Vologda spaniel travels around the Kaliningrad region

It is no secret that the Kaliningrad region is isolated from the main part of Russia. The region is attractive for tourists, but getting to it is not easy. Especially if you take your pet on a trip, because the rules of transportation of animals have not been canceled.

A resident of Vologda Ulyana in Kaliningrad is on vacation often, but on the next trip decided to go with a dog. Mortimer is an American Cocker Spaniel. The beautiful dog also wanted to see the sea. Correspondents of “MK in Vologda” decided to find out what path the Vologda had to go to fulfill this dream.

“I really wanted to go with Morty. I have been going to the Baltic Sea for several years in spring and autumn, and looking at the happy dogs frolic on the beach, I wanted him to frolic nearby. At first, I was looking for an opportunity to get to the Kaliningrad region by plane, while not handing the dog in luggage, but taking him with me to the cabin, but airlines do not take into account the desire of people to travel with pets. If there was a pet in the cabin somewhere, it is much more expensive than a human ticket, or only the luggage compartment, which seems cruel to me. I wouldn’t be able to sit quietly on a plane knowing that a little living thing is sitting alone in the dark, where it’s cold, scary and all the noise. The conditions of traveling by train seemed quite humane, said Ulyana.

It was decided to go by train. Since the route lay across the border - Belarus and Lithuania - it was necessary to issue a pile of documents.

We started preparing for the trip to the Kaliningrad region in six months. For the transit of animals through Lithuania as an EU country, the rules have been tightened, and documents have had to be tinkered with. First, it was necessary to chip Morty, then make a high-quality vaccination against rabies, in a month to pass an expensive test for antibodies to this virus and get a certificate. After receiving it (waiting for a month), according to EU rules, it was necessary to withstand at least another three months of quarantine until the trip. And already a couple of days before departure, I received a certificate in the Vologda state veterinary station, and the next day in the Rosselkhoznadzor exchanged it for a European certificate. These last two documents had to be made in conjunction with the trip, as they are valid only five days from the date of receipt, and the road was supposed to take more than a day. The whole process turned out to be difficult and stressful for me, because I was doing this for the first time and was afraid that somewhere in the documents an error would creep in, I would forget any certificate, the results of the antibody test would be bad, etc., recalls Ulyana.

Specialists of Rosselkhoznadzor, making sure that the dog is all right, and vaccinations are made, gave good. The veterinary certificate was in your pocket, so you could go.

“Throughout the preparation of the documents and the trip itself, we met only with kind, responsive and attentive staff. Therefore, I would recommend that cat and dog owners do not be afraid and take their pets with them, if they have the opportunity and desire. It is a pleasant and good experience, Ulyana smiles.

By the way, 40 dogs and cats of the Vologda region passed veterinary control this year. Pets were taken to Abkhazia, Bulgaria, Vietnam, Turkey, Thailand, Germany, Morocco and other countries. Owners should take into account that the requirements of countries for the transportation of animals may vary. Therefore, the issue of registration should be dealt with in advance.

And while Mortimer rests in the Baltic States: runs around the parks of Zelenogradsk, meets local cats, digs sands on the Curonian Spit, tastes sea water and collects compliments everywhere.

“Morty has been with me on the Baltic coast for a week now and I am delighted to see him playing, frolic in the sand, chasing the wave and exploring our vast country with me. We send Morty greetings to a small homeland! – summed up Ulyana.