Buying an adult dog or a small puppy is very exciting and at the same time involves a lot of effort. From education and training to purchasing the necessary initial equipment. In addition, the registration of the new four-legged friend with the city or municipality is obligatory for all dog owners in Germany. In this post you will learn everything you should know about registering your dog.
Register the dog: but how?
Many owners ask themselves: ‘Which database should I register my four-legged friend with?’ There are three major pet registers in Germany: TASSO and FINDEFIX. Both registers offer the possibility of free registration. You can also register your four-legged friend with the IFTA (International Central Animal Registration) for a fee.
The chip number of your four-legged friend is saved during registration. This registration helps you to find your four-legged friend quickly if the worst comes to the worst. If your four-legged friend runs away on a walk and is found, the chip will be read by the animal ambulance or veterinarian. Based on the data you have registered, you can quickly be reunited with your four-legged friend.
Chip registration of dogs
Unfortunately, there is a widespread misconception that inserting a chip automatically registers with an animal registry. At a veterinarian, the microchip is only used. As the owner, you have to take care of registering your four-legged friend with a pet registry yourself.
In some federal states, the registration of dogs is mandatory
There is currently no nationwide regulation on the obligation to register dogs. In some federal states dog owners are legally obliged to chip their puppies and in others not yet. Since July 1, 2013, the federal state of Lower Saxony has had to register dogs in a central register. Central registration for all dogs born after March 1, 2009 is mandatory in Saxony-Anhalt. According to the Dogs Act, North Rhine-Westphalia obliges owners of certain dog breeds to register their dog.
Microchip when travelling: which dog needs it?
Many older dogs have tattoos that have been placed by the vet on the skin in their ears or, less commonly, under their abdomens to identify them. However, with the EU regulation that came into force in 2011, this marking is no longer sufficient to identify a dog. If you would like to travel abroad with a four-legged friend who was born before July 3, 2011, the tattoo must be clearly legible.
At the same time, the owner must provide written proof that the animal was tattooed before July 3, 2011. All animals born after July 3, 2011 need a microchip in order to be allowed to cross the national borders of the EU countries. In addition to a microchip, the EU pet passport must also be shown at border controls.