Pets: Cats, Dogs and Ferrets
Do you plan to travel with your pet(s) from the United States to Germany (up to five per person) and need specific information about regulations and procedures? Below you will find basic information about various possible scenarios:
1. Accompanied movement of pets (cats, dogs, and ferrets)
2. Unaccompanied/commercial movement of pets (cats, dogs, and ferrets)
3. Kitten/Puppy (0-3 months)
4. Transit with pet (cats, dogs, and ferrets)
5. Other animals
Please note our disclaimer.
1. Accompanied Movement of Pets (Cats, Dogs, and Ferrets)
If your pet is traveling on the same flight (cabin or cargo) with you, departing from the United States and arriving in Germany as the first stop in Europe, you will need a bilingual veterinary certificate.
Bilingual Veterinary Certificate [pdf]
Please note: Only nos. I to IV of the form apply to pets arriving from the United States. You will need a valid rabies vaccination and either a microchip/transponder (standard: ISO 11784 or ISO11785 ) or a tattoo for identification purposes. The tattoo will only be accepted as a means of identification until July 3, 2011, and not for movements to the UK, Malta, or Ireland (transponder obligatory).
Print out the Veterinary Certificate (not to be confused with a health certificate) and present it along with proof of the last rabies vaccination and proof of microchip to a federal accredited veterinarian.
Please note that the rabies vaccination must occur after identity of the pet has been established.
After you have completed the form, please forward it to the USDA/APHIS Veterinary Services Area Office for final endorsement.
Find your regional veterinary services area office (appointment required) here:
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Website
Please also contact your airline for information about their specific regulations. Generally, the airlines will require an international health certificate, which must be issued no more than 10 days prior to the journey and endorsed by your regional veterinary services area office.
2. Unaccompanied/Commercial Movement of Pets (Cats, Dogs, and Ferrets)
If your pet is traveling on a different flight from you, departing from the United States and arriving in Germany as the first stop in Europe, you will need a veterinary certificate for commercial movements (see pages 3 and 4 of the following pdf file).
Veterinary Certificate for Commercial Movements [pdf]
Only nos. I. to VII. and no. IX. need to be filled out by a federal accredited veterinarian. The rabies vaccination must occur after identity of the pet has been established. Please note the accredited veterinarian must perform the clinical examination within 24 hours before the movement (see no. IX.). Please also contact your airline about specific airline regulations.
You will also need to provide a journey declaration, a declaration of transportation, and a feeding regime. There is no special form for the feeding regime. All you need to do is to prepare a document labeled “VERSORGUNGSPLAN” (German for feeding regime) at the top of the page, then list the food and environmental needs, e.g. temperature, of your pet.
3. Kitten/Puppy (0-3 months)
If you intend to bring an accompanied kitten or puppy into Germany that is not older than 3 months, you will need to purchase an import permit from the state authority of the future domicile and the state authority of the port of arrival.
The following pdf file (in German only) lists the various state authorities that you will need to contact for the import permit. Please follow the state authority’s instructions.
List of State Authorities [pdf]
Please also contact your airline for information about specific airline regulations.
Please note: If you reach Europe in a country other than Germany and your pet has no valid rabies protection, please contact that country’s embassy in the United States. The U.S. State Department list of foreign embassies appears below.
List of Foreign Embassies in the United States
4. Transit with Pet
If you are transiting Germany with your pet and your final destination is within the European Community, you do not need to purchase another bilingual veterinary certificate.
If you are transiting with your pet and your final destination is outside of the European Community, please follow the procedure described under the Accompanied Movement of Pets section.
If you intend to transit with your pet and it has no valid rabies protection, please purchase an import permit at the state authority of the port of port of transit. The following pdf file lists the various state authorities (in German only). Please follow the state authority’s instructions.
List of State Authorities [pdf]
Please note: If you reach Europe in a country other than Germany and your pet has no valid rabies protection, please contact that country’s embassy in the United States. The U.S. State Department list of foreign embassies appears below.
List of Foreign Embassies in the United States
5. Other Animals
Guinea Pigs
There are currently no veterinarian regulations for the private import of guinea pigs. Please contact your airline for information about possible airline regulations.
Pet birds - accompanied movement
Information on certain protection measures in relation to bird flu and movements of pet birds to the EU [pdf]
Pet rabbits
There are currently no veterinarian regulations for the private import of a pet rabbit / at most 3 pet rabbits / to Germany. Please contact your airline for information about possible airline regulations.
Turtles
There are currently no veterinarian regulations for the private import of turtles to Germany. If your turtle falls into the category of endangered species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), please purchase an export permit from your home country and an import permit requested by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation.
Import Permit Form - CITES 221 [pdf]
Last updated:
June 23, 2009
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