There are many of us who wouldn't dream of moving country without our pets. Pets are part of the family and, in fact, they can be a great aid to your well-being when you are trying to settle into a new environment.
Moving pets to Norway is usually perfectly fine. But there are a number of things which have to be prepared before you and your pet move here. There are also slightly different rules depending on what animal you are bringing in and whether you are travelling from within the EU or outside the EU.
Dogs and cats must be older than 3 months to enter Norway. The number of dogs, cats or ferrets which you can bring into the country is limited to 5 (otherwise it is considered commercial movement). There are also restrictions on dog breeds in Norway (see the bottom of this article).
If you are moving with a pet to Norway, your pet must either travel with you or must travel 5 days before or after your arrival. If you are unable to travel with your pet, you must authorise someone to move the animal on your behalf (a pet transport company for example).
You might be asked to present documentation that clearly shows that the reason your pet is moving is because you are moving. This might include hotel reservations, plane or train tickets for example.
There are no quarantine regulations for bringing dogs, cats and ferrets from EU countries. The Norwegian Food and Safety administration list a checklist of 4 things which must be provided when bringing these pets to Norway:
Checklist
The animal must be ID-marked. They must be identified by a microchip or clearly readable tattoo.
The animal must have a valid anti-rabies vaccination. This vaccination must be completed by a vet and generally has to be completed at least 21 days before entering the country, and must be documented in your pets passport. (Note: there is no need for vaccination between Norway and Sweden).
The animal must have received an anti-echinococcus treatment (dogs only). Dogs are required to have treatment administered for the Echinococcus multilocularis parasite. Medicine is administered by a veterinarian to prevent this a form of intestinal parasite and as a general rule this must be done 24-120 hours before arrival in Norway. Alternatively, there is a 28-day rule, where a dog can be treated at least twice within a 28-day period before travelling. Treatment must be certified by a vet in your pet’s passport. (Note: this is not required for travel to Norway directly from the United Kingdom, Finland, Ireland or Malta.)
The animal must have a pet passport. You pet must have with it a pet passport which details ownership, description and ID-marking of the animal. This also should include details of your veterinarian and veterinarian, rabies vaccination and anti-echinococcus treatment when necessary. This passport is issued by your vet and there is a standard passport for all EU countries and Norway.
Regulations around bringing dogs, cats and ferrets from outside the EU are slightly different than from bringing a pet from within the EU. While there is no quarantine, there are more steps that need to be taken to ensure your pet can safely enter Norway. The Norwegian Food and Safety administration list a checklist of 7 things which must be provided when bringing these pets to Norway from outside the EU:
Checklist
The animal must be ID-marked. They must be identified by a microchip or clearly readable tattoo.
The animal must have a valid anti-rabies vaccination. This vaccination must be completed by a vet and generally has to be completed at least 21 days before entering the country and must be documented in your pet’s passport. If this vaccination is administered in a country outside the EEA the vaccine must have been granted approval. Check with your veterinarian that it meets requirements for travel to Europe.
The animal must have undergone a valid rabies antibody titration test unless it comes from a listed third country or territory. Pets travelling from certain countries or parts of the world must undergone a valid rabies antibody test. To check which countries DO NOT require this test, see the link here. For animals that do require this test, it is carried out on a blood sample taken 30 days after vaccination, and not less that 3 months before entering Norway. Reports from this test must accompany your pet when travelling.
The animal must have received an anti-echinococcus treatment (dogs only). Dogs are required to have treatment administered for the Echinococcus multilocularis parasite. Medicine is administered by a veterinarian to prevent this a form of intestinal parasite and as a general rule this must be done 24-120 hours before arrival in Norway. Treatment must be certified by a vet in your pet’s passport.
The animal must have an identification document. As the main rule, the identification document must be in the format of an animal health certificate or pet passport. (animals coming from Andorra, Switzerland, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican City State may be accompanied by a pet passport).
The animal must enter through a travellers’ point of entry. Pets travelling from outside the Eu must only be brought into Norway only through Oslo Airport or Storskog (on the Russian border). You, the owner or an authorised person must contact the Norwegian Food Safety Authority at this point of entry and present the animals and the necessary documentation for checking. You should notify this authority at least 48 hours before arrival to avoid long wait times for checking. Gardermoen (Oslo) (airport) Tel.: (+ 47) 22 77 79 00 BIP-gardermoen@mattilsynet.no (Note: Animals from Andorra, Switzerland, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City State may be brought into Norway through all border crossings.)
The animal must comply with relevant safeguard measures. Prior to the movement, the owner should contact the Norwegian Food Safety Authority to check whether any safeguard measures apply to the country where you are moving from.
Be aware there are certain breeds of dog which are banned in Norway. This also includes cross breeds, where there is any proportion of one or more of these dog breeds. The list of banned dog breeds is:
The Pit Bull Terrier
The American Staffordshire Terrier
The Fila Brasilerio
The Toso Inu
The Dogo Argentino
The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog
The Norwegian government state that these dogs are banned because “they are considered potentially dangerous dogs that are particularly aggressive, combative and tenacious.”
If the Norwegian authorities suspect any dog of being a dangerous breed, they can require documentation on the breed type. If they are not satisfied, they can have the dog sent out of the country or even killed. More information can be found here.
If you are travelling with pets that are not dogs, cats, or ferrets there are also regulations you should be aware of. See the Norwegian Food and Safety administration website here for details on which species are permitted and the regulations around their travel.
These measures are in place to ensure that live animals do not bring infectious disease to Norway and that their movement is not for illegal trade. If you are prepared well in advance and you consult with your veterinarian, there are usually no problems bringing your beloved pet into Norway.
NOTE: All information here is taken from the Norwegian Food and Safety administration. This is intended as a guide only and should not be taken as official advice. Always consult the Norwegian Food and Safety administration before you move.
https://www.mattilsynet.no/language/english/animals/travelling_with_pets/