quarantine upon arrival.
Ultimately, there's a lot of cryptic information out there Carolina, and we don't blame you for being confused. Our door-to-door services handle the pre-export documentation for you (and oftentimes, the literal translation of import/export requirements) -- which is just a small part of the confusion that can happen when moving pets on your own!