Pet Transport from Moldova to the United Kingdom

If you are relocating a pet from Moldova to United Kingdom, the process is manageable once you know the sequence. Allow about 16-22 weeks; the requirements are detailed but …

16-22 wks

Preparation needed

None

Quarantine on arrival

High

Route complexity

Managed

Full door to door

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Lead time needed

16-22 weeks

Quarantine

None

Route complexity

High

Airlines

3 carriers on this route

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In short: Preparing to move a pet from Moldova to United Kingdom typically takes around 16-22 weeks. There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets. A rabies titre test may be required depending on your pet's origin, so check the requirements below.

Regulations checked July 2026

Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team

Step by step

The import process, in full

First step, before any rabies vaccination

Implant ISO 11784/11785 microchip

Responsible: Licensed vet in Moldova

After the microchip. Titre test blood cannot be drawn until 30 days after this dose.

Rabies vaccination

Responsible: Licensed vet in Moldova

At least 30 days after vaccination, at an EU or UK-approved laboratory. Results usually take 2-4 weeks.

Rabies titre test blood draw

Responsible: Vet plus approved laboratory

Fixed period, cannot be shortened, counted from the draw date not the result date

Observe the 3-month wait from the blood draw date

Responsible: Owner planning

4-6 weeks before travel

Book airline cargo or cabin space and confirm crate requirements

Responsible: Owner or pet transport agent

Certificate issued within 10 days of travel; tapeworm treatment 24-120 hours before GB arrival

Second vet visit for the GB Pet Health Certificate and, for dogs, tapeworm treatment

Responsible: ANSA-endorsed vet

Shortly before departure, alongside the second vet visit

ANSA endorsement of the completed health certificate

Responsible: ANSA (National Food Safety Agency)

3-4 hours before departure for hold pets, 2 hours for cabin

Travel day: check in with full documentation at the cargo or bag drop desk

Responsible: Owner and airline ground staff

Checklist

What your pet needs

Every item below must be completed and verified before your pet can travel. Expand each category for the detail.

Microchip

Required (ISO 11784/11785). Must be implanted before the rabies vaccination is given, or the vaccination does not count towards UK entry.

Rabies vaccination

Required. Minimum age 12 weeks at first dose. The titre test blood draw cannot happen until at least 30 days after this vaccination.

Rabies titre test

Required for: pets from Moldova, an unlisted country under UK APHA rules. Blood drawn at least 30 days after vaccination, sent to an EU or UK-approved laboratory, result must reach 0.5 IU/ml or above. A 3-calendar-month wait from the blood draw date applies before entry.

Quarantine

No routine quarantine if the microchip, vaccination, titre test and 3-month wait are all correctly sequenced. Pets arriving with incomplete or incorrect documentation can face penalty quarantine of up to 4 months at the owner's expense.

Import permit

No formal import permit. The GB Pet Health Certificate serves as the travel document.

Health certificate

GB Pet Health Certificate required, issued by an ANSA-endorsed official vet in Moldova, valid 10 days from issue for entry into Great Britain. Dogs also need praziquantel tapeworm treatment 24-120 hours before arrival, recorded in the certificate.

Export permit

No standalone export permit for personal pets. ANSA (National Food Safety Agency, ansa.gov.md) oversees the veterinary export process.

Veterinary inspection

Clinical examination by a licensed Moldovan vet shortly before travel, confirming the animal is fit to fly and documenting microchip and vaccination history.

Government endorsement

Health certificate must be endorsed by ANSA. Moldova does not accept a plain vet-signed certificate without this government endorsement for international travel.

Health certificate

Government Britain Pet Health Certificate (GB PHC), completed by an ANSA-endorsed vet within 10 days of travel.

We handle the regulations for every animal, every country, every airline, so nothing on your Moldova to United Kingdom move gets missed.

Pet Transport Global

Airlines

Carriers on this route

Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. Confirm the operating carrier's current policy for every flight segment.

Austrian Airlines

Chisinau to Vienna on Austrian's own network, then onward connection to London. Small pets under 8kg (with carrier) allowed in cabin. Larger pets travel as checked baggage in the pressurised hold, maximum two pets per container, 14kg each. Brachycephalic breeds not accepted in the hold.

