Ok, I've worked out how to post now.
So, we're looking to be moving to Basel area with the family and pets.
We'd like to bring our 2 dogs, 1 snake and 2 african land snails, overland rather than by air from the UK. Where would I find the necessary information regarding the bureaucracy surrounding such a matter?

Further more, does anyone have any views on the differences between International School BAsel and Minerva School (SIS)? I know Minerva does IGCSEs but I've read these don't translate well back into the UK system if you move back half way through the 2 year course.
What is the quality of the International School teaching like? Unlike in the UK, there doesn't seem to be published league tables for school performance in Switzerland. Perhaps there is, and I just haven't found the right site yet.

Any information would be great.

Oh! 1 last thing. The move will be dependant on possibilities for horse riding, loaning/owning ponies. Any advice on the like?

Thank you
Shirley

Hi Shirley,

Everything you need to know about bringing pets to Switzerland can be found here:

http://www.bvet.admin.ch/ein_ausfuhr...x.html?lang=en

Re: your dogs - Do be aware that in addition to federal regulations, you also need to follow cantonal and local ones. Both Basel Stadt and Basel Land have implemented BSL - if your breed is one affected, please contact the Basel (Stadt or Land, as appropriate) Cantonal Veterinary Office for information.

Basel Stadt:

http://www.veterinaeramt-bs.ch/conte...v=3&content=14

Basel Land:

http://www.baselland.ch/main-veter-htm.273599.0.html

Good luck with your move.

Both Basel Stadt and Basel Land have implemented BSL - if your breed is one affected, please contact the Basel (Stadt or Land, as appropriate) Cantonal Veterinary Office for information.

What is "BSL"?
My dogs are not purebreds - just muts.
Thank you for those links, I shall investigate.

Regards
Shirley

BSL is Breed Specific Legislation (akin to the DDA in the UK), laws used to restrict or ban dogs based on breed or physical characteristics alone. Unfortunately, previously dog-friendly Switzerland went through a period of anti-dog hysteria about three years ago, resulting in such laws passed in several cantons.

Dogs are regulated at both the federal level and cantonal levels. Importation is largely regulated at the federal level, and at the federal level ownership is regulated through the new Tierschutzgesetz (Animal protection law). This new law requires first-time dog owners to take a theory course prior to obtaining a dog, and all dog owners to take training classes within the first year of ownership for any dog obtained after 1 Sept 2008.

Most dog ownership laws are at the cantonal level though - the 26 cantons are free to pass stricter laws than the federal one. (Valais is the most restrictive, Zug the least - and Canton Zürich just voted in restrictions on all 'large' dogs, which could result in about half the dogs in the canton requiring a permit.)

In both Basel Stadt and Land the following breeds are restricted:

Bull Terrier
Am Staff
Pitbull
Staffie
Rottweiler
Dobermann
Dogo Agentino
Fila Brasileiro

And any dog crossed with any of these breeds.

If your dog is one of these breeds or crosses you need to apply for a permit from the cantonal veterinary office BEFORE you bring your dog to Basel. You have to meet several criteria, and jump through several hoops in order to do so. The requirements are given in the links posted.

If your dogs are not crossed with any of these breeds, you don't need to worry.

In any case, once you have arrived in Switzerland, you will have 10 days (or is it 8? ) to register your dogs with ANIS, the Swiss-wide microchip database. ANIS registration can only be done by a vet, so you will need to make an appointment to do so soon-ish. You must also register your dogs with the Gemeinde, and pay the dog tax - a yearly fee per dog. When you register, the helpful folk at your Gemeinde will acquaint you with any and all local regulations.

Thank you for all this information. It's very helpful.
I unfortunately probably do fit into the category of mut crossed with staffie. So thank you for all your warnings. At least I can now go away and start jumping through the hoops.

I haven't read completely through the links yet, I shall do, but do you know if my staffie x will be allowed to be let off the lead on walks?

My other mut is officially a "collie x" and is quite large in stature, so I hope he'll be ok in terms of restrictions.

Thank you once again for your information

Shirley,

Does your dog really look like a staffie? Are you 100% certain of his/her parentage? Or is there guesswork involved, is there a chance that he/she doesn't have staffie in the mix?

If there is uncertainty that he/she may be part staffie, perhaps consider registering him/her as a Mischling (mixed breed), full stop. Registering your dog as a staffie cross if he/she is of uncertain parentage could be letting yourself - and your dog - in for a world of problems unnecessarily.

(For instance, Staffies are outright banned in some cantons, must be kept on lead and muzzled at all times in public in others. This is someting you'd have to think about when visiting other cantons.)

Obviously, if you know he/she is part staffie, that is quite different - and you should register him/her as such.




ETA:

In Basel, an owner of a listed breed would need the following to apply for a permit:

Minimum age (of owner) 20 years old.

