Gewerbsmäßige Tierhaltung Erlaubnis

If you want to keep, breed or trade animals commercially, you must apply for a permit from the competent authority before starting your activity. You may only start your activity once you have received the permit.

If you commercially

• wish to breed or keep vertebrate animals, with the exception of farm animals and wild game,
• wish to trade in vertebrate animals,
• wish to run a riding or driving operation,
• wish to exhibit animals (no circuses or traveling animal shows),
• want to control vertebrates as pests or
• train dogs for third parties or instruct the training of dogs by the animal owner,

you require a permit from the competent authority before commencing the activity.

It can take up to four months from the date of application for the permit to be issued, depending on the scope and amount of testing required. In serious cases, this period can be extended by up to two months. You should therefore allow sufficient time for the permit to be issued before starting your activity.

• Please enquire at the responsible office for application forms for a permit and which additional documents must be submitted
• If applicable, certificates of competence for certain activities
• Certificate of good conduct, if applicable
• Sketch of the husbandry facilities, if applicable

Once you have submitted the application for a permit and any other documents, your information will be checked for completeness and plausibility. Your business premises will then be inspected by the official veterinary service and, if necessary, an expert interview will be held. You will then receive the permit for commercial animal husbandry.

• Normally no longer than 4 months
• In exceptional cases, the processing time can be extended

Please note that you may only start working after you have received your permit and that the processing time can take up to 4 months (in exceptional cases up to 6 months).

Anyone who carries out the aforementioned activities independently, systematically, continuously and with the intention of making a profit is acting commercially.

The requirements for commercial breeding are generally met if a breeding unit reaches the following size or sales volume:

• Dogs: 3 or more bitches capable of reproduction or 3 or more litters per year,
• Cats: 5 or more cats capable of reproduction or 5 or more litters per year,
• Rabbits, chinchillas: more than 100 young animals as pets per year,
• Guinea pigs: more than 100 young animals per year,
• Mice, hamsters, rats, gerbils: more than 300 young animals per year,
• Reptiles: more than 100 young animals per year, turtles: more than 50 young animals per year.

As a rule, commercial breeding is deemed to exist if young birds are regularly sold and

• more than 25 breeding pairs of bird species up to and including cockatiel size,
• more than 10 breeding pairs of bird species larger than cockatiels (exception: cockatoos and macaws: 5 breeding pairs)

are kept or, in the case of other pets, sales proceeds of more than EUR 2045.17 per year are expected.

An appeal against this decision may be lodged with the competent administrative court within one month of notification. Either in writing, by submitting an electronic document or for the record of the clerk of the court.

• If you wish to keep animals commercially, you must apply for an animal welfare permit from the competent authority before starting your activity.
• You may only carry out the activity once you have received the permit.

In Lower Saxony, responsibility lies with the veterinary offices of the districts, the Hanover region and the independent cities as well as the Jade-Weser Veterinary Office.