Cabin and Cargo

Turkish Airlines

Chisinau to Istanbul, then onward to London on the same ticket. Cabin pets under 8kg accepted; brachycephalic breeds excluded from cabin and hold since October 2021. Cargo hold crates up to 50kg via Turkish Cargo, USD 150 flat rate regardless of weight tier. Ground temperature must stay between 7C and 29C at every airport on the route, which restricts bookings from May to September some years.

Cabin and Cargo

LOT Polish Airlines

Chisinau to Warsaw, then onward to London. Cabin pets up to 8kg on B787/B737 aircraft. Brachycephalic dog and cat breeds barred from the hold, including Bulldogs, Pugs, Shih Tzus and Chow Chows. Live animal cargo bookings must go through LOT Cargo and an approved shipping agent, not the standard passenger booking system.

Cabin and Cargo

Costs

What this route typically costs

Microchip and rabies vaccination in Moldova: approx. MDL 800-1,600

Rabies titre test, blood draw and laboratory fee: approx. EUR 80-150

GB Pet Health Certificate and ANSA endorsement: approx. EUR 60-120

IATA-compliant travel crate: GBP 80-300 depending on size

Airline cabin or cargo fees, Chisinau to London via Vienna, Istanbul or Warsaw: GBP 300-900

Pet transport agent fee, recommended for a first-time unlisted-country move: GBP 300-700

Critical points

Moldova is an unlisted country under UK APHA rules. There is no fast-track or exemption from the titre test and 3-month wait, whatever your travel dates.

Wizz Air operates the largest number of weekly flights between Chisinau and London but does not carry pets in the cabin or the hold, only certified assistance dogs. Do not assume your regular budget carrier will take your pet.

Moldova is also on the small list of countries whose rabies status means pets need a titre test to re-enter the EU, alongside Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, Ukraine and Turkey. Factor this in if your move involves an EU leg either side of the UK entry.

Verify current requirements directly with UK APHA (apha.service.gov.uk) before booking flights. Country classifications can change.

How United Kingdom handles incoming pets

United Kingdom has a detailed set of import rules, and each one needs to be satisfied before travel. None of it is unusual, but the order and timing are what catch people out.

What experienced owners do

Get your pet used to the travel crate weeks in advance. A calm, crate-familiar animal travels far better than one meeting the crate for the first time at the airport.

Confirm live animal acceptance on every flight segment before booking. Not all aircraft or connections take pets, and cargo terms can differ leg to leg.

Keep every original document together and take copies. Border officials want originals, and a missing signature or date can hold up clearance.

Work backwards from your travel date and add a buffer. Fixed waiting periods mean a single slipped appointment can push the whole move back by weeks.

FAQ

Common questions

Unlisted. Moldova does not appear on the UK’s Part 1 (EU/EFTA) or Part 2 (USA, Canada, Australia and similar) lists, so pets travelling from Moldova need a rabies titre test and a 3-month wait after a passing result, in addition to the standard microchip, vaccination and health certificate requirements.

No. Wizz Air does not carry pets in the cabin or the hold, with the sole exception of certified assistance dogs. Use Austrian Airlines via Vienna, Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, or LOT Polish Airlines via Warsaw instead.

The blood draw can only happen 30 days after your pet’s rabies vaccination. After a passing result, there’s a fixed 3-month wait before UK entry, counted from the date the blood was drawn, not the result date. Add laboratory turnaround of two to four weeks and realistic planning puts the whole process at four to five months minimum.

Yes. Dogs need praziquantel treatment from a vet 24 to 120 hours before arrival in Great Britain, recorded in the health certificate with the drug name, dose and date. Cats are exempt from this requirement.

Not if every step, microchip, vaccination, titre test, 3-month wait and health certificate, is completed correctly and in order. Pets that arrive with incorrect or incomplete paperwork can face penalty quarantine of up to four months at the owner’s expense, so getting the sequence right matters more than getting it fast.

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Airline guides

Austrian Airlines
Turkish Airlines
LOT Polish Airlines

Breed guides

Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.

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Pet Transport from Moldova to the United Kingdom

The import process, in full

What your pet needs

Carriers on this route

What this route typically costs

Critical points

How United Kingdom handles incoming pets

What experienced owners do

Common questions

Move your pet

Airline guides

Breed guides

Get a free pet transport quote