Discovering Germany

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© 2016 Dwellworks Page 32 Discovering Germany
Pets
Requirements and Registration
Pets which are imported to Germany need an official import permit (Einfuhrgenehmigung).
This permit may be waived if:
 The owner moves to Germany and the pets accompany the owner
 Not more than three animals are being imported
 The animals will not be handed over to a third person
 The animals are older than three months and have had a rabies vaccination at least
30 days and not more than 180 days before their arrival in Germany
Should pets be imported at a later date, various documents are required for the entry:
 Import permit
 Recent health certificate (accompanied by a certified German translation)
 Confirmation about the move of the owner
It is recommended to have a health certificate be issued with states name, breed, gender,
and age. Also, the animal must be free of epidemic diseases and no case of rabies has been
notified within a 20 km (12 mi) radius of where the animal has lived. Airlines should be
contacted well in advance to inquire about regulations for transportation of animals. In
general, there are no quarantine requirements in Germany for imported dogs and cats. Other
pets such as birds are subject to specific quarantine regulations, depending on the species.
Pet Passport for Travel within the EU
There is an EU-standardized pet passport. This passport applies to dogs, cats, and ferrets
and has to be carried while travelling in the EU. For other pets, e.g. rabbits, guinea pigs, and
birds, there is not yet an EU-standard, so national legislation applies.
In general, the pet passport is only used for pets travelling between Member States of the
EU. However, it can also be used for travelling to and from one of the neighboring countries
where the rabies status matches that of the EU. This includes: Andorra, Iceland,
Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, and the Vatican City State.
As of July 2011 the pet has to be marked with a microchip (before this date a tattoo was
sufficient) in order to guarantee a clear allocation of the pet passport to the pet. The travel
documents for pets are issued by vets. For further information, please refer to: