Shipping a dog or cat from United Kingdom to Russia rewards owners who start planning early. Expect around 6-12 weeks of lead time to line up the documents and the fixed waiting periods. No routine quarantine applies as long as every …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from United Kingdom to Russia
typically takes around 6-12 weeks.
There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.
A rabies titre test is not required.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The United Kingdom to Russia pet import process
Each step must be completed in a precise sequence. Start early. We manage every stage and deadline.
1
Confirm microchip and rabies vaccination, plus Russia's full vaccine list
Responsible: Your UK vet
Microchip before vaccination. Rabies at least 20 days before travel and within a strict 12-month window. Dogs need distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and adenovirus cover; cats need panleukopenia cover.
2
Confirm the current Russia-format export certificate with Rosselkhoznadzor or an agent
Responsible: You or an IPATA-registered agent
Do this early, before booking the OV appointment, since the template and endorsement window can change.
3
Book the two-leg cargo routing
Responsible: You or your agent
Start 6-8 weeks out. There is no single through-fare from London to Moscow.
4
UK export health certificate issued and endorsed
Responsible: APHA-authorised official veterinarian
Close to the confirmed travel date, within Russia's required endorsement window.
5
Travel via Istanbul or Dubai with a coordinated live-animal transfer
Responsible: You, your agent, and both airlines' cargo teams
Confirm both legs' schedules and cargo cut-off times align before booking the crate.
6
Border veterinary check on arrival in Russia
Responsible: Rosselkhoznadzor veterinary officer
At an authorised entry airport: Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo or Vnukovo in Moscow, or Pulkovo in St Petersburg.
Requirements
What your pet needs to enter Russia
Every item below must be in place before your pet can travel. We manage and verify each one.
Microchip
ISO microchip required, implanted before the rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccination
Required at least 20 days before travel, and no older than 12 months from the date given, regardless of what the vaccine manufacturer's leaflet states. Dogs also need current vaccination against distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and adenovirus; cats need current vaccination against panleukopenia, in addition to rabies.
Rabies titre test
Not required. Russia does not ask for a rabies antibody titre test from any country of origin, including the UK.
Quarantine
None for a compliant pet arriving with 2 or fewer animals. Rosselkhoznadzor retains the right to isolate an animal if there is a clinical concern or a serious documentation failure.
Import permit
Not required for up to 2 pets travelling for personal, non-commercial reasons. A Rosselkhoznadzor permit is required for more than 2 animals.
Health certificate
UK-issued export health certificate presented on arrival, checked by a Rosselkhoznadzor veterinary officer at the airport, who then issues Russian internal paperwork covering the pet's onward movement within the country.
Export permit (United Kingdom)
No general export permit required from the UK for a personal, non-commercial pet move.
Costs
What this route typically costs
UK export health certificate from an authorised official vet: broadly comparable to a standard Animal Health Certificate, typically in the range of GBP 100-200
IATA-compliant travel crate
Live-animal cargo fees for two separate legs (London-Istanbul or London-Dubai, then onward to Moscow), which typically cost more in total than a single-leg route because of the double handling
An IPATA-registered agent fee to coordinate the transfer and confirm the current Russia-format certificate, commonly USD 500-1,500
Overall UK pet shipping runs from roughly GBP 1,400 up to GBP 8,000 depending on the route, according to MoveHub's 2024 cost guide; a Russia move sits toward the upper half because of the added leg
Critical points to read before you book
There have been no direct flights between the UK and Russia since the reciprocal airspace closures of February-March 2022. UK and EU sanctions bar Russian-registered carriers, including Aeroflot, from UK and EU airspace, and the European Commission's Russia sanctions have been renewed repeatedly with no sign of the routes reopening. Every move goes through a third country, most often Istanbul, sometimes Dubai.
Because there is no through-ticket, this move needs two separate live-animal bookings with a tight handover at the transit airport. A missed connection or a paperwork mismatch between legs, not the Russian import rules, is the most likely cause of delay.
Confirm the exact UK-to-Russia certificate template with Rosselkhoznadzor or an agent before your vet appointment. Bilateral certificate formats and endorsement windows for individual origin countries can change, and using an out-of-date template is a common reason for a certificate to be rejected on arrival.
Airlines
Carriers approved for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. We know which carriers to use and how to book.
TURKISH
Turkish Airlines
No carrier flies London to Moscow directly. The common routing is London to Istanbul, then a separate Istanbul to Moscow booking on a Russian or Turkish carrier, since Turkey has not joined the airspace ban either side has imposed. Turkish Airlines and Turkish Cargo handle the London-Istanbul leg and Istanbul Airport has a dedicated pet lounge for the transfer.
Cabin and Cargo
EMIRATES
Emirates
An alternative via Dubai: Emirates SkyCargo for London to Dubai, then a separate Dubai to Moscow booking. Longer routing than Istanbul and subject to Emirates SkyCargo's Gulf summer temperature embargoes, but a useful fallback when Istanbul capacity is tight.
Cargo Only
BRITISH
British Airways
British Airways does not serve Russia and cannot be booked for any Moscow leg. It only covers the London-Istanbul or London-Dubai starting segment, handled by IAG Cargo, BA's cargo division, which partners with PetAir UK for pets departing the UK.
Cargo Only
What Russia requires
Bringing a pet into Russia involves a fair amount of documentation. Keep everything organised and check each item against the current requirements before you book.
Avoiding the common mistakes
If this is your first international move, consider an IPATA-registered pet transport agent. They handle the documents, airline booking and crate sizing, and can troubleshoot problems.
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.
FAQ
Common questions about United Kingdom to Russia pet transport
No. Direct flights between the UK and Russia have not run since the airspace closures of February-March 2022, and UK and EU sanctions currently keep Russian carriers such as Aeroflot out of UK and EU airspace. Every pet move currently runs via a third country, most often Istanbul on Turkish Airlines, sometimes Dubai on Emirates.
No. Russia does not require a rabies antibody titre test from any country of origin. You do need a current rabies vaccination at least 20 days old and no more than 12 months old, plus the full standard vaccine set for dogs or cats, and a matching UK-issued export certificate.
Up to 2 dogs or cats for personal, non-commercial travel need no Rosselkhoznadzor import permit and no quarantine if the paperwork is complete. Bringing more than 2 animals, or a species other than a dog or cat, requires a Rosselkhoznadzor permit arranged in advance.
Around 6-12 weeks. The rabies and vaccine timing itself is straightforward, but booking two separate live-animal cargo legs via Istanbul or Dubai, and confirming the current Russia-format export certificate before your vet appointment, takes longer than a direct-route move.
Airline guides
Turkish Airlines
Emirates
British Airways
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.