Check the requirements for your pet before you travel. The entry requirements vary depending on your pet, its age, your country of origin, and your commune of residence in Switzerland. Use the official Swiss entry check before making your travel arrangements.
Make sure your pet has:
- a microchip
- a valid rabies vaccination valable
- and a recognised pet passport pour animaux reconnu.
Check with the cantonal veterinary service whether your dog’s breed is permitted in your canton. Dogs with docked ears and/or tails are not permitted to enter Switzerland.
Declare your pet to customs, whether you are arriving by plane, car, train, etc. Make sure to cross the border during the opening hours of Swiss customs offices, using a staffed border crossing. You must declare your pet in person and have its passport, microchip, and rabies vaccination certificate with you.
If you are travelling by plane, check your airline’s requirements well in advance.
Register your pet within 10 days of your arrival at your commune of residence or, in certain regions, at the local police station.
Make an appointment with your local vet. If you are a dog owner, your vet will register your pet in the Swiss AMICUS database.
If you own a dog, you need to pay the annual dog tax. The invoice will be sent to you automatically, based on the information registered with your commune or canton.
Inform your personal liability insurance provider that you own a pet. In some cantons, having liability insurance that covers your pet is mandatory. It is also recommended to take out pet insurance to cover veterinary or emergency medical expenses.
Additional requirements may applyin some cantons, such as attending an awareness course or passing a test to show that you can handle your dog properly.
.