Forum: Careers & Assignments

Don't know if anyone here can help me out, but I am off to Spangdahlem in November, and was wondering if anyone has had experience taking a pet to Germany. I have a 5 yr old pug I really don't want to leave in the states. Any info would be helpful. Thanks!

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Pets in Germany

If you wish to bring a cat or dog into Germany, the animal must be vaccinated for rabies 12 months to 30 days in advance. Proof of examination must be presented at the border. Not more than three animals can be imported without a special import license.

If you live in rented quarters you must have the permission of the landlord before keeping a pet, and, as in the U.S., dogs must be licensed. Cats need no license. Check with the authorities for rules regarding other pets.

Certain breeds of dogs present special problems. There is a ban on the import of pit bulls, Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, and certain other breeds that are considered dangerous. States and communities often have special rules concerning such dogs. They must often be tested for viciousness, kept on a leash in public, muzzled and neutered. And registration fees for them can be very high, as much as €500.

With these and all pets, the owner is legally responsible for anything the animal does. Owners are subject to huge lawsuits if, for instance, a dog runs a motorcyclist off the road and he is disabled for life. A personal liability policy arising out of ownership of a dog costs about €70 a year in Germany. It's a good idea to obtain this insurance.

Dogs are not allowed in grocery stores, butcher shops and other shops where fresh food is sold. Some Konditerei, or cafes, don't allow them either. Establishments that don't want you to bring your dog inside will have a small sign affixed on the window. It usually shows a picture of a dog and will read something like, Wir müssen leider daraussen warten (unfortunately, we must wait outside).

You can take your dog or cat with you when traveling. Train tickets in Germany can be purchased for them at about half the regular fare. Rules for air transport of animals vary from airline to airline, but, in response to customer demand, they are usually friendly about it. The airline should be notified when you book the flight if you plan to take a pet.

It's almost always required that the traveling animal be in a kennel that is sturdy, properly ventilated and large enough so that it may freely stand, turn around and lie down. Prescribed kennels are available at pet stores and from most airlines. Remember to check with the airline when in doubt.

The kennel usually goes in a pressurized cargo bay, though some airlines allow passengers to carry their pets in the cabin if the kennel can fit under a seat.

Before taking your pet to another country in Europe, ask at your local automobile club about animal importation laws for that country. Usually a rabies vaccination at least a month old but less than one year old, and a health certificate issued within the last 30 days will do the trick. Some countries require that this certification be encoded on a microchip affixed to the animal.

Until recently Great Britain had strict quarantine laws that effectively barred taking a pet there for a short visit. But its laws now have been modified somewhat. Some pets may be taken into the country without being quarantined as long as certain procedures are followed. They include the embedding of a microchip and vaccination against rabies at least 6 months before entering the country. For specific information go to the following website: www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/PETS/index.htm.

Source: http://www.howtogermany.com/pages/pets.html

Just what I was looking for, thanks. I googled it but couldn't find anything that informative. Thanks again!

Any idea how hard it is to find a house in the Spangdahlem area when owing a pet?

More stuff to consider...you are PCSing in November, but depending where you leave from, you may have trouble taking your pug on the airplane. Here is a bit from the AA.com website:

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Temperature Restrictions
Temperature Restrictions have been established to ensure animals are not exposed to extreme heat or cold in the animal holding areas, terminal facilities, when moving the animals between terminal and aircraft or on an aircraft awaiting departure.

Heat Restriction: Pets can not be accepted when the current or forecasted temperature is above 85 degrees Fahrenheit at any location on the itinerary (75 degrees for snub-nosed dogs and snub-nosed cats).
Cold Restriction: Pets can not be accepted when the ground temperature is below 45 degrees Fahrenheit at any location on the itinerary unless the pet has a veterinarian's statement of low temperature acclimation (see below). When temperatures fall below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, pets may not be checked even with a statement of low temperature acclimation.

The low temperature acclimation certificate/statement/form must include:
the name and address of the passenger
the name of the animal
name and signature of licensed veterinarian
the veterinarian's accreditation date and number
the temperature which the animal is acclimated

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You should also be aware that your pet will require a microchip implant. From the German embassy website:

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To enter Germany from the U.S. with your pet, it must be:

identified by a clearly visible tattoo or by a transponder* and
be accompanied by a document proving there is an effective vaccination protection against rabies (inactivated vaccine with an efficiency of at least one international antigen unit according to the WHO standard, period of validity of the vaccination protection according to the information of the manufacturer). Download the Health Certificate for dogs/cats/ferrets.
The certificate must be issued by a registered official vet or a vet authorized by the competent authority.

* In Europe, ISO (International Standards Organisation) Standard microchips meeting specifications 11784 or Annex A of ISO Standard 11785 are generally used. If the microchip does not meet either of these ISO Standards, you must provide your own microchip reader (at your expense) to enable the microchip number to be read successfully when your animal enters Europe.

