What Documents Are Needed for a Dog

Title: What Documents Are Needed for a Dog

Whiskers, paws, and tail – these are my documents! So said the cat Matroskin from the cartoon "Prostokvashino." One might wonder, why does an animal need documents? However, any document for a dog carries specific information about it.

The mandatory documents for a dog include:

• veterinary passport/international veterinary passport.
• pedigree (puppy card).

This seemingly small list of documents carries immense benefits for both the Toy Terrier and its owner during travel.

Dog Passport

Buying a Toy Terrier puppy is a joyful event. But amidst the happy introduction to the new family member, one should not forget about the documents that the owner or breeder of the little bundle of joy is obliged to provide. If the purchase of the puppy is formalized with a sales contract, you should know that the moment of handing over the puppy is recorded in a Transfer Act along with accompanying documents.

The most important document for the little Toy is the veterinary passport, which contains records of vaccinations and deworming procedures performed by the dog breeder.

In a small A6-sized booklet, actions regarding the healthy development of the puppy are recorded on the appropriate page. If it’s a vaccination against distemper and enteritis, a sticker confirming the vaccination is placed on one of the pages, while the record of rabies vaccination or deworming actions is placed on another page. Each record of vaccinations and anti-parasitic treatments is confirmed by the signature of the dog doctor and the stamp of the veterinary clinic. The date of the health-related action concerning your pet must also be indicated.

The veterinary passport is an international document containing information about the dog (breed, name, gender, date of birth, type and color of coat), data about the breeder and the owner of the animal. For microchipped pets, the passport must include a record of the date of microchipping and the tattoo number. This document serves as the basis for obtaining certificates for taking the dog abroad. Without a veterinary passport, a Toy Terrier will not be allowed to participate in exhibitions. Therefore, if you want all the awards from exhibitions to be yours, you need to take care of the passport.

If you acquired the Toy Terrier not from a breeder, you can obtain the dog document at a veterinary clinic, either state or private.

The veterinary passport confirms the health of the Toy Terrier.

Dog Pedigree

The first document confirming a dog’s belonging to a specific breed is the Puppy Card — a puppy card or puppy metric. The metric serves as the basis for the Toy Terrier puppy's participation in exhibitions (in the "baby" and "puppies" classes). Older dogs can only participate in competitions if they have a pedigree. The puppy metric is the maximum guarantee of the Toy Terrier's breed.

The metric for the puppy is the act of registering the litter by the breeder or a representative of the dog breeders' club. The document indicates the date of birth of the Toy Terrier, the tattoo number, data about the puppy's parents, and information about the breeder. When purchasing Toy Terriers from a breeder, be sure to verify the data on the puppy card with the tattoo number on your dog to ensure you do not accidentally receive someone else's puppy document.

Upon reaching the age of fifteen months, the metric is exchanged for a Certified Pedigree. This is the dog's pedigree. The pedigree is issued in exchange for the Puppy Card by the Cynological Union (the branch of the organization in your place of residence). An interested breeder can actively participate in obtaining the pedigree for your Toy Terrier.

Data from the metric, participation in exhibitions, and ancestors starting from the fourth generation are transferred to the pedigree. Without this information, your pet may participate in exhibitions, but it will not hold any value for breeding.

Note that when you are shown a sample pedigree, the certificate of origin of the dog can be either domestic or international. An export certificate (of international standard) is issued in exchange for a domestic pedigree.

The pedigree issued by the Cynological Union is recognized by FCI (the international canine organization).

Obtaining Documents for a Dog

In the CIS countries, documents for a dog can only be ordered through the Cynological Union.

The territorial principle of the organization allows you to obtain a pedigree for your pet at your place of residence.

If you plan to buy documents from unauthorized sources, your Toy Terrier will not become a "star" of exhibitions.

In case of loss of documents for the dog, membership in the Cynological Union will help restore the pedigree.

Exporting Animals Abroad

The rules for exporting dogs abroad are stipulated at the state level. Until 2011, exporting an animal abroad, in addition to the relevant documents, required mandatory identification with a clear tattoo. Now, traveling with a pet to an international tournament is only possible if it has a microchip that meets the standards SO 11784 and SO 11785. Thousands of veterinary clinics in the CIS countries carry out electronic microchipping of pets.

