Pets

1. To transport an animal (bird) in the luggage compartment, the container must be made of impact–resistant rigid material - hard plastic, metal, welded metal mesh, wood or plywood (A container made entirely of welded or reinforced mesh is not accepted for transportation)
2. Containers made of wood, metal or plywood are used to transport aggressive dog breeds.
3. The size of the container should allow the animal to stand up to its full height, turn around, lie down and sit in a natural position.
4. Construction:
   • The bottom of the container must be solid, waterproof. The design of the bottom of the container should exclude spillage of absorbent material;
   • The roof of the container must be solid, while ventilation holes are allowed. The holes should not violate the rigidity of the roof;
   • The sides of the container must be rigid. For the sides of wooden containers, the thickness of the material should be at least 12mm, and the frame is made of bars with dimensions of at least 25mm x 75mm. There should be ventilation holes in the upper part of the sides of the container to provide air access;
   • The upper and lower parts of a collapsible container having a reinforced structure must be connected to each other with metal bolts and nuts. The container door must be metal, smooth;
   • The container door must be made of welded metal mesh or smooth metal with holes. The container door must be securely attached to the container so that the animal cannot knock it out. It is allowed to use a plastic door, provided that the locks and fasteners are made of metal, and the door pins (hinges) pass through the entire length of the door and protrude at least 16 mm. The cell size of any door should not exceed 25x25 mm in order to avoid the paws, nose or tail of an animal getting into the cell;
   • The inner surface of the container must have smooth rounded surfaces that exclude damage to the animal during transportation;
   • The container must be equipped with handles for lifting and carrying it. For containers with a total weight of more than 60 kg, devices for mechanical loading by a forklift must be provided;
   • Ventilation is provided by one side, which can serve as a container door. In this case, the total ventilation area should be at least 16% of the total surface of the container.

     If the container is equipped with wheels, they must be removed or fixed in a non-working position during transportation;

   • The container must be securely closed with locking devices that exclude spontaneous opening of the container, opening by animals or unauthorized access to the animal during transportation and in flight.
   
5. Food and water in a container:
   • The water tank can be located inside the container, with access from the outside for replenishment;
   • The container with food must be closed and located both inside and outside the container.

• arthropods (insects, arachnids, crustaceans);
• reptiles (turtle, iguana, gecko, chameleon, snake, lizard, frog, etc.);
• rodents (guinea pig, rat, chinchilla, chipmunk, squirrel, gerbil, dormouse, marmot, ground squirrel, jerboa, etc.);
• fish and fish-planting material, marine and river animals requiring transportation in water;
• animals and birds that are not domesticated (taken from the wild), large predators that are representatives of wild fauna in a state of natural freedom in their habitat, such as bears, large primates (gibbons, orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, etc.), wild cats such as caracal, serval, ocelot, reed cat, angler cat, Far Eastern forest cat, manul, Andean cat, Chilean cat, etc., large predators of the feline family: snow leopard, jaguar, lion, tiger, panther, lynx, cougar;
• sick and experimental animals/birds;
• animals whose weight together with the container exceeds 50 kg.

If you need the help of a guide dog, you can take it with you to the cabin of the aircraft without carrying it for free. Be sure to send an application for approval of such transportation to the airline.

Documents required for transportation:

• A document confirming the passenger's disability;
• A certificate confirming the special training of a guide dog;
• Veterinary certificates (other documents, if necessary).

The guide dog must have a collar and muzzle and be tied to a chair at the feet of the passenger it is accompanying.

When traveling within Russia, animals must be accompanied by a veterinary passport showing valid vaccinations against rabies and species-specific infections.

A valid rabies vaccination is a mandatory requirement. A 21-day quarantine period must be observed following the vaccination.

If an animal is vaccinated against rabies while the previous vaccination is still valid, it may be transported without waiting for the quarantine period to elapse.

If a rabies revaccination is administered more than 12 months (i.e., more than 364 days) after the previous vaccination, it is treated as a primary vaccination.

A record of a clinical examination by a veterinarian is required. This record must be made no more than 14 days prior to the start of the trip. It authorizes the animal's transport for a period of 120 days, provided the rabies vaccination (or revaccination) does not expire during that time. If your animal's passport lacks a specific section for a veterinary clinical examination record (e.g., in older passport formats), a certificate from a state veterinary facility may be submitted as proof of the examination.

