Tierzucht, Tierhaltung und Tierhandel: Erlaubnis beantragen

For many activities involving the commercial handling of animals, you require a permit from the competent authority.

You require a permit if you wish to carry out the following activities with animals on a commercial basis:

• Breeding or keeping vertebrate animals other than farm animals and wild game
• trade in vertebrates
• maintain a riding or driving operation
• exhibiting animals or making them available for this purpose
• Controlling vertebrates as pests
• training dogs for third parties, such as companion dogs or assistance dogs, maintaining facilities for this purpose or instructing the training of dogs by the animal owner, for example through dog schools

Registration of a trade is not a prerequisite.

As a rule, a trade is deemed to exist if the activity is carried out independently, systematically, continuously and with the intention of making a profit.

A permit is also required if you wish to carry out the following activities:

• You carry out the breeding or keeping, including for sale to third parties, or use of vertebrates or cephalopods which are themselves or whose organs or tissues are intended to be used for scientific purposes, for example animal experiments.
• You carry out the breeding or keeping of vertebrates whose organs or tissues are intended for purposes other than scientific purposes, for example for the creation of cell cultures for diagnostic purposes.
• You keep animals in an animal shelter or similar facility, such as a rescue center.
• You keep and exhibit animals in a zoological garden or other facility or make them available for the latter.
• They bring or import vertebrate animals - with the exception of farm animals - into Germany for the purpose of selling them for a fee or consideration, or broker these animals for a fee or consideration, such as through foreign dog welfare organizations.
• They train guard dogs or maintain facilities for this purpose.
• They organize animal exchanges for the purpose of exchanging or selling animals through third parties.

• Application for a permit in accordance with § 11 TierSchG,
• Certificate of good conduct (you can apply for the certificate of good conduct at the local registration office, it can be sent directly from there to the responsible food monitoring and veterinary office).
• Certified copy of the certificate of competence according to § 11 TierSchG
• Application with details of
  • the type and number of animals concerned,
  • type of activity,
  • the person responsible for the activity,
  • Areas, rooms and facilities for keeping animals (parcel maps, sketches, photos, etc.)
• Proof of reliability

For further information, please contact the authority responsible for you (local jurisdiction).

• You must submit an application, including all necessary documents, for a fee-based permit.
• You (or the person responsible) must prove that you have the necessary expertise, reliability and logistical requirements.
• During the application process, you must have your premises inspected by the official veterinarian.

• After you have submitted the application and all the necessary documents to the responsible authority, these will first be checked for completeness and your personal requirements.
• An on-site appointment will then be arranged with you to check the technical requirements.
• If you meet all the requirements, the permit for the commercial handling of animals will then be sent to you.
• The permit may be issued subject to time limits, conditions and requirements, insofar as this is necessary for the protection of the animals.

Processing time: up to 4 months, extension of 2 months possible

You need permission from the competent authority before you can start working.

There are no indications or special features.

Please contact the authority responsible for you.

You require a permit from the competent authority before commencing your activity. Anyone who carries out an activity without the required permit is acting in breach of the regulations.

• Objection
• Further information on how to lodge an objection can be found in the notification of your application for a permit

• Permission to breed, keep and trade in animals Issue
• A permit is required for certain activities involving animals
• these activities may include the breeding, keeping and trading of vertebrate animals
• the permit is not required for the keeping and breeding of farm animals or wild game
• the permit is issued by the competent authority upon application
• Responsible: competent authorities, usually: veterinary offices

• The commercial breeding and keeping of vertebrates, with the exception of farm animals, and the commercial trade in vertebrates are subject to licensing in Germany.

The veterinary office of the respective district or independent city in whose area of responsibility your company is based.

Please contact the responsible authority for more information.