Bringing a dog or cat to Georgia

A family travelling with its own companion animal is different from importing an animal for sale, adoption transfer or commercial ownership change. Georgian rules and certificate models distinguish non-commercial movement, commonly with a limit of five dogs, cats or ferrets per traveller.

If ownership will change, the animal travels separately from the responsible person, or the number is larger, do not force the facts into a pet-travel checklist. Ask the National Food Agency and the exporting authority which commercial or veterinary-control procedure applies.

The microchip connects the animal to the vaccination and certificate. Have a veterinarian scan it, record the number accurately and ensure subsequent documents repeat the same number. A transposed digit can make valid medical work difficult to connect to the animal at the border.

Where the destination framework requires identification before rabies vaccination, a vaccine given before the recorded chip may need additional handling or repetition. Build the chronology with the veterinarian rather than assembling it after tickets are purchased.

The animal must have a current rabies vaccination meeting the applicable rules. For a primary vaccination, at least 21 days commonly need to pass before travel. A timely booster given while the previous vaccination remains valid may avoid restarting the primary-waiting logic, but the record must prove continuity.

Rabies antibody titration is origin- and transit-sensitive. USDA APHIS states that a titre is not required for qualifying US-origin pets travelling directly or through listed countries, while other routes can require Annex declarations or different evidence. Confirm the exact country chain, including airport transit.

A pet passport is useful history but may not replace the official health certificate required for international movement. The certificate must be completed accurately by an authorised veterinarian and, where the exporting country requires it, endorsed by the competent government authority.

Validity can be short. APHIS, for example, states that the Georgian certificate for US-origin pets is valid for ten days from issue and requires endorsement. Other countries use their own export process. Work backwards from arrival, not departure, and leave time for endorsement without making the document too old.

Current origin guidance for Georgia can require dogs to receive treatment against internal and external parasites before travel. Record product, active ingredient, dose, date, time and veterinarian in the certificate where required.

Even when a cat’s certificate differs, discuss parasite prevention appropriate to Georgia. Ticks, fleas and vector-borne disease exposure vary by season and region; a Tbilisi apartment cat and a dog hiking in Kakheti have different risk profiles.

Confirm whether the animal may travel in cabin, checked hold or manifest cargo; combined carrier-and-animal weight; crate dimensions; breed restrictions; seasonal temperature embargoes; transfer-airport rules and how each segment is confirmed.

A ticket issued to the person does not guarantee the pet reservation. Obtain written confirmation and reconfirm shortly before travel. Introduce the carrier gradually, label it safely and carry accessible copies of the health file without attaching original documents where they can be lost.

Carry the original certificate, vaccination and identification records, owner identity and any declaration or authority. Declare the animal as required and allow time for veterinary control. If a document is rejected, possible consequences can include isolation, return or other measures at the owner’s cost.

Save the Georgian entry documents. They can be important when the animal later leaves Georgia, because the next destination—not Georgia—sets the return or onward-entry rules. A rabies titre that was unnecessary for entry into Georgia may be essential for returning to another jurisdiction.

Obtain written landlord permission identifying the animal rather than relying on “pets negotiable” in an advert. Clarify deposit, damage, common-area rules and professional cleaning. Ground-floor convenience can trade off against noise and security; high floors make lift reliability important.

Choose a certified veterinarian after arrival—Georgia made state certification mandatory for veterinary practice from 1 January 2026. Save an emergency clinic, update local contact details and ask about identification or registration obligations in force during your stay.

For dogs, assess shade, traffic and stray-dog interactions on the actual walking route. In summer, pavement heat matters; in winter, road salt and wet paws do. Pet life is neighbourhood-level, not just city-level.