🇲🇩

Country entry guide · Europe (non-EU)

Traveling to Moldova with your dog

Difficulty: Moderate — antibody test usually needed ⏱ Several weeks to a few months

Moldova welcomes dogs, but it is not an EU member, so it applies its own national rules rather than the EU pet passport system. The National Food Safety Agency (ANSA) requires that a dog entering the country be identified with an ISO microchip fitted before the rabies vaccination, be vaccinated against rabies, carry an international veterinary certificate and a pet passport, and — according to ANSA's published guidance — show a rabies antibody titration of at least 0.5 IU/ml. At the border, the dog must be declared in writing and cross only through a post equipped with an ANSA border inspection point, including Chișinău International Airport. This guide explains what to prepare, but always confirm the exact procedure for your dog's origin with your veterinarian and with ANSA.

📋 At a glance

Dogs allowed	Yes
Microchip	Required
Rabies vaccination	Required
Rabies antibody test	Required per ANSA guidance (≥0.5 IU/ml)
Veterinary certificate	Required (international)
Pet passport	Required
Quarantine	Not published as routine

⚠️ Important

MyDogCanFly provides general information — not veterinary or legal advice.
Only a veterinarian can confirm the exact procedure for your individual dog.
Requirements depend on: the country of origin, previous travel history, identification, vaccinations, the itinerary and the travel date.

Always consult your veterinarian before booking your trip.

🧭

Find a flight to Moldova

Compare the airlines that accept dogs and check their conditions.

🔎 Find a flight to Moldova

🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided

1
Country of destination — Moldova★★★★★
2
Country of departure★★★★★
3
Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆

✅ Entry requirements

Requirement	Required?	Exceptions	Official reference
ISO microchip	Required	If the chip is fitted after vaccination, the dog must be re-vaccinated.	HG 839/2009; HG 660/2022; ANSA guide
Rabies vaccination	Required	The microchip must already be in place before the shot.	HG 660/2022; ANSA guide
Rabies antibody test (titration)	Required per ANSA guidance	Under HG 660/2022 (EU-aligned) extra rabies safeguards apply chiefly to origins with an unfavourable rabies situation — confirm scope with ANSA.	HG 839/2009, Ch. 1; ANSA guide
International veterinary certificate	Required	An EU-type pet passport is accepted for a pet re-entering the EU, not as a substitute for the Moldovan entry file.	HG 660/2022; Serviciul Vamal
Pet passport (international movement)	Required	None published.	HG 839/2009, Ch. 1; ANSA guide
Tapeworm (Echinococcus) treatment	Not published	ANSA and Customs do not publish a compulsory tapeworm treatment for entry into Moldova.	ANSA guide (not mentioned)
Advance notification / import permit	Not required	Maximum 5 pets per non-commercial movement.	Serviciul Vamal; HG 660/2022
Border check (documents & identity)	Required	Customs authorise the crossing after the ANSA veterinary check.	Serviciul Vamal
Puppies / minimum age	Not separately published	Moldova does not benefit from the EU young-animal derogations for onward EU travel.	ANSA guide
Quarantine	Not published as routine	No routine quarantine is published; non-compliant animals may be refused or held at the border.	Serviciul Vamal; ANSA guide

🗓 In what order, and when

Some steps only count once the previous one is done — check each deadline against the official reference above.

ISO microchipTransponder compliant with ISO 11784/11785; must be implanted before the rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccinationValid vaccination recorded in the certificate/passport (identification, vaccine and validity dates).
Rabies antibody test (titration)Positive antibody test ≥0.5 IU/ml, performed at most 24 months and at least 3 months before dispatch; result valid 4 months or until the rabies vaccination expires.
International veterinary certificateIssued by an official veterinarian; states the animal's identification, the vaccination and the antibody-test result.
Pet passport (international movement)Passport for international movement of pets accompanying the animal.
Advance notification / import permitThe pet must be declared in writing at the border; no separate import permit is published.
Border check (documents & identity)Cross only via a post with an ANSA border inspection point (incl. Chișinău International Airport); present the animal and its documents to the official vet.
Puppies / minimum ageIn practice the dog must be old enough to be vaccinated against rabies (usually ≥12 weeks) and, where required, to complete the antibody test and waiting period.

