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Swedish Board of Agriculture
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Animals
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Import
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Dogs and cats
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From non-EU countries
- From unlisted countries
Bringing dogs and cats from unlisted countries - import to quarantine
These are the requirements for dogs and cats coming from unlisted countries:
The animal needs to be identified and dewormed
The animal must be identified by a clearly legible, permanent tattoo or by a microchip of ISO standard 11784 or 11785. The identity number must be included in all documents and in the pet passport or veterinary certificate (see below). If microchips of ISO-standard cannot be provided, you may use others types of chips, but must in that case bring your own microchip scanner to be used at the border or whenever the identity of the animal needs to be checked.
From 3 Juli 2011, the rules will change so that only microchips may be used for identifying animals travelling to or within the EU.
The animal must also be dewormed against the tapeworm Echinococcus by a veterinarian using a certain preparation within than 10 days before import. More information about deworming.
Please note that in some countries it can be very difficult to obtain qualified veterinary care. If this is the case, you may in certain cases get permission to bring the animal to quarantine without prior identification and deworming, which will then be done during the quarantine period instead. If you need to use this procedure, please state this in your application to the Board of Agriculture. The application shall also contain data on the animal´s breed, gender, age, colour and, if any, special characteristics.
Reserve a quarantine place
A dog or a cat brought to Sweden from an unlisted non-EU country must spend 120 days in quarantine before being allowed to come live with you. This applies regardless of whether the animal is vaccinated against rabies.
You need to reserve a place in quarantine yourself. There are two permanent quarantines in Sweden, the Manlöten quarantine in Vallentuna and Storskogens quarantine in Linköping.
If they cannot provide a place for your animal you can try the quarantines in Norway: the Eidsvoll quarantine or the Vestberg quarantine. They accept animals on the same conditions as in Sweden, but they have somewhat different requirements regarding living space for the animals. After 120 days you may bring your animal home and keep it isolated there, as described below. Addresses to the quarantines can be found in the right-hand column.
Please note that kittens and pups younger than six months must not be quarantined in Sweden or Norway.
If you have access to remote premises, it may be possible for you to establish your own, individual quarantine, and be quarantine keeper for your own animal. However, strict requirements apply to individual quarantines. This means that it is often at least as expensive as using a permanent quarantine. If you want to establish an individual quarantine, you need to apply to your County Administrative Board for permission.
You need an import permit
When you have made the arrangements for a place in quarantine, you apply to the Board of Agriculture for an import permit. Please use the form in the right-hand column.
The application fee is SEK 400. This amount is paid to our bank giro account No 5693-2486. Please identify the payment by the number 10504. If you make your payment from abroad, please use SWIFT, address NDEASESS or Eurogiro. International Bank account code (IBAN-CODE): SE79 9500 0099 6026 0304 5291.
You need to enclose a copy of the payment receipt with your application. Please allow 30 days for delivery. The permit will be sent to you, and the quarantine receives a copy.
Inspection before departure
Before departure the animal must be inspected by an official veterinarian or a Government export veterinarian, who certifies in English that the animal is fit to travel. There is no particular form for this, so you will have to ask the veterinarian to use his own stationery and stamp it with an export stamp.
Import through a border inspection post
Import must take place at a border inspection post, which means Stockholm-Arlanda airport or Gothenburg-Landvetter airport. A veterinarian must inspect the animal at the border inspection post. You need to make an appointment for the inspection at least one working day in advance. You will be charged a fee for the inspection, which will be higher if you need the inspection done outside office hours. For more information, please contact the border inspection veterinarian at the address in the right-hand column.
Quarantine
Quarantine staff will take the animal directly from the border to the quarantine where you have reserved a place. The animal will be inspected by the quarantine veterinarian upon arrival, and then twice every month. After 120 days the quarantine veterinarian makes the final inspection. If the animal shows no sign of contagious disease you will then be permitted to take it home with you.
Keep the animal isolated for 60 days
When you have brought the animal home you need to keep it isolated from other animals for another 60 days in your home. The exact rules on isolation are stated in the import permit. You must not sell, hand over or give away the animal to someone else during this period. You need to keep the animal on leash when you exercise it, you must not bring it to any competition or training session where it may encounter other animals, and you must also not use it for breeding.
If you have other animals in your household, the same restrictions apply to all of them during the period of isolation. You need to keep track of time yourself; you will not receive any notice that the isolation period is over. If your animal spreads disease because of negligence on your part, you will be held responsible for the consequences.
Dogs need to be registered
Dogs brought permanently to Sweden need to be registered in the central dog register. Please contact our Customer Service for more information.
More information
Forms
