Travelling to Georgia with a dog or cat: entry rules, hotels, transport and vets

Yes, you can bring a dog or cat to Georgia in 2026, and for most travellers it is straightforward: a microchip, an up-to-date rabies vaccination, and a veterinary health certificate are normally enough, with no quarantine on arrival. The exact paperwork depends on where you are travelling from. Pets arriving from the EU, the UK, the US and most of Europe generally need only the microchip, a valid rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before travel, and a certificate issued by an accredited vet shortly before the trip. Pets from countries without a recognised rabies-control programme may also need a rabies antibody titre test, which has a three-month waiting period after the blood draw, so plan well ahead. Rules are set and updated by Georgia’s National Food Agency, and because requirements can change with little notice, always confirm the current list and forms on the National Food Agency’s English-language pages before you book flights.

Once your pet is cleared for entry, the rest of the logistics in Georgia are manageable but require some planning. Georgian Railway accepts small pets in carriers and, in some cars, larger dogs on a lead and muzzle; marshrutka minibuses are informal and depend entirely on the driver’s goodwill, so a private car is the more reliable option for anyone travelling with an animal. Pet-friendly hotels and guesthouses exist in every region but are not universal, so confirm policy before you pay a deposit. Stray dogs are a visible part of daily life in Tbilisi and Batumi, most of them tagged and vaccinated under municipal sterilisation programmes, but they should still be given space, particularly if you are walking your own pet. Veterinary clinics and pet shops operate to a reasonable international standard in both cities, though specialist diets and some medications are easier to find in Tbilisi than elsewhere in the country.

Microchip, rabies vaccination and the import certificate

The baseline requirements for bringing a dog or cat into Georgia are a working ISO-standard microchip (11784 or 11785, or a compatible chip read with your own scanner), a rabies vaccination given after the microchip was implanted and at least 21 days before arrival, and a veterinary health certificate issued close to the date of travel, typically within ten days. Puppies and kittens under the minimum vaccination age cannot usually be vaccinated early enough to qualify, so very young animals are difficult to bring legally and should be left with a sitter or vaccinated on the standard adult schedule before travel. Because the fine print on certificate templates, validity periods and the number of pets allowed per traveller changes from time to time, treat anything written here as a starting point, not a final answer, and check the current rules on the National Food Agency site or by contacting the agency directly before you fly.

EU pet passport or third-country certificate

Travellers coming from an EU member state can usually use the standard EU pet passport, the same document used for travel within the bloc, as long as the rabies vaccination inside it is current. The European Commission’s Your Europe portal explains the passport’s requirements and templates, and is a useful reference even though Georgia is not an EU member, since Georgian officials are familiar with the format: see the EU pet travel guidance. Travellers from the UK, the US, Canada and most other non-EU countries instead need a veterinary health certificate specific to Georgia, plus the titre test if their country of origin is not on Georgia’s recognised rabies-control list. Airlines and the National Food Agency both reserve the right to refuse entry for incomplete paperwork, so carry printed copies of everything, not only digital files.

Flying to Georgia with a dog or cat

Georgia has three international airports: Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi. Policies on pets in the cabin and hold are set by each airline, not by the airports, and vary considerably, so check with your carrier well before booking. As a general pattern, small pets in an approved soft carrier under a combined weight limit, often around eight kilograms, can travel in the cabin at the passenger’s feet, while larger dogs travel in a temperature-controlled hold compartment, booked in advance because space is limited per flight. Confirm current pet policy, crate specifications and fees directly with your airline, and check general passenger information on the Tbilisi International Airport, Kutaisi International Airport or Batumi International Airport sites. If you are met on arrival, our Airport transfers service can be booked with advance notice that you are travelling with a pet, so the driver brings water and allows extra time.

