A pet registry will be launched in Ukraine in 2025: what awaits owners of dogs, cats and ferrets
23 January 12:29
Starting in early 2025, all Ukrainians will be able to access the Pet Register. This is a long-established practice in the European Union: pets must have a veterinary passport to travel between EU countries. This document, issued by a licensed veterinarian, contains information about the animal’s microchip for identification, rabies vaccination, and other medical information.
Back in 2017, Ukraine was planning to introduce a tax on pets and mandatory registration. However, the draft law on registration of both pets and stray animals was withdrawn. Only in November 2024 did the first stage of the Unified State Register of Pets begin, so far only for veterinarians. The registry will be based on the Diia.Engine platform and will contain information about domestic cats, dogs, and ferrets: their names, medical data, vaccination and sterilization information, and owner contacts.
Why were these animals included in the register?
Denys Bashlyk, Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, answered this question in an interview with TSN. He noted that these species are the most common in Ukraine, and also clarified that ferrets are indeed the third most popular among owners.
Interestingly, in the European Union, pet passports are also required for dogs, cats, and ferrets. This is justified not only by their popularity, but also by the fact that these animals pose the greatest risk of spreading dangerous diseases such as rabies. For other types of pets, such as rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, or fish, the requirements vary from country to country.
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In general, the introduction of the Unified State Register of Pets in Ukraine is an important step towards regulating the registration of animals, their health and control over their maintenance. Lawyer Igor Feshchenko in an exclusive commentary for
Unified pet registry: goals and prospects
Feshchenko noted that the main goal of launching a pilot project to create a Unified State Register is to monitor and control the number of pets, as well as track their health status, including vaccinations and places of treatment.
“With the introduction of a pilot project to create a Unified State Register of Pets in 2023, we can see the main task of this project: control over the number of animals, who owns them, their health status, and where they are treated,” the lawyer emphasized.
Feshchenko also noted that this practice has been working in Europe for a long time and helps to significantly simplify and improve the procedure for transporting animals between countries. This, in turn, has a positive impact on reducing the risk of spreading diseases such as rabies.
Increasing the responsibility of owners
An important topic for discussion, according to the lawyer, is the upcoming changes in the liability of pet owners. Since the registry allows storing all the necessary information about animals, including their vaccination and chipping, over time, pet owners may be given additional liability for failure to fulfill certain obligations.
“I do not rule out that in the future, perhaps, animal owners will be fined for the lack of vaccination, passport or chip, if these obligations become mandatory,” Feshchenko said.
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Thanks to the register, government agencies will be able to monitor the implementation of all animal keeping procedures, and failure to comply with vaccination or chipping requirements may result in fines.
Voluntary registration, but changes are possible in the future
As of today, pet registration is voluntary, and there is neither a mandatory pet tax nor a requirement for chipping. However, according to the lawyer, such a registry could significantly improve processes for veterinary clinics, as well as increase the level of responsibility among owners.
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“The registry can facilitate some processes for veterinary clinics, especially in terms of providing medical services and keeping records of animals,” Feshchenko added.
Animal owners take on new responsibilities
Ihor Feshchenko believes that by registering their animals, owners actually take on the obligation to comply with all the requirements that will be introduced, including chipping and vaccination. This will create a clear responsibility for animal health and the possibility of applying sanctions for violations.
“By registering an animal, owners take on the obligation to follow all procedures related to animal husbandry. If they fail to comply with these requirements, it may lead to sanctions, as government agencies will have access to all the data in the register,” the lawyer explained.
In the future, the creation of the Unified State Register of Pets should become a powerful tool for increasing the responsibility of pet owners, improving medical care for animals and ensuring their health. At the same time, it will reduce the risk of spreading diseases among animals and improve safety during their transportation between countries.
Pet registration is a matter of responsibility and transparency. Data collection, monitoring of compliance, and the possibility of applying sanctions in case of violations are important elements in both of these areas.
In Ukraine, the process of introducing the Pet Register will be carried out in stages.
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The first stage, which includes the authorization of veterinary clinics, has already started. Veterinarians can submit applications through their personal accounts in the register. The State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection checks the submitted information within 10 business days and then provides a response, approving or rejecting the application. After the authorization is confirmed, veterinary institutions must enter data on their doctors into the register.
The second stage, related to the registration of the animals themselves, will begin approximately in early 2025. This was reported in an interview with TSN by Denys Bashlyk, who advised pet owners to pay attention to January of this year.
How to register a pet?
In order to register a pet, the owner must follow a few simple steps:
- Choose an authorized veterinary clinic through the Veterinary Clinic Map.
- Make an appointment for authorization.
- Come to the clinic with the animal to register.
The owner must have a passport, an identification code (or a digital version via Diia), and, if possible, a paper veterinary passport. To create an animal profile, before visiting the doctor, you need to take a 4×3 photo of the animal, where the muzzle is clearly visible.
Chipping and other identification methods
Currently, it is not mandatory to chip an animal for registration. However, other identifiers, such as a dog tag or a brand, can be used. In some cases, owners can do without them. Nevertheless, experts already recommend that pets should be microchipped, as it is a standard practice in the European Union and ensures greater safety of the animal.
Thus, the pet registry should greatly simplify the control over their maintenance, health, and movement, as well as help reduce the risk of spreading dangerous diseases such as rabies.