1. Shipping
Shipping - Have you decided to come to Germany with your beloved pet? Fantastic decision!
Before shipping them to Germany, there are regulations to pay attention to like an up to date Health Certificate, Microchip or current vaccines. Check the German Missions to the United States or the informative checklist by the Spangdahlem Air Base and the website of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for comprehensive information.
Traveling with your pet - Do you intend to take your pet with you on a trip to another European country? In this case, you need a pet passport. You can easily get the passport through any German or on-base veterinary office. However, the passport is invalid for taking your pet back to the United States. For this matter, obtain useful guidelines for stateside travel from your vet clinic.
2. Local regulations
Pet Keeping Regulations - Awareness of local regulations and courtesies of pet ownership will help with keeping your pet species-appropriate, avoiding fines, and maintaining a good relationship with your neighbors. You are required to register your pet with the community administration or military veterinarian clinic within two weeks after arrival. This also holds true for dogs, even though you are exempt from paying German dog tax under the SOFA Agreement.
For further information on pet registration & guidelines, we strongly encourage going to these websites:
A short checklist for dog owners:
- Register pet with local authorities (Rathaus) and military veterinarian
- Find German vet clinic
- Keep rabies vaccination current
- International microchip (Tasso) for pet
- Get passport and ID tag
- Flea and tick treatment
- Purchase pet insurance