Shipping Pets

Pets do not have to be quarantined in Germany, but a bilingual health certificate is required.

Important to Note: Pet health certificates cannot be more than 10 days old and the rabies vaccination must be at least 30 days old and not more than a year old before you travel to Germany. Pets must be identifiable byway of a microchip (or tattoo), which must have been implanted prior to being vaccinated for rabies, and the coordinating number of which must be annotated on the rabies certificate. The health certificate must be signed by a U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) certified veterinarian.

German and U.S. pet travel laws change frequently. Please check with your installation veterinary clinic for assistance.

For more information regarding pets, please contact the Stuttgart Veterinary Clinic:

Military on-post hotels have limited room for household pets. Boarding establishments in Germany are limited and can be expensive. Some German hotels do allow pets, but most charge an additional fee to the regular room rate. Regulations limit residents of military housing to no more than two domestic pets per household. Communicate with your sponsor as early as possible regarding pet needs. 

The Stuttgart Veterinary Clinic is a limited service veterinary clinic with a primary mission to serve as medical support for the dogs of the 100th MWD Detachment, in addition to working to control zoonotic diseases (those communicable from animals to humans). Care for privately owned animals can be provided, on a space available basis. The Stuttgart area has many high-quality general practice veterinary clinics, including 24-hour emergency facilities and specialty hospitals where pets can receive advanced diagnostic and surgical care. Most German veterinarians and their staff speak English, so there is no need to worry about a language barrier disrupting a pet’s medical care. Most practices are familiar with and accept the VAT form.

For more information on veterinary services in the USAG Stuttgart AOR, please contact the Stuttgart Veterinary Clinic.

German Law On Dangerous Dogs

In April 2001, German law was passed on import of dangerous dogs for protection of the citizens. The local offices of public order (OPO) at city and county level are appointed to enforce the dangerous dog regulation.

Dangerous dogs are defined as animals either
- known to be vicious
- having indicated inclinations to attack game or livestock
- having attacked persons
- having shown unusually aggressiveness

German automatically includes Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, and Staffordshire Bullterriers and other dogs descendant from one of these dogs in this dangerous dog category.

These breeds and any dogs deriving from these breeds cannot be imported to Germany. Breeding, reproduction, and trade of dangerous dogs are prohibited.

Permission by the local authority is required to keep a dangerous dog. The owner must justify the need to keep the dog, for example as a watch dog. Furthermore, the owner must be at least 18 years of age and personally qualified. Personal qualification requires passing an aptitude test administered by a person or office certified by the State Veterinarian Chamber in Germany. This test is only valid for 5 years and only connected to the dog that is tested together with the owner.

Certain criteria automatically disqualify persons to own dangerous dogs:
- final conviction for at least one crime committed with premeditation or twice for crimes committed while drunk within the last 5 years
- addiction to alcohol or drugs, or mental illness or impairment
- repeated violation of dangerous dog legal provisions

Dangerous dogs must be kept safely. They must be marked with an electronic chip applied by a veterinarian. The dog owner has to show proof thereof to the local authority. Furthermore, if the dog is lost or given into somebody else's custody for more than 4 weeks the owner must notify the local authority.

In public areas, including common areas in multi-family housing such as stairwells, dangerous dogs must be on a leash and wear a muzzle. Dog owners may ask for an exemption to wear a muzzle if the dog poses no danger to public security. Persons walking dogs in public must be 18 years or older, physically able to control the dog and not disqualified. A person may only walk one dog at a time.

For more information about German dangerous dog laws on please contact the Stuttgart Veterinary Clinic.

Planning for shipment of your pet includes researching airline requirements and quarantine restriction laws in your new location. You will need to ask the airlines the requirements for size, weight, number of animals, kennel construction, documentation and season of the year limitations. Occasionally, small pets can be shipped on military flights but availability and regulations are always changing, as well as fees.

Tips on Traveling with Pets

Personnel need to make special arrangements when shipping family pets to Germany. To insure that your pet has a safe and comfortable air trip, we offer these tips:

• Call the airline you are flying on and make a reservation for your pet. Call as early as possible as many airlines do not ship animals or they have a limit on the number of animals on each flight.
• Book a direct flight if at all possible.
• Monitor airline heat embargoes, which often prohibit pets from being transported in cargo holds. Heat embargoes are common at origin destinations in the Central and Southern U.S. from May through September.
• Make an appointment at your veterinarian for a check up. Tell him/her that you are planning to take your pet to Germany via air.
• Obtain a bilingual health certificate from your veterinarian dated no earlier than 10 days before departure. It is important to note that shots must be more than 30 days old and less than one year old.
• Start crate training your pet - if it has not already been trained. If your pet has never been in a crate before, buy the crate and leave it sitting in your living or bedroom for a couple of days. When the pet is comfortable, start encouraging him/her to go inside by putting treats inside the crate. Never force a pet into a crate - you will create a fear of the crate in your pet. Gradually increase the time you leave your pet in the crate each consecutive day, until you have reached an 8 hour day.
• Feed your pet a light meal six hours before flight time, and exercise before putting in the crate.
• Purchase a U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA)-approved shipping crate. It should be large enough so that your pet can stand, sit and change position comfortably. For international flights, it is also required that the crate have breathing holes in the rear of the crate as well as on the sides.
• Insure the words "LIVE ANIMAL" are printed on the carrier with arrows indicating the upright position of the carrier.
• Line the bottom with some type of bedding to absorb accidents.
• Freeze water in a plastic water cup and attach inside the carrier, it will melt by the time your pet is thirsty, yet not spill with the handling of the crate. Or purchase a "hamster" type water bottle - but you have to make sure that you train your animal to drink from this type of apparatus.
• Get your pet accustomed to the carrier. Also, putting a piece of clothing with the scent of a family member will comfort your pet during the flight.
• Do not place a lock on the carrier, so that the airline personnel can open the carrier in case of an emergency.
• For trips longer than 12 hours, attach a plastic bag containing dry food on the top of the carrier with feeding instructions for airline personnel.

For additional questions, contact the Stuttgart Veterinary Clinic.