You might also find private individuals selling puppies - for instance if their dog became pregnant by accident. These kinds of arrangements are legal, but you should also be cautious. Unfortunately, there is a thriving black market for dogs in Germany, and many unscrupulous sellers bringing young dogs from “puppy farms” from abroad.
These puppies are often separated from their mothers too early, kept in awful conditions, and go on to have a range of behavioural and health problems. Some warning signs you should look out for include:
- If the price is too good to be true. You should compare prices on other platforms to see what the “going rate” for that breed is.
- If the seller won’t let you view the puppy together with its mother before you buy it.
- If the seller tries to sell you a puppy that is very young (puppies legally have to remain with their mother until they are eight weeks old in Germany).
- If the seller provides incorrect contact details. Make sure you speak to them on the phone before sending any money.
- If the seller provides incorrect information about the animals, for instance about their age, breed or gender, or provides different information each time you ask the same question.
Adopting a dog in Germany
There are hundreds of thousands of abandoned pets in animal shelters across Germany. According to estimates (there is no centrally-recorded data), each year German animal shelters take in around 350.000 stray, abandoned and unwanted cats, dogs and other animals. Around 240.000 of them are rehomed or adopted each year.
On average, each dog admitted to a shelter in Germany stays for two to six months before being adopted.
If you are looking to get a dog in Germany, you might consider providing a home to a rescue dog. You could make enquiries with an animal shelter (Tierheim or Tierschutzverein) in your area. They rescue animals and match them with people looking for pets.
You’ll need to fill out an application form and then undergo a screening process. This usually includes an interview with the animal shelter and a home visit. You will then be asked to come and meet the dog (multiple times, if necessary) before the adoption can be finalised. Most rescue shelters charge an adoption fee, but this will be much less than you would pay for a puppy.
Most popular dog breeds in Germany
From the German shepherd and the Rottweiler to the Dachsund and the Schnauzer, some of the world’s most famous dog breeds originate in Germany. But in fact the most popular dog breed in Germany is the humble mixed breed or common mutt! According to the ZZF, 43 percent of all dogs in Germany are mixed breeds.
As of 2024, the 10 most popular dog breeds in Germany, according to dog health insurance company DA Direkt, are as follows:
- Mixed breed
- Labrador Retriever
- French Bulldog
- Chihuahua
- Golden Retriever
- Australian Shepherd
- Jack Russell Terrier
- German Shepherd
- Dachsund
- Yorkshire Terrier
Banned dog breeds in Germany
Germany has fairly strict legislation governing the ownership of so-called “dangerous dogs”. The following breeds (including crossbreeds) are banned in Germany. This means they cannot be bought or sold in Germany, and cannot be brought into the country from abroad:
- Pit bull terrier
- American Staffordshire terrier
- Staffordshire bull terrier
- Bull terrier
Note that some federal states in Germany have different banned dog breeds, on top of the four breeds mentioned above. If in doubt, check the legislation in your area. Hunde.de has an interactive map where you can check the rules per federal state.
Owning a dog in Germany: Rules & laws
Dogs may be man’s best friend, but in Germany they do not simply run free: dog ownership is, as you might expect, strictly regulated and as a dog owner you have a lot of additional responsibilities, more so than for other types of pets.
Dog laws can be set on both a federal, regional and municipal level in Germany, meaning that there is a great deal of variation from place to place. As a dog owner in Germany, you should make yourself aware of the rules in your federal state and municipality regarding:
- Dog registration and identification
- Dog taxes
- Microchipping
- Leashes and muzzles
- Dog liability insurance
- Dog ownership competence exams (Hundeführerschein or Sachkundebescheinigung)
Dog registration & identification
Dogs in Germany need to be registered. You are required to register your dog at your local citizens’ office within two to four weeks of arriving in Germany (or purchasing the dog). You will be asked to give some information about your dog. If dog liability insurance is required in your state (see below), you will need to provide proof that you have purchased this before you can register your dog.
In some cities, it is possible to register your dog online:
Note that you will need to re-register your dog every time you change your address.
Once your dog is registered, you will receive an official dog tag (Hundemarke or Steuermarke), which you need to attach to your dog’s collar. They need to wear this tag whenever they are in public. Note that in most states your dog will also need a second identity tag on their collar that shows the owner’s contact details (name, address and contact number).
