What is subjected to veterinary inspection?
The Veterinary Directorate - Department for Veterinary Publich Health - is the competent body for the requirements for the import of live animals and  products of animal origin and feed. The Veterinary Directorate through its border veterinary inspectors conducts checks of all shipments of live animals and products of animal origin and feed. The import of live animals and products of animal origin will be approved after prior checks for the purpose of determining the absence of veterinary obstacles for imports.

Laws and bylaws
The field of veterinary in Montenegro is regulated by the Veterinary Law, the Law on the Protection of Animal Welfare, the Law on Identification and Registration of Animals, the Law on Food Safety, the Law on Genetically Modified Organisms and the Law on Measures for the Improvement of Livestock.

Where is veterinary inspection conducted
All shipments of live animals, products of live animals and feed can be imported into the territory of Montenegro only through approved border inspection points.

Prior to import
All shipments of animals, semen, ova and embryos, as well as animal products imported into Montenegro are subject to veterinary inspection performed by the border veterinary inspector. The shipments must be announced to the border veterinary inspector for inspection at least 24 hours before the arrival of the consignment at the border inspection points.

Upon the arrival of duly announced shipments at the border inspection point, the importer or his authorized agent submits an application for checking the shipment to border veterinary inspectors in a form prescribed by the Veterinary Directorate. In addition to the application, a veterinary certificate and other documents such as invoices, bill of lading, and a list of identification labels for animals are submitted.  

With the purpose of efficient control and obtaining information about the shipment, the border veterinary inspector may require information from responsible persons, or insight into the cargo manifest of the ship or aircraft for certain checks.

At the border
Every shipment of animals, semen, ova and embryos that is imported into Montenegro must be subjected to a  documentation, identification and physical check.  

If the shipment of animals, semen, ova and embryos does not fulfill the determined requirements, the border veterinary inspector undertakes the following measures:
1) denies import;
2) denies import temporarily, if some deficiencies should be removed in the consignment and accompanying documents;
3) bans the use of vehicles for transport if they do not fulfill the determined requirements.
The borders veterinary inspector decides upon the return or destruction of shipment at the request of the importer. The consignments shall be under the supervision of the customs authorities and border veterinary inspectorate until  a  final decision is taken on proceeding with them. The costs incurred in the process of re-dispatch or destruction of the shipment shall be borne by the importer.

If the results from the laboratory tests are positive, then intensified laboratory tests shall be performed on 10 successive shipments of these products.   

On the basis of previous checks, the epizootic situation in the country of origin i.e. the exporting country, the border veterinary inspector approves transit through the territory of Montenegro of the shipment of products of animal origin only if:
- the shipment comes from a country or region of a country from which import or transit in Montenegro is not banned;
- the shipment is accompanied by proper documentation;
- the shipment has undergone documentation and identification checks.

Shipments of products of animal origin that are transported by plane or ship are subject to an identification and documentation check on the basis of the ship or aircraft cargo manifest only when the shipments are not to be unloaded. In certain circumstances, when there is information that shipments pose a threat to public health or animal health, a physical check must be carried out.

When shipments of products of animal origin are transported by road and railroad transport throughout the territory of Montenegro, they must be transported without any unloading after leaving the border inspection points for imports and they must leave the territory of Montenegro no later than three days after initial entry.

The border veterinary inspector that approves the transit notifies the border veterinary inspector at the exit border crossing through existing means of communication.

Special conditions
When it comes to the import of live animals, conditions for their quarantine must be provided in prior procedure in accordance with the regulations. The place of quarantine, the type of tests and conditions when it comes to keeping animals in quarantine are determined by the Veterinary Directorate. For the import of foreign (allochthonous) animal species, prior approval is necessary from the ministry competent for environmental protection.

When animals are imported for participation in sport competitions, exhibitions and fairs, for a duration of 15 days at most, and when ungulates, even-toed ungulate, fowls and rabbits are imported for slaughter, the Veterinary Directorate may decide that they do not have to be in quarantine, if the epizootic situation in the exporting country is such that there is no danger of introducing contagious animal diseases.

Documents
Border inspection points
Inspection of shipment of animals, semen, ova and embryos - documentation, identification and physical check
Inspection of shipment of animal products - documentation, identification and physical check

Contact
Veterinary inspection
Sv. Petra Cetinjskog br.9
81000 Podgorica
Tel: +382 20 201 945
Fax: +382 20 201 946
E-mail: veterinarska.uprava@vu.gov.me