Hello Everyone,

Can anyone please advise as I am planning to bring my two lovely black labs from teh UK to Zurich.

They have had their rabies jabs and been issued their passports but what happens when we arrive. One is 1 year the other is 9 years. Do they both need to go through dog training again?

Any advice would be great.

Andrea

AFAIK, the SKN courses only applies for new dog owners in Switzerland. Theory is mandatory if you are a first time owner and practical courses for each new dog acquired after 2008.

Here is the link to the BVET website (sorry in German) for more information:
http://www.bvet.admin.ch/tsp/02222/index.html?lang=de

The first step after bringing your dogs into Switzerland once they've got customs approval, is to register them at the gemeinde (dog tax purposes) with their passport. Also, make sure that their microchip details are registered in the Federal database. The Swiss use ANIS.

I would also find a good vet near you for future shots/appointments. Even though the dogs are healthy, I like to meet and greet the vet who will be responsible for my dog's future care and ensure that me and my dog are comfortable with his methods and persona.

Check this thread out for updates on Federal dog control legislations to familiarise yourself on the going-ons when it comes to doggies here in Switzerland:
Federal Dog Control Legislation

Our fellow EFer, melloncollie is a gold mine of information when it comes to pooches and updates it when necessary.

Welcome in advance.

Hello I have just been reading the website listed.....and Zurich Canton requirements (albeit via Google Translate) and want to check I have understood correctly:

1. You have to buy liability insurance (assuming this is normal pet insurance with a liability aspect to the policy?)
2. Register the microchip to ANIS
3. Register the dog for dog tax within 10 days of arrival (How much is that???!!!)
4. Provide practical proof of expertise of dog ownership within a year (How would I go about doing this?)
5. Attend courses for 'young dogs' if dog is under 18 months old

Any help would be greatly appreciated :-)

On top of the "import" bit, I take it you also have got somewhere to live where dogs are allowed? Many apartments won't even allow cats, never mind dogs...

Hello,

Yes we've managed to secure an apartment which allows us to bring both our dogs over plus 2 cats.

Any requirements for kitties? Training perhaps :-p

Also, we were considering driving over......what happens at border control??

Thanks

From my experience of driving backwards and forwards to the UK with my dog it will be relatively painless.

I have never been asked for papers at any borders and I have made the journey 9 times at the last count. (Going back to the UK is a different matter)
However just in case, you will need their pet passports and insurance papers to hand.

At border control you will have to buy a Vignette for your car and then they will wave you through.

You pay the Geminde where you live a tax about 100chf I think it is in Dubendorf. This covers the cost of all the dog poo bags and dog bin collections.
You will be told this when you register at the Geminde offices; when you register yourselves mention you have a dog and they will send you a bill through yearly/ 6 monthly in the post.
The only other thing you need is make sure you have pet insurance, which is pretty cheap.
Personally I wouldn't bother about courses (unless you want to) until the Geminde tells you to, they might not bother.


As mentioned the biggest drama is finding a place that allows dogs but as you have already covered that I wouldn't worry too much, the rest will be a breeze.

I currently have UK Pet insurance for one of my dogs (the youngest) but you mention we need insurance to get past border control. Is that Swiss or UK insurance?

[QUOTE=darkhorsedrea;1209027]

Provide practical proof of expertise of dog ownership within a year (How would I go about doing this?)

Attend courses for 'young dogs' if dog is under 18 months old
QUOTE]

Nevr had to do either of those. I think my registration fee was about 100chfs each.

There were no problems at all. Don't worry too much.

Either, but once you get here probably best to change to Swiss.
Vet fee's tend to be massive, good idea to get insurance in my opinion.

for the record, you only need liability insurance in case your dog causes damage to someone else.

Pet health insurance is optional. And... if your dog is over a certain age (e.g.) 14), it is uninsurable by at least one company that I refuse to name or further acknowledge.

Just a clarification, in most cantons, Zürich included, liability insurance is mandatory. Zürich requires a minimum of 1 mio coverage.

See the following for the Zürich cantonal regs:
http://www.veta.zh.ch/internet/gesun...e/haltung.html

And:
http://www.tierimrecht.org/de/tiersc...ht/zuerich.php

Should also add that when they talk about "liability" insurance, they usually mean the standard Privathaftpflicht which everybody here has. Just check the policy terms to make sure it covers damage caused by pets