🌍 Rules according to your dog's origin

From the EU

From the EU / low-rabies-risk countries

A dog arriving from the EU or another low-rabies-risk country needs an ISO microchip fitted before vaccination, a valid rabies vaccination, an international veterinary certificate and a pet passport. ANSA's guidance also lists a rabies antibody titration (≥0.5 IU/ml); confirm with ANSA whether it applies to your specific origin.

⏱ From the EU / low-rabies-risk countries: a few days if microchip, rabies vaccination and (where required) a valid titration are already in order.

From other favourable-rabies countries

The same baseline applies: microchip, rabies vaccination, international veterinary certificate and passport, with a rabies antibody titration recorded on the certificate. Allow time to have the certificate issued and endorsed by an official vet before travel.

⏱ From other countries with a favourable rabies situation: allow a few weeks to obtain and endorse the international veterinary certificate.

From a rabies-risk country

The rabies antibody titration is the critical step: a positive result of at least 0.5 IU/ml, drawn at least 3 months (and at most 24 months) before dispatch. Plan several months ahead, keep the vaccination valid throughout, and carry the endorsed international veterinary certificate and passport.

⏱ From a rabies-risk country: ~3–4 months minimum — the antibody titration must be at least 3 months (and at most 24 months) before departure.

🛬 Arrival

What happens when your dog reaches Moldova takes place at a border crossing equipped with an ANSA inspection point.

The pet must be declared in writing and is subject to customs and veterinary control at the border.
Cross only through a post with an ANSA border inspection point — including Chișinău International Airport, Leușeni, Sculeni, Giurgiulești, Criva and others.
Contact the official vet at the inspection point, present the pet's identification documents and make the animal available for checks.
Movement is permitted only on the basis of a valid veterinary certificate; customs authorise the crossing after the ANSA check.
A maximum of five pets may accompany the owner in a single non-commercial movement.
Carry original documents; if papers are missing or invalid, entry can be refused or the animal held at the border.

🛫 Leaving the country (return trip)

Moldova is non-listed, so a valid rabies antibody titer is mandatory to return to the EU — plus an export health certificate endorsed by the National Food Safety Agency (ANSA).

⚠️ Start before you leave Anticipate the rabies antibody titer: blood test in an EU-approved lab, at least 30 days after vaccination — a valid result is essential to re-enter the EU and cannot be arranged at the last minute.
On site, before the flight ANSA is the competent authority for animal health and border inspection; its state veterinarian issues and endorses the export veterinary health certificate.

⚠️ If your dog already had a valid EU rabies titer before leaving, it stays valid for life as long as the rabies vaccination is kept up — check this before you travel.

🔗 Authority: ANSA

🚫 Restricted dogs

Moldova currently publishes no breed-specific import ban for dogs entering the country. However, a new pet-protection law introduces breed restrictions from 2027 — plan ahead if you own a listed breed.

Category 1

Under Law No. 256/2025 on the protection of pets (in force September 2027), the breeding, import and purchase of certain potentially dangerous breeds will be banned. ANSA lists: Akbash, Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog, American Bandog, American Pit Bull Terrier, Bullmastiff, Bully Kutta, Campeiro Bulldog, Caucasian Shepherd Dog, Gull Dong, Wolfdog and wolfdog hybrids.

Category 2

Dogs of these breeds already owned by residents may stay with their owners provided they are neutered/sterilised to prevent reproduction. No other national category of restricted dog is published for import today.

Because this ban takes effect in 2027 and its import scope is still being detailed, confirm the current position with ANSA before travelling with a listed breed.

Moldova with a dog: common questions

Moldova: What does my dog need to enter?

Moldova requires: ISO microchip, Rabies vaccination, Rabies antibody test (titration), International veterinary certificate, Pet passport (international movement).

Moldova: Is a rabies antibody test required?

Moldova — Rabies antibody test (titration): Required per ANSA guidance. Positive antibody test ≥0.5 IU/ml, performed at most 24 months and at least 3 months before dispatch; result valid 4 months or until the rabies vaccination expires.

Moldova: Are any dog breeds banned?

Moldova: How long does it take to prepare a dog?

From the EU / low-rabies-risk countries: a few days if microchip, rabies vaccination and (where required) a valid titration are already in order. From a rabies-risk country: ~3–4 months minimum — the antibody titration must be at least 3 months (and at most 24 months) before departure.

Moldova: What is needed to leave with a dog?