© TASSO e.V. These two would not have had a chance without being adopted to Germany.
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Why adopt dogs from abroad?
Due to the free travel in Europe and the social networks, more and more information about mistreatment and killings in so-called animal shelters and killing stations in other European countries gets to the public. Animal lovers are often directly confronted with the suffering and want to adopt dogs. Animal welfare organizations support local animal shelters and are confronted with overcrowding of their partner animal shelters despite their good work. In order to stay operational and to keep the local animal shelters functioning, animals have to be transferred to Germany or to other countries with better chances for adoption. The principle is always: help for self-help locally, but until in countries like Romania a functioning adoption culture comes into operation, the only chance of survival for many dogs is abroad. Effective neutering programs are unfortunately often slow in coming and will take a long time in many countries, as those politically responsible all too often make money from stray dogs and are not interested in a real solution. The animals that exist now have a right to live.
Young dogs suffering in foreign shelters, older animals disposed of there by their owners, many nice uncomplicated dogs need help and cannot be abandoned at the expense of a long-term solution. However, it is important that the animals are well socialized and that they meet all veterinary regulations for leaving the country. An important criterion for the German family willing to adopt is also a contact point in the country, which helps with problems and if necessary also takes back an animal. This distinguishes quite substantially animal protection dog import from the dog trade. The purchase of so-called rummage sale puppies of dubious not traceable origin from abroad, often via the Internet, supports animal cruelty and should be stopped.
Contrary to the common opinion, also of experts, a large part of the foreign dogs brought to Germany is not born on the street. They lived there because they were abandoned by their owners. They are grateful for every attention and regulated care. These former owner animals are not helped by neutering and rehoming. In countries like Romania this is even forbidden. Adoption abroad is then often the only chance.
In the following you can inform yourself about laws and regulations concerning the movement of pets in the EU:
Important laws and regulations: What you should bear in mind when introducing dogs from abroad
Animal shelters and animal welfare organizations wishing to import dogs from abroad require a permit according to § 11 Abs. 1 S. 1 number 5 Animal Protection Act.
Permission is required by anyone who brings or imports vertebrate animals to Germany for the purpose of giving them away for a fee or other consideration, or who wants to broker such animals. Also the protection fee demanded in protection contracts represents such a consideration. So if you are doing foreign animal protection by bringing animals to Germany for placement or placing foreign animals here, you need this permission from the competent authority (Veterinary Office).
EU pet passport since 29. December 2014 with new rules
The animal owner has to confirm his personal data with his signature. In the new pet passport, the contact information of the issuing veterinarian must also be recorded and signed by the veterinarian. Both the side with the transponder number sticker and the side containing the rabies vaccination sticker are sealed with self-adhesive lamination. In addition, the issuing veterinarian must keep the pet owner’s contact information, ID card number, transponder number, tattoo and tattoo location if available, location of identification, time of application or reading for at least three years. Old pet passports that were issued before 29.12.Vaccinations issued in 2014 remain valid until the end of the animal’s life.
Rabies vaccination obligation for puppies for entry into Germany
Since the 31. December 2014, puppies may only be imported into Germany with a valid rabies vaccination. Since a vaccination against rabies only from the 12. Since rabies vaccination is not possible until the 15th week of life and the vaccination protection does not take effect until 21 days after vaccination, puppies cannot be vaccinated until after the 15th week of life. week of life can be introduced to Germany.
Current May 2018: different interpretation of the legal provisions by veterinary authorities in the EU countries:
Many animal welfare organizations and private individuals who are involved in animal welfare or who want to take in a dog or cat from an EU member state are currently facing increasing difficulties – especially in the country of origin – in bringing such an animal to Germany, which can neither be reconciled with the European requirements nor are they required by law in the country of arrival in Germany.
Local competent authorities in Romania, for example, require confirmation that the veterinary office in Germany responsible for the place of arrival will be notified in addition to the notification via the TRACES system four days prior to the transport. The authorities thus require an "authorization" from German authorities to be allowed to carry out transports. However, there is no legal basis for this, neither in Germany nor on a European level, so that this ultimately leads to the fact that a transport cannot be reported via the TRACES system at all and thus the transport is prevented if necessary. Also, it is often unlawfully required that each final adopter or foster home must have a TRACES number or that these private individuals must be previously "validated" by the competent veterinary office in Germany.
Important note from RA Kohlstedt: "In view of this, I would like to point out that often individual ancillary provisions attached to the permits issued by the veterinary authorities are unlawful. This can z. B. also be the use of the TRACES system itself or a specific way of using the system. Doubts are also often raised for data protection reasons. However, if the permit holders allow the one-month period for an objection or legal action to lapse, these ancillary provisions will become legally binding, d. h. they are then to be complied with. It should therefore be carefully checked within the time limit whether the permission can be accepted in this way. If in doubt, legal advice should be sought."