| Your list of things to do when starting your move to | | | | of attention include dogs AND cats. You should find |
| Germany may seem a neverending one and don't | | | | that smaller house pets require no such attention and |
| forget, your trusty pet has needs too! | | | | you certainly would not expect to provide |
| For sure you won't want to leave them back home, | | | | certificates for hamsters or fish that you bring with |
| after all, you've loved and cared for them for so | | | | you. You will not be allowed to bring birds, such as |
| long, so how are you going to take them with you? | | | | homing pigeons or parrots with you without prior |
| What's necessary to do and when should you think | | | | written permission and a period of quarantine - due |
| about it? | | | | to current bird-flu restrictions. Snakes, ferrets and |
| Of course, Germany is a very welcoming place for | | | | rats are not considered house pets, rather vermin |
| pets, even if the red tape and paper work makes | | | | and so you may face very hard times ahead when |
| you think otherwise. For example, it's commonplace | | | | bringing these pets to Germany. |
| to see a dog owner sat at a table in a restaurant | | | | If you have brought a dog with you, as soon as you |
| with his best friend. It's also not unusual to find dogs | | | | have got yourself settled into your new home you |
| sat alongside their owners on trains. In fact the dog | | | | need to get yourself a dog license. Like in the UK and |
| has his own ticket too. Simply ask at the ticket | | | | Ireland, this can cost up to 30 Euro's a year but it |
| office before you travel, just to make sure. You will | | | | also depends on which part of Germany you are |
| often see dog owners WITH their pets in the most | | | | living in. All other house pets do not require such a |
| unexpected places, compared with your habits back | | | | license. Simply make a point of enquiring about this |
| home. Some places however, do draw the line at | | | | license when you register yourself and your family at |
| dogs other than Guide dogs for the blind, and this will | | | | the einwohnermeldeamt. |
| be made clear at the entrance to the place with a | | | | Don't forget that the person you rent a house or an |
| picture of a dog in a red circle with a line through it, | | | | apartment has the last say as to whether you may |
| similar to a no smoking sign. Examples of such places | | | | bring your pet or not, so make sure you check |
| include bakeries, butchers, kindergartens, hospitals, | | | | whether you may have pets/haustiere living with you. |
| some bars and restaurants etc. | | | | Many apartment owners say no to pets unless the |
| There is also a requirement that your dog is not | | | | owner is blind or partially sighted, due to reasons |
| considered a dangerous animal and that if it should be | | | | known only to themselves. |
| a type of dog that is known to bite, kill or maim, | | | | Bringing Dangerous Dogs into the country from the |
| then you will be required to keep your dog muzzled | | | | USA |
| at all times in public places. This rule is not so clear at | | | | In response to a series of dog attack upon humans, |
| the moment as there have been several high-interest | | | | Germany's state and federal governments have |
| cases in courts recently and so changes to these | | | | enacted measures to ensure public safety. The |
| rules will surely happen soon. One point to mention | | | | states bear primary responsibility in this area, and the |
| here, you as the owner are completely responsible | | | | regulations bearing upon the breeding and ownership |
| for the actions of your pet and any damage or injury | | | | of dangerous breeds vary from state to state. In |
| caused by the animal will come under your | | | | some states, for example, dogs of certain breeds |
| responsibility to rectify. This is why lots of dog | | | | must be kept on leash and muzzled in public at all |
| owners take out a third-party accident insurance on | | | | times. Travelers planning to bring their dogs with |
| their pet that covers things like breakages in shops, | | | | them to Germany are advised to contact the |
| injuries caused by tripping someone up in the street | | | | appropriate state authorities: a list of the breeds |
| etc etc. Contact an insurance broker for more | | | | affected by state legislation is given below. |
| information on this topic. | | | | At the national level, the Bundestag has passed |
| Your dog is not allowed to make, lets say, solid | | | | legislation banning the import of breeds deemed |
| deposits in any public place unless there are bags | | | | especially dangerous. The ban applies, notably, to |
| gloves provided for the owner to clean-up after | | | | Pitbull Terriers, Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire |
| them. Failure to do so can result in a huge fine and | | | | Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers. Dangerous |
| many local walking places now provide these bags at | | | | dogs accompanying travelers remaining in Germany |
| all entrances to the paths. Take a plastic bag or two | | | | for no more than four weeks are exempt, as are |
| with you whenever you take your dog out just to | | | | public service and guide dogs. Any dog owner wishing |
| be sure that you're prepared. Remember also that | | | | to bring an animal into Germany must have |