Trains and marshrutkas inside Georgia

Georgian Railway, which runs the Tbilisi–Batumi, Tbilisi–Kutaisi and Tbilisi–Zugdidi lines among others, generally allows small pets travelling in a closed carrier at the passenger’s seat, and larger dogs on a lead and muzzle in designated cars, for an additional fee. Rules, fees and which train types allow dogs can change by schedule, so check the current terms on Georgian Railway’s website before booking tickets. Marshrutka minibuses, the shared vans that connect most towns, have no fixed company-wide policy; acceptance of a pet is at the driver’s discretion, usually easier with a small animal in a bag than a large dog, and you should ask before boarding rather than assume. For longer regional trips, especially to the mountains or wine country, a private Car with English-speaking driver removes this uncertainty entirely and lets you stop for water and leg stretches on your own schedule, which matters on routes like Kazbegi, Svaneti or Kakheti.

Pet-friendly hotels and guesthouses

Pet policy in Georgian accommodation is improving but still uneven, and it is not safe to assume a property accepts animals without asking directly. Family-run guesthouses in rural areas such as Kakheti, Svaneti or around Kazbegi are often more flexible than city hotels, partly because many hosts keep their own dogs or livestock, but policies on where a pet may sleep, extra cleaning fees and size limits vary from house to house.

If you would rather not chase this down yourself, our Hotel and guesthouse booking help service can shortlist two or three pet-friendly options for your dates and confirm the policy before you pay.

Stray dogs: what to know

Tbilisi and Batumi both run municipal catch-neuter-vaccinate-release programmes for street dogs, and most animals you will see wearing a plastic ear tag have been sterilised and vaccinated against rabies under these schemes; details on Tbilisi’s approach are published by Tbilisi City Hall, and Batumi’s municipal information is on Batumi’s official site. Tagged strays are generally calm toward people and tend to ignore other dogs on a lead, but they should not be approached, fed by hand or allowed to interact with your own pet, since behaviour varies and not every animal on the street has been through the programme. Rabies is present in Georgia’s wildlife reservoir, so any bite or scratch from an unfamiliar animal, stray or otherwise, should be treated as a medical matter: wash the wound thoroughly and seek care immediately, and see the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health’s guidance at ncgh.ge for post-exposure advice. This applies to you, not only to your pet, and is not something to manage without a doctor.

Vets and pet shops in Tbilisi and Batumi

Both cities have veterinary clinics used to treating visitors’ pets, generally clustered in central districts such as Vake and Saburtalo in Tbilisi and the city centre in Batumi, with some staff speaking English, though this is not guaranteed at every practice and is worth confirming by phone before a non-urgent visit. Pet shops in both cities stock mainstream international food brands, carriers, leads and basic supplies, but specialist prescription diets and some medications are less reliably available outside Tbilisi, so travellers with pets on a specific diet or medication should bring enough for the whole trip rather than relying on finding it locally. If you need help locating a vet quickly while on a tour with us, your Private guide or driver can usually point you to the nearest option, since local drivers know their city’s clinics better than any general directory.

Practical summary

• Microchip your pet before the rabies vaccination, and vaccinate at least 21 days before travel.
• Check whether your country of origin requires a rabies titre test, which needs three months’ lead time.
• Get a veterinary health certificate close to your departure date and confirm Georgia’s current requirements on nea.gov.ge before booking flights.
• Check your airline’s cabin and hold pet policy directly, and book pet space in advance, it is limited per flight.
• Confirm pet policy with Georgian Railway before buying tickets, and ask marshrutka drivers directly or book a private car instead.
• Always confirm pet policy with any hotel or guesthouse before paying a deposit, rural guesthouses are often more flexible than city hotels.
• Keep your pet leashed around street dogs; tagged strays are usually sterilised and vaccinated, but should not be approached.
• Carry enough of any specialist pet food or medication for the whole trip, and know your nearest vet clinic’s location and hours.
• Seek medical attention immediately for any animal bite or scratch; see a doctor, do not self-treat.

Sources

• National Food Agency, pet and animal import rules
• EU pet travel scheme (Your Europe)
• Georgian Railway, official site
• Tbilisi City Hall, municipal services
• Batumi municipal site