If your vet is not registered officially you need to get the certificate endorsed by the USDA Veterinarian Services. To do that send the certificate signed by your vet to:

USDA Veterinarian Services
230-59 Rockway Blvd.
Room 101
Jamaica, NY 11413
phone: 718 553 1727

Before sending your documents, please contact the USDA directly to inquire about charges and requirements that might apply.

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So there is quite a lot to it, and the rules seem to change all the time. I brought my cat to Spang in 1993 and I had to do all the shots, certifications, etc., except no chip was required. I just shipped four cats to Belgium and used a professional shipper. The cats were all microchipped with an identification number, and they were checked when they showed up in country. Be aware that there are different flavors of microchips, and make certain that you inform the vet that you need a microchip that can be read in the EU.

You do have the option to ship your animal as cargo, although it has become more difficult in recent years (i.e., post-9/11) to ship animals as checked baggage. Some airlines will only allow "designated shippers" to ship animals as cargo, meaning you are locked in to getting a professional to do it. On the other hand, a professional shipper might be the way to go; that's how I did it in 1993. My cat stayed with a friend until I found a place to live, then the shipper picked her up, prepped her for shipping, prepared all the paperwork (including all forms in English and German), took her to the airport, and dropped her off at the airline Cargo terminal. You may find yourself in billeting for a long time at Spang until you find a house, and believe me, it is miserable for both you and your pet. Just something to consider.

I had no difficulty finding a house that allowed pets at Spang. The Housing Office will assist you with this. Lieven is right on the money with insurance, etc., you will be responsible for any damage that your pet does, so be aware!

Good luck at Spang, I loved it there, and I still go down there periodically from Belgium to visit favorite places.

Best Regards,

I just moved to Spang with a German Shorthair and it was a headache putting up with all the regs and hoops you have to jump through to get here. The following is a list of things my wife and I learned through the process. Double check everything before you make arrangements around it but hopefully this will help. Oh, and sorry if I repeat some of the info you already got above.

The gouge from above, by the way, is spot on- especially the stuff about the airlines. Both American Airlines and Continental have extensive sections on their websites about rules for sending pets. With American, you'll find that it is cheaper but they have more stringent rules about sending your dog- especially dealing with temperature. To frustrate the matter more, they won't say if they'll take the dog or not until you physically arrive at the ticket counter the day of your flight. That means you could think you have a spot for your dog and arrive 3 hours prior to find out that they won't let your dog on- leaving you with no good options. Continental gets around these restrictions by taking awesome care of your dog (always attended to, in a climate controlled area . . . ) but you will pay out the proverbial wazoo for it (my 45lb dog plus kennel was going to be upwards of a grand to ship). Pick your poison. However, Continental has a phone number (posted on their website somewhere) you can call for the people who deal exclusively with pets and they helped us a lot with the German rules for importing a pet as well as better unserstanding the way airlines ship pets.

The people at the airport in Germany didn't ask for a single piece of paper on our dog. However, the people at the ticket counter looked at everything when we were checking in. Have all your paperwork ready and follow their posted rules to the letter.

As far as shots/certificates/ paperwork goes you on base vet will be your best resource. The good news is you're starting this process in pleny of time so you shouldn't be too cramped for time to get all the queep done. I have already forgotten the specifics so I don't wan't to pass of bad info. If you are stationed somewhere without a vet try calling one at another base- I can't imagine they'll withold the info.

Find the numbers for the German consulate here in the US and the number for the American consulate in Germany. They were our also sources of accurate, up to date information on regulations and requirements for bringing in our dog.

Call the Lodge at Spang (phone number on the base website) as soon as practical to reserve a "pet friendly" TLF for when you arrive. They go quickly. Otherwise you'll have to check your dog into the kennel on base and it'll have to stay there until you move into your house or an off base temporary place which can be weeks. Be warned though, the pet friendly TLF's cost an extra 10 bucks a day which is not reimbursed. However, if you manage things well, you can absorb the extra cost in your DLA or MIHA. It was well worth it for our family.

The housing office on base will be one of your first stops during your in-processing. They can answer any questions about owning a dog in Germany (including the whole thing about insurance). To be honest, most of the landlords here say they don't allow pets. However, in our experience, that rule was never hard and fast (sts). Most owners are uncomfortable with saying that they will allow any dog so they tell the housing office that they won't take pets. In reality, if you look at the house and like it, and the owner has a chance to meet you and maybe even a chance to meet your dog there's a good chance that you can get them to allow your dog. The landlords are just understandably worried about getting a tenant that has a destructive, messy dog.

Hope that helps.

Forum: Careers & Assignments

Pets at Spangdahlem