Transportation of animals abroad; registration

For the transportation of livestock or equidae and for travel with equidae to another Member State or a third country, registration with the locally competent veterinary office is required.

The transportation of cattle, pigs, equidae, sheep, goats and poultry to another Member State or a third country must be registered with the local competent veterinary office.

An official veterinary certificate is required for every transport of livestock or equidae and when traveling with equidae to another Member State or a third country. In addition, an equine passport must be carried for equidae.

It is irrelevant whether the animals are being taken abroad permanently or only temporarily, e.g. as part of a vacation trip or a tournament.

The animal health requirements to be met by the animals in each case are laid down uniformly in Union law for all Member States of the European Union. Prior to transportation and the issuing of a corresponding veterinary certificate, the competent authorities carry out appropriate checks to prevent the spread of disease. These include, for example, identity checks, document checks and clinical examinations. In addition, the planned transport is checked in terms of animal welfare.

If animals are exported to third countries, the animal health requirements and veterinary certificates of the recipient countries must be observed. The animal keeper must obtain these from the authorities of the recipient countries or their embassies, unless there are already coordinated veterinary certificates in TRACES NT for the planned shipment. Transports must be planned in good time and the competent authority must be notified in advance so that all necessary examinations or similar can be carried out. Furthermore, the necessary documents must be completed in full by the livestock owner. The customs regulations must be observed.

In principle, transporters must be registered or, in the case of transports of vertebrate animals in connection with a commercial activity, licensed (see under "Related topics").

A transport plan must be submitted for transports lasting more than 8 hours.

If the distance from the place of dispatch to the place of destination exceeds 65 km, drivers of animal transports require a certificate of competence, which can be applied for from the competent veterinary office after appropriate training in approved facilities (see "Related topics").

Animal transportation must be reported to the veterinary office responsible for the place of business.

The start of loading (not the time of departure) must be stated.

The transportation of animals must be notified at least 2 working days before dispatch.