Travelling from Ukraine with companion animals

The conflict in Ukraine has continued to escalate drastically in recent weeks, with over two million people fleeing the country. During this time, we have seen the kindness and compassion that the citizens of Ukraine have for their companions. Each animal that you see being carried from conflict, represents a family who have loved and cherished them, and no one is to be left behind.

The current regulations for bringing companion animals into the UK are impossible to follow in this state of emergency, so DEFRA have confirmed that entry requirements for companion animals arriving in the UK from Ukraine have now been relaxed.

• Refugees fleeing Ukraine with pets can arrive at the UK border and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) will provide quick approvals and simplified paperwork.
• The government will cover the costs of any necessary vaccinations, microchipping and quarantine.
• If a pet has received no rabies vaccination, the maximum stay in quarantine is four months, however this will be considered on a case-by-case basis with much shorter quarantine periods for vaccinated animals.
• If you are travelling from Ukraine with a companion animal, contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) at pettravel@apha.gov.uk or call +44 3000 200 301 (option 2) to receive support and guidance.

Putting your pet in quarantine

 If you do have to put your pet in quarantine, you can find out more about this here. The government provide a list of authorised quarantine premises around the country.

How to help

Wild at Heart Foundation are committed to continuously supporting animals and people affected by conflict. We will be supporting several projects bordering Ukraine, to assist in the urgent need for resources, be it food, medical, anything else that will benefit the individuals seeking refuge.

We are only able to do this with the kind and generous donations from our community. If you are able to donate to support our ongoing work, please do so here, or by texting AID, followed by the amount you wish to donate (e.g. AID 15) to 70490.

Please note: The information in this blog post was correct at the time of publishing and may change.