Moving to Denmark with Pets

Pets are generally allowed and accepted most places in Danish society, with cats and dogs being the most popular house pets. Ferrets have become rather popular in recent years as well, and rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, birds and fish are also quite common. There is an abundance of pet shops all over Denmark, and it is easy to get supplies and accessories for your pet even in some general grocery stores and supermarkets, which makes moving to Denmark with pets look non-problematic from the supply angle.

Moving from UK

Pets require their own pet passport, microchips, rabies vaccinations within 1 year, but not closer than 21 days from departure, and up-to-date routine vaccinations. If you intend to bring the pet back to the UK you must ensure the rabies vaccinations are kept up to date.

Local rules concerning pet ownership can vary depending on where you live. Housing and owners’ associations and individual landlords may decide to implement stricter rules than the general ones, sometimes banning cat and dog ownership entirely within their grounds, but usually allowing smaller, caged indoor animals. When moving to Denmark with pets you should therefore be aware of this when looking for a house or an apartment.

Also note, that certain dog breeds are explicit forbidden in Denmark as they are considered potentially dangerous. These include the pitbull terrier, the American Staffordshire terrier and the American bulldog as well as a number of less known breeds. The same restrictions apply to crossbreeds, hybrids and mongrels containing just a little bit of one of the named breeds. The complete list is available here foedevarestyrelsen.dk

Penalties on Dog Attack Accidents

According to the Danish legislation, dogs who savage another dog or a human being in an attack, will be euthanized by the police. This legislation has been slightly softened recently, so that some exceptions may occur depending on the specific circumstances. This especially applies when a dog injures another dog in what may be termed playful circumstances. In this case a specialist vet may be called in to consider the degree of the wound. No such exceptions apply when a human being is injured by a dog.

As a general rule, you are always responsible for the behaviour of your pet, and it should be kept within the boundaries of your own home, or kept on a leash when going outside. Roaming cats are generally tolerated, but it is allowed, in principle, for a person to catch a cat found trespassing on his or her property, and the owner of the pet is not entitled to claim any damages should your pet be injured or even killed in such circumstances.

Dogs should also be kept on a leash, but they are allowed to run free in a number of designated dog woods and some parks, and they are also allowed without a leash on most beaches outside of the summer season (October 1 to March 31), provided that the pet is entirely under its owners’ control.

Click the following link to get a free quotation on removals to Denmark.