Many expats choose to come to Switzerland with their pets, or plan to get a pet once they settle in the alpine nation. However, current and prospective pet owners need to know what the rules and regulations are around keeping animals. This page provides an overview of what you need to know.
Approximately 43 percent of the population of Switzerland keeps some form of pet or animal. As of 2023, the country is home to over 748.000 cats and over 560.000 dogs, not to mention thousands of other types of pets.
Like other European countries, Switzerland has strict rules when it comes to keeping animals to ensure their quality of life. Those found to be improperly keeping their pets can be subject to fines and even prison time, in the most severe cases.
If you want to bring your pet with you to Switzerland, it is important to prepare for the move in advance. In some cases, it is best to start planning six months before you intend to travel. The rules and regulations differ depending on where you are moving from.
If you want to bring your pet to Switzerland from a European Union or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) state, the following rules apply:
You are not allowed to import more than five animals to Switzerland.
In addition to the rules outlined above, several other rules apply if you are bringing an animal to Switzerland from a non-EU country:
The animal must be accompanied by a veterinary certificate and an owner’s declaration, issued by an official veterinarian no more than 10 days before the animal is imported to Switzerland. Both declarations must be drawn up in German, French, Italian or English, or be accompanied by a certified translation.
Some animals also require a blood test proving the efficiency of rabies vaccination (taken at least three months before entry and 30 days after immunisation). In practice, this means animals less than seven months old from countries with a high risk of rabies cannot enter Switzerland.
Animals flown directly to Swiss airports from countries considered to have a high risk of rabies must seek special permission from the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) at least three weeks before departure.
Note that the blood test is not required if you are coming to Switzerland from a non-EU country classed as having a “low risk of rabies.” Check out the FSVO list of countries for more information.
There are also a couple of additional rules that apply to both EU and non-EU countries:
For more information about the specific requirements for your country when it comes to importing dogs, cats and ferrets, check out the official guide from the FSVO.
Once you have all the correct documentation, you can bring your pet to Switzerland. This will involve securing entry to the country, and registering your pet once it has made it past the border.
All pets entering Switzerland via airports must be checked by customs, and pet owners are required to declare their pets at the red customs exits. During this time, the police will check that you have provided all the necessary documentation.
If the pet is sent unaccompanied by air, it will be sent to an animal facility near the airport - unaccompanied entries can only be done via Zurich and Geneva. Pets can only arrive unaccompanied up to five days before, or five days after, your arrival.
If all documentation is correct, your pet will then be able to enter Switzerland. If documentation is incomplete, the pet will be sent to a border veterinary office for further checks. All costs incurred during this process are covered by the owner.
If your pet enters Switzerland over land, it is assumed that all pet inspections and checks would have been completed if / when the pet entered the EU, meaning no formal checks will be made at the Swiss border. However, the police do carry out random spot checks to make sure all documentation is correct.
Currently, dogs are the only pets that are required to be registered in Switzerland. All dogs must be registered with a vet based in your local Swiss canton of residence within 10 days of arrival in the country. The dog’s microchip will then be registered with the AMICUS national database. If you use a tattoo to identify your dog, it will still need to be registered with AMICUS.
While not mandatory, it is also advisable to register other pets with the national database, as this can help if your pet ever goes missing. ANIS is the official database for all pets in Switzerland other than dogs.
As part of registration, each local council in Switzerland charges a dog tax for each canine registered to AMICUS. This is charged every year and is typically based on the size and weight of the dog - guide dogs and rescue dogs are usually exempt from the tax.
The money raised through the dog tax generally goes towards canine-related facilities such as dog poo bins. While each municipality is different, generally dog tax costs between 100 and 200 Swiss francs a year.
Once your dog is registered, you will have to adhere to a series of rules and guidelines. These include:
In addition, the vast majority of cantons require dog owners to take out some form of pet insurance or liability insurance. Dogs must also be kept on a lead in public spaces.
It’s also important to note that individual Swiss cantons may have specific rules related to dogs such as waste collection rules, rules for dogs in forests and nature reserves, and special permission rules to own large dog breeds.
Each canton also has special regulations regarding dogs deemed to be dangerous, which may include mandatory insurance, training, muzzling and behavioural tests.
Please check the rules in your specific Swiss canton for more information.
As of 2017, owners of dogs are no longer federally mandated to take a dog training course in Switzerland. However, dog training courses are still recommended, especially for new or inexperienced owners.
In addition, each Swiss canton has its own rules regarding whether dog training courses are still mandatory - though most regions only require training courses for puppies and dogs deemed to be dangerous. Consult the rules in your canton for more information.
Most major cities in Switzerland will have several different veterinary surgeries (Tierkliniken) for you to choose from. Most vets (Tierärzte) will be able to speak at least basic English. It is a good idea to register your pet at the veterinary practice that you intend to use in the future as soon as you arrive.
Pets are allowed on the majority of public transport services in Switzerland, though animals walking about freely outside of a bag or satchel require a half-fare ticket. Guide dogs are typically exempt.
When travelling with your pet within Switzerland or Europe, it is a good idea to carry your pet's passport with you.