| even clearing up after your pet is not a tolerated | | | | appropriate documentation. Travelers are advised to |
| behaviour in childrens' play areas as it is thought that | | | | contact the nearest German Consulate General for |
| bacteria from dog dirt can lead to infantile blindness. | | | | further information. |
| Keep your dog tied up outside of such play areas | | | | Breeds Subject to Dangerous Dog Regulations |
| just to be sure. | | | | The breeds of dogs listed here are classified as |
| If you are flying with your pet, you will often find | | | | generally or potentially dangerous under the |
| that the pet has to be locked-away in a special travel | | | | regulations of one or more of Germany's states. |
| carrying device so that no 'harm' can come to the | | | | Other breeds not listed might also be subject to |
| pet or the passengers onboard. You may even be | | | | regulations. Dog owners interested in bringing their |
| allowed access to your pet throughout the journey, | | | | dogs with them to Germany are advised to contact |
| be it at your seat or at a designated part of the | | | | state authorities for more information. |
| plane. It's unlikely that your pet will be stored in the | | | | - Akbas |
| hold of the jet as temperatures in these areas could | | | | - Alano |
| mean that your pet arrives as a frozen version of it's | | | | - American Staffordshire Terrier * |
| former self! | | | | - Bandog |
| Before you travel. | | | | - Berger de Beauce (Beauceron) |
| There are of course rules and regulations concerning | | | | - Berger de Brie (Briard) |
| the import and export of animals to and from any | | | | - Bullmastiff |
| country in the world and Germany is no exception. | | | | - Bull-terrier * |
| You must not forget to comply with these long | | | | - Cane Corso |
| before you start your journey as you may find that | | | | - Carpatin |
| your pet could be taken away from you for a period | | | | - Chinesischer Kampfhund (Chinese fighting dog) |
| of quarantine, which is never a good thing for either | | | | - Dobermann |
| of you. | | | | - Dogo Argentino |
| If you are travelling within the EU, you now need a | | | | - Dogue de Bordeaux |
| pet passport which contain the list of vaccinations | | | | - Estrela-Berghund |
| recieved as well as any tagging info that may exist | | | | - Fila Brasileiro |
| under the animal's skin. This is an EU scheme to | | | | - Kangal |
| ensure or lower the danger of rabies spreading within | | | | - Karakatschan |
| the EU member states. | | | | - Karshund |
| Do your research early. | | | | - Kaukasischer Owtscharka |
| Remember that you will need several documents | | | | - Komondor |
| that have to be readable to the German immigration | | | | - Kraski Ovcar |
| authorities and do not think that they will not be | | | | - Kuvasz |
| checked, as they most probably will be. You will be | | | | - Liptak (Goralenhund) |
| required to visit a vetinary surgeon at your starting | | | | - Maremmaner Hirtenhund |
| place and ask him for a list of vaccinations required | | | | - Mastiff |
| and already received. This list must include rabies | | | | - Mastin de los Pirineos |
| vaccinations and it should also be in a typed format. | | | | - Mastin Espanol |
| You then must take this list to your local Germany | | | | - Mastino Napoletano |
| authority, be it the German Embassy or Consulate, | | | | - Mioritic |
| depending on your country, and ask them to make a | | | | - Mittelasiatischer Owtscharka |
| certified translation of this list of vaccinations in | | | | - Perro de Presa Canario |
| German - possibly even with an apostile (An apostile | | | | - Perro de Presa Mallorquin |
| is a certificate that proves that the first certificate is | | | | - Pit-bull terrier* |
| really a certificate !! - well, not quite as ridiculous as | | | | - Polski Owczarek Podhalanski |
| that sounds, it is simply a wax sealed certificate to | | | | - Pyrenäenberghund |
| say that the two papers attached are identical for all | | | | - Raffeiro do Alentejo |
| content except language - it is often required for | | | | - Rhodesian Ridgeback |
| other documents such as birth certificates or driving | | | | - Römischer Kampfhund |
| licenses.) It may be possible to get an international | | | | - Rottweiler |
| vetinary certificate nowadays that has the list of | | | | - Sarplaninac |
| check-ups and vaccinations performed and received | | | | - Slovensky Cuvac |
| and is in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian. | | | | - Staffordshire Bull-terrier* |
| One reader has told me of such a certificate that | | | | - Sürdrussischer Owtscharka |
| was issued by a vetinarian in Ireland some years ago. | | | | - Tibetanischer Mastiff |
| If you are crossing International borders (and this | | | | - Tornjak |
| includes flying from the UK to Switzerland for | | | | - Tosa Inu |
| example), then you will need to prove that your pet | | | | *These breeds are prohibited under all circumstances. |
| has received all the required vaccinations within the | | | | All dogs that reach a shoulder height of over 40 cm |
| month prior to your date of entry into the country | | | | (approximately 16 inches) at full maturity or a weight |
| and you need a document for each pet that you | | | | of over 20 kg (44 pounds) are subject to dangerous |
| bring. This covers up to three pets and any more will | | | | dog regulations in the state of North |
| require an Import license. Pets that require this type | | | | Rhine-Westphalia. |