Travel with pets

The following requirements apply to the issuance of an official veterinary health certificate:

• The animals must be brought to the appointment, for dogs, cats and ferrets the pet passport and, if necessary, the results of prescribed laboratory tests.
• The rabies vaccination should be valid until the re-entry, otherwise it must be re-vaccinated abroad. In case of first vaccination or interruption of the vaccination chain, it must not be less than 21 days ago.
• Upon re-entry, a valid rabies vaccination must be present.
• If the country of travel does not prescribe special forms, the European pet passport is usually sufficient for dogs and cats.
• In the case of countries with special regulations, the pet owner must have the corresponding bilingual forms of the respective country sent to him, especially if a certificate in the national language is required.

Please be sure to make an appointment in advance for the issuance of the health certificate.

You can ask about any costs incurred when making the appointment, the costs are based on the current statutes of the state capital Stuttgart on the charging of fees for public services.

Within the EU and for the return journey from non-EU countries the regulations (EU)  576/2013 (opens in a new tab) and  577/2013 (opens in a new tab) apply. Animals that do not meet the requirements of these regulations must be returned to the country of origin at the expense of the owner or placed in official quarantine with costs. In case of a corresponding suspicion of disease, even killing is permissible!

For other animal species than dogs, cats or ferrets (pet birds, rabbits, turtles etc.) there are currently no uniform regulations. Please inquire in individual cases. Please note that in the case of species-protected animals, you may require additional documents and proof of species protection, which you should obtain in good time. Information on this can be obtained from the  Environmental Protection Agency (opens in a new tab).

Attention dog owners: Some countries require dogs to be muzzled and kept on a leash. Bringing some breeds of dogs classified as dangerous is prohibited in some countries. Since the classification of the breeds within Germany and also in the other states is handled very differently, appropriate information should be obtained beforehand. Dogs of the breeds Pitbull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and Bull Terrier as well as their mixed breeds may not be brought into Germany or imported. However, a return of a German dog from vacation is possible.

Further information on traveling with animals can be obtained from your family veterinarian or the Veterinary Office in the Office of Public Order, as well as from the respective embassies and consulates of the countries of travel. Helpful is also the information of the  Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (opens in a new tab) and the regulations of the EU, to read on the official site of the  European Commission (opens in a new tab) (in English).