Documents for Exporting a Dog Abroad. Ukraine

As mentioned above, the first thing to take care of is the microchip.

In addition to the electronic identification of the animal, your Toy Terrier must have "on hand":

• an international veterinary passport, which (if the dog is over 1 year old) must contain a photograph of the Toy Terrier.

The passport can be filled out in any of the European languages. Transporting animals across the border of Ukraine is only possible if they have vaccinations (2 vaccines against distemper, parvovirus, and at least 1 vaccine against rabies).

• a veterinary certificate of form VET-1, which is exchanged at the border for an international veterinary certificate. Depending on the destination, the certificate is issued in English or German.

The VET-1 certificate itself gives the dog the right to move through the CIS countries. This document is issued only in state institutions.

• a certificate with the results of a blood test for rabies antibodies. The only certified laboratory that conducts the rabies antibody test is located in Kyiv.
• a certificate from the Cynological Union stating that your Toy Terrier is going to an exhibition and does not represent breeding value.

Having all the documents for your dog allows you not only to travel abroad for competitions without hindrance but also to be confident in your pet's health.

Documents for Exporting a Dog, for Russia

The issuance and processing of documents for dogs in the Russian Federation are handled by two main cynological organizations:

• RKF — Russian Cynological Federation, a member of the International Cynological Federation.
• SKOR — Union of Cynological Organizations of Russia, a member of the International Cynological Union.

The differences between the cynological organizations lie in the ability to exhibit and have offspring through specific organizations. Thus, Toy Terriers with a pedigree from RKF can be exhibited and have offspring through any organization. However, owners of a SKOR pedigree can only do so through their Union.

A SKOR Toy Terrier can participate in an RKF exhibition and receive diplomas, but for this, it must participate in three exhibitions where experts confirm its breed affiliation. Only after that can the dog participate in RKF competitions and earn diplomas. However, with one caveat: SKOR dogs will not be able to obtain the title of Champion.

Considering the great popularity and opportunities of RKF, we will tell you about the documents that are mandatory in this organization. In exchange for the puppy card, a Toy Terrier is issued an internal RKF pedigree of a unified sample for the entire country. With an internal pedigree, your pet will be able to participate in all exhibitions and competitions within the country. This document is also used for registering puppies of your dog.

For the titles CACIB, a Toy Terrier requires an export pedigree. The thing is, exhibitions and competitions of this level are held under the auspices of FCI (of which RKF is a member), so the documents must be international. Having an internal pedigree from RKF, it will not be difficult for you to obtain an export pedigree from RKF for your beloved pet.

The processing of documents for dogs is conducted only at the main office of RKF, which is located in Moscow. There is no need to rush across the vastness of the Russian Federation to process the pedigree. Contact the cynological club in your city for assistance in obtaining documents. They will send the documents for your Toy Terrier independently. The cost of the service is according to the club's pricing for this procedure. This entire process takes from two to three months, so be patient.

Documents for Exporting a Dog from Kazakhstan

In Kazakhstan, the issuance of documents for dogs is handled by the associative member of FCI – the Union of Cynologists of Kazakhstan (SKK). Since FCI requirements apply in all member countries, Kazakh Toy Terriers also require a puppy metric, which is then exchanged for a pedigree – either internal or export.

Documents for a Dog from Belarus

The Belarusian Cynological Association (BKO) is a member of FCI. Therefore, the official issuance and processing of puppy cards and pedigrees (both internal and export) in Belarus is handled by this organization.

Advice: Pedigrees issued by a cynological organization (a member of FCI) from any country are recognized by the cynological organization of another country that is also a member or contract partner of FCI.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does a dog need a veterinary passport?

The veterinary passport contains information about the dog's health, including vaccinations and parasite treatments. It is necessary for participating in exhibitions and traveling abroad.

What is a puppy metric and why is it needed?

A puppy metric confirms the breed of the puppy and serves as the basis for participation in exhibitions in the "baby" and "puppies" classes.

Where can I obtain a veterinary passport for my dog?

A veterinary passport can be obtained at a state or private veterinary clinic.

What documents are needed for participating in exhibitions?

To participate in exhibitions, a veterinary passport and the dog's pedigree are required.

What should be indicated in the veterinary passport?

The veterinary passport should include data about the dog, including breed, name, gender, date of birth, and information about the vaccinations administered.