Requirements for transporting animals within the Russian Federation (including vaccination requirements) can be found on the Rosselkhoznadzor website.

When transporting birds, it is necessary to undergo testing for avian influenza and psittacosis (ornithosis) in advance and to obtain a Form No. 1 veterinary certificate from a state veterinary station no more than 5 days before the flight. When transporting birds of the order Galliformes, vaccination against Newcastle disease is additionally required.

Please note that special rules for the import/export of animals apply to a number of states. You can find out the necessary information about the rules in advance on the website Departments of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance

Useful links:

Issue a veterinary certificate

Instructions: how to travel abroad with an animal

We recommend that you contact the veterinary and phytosanitary surveillance service in advance of your flight departure:

• Cherepovets, Lenin str., 80, office 114, tel. 8 (8202) 57-45-11;
• Vologda, 33 Pobedy ave., tel. 8 (8172) 72-67-35, 72-67-25.

Transporting animals under the age of 3 months is not recommended.

Transporting an animal under 3 months of age—specifically, one that is at least 8 weeks (2 months) old—is permitted, provided specific rules are followed:

• Animals under 3 months of age that have not been vaccinated against rabies may be transported if accompanied by a Form No. 1 veterinary certificate issued no more than 5 days prior to the start of the trip. Please note that the veterinary certificate is valid for the 5 days preceding the trip, throughout the journey, and until its completion.
• Additionally, a record of a clinical examination performed by a veterinarian must be entered into the animal's veterinary passport (this entry must be made no more than 14 days prior to the start of the trip).

When importing dogs and cats into the customs territory of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), it is necessary to comply with veterinary and sanitary requirements (hereinafter referred to as Requirements).

General requirements:

• Import of animals is permitted only with a Unified Veterinary Certificate (Form No. 15) for third countries or a veterinary certificate (Form No. 1) for CIS countries (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Moldova).
• Animals must be clinically healthy and vaccinated in accordance with the Requirements.
• All imported animals must be identified (brand, chip, tattoo, etc.).
• Import of no more than 2 animals is permitted without permission from Rosselkhoznadzor, provided there is an international passport with a mark on clinical examination within 14 days before shipment.
• To import from 3 to 5 animals, permission is required in Form No. 1, which is issued annually.

Quarantine and vaccination:

• Animals are subject to quarantine for at least 21 days in the country of departure and the country of destination.
• Dogs must be vaccinated against rabies, canine distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus infections, adenovirus infections and leptospirosis.
• Cats must be vaccinated against rabies and panleukopenia.
• Vaccination must be carried out no later than 20 days before movement, if the animal has not been vaccinated within the last 12 months.

Documents and reference information:

"On the application of veterinary and sanitary measures in the Eurasian Economic Union", approved by the Decision of the Customs Union Commission dated 18.06.2010 No. 317. The procedure for the movement of animals and controlled products between CIS member countries is regulated by: "Unified rules for state veterinary supervision during international interstate transportation of livestock goods", approved at a meeting of the Intergovernmental Council for Cooperation in the Field of Veterinary Medicine dated May 12, 2016 in the village of Kosichi.

Additional clarifications were provided by the Rosselkhoznadzor instruction of 29.06.2018 No. FS-NV-7/1570.

The list of import permits in form No. 1 is available on the Rosselkhoznadzor website

Handbook for passengers with pets on the Rosselkhoznadzor website

A service animal is not included in the free baggage allowance. The service must be agreed upon with the airline. The quota for transporting service animals is limited. A passenger accompanying a service animal must provide:

• a document confirming that the passenger is an employee of the canine service of the federal executive body;
• a document confirming special training of the service dog;
• a veterinary passport for the animal.

A service animal is transported in the aircraft cabin without a container. Throughout the flight, the dog must be muzzled, collared and on a leash, and must be tied to the seat at the feet of the passenger accompanying it. The service is refundable.

In order to comply with flight safety regulations, Severstal Airlines LLC reserves the right to independently seat passengers with service animals in seats located near the windows at the end of the aircraft cabin.

The dog must not pose a threat to the sanitary and hygienic condition of the passenger cabin during the flight, relieve itself on board, or cause damage to the property of the airline or passengers.