Dog tax in Germany
Every dog owner in Germany is also obliged to pay a dog tax (Hundesteuer) to their local tax office. This is intended to discourage people from owning too many dogs as well as helping to fund dog-related services (e.g. dog waste bins).
When you register your dog, you will receive a bill for the dog tax owed. The exact amount of tax payable depends on your location and the number of dogs you have, but is somewhere between 90 and 150 euros per year. Guide dogs are exempt from dog tax.
Microchipping
As an extra means of identification, your dog may need to be microchipped or tattooed. Microchipping involves inserting a small chip under the dog’s skin, which can be scanned and read to reveal the owner’s information. A tattoo is a small tattoo (usually inside the dog’s ear or hind legs, or under the belly) with a unique series of letters and numbers that can be entered into a database to help identify the dog.
Whether or not your dog needs a microchip (Hundechip) depends on which federal state you live in:
- Baden-Württemberg: Microchips required for dangerous dog breeds; for all other dogs, a tattoo is sufficient.
- Bavaria: No microchip requirement; a tattoo is sufficient.
- Berlin: All dogs must be microchipped.
- Brandenburg: Microchips required for dogs taller than 40 centimetres at the shoulders or over 20 kilograms. Dangerous dog breeds must also be microchipped.
- Bremen: Microchips required for dangerous dog breeds.
- Hamburg: All dogs must be microchipped above the age of three months.
- Hesse: Microchips required for dangerous dog breeds.
- Lower Saxony: All dogs must be microchipped above the age of six months.
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: Microchips or tattoos required for dangerous dog breeds.
- North Rhine-Westphalia: Microchips required for dangerous dog breeds above the age of three months.
- Rhineland-Palatinate: Microchips required for dangerous (“listed”) dog breeds.
- Saarland: Microchips required for dangerous dog breeds.
- Saxony: No microchip requirement.
- Saxony-Anhalt: All dogs must be microchipped above the age of six months.
- Schleswig-Holstein: All dogs must be microchipped above the age of three months.
- Thuringia: All dogs must be microchipped.
Note, however, that whatever the rules in your state, your dog will need a microchip to travel within the EU. Indeed, getting your dog microchipped is generally recommended, even if it is not a legal requirement, as it means your dog is easily identifiable if ever lost.
If your dog is microchipped, you can register it for free on FINDEFIX, the largest database in Germany, and TASSO, the biggest pet register in Europe.
Leash and muzzle rules
Again, rules regarding whether your dog has to be on a leash (Leinenpflicht) or muzzled when in public vary from state to state. Even where a state has no general leash or muzzle requirement, they can be imposed by specific cities or districts, so check the rules in your local area to be sure.
General leash requirements exist in:
- Berlin: Dogs must be kept on a leash in public areas, but can be off-leash in designated areas. You can apply for an exemption from the leash requirement to walk your dog off-leash within the city limits.
- Brandenburg: Dogs must be kept on a leash in public areas, but can be off-leash in designated areas.
- Bremen: Dogs must be kept on a leash in public areas, including some parks. There is a general leash requirement across the whole city-state between March 15 and July 15 each year, to protect breeding and nesting animals.
- Hamburg: Dogs must generally be kept on a leash at all times. If you successfully apply for an exemption from the leash requirement, you can walk your dog off-leash in certain designated areas.
- Hesse: Dogs must generally be kept on a leash in public. You can apply for an exemption to be able to walk your dog off-lead in certain areas, but it will still need to be on-leash in busy places.
- Lower Saxony: Dogs must generally be kept on a leash in public areas. They must also be kept on a leash in the open countryside between April 1 and July 15, to protect breeding and nesting animals.
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: Dogs must generally be kept on a leash in public areas.
- North Rhine-Westphalia: Dogs must generally be kept on a leash in public areas, but can be off-leash in designated areas.
- Saxony-Anhalt: Dogs must be generally kept on a leash in public areas. They must also be kept on a leash in open countryside between March 1 and July 15, to protect breeding and nesting animals.
- Schleswig-Holstein: Dogs must generally be kept on a leash in public areas. Stricter rules apply to dogs considered “dangerous”.
- Thuringia: Dogs must be kept on a leash in forests. Other rules may apply in specific cities and municipalities.
In Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Rhineland Palatinate and Saarland, there is no general leash or muzzle requirement, but rules may vary per city and municipality. In Saxony, the general leash requirement exists only for dogs considered “dangerous breeds”, but there may be local rules.
Note that many public transport operators in Germany, including Deutsche Bahn, require dogs to be muzzled when on board.
Dog liability insurance
The German civil code stipulates that if your pet harms anyone or anything, you as owner are liable. To avoid unexpected damages payments, you might want to take out some form of insurance that covers any damage caused by your pet.
The following companies offer dog liability insurance in Germany:
- Feather (all in English and designed specifically for expats)
- Getsafe (covers all dog breeds, manage & claim in-app, 100% in English)
In the federal states of Berlin, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia this liability insurance is mandatory. In all other states (with the exception of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which has no liability insurance requirement), you are required to take out liability insurance if your dog is considered a dangerous breed.
Dog ownership competence exams (dog licences)
Finally, in some German states, it is a requirement for dog owners to prove their competence by taking an exam, colloquially known as the “dog licence” (Hundeführerschein) or a competence exam (Sachkundebescheinigung). This is the case in:
- Bavaria, if you have a category 2 listed dog, like a Bull Terrier or a Rottweiler.
- Berlin, if you own a dog that is on the dangerous breeds list.
- Lower Saxony, if you have any kind of dog.
- North Rhine-Westphalia, if you have a dangerous dog or a large dog (taller than 40 centimetres at the shoulders or weighing 20 kilograms or more).
The test consists of a theoretical and practical examination. The theoretical exam tests the owner’s knowledge of dog behaviour, training and ownership. During the practical exam, the owner has to prove that they have their dog under control in various everyday situations.
There are numerous dog clubs and associations that offer tests for the Hundeführerschein. You can use the VDH website to search for a test location in your area.
Cats in Germany
Cats are Germany’s most popular pet, with 25% percent of households owning a cat as of 2023. The federal republic is home to more than 15,7 million feline friends, according to the ZZF.
Generally speaking, cat owners in Germany have fewer administrative hoops to jump through than dog owners, but there are still some important rules and regulations that you should be aware of.
Buying a cat in Germany
If you are looking to get a cat in Germany, again you have the choice between adopting from a shelter and buying a kitten from a breeder.
If you opt for a breeder, make sure they are reputable. Although Germany has no licensing system for cat breeders, it’s important to make sure that your chosen breeder is serious and responsible. DEKZV and CatManiac, among others, offer listings of registered cat breeders in Germany. Kittens should not be separated from their mothers until they are 10 weeks old.
Your local Tierheim is also likely to have cats available to adopt. You’ll have to go through a selection process, which usually includes a home check, and will have to pay a small adoption fee.
Rules & regulations for cat owners in Germany
Cats are subject to less stringent rules than dogs in Germany: in general you do not have to register or tax your cat. However, there are regional variations, so it’s best to check the exact rules in your area.
For instance, some federal states have recently started bringing in legislation stating that free-roaming cats must be registered, microchipped and neutered/spayed. This has been the case since 2022 in Berlin, where all cats must be neutered, microchipped and registered if they are to roam free above the age of five months. A similar law will come into effect in Hamburg in January 2026.
You can find a list of all the municipalities in Germany that have similar legislation on the Deutscher Tierschutzbund website.
Pet insurance
In the same way that all humans in Germany need health insurance, it’s a good idea to purchase pet insurance for your four-legged friend as well. If your pet becomes ill or has an accident, veterinary bills can be hefty.
- GetSafe (Get help, file claims & upload receipts completely in-app, 100% in English)
- Feather (all in English, all digital, designed especially for expats)
- MW Expat (pet insurance broker in English, specialising in expats)
Pets and rental properties
If you are renting in Germany, it’s worth noting that you may not be allowed to keep a pet in your rental property. Your landlord has to give their permission and is entitled to refuse. Even if your rental contract doesn’t mention pets specifically, it’s a good idea to inform your landlord or ask for their permission before getting a pet.
Veterinarians in Germany
Most major cities in Germany 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 with a local veterinary surgery as soon as you arrive in Germany.
Travelling with your pet within Germany & Europe
Pets are allowed on most forms of public transport in Germany, although you may need to pay a (discounted) fare for them to travel with you on the train. Guide dogs are usually exempt.
When travelling with your pet within Germany or Europe, it is a good idea to carry your pet's passport with you.