Knowledge of responsible dog ownership

Good reputation (owner) - that is, proof from the central criminal register that you have not commited any crimes (Auszug aus dem Schweizerischen
Zentralstrafregister )

Liability insurance of minimum CHF 3 million coverage

Proof of origin of the dog (Pedigree, purchase contract, adoption agreement, etc.)

Microchipped

Attendance at training classes - either a puppy group or basic obedience. (If you have course certificates from any classes taken in the UK, bring them along)

The dog will have to stand a Verhaltenstest, a character test. See this link for a description with pictures (so even if you don't read German you can get an idea of what will be expected):

http://www.veterinaeramt-bs.ch/conte...=14&content=29


The full text of the Basel (Stadt) dog control law can be found here - Chapter IV deals with listed breeds:

http://www.veterinaeramt-bs.ch/files/365.110.pdf


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Glancing quickly through that above, some restrictions: If one owns a listed dog, one cannot have another dog without applying for permission.

Also, a person alone may not walk a listed breed dog with another dog - which would mean you'd have to walk your dog separately. Exceptions can be granted if the owner shows correct knowledge of responsible dog ownership, and the ability to keep both dogs under control.

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IIRC, an EF member 'Begga' moved to Basel last year with her Dobie - I would suggest you PM her for her experience registering her dog with the Basel Veterinäramt. I don't live in Basel, so I'm only going by what I've found in Veterinäramt documents posted online; reality sometimes differs...)

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Your collie cross is not affected in Basel - it is only ZH where the size issue will come into play, and the details of how the new law will be implemented are not yet published. (Or, I suspect, decided.)

Crikey moley.
As my husband says. This issue is going to be the deal breaker.
Am I understanding you correctly, that if Morris is deemed a Staffie cross - albeit a thin weedy looking specimen with a much smaller head than a staffie) that I then won't be allowed to walk him with our other dog (the collie x) at the same time? and that he (Morris) will always have to stay on the lead AND wear a muzzle?

As for Morris' parentage - who knows - he was a rescue dog who was found abondoned in wales and shipped up to Bucks to be rehomed as opposed to put down (which is what happens in wales apparently). On his adoption card he's been marked as a x breed.

I'll jump through the hoops as necessary, but I'm unhappy at not allowing a perfectly lovely, harmless mut allowed off the lead when out walking in the countryside. It wouldn't be much of a life for him.

I'm also happy to go back to dog training before we come over and get a certificate - I din't get a certifcate when I attended when we first got him.

As a matter of interest, what happens if you were to own a "hunting" dog or a "terrier" type who's natural instinct is to go ratting or flushing out rabbits? Does no body use dogs on game shoots in Switzerland or is that just a very English thing?

Also, would each member of the family need to complete the responsible owner/able to use commonsense whilst on a walk test before they are allowed out walking the dogs?

This is a far cry from where I live where one lady walks 13 dogs at one time (admittedly she's as barking as her dogs and is at the other extreme of this legislation!)

Thank you for all your valuable information.

Shirley

There is no need for me to give further info on the dogs as Meloncollie has given, as usual, tons of information. I just wanted to ask what kind of snake you have? Once again, depending on the type, you may need a CITES certificate. Does your snake appear on this list? Look under reptiles to see if it does.
http://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.shtml
In any event, you may require an import permit for the snake and you will have to demonstrate that you have appropriate housing for the snake.

I thought I would mention that there are families who have, for a variety of reasons, left pets behind when moving. This is a personal decision, and for many heart-breaking, but it was the only option. The reasons are numerous: Older pet that would not cope with travel, quaratine laws, import restrictions, and housing situation in the new country that would make it difficult to keep the pet.

In most cases, the pet was left with a family member or friend. I know some families who really looked forward to visiting family and friends back home so they could see their dog or cats. Knowing your pet is enjoying a good life back home is reassuring.

We are fortunate that our dogs are unaffected by the new legislation, which has not been passed in our (AG) but is under discussion. I walk all 3 dogs at once, and I can't imagine what I would do if I could only walk 2 at a time. Our dogs weigh in the range of 17 - 20 kg each. Our dogs are hounds and are NEVER let off leash yet I don't think this takes away from the walks we have in the country. They still have plenty of opportunity to sniff interesting things.

We have a fenced property so the dogs can run free and play in the garden. It is not a substitute for walking as the garden is like reading yesterday's newspaper....not so interesting.

The snake is a corn snake.
I don't think leaving the dogs behind will be possible. The snake and snails perhaps, but not the dogs. Already leaving the pony behind.

I'd like to thank everbody for all their useful tips, and links to other information. This is a very useful site.

Shirley

I think you might find that BS and BL are relatively restrictive as far as animals are concerned. If you want to avoid trouble, consider going to a different canton (SO maybe) or even setting in France. A lot of people commute into Basel from these areas so it's doable.

I understand how you feel. We could never have left our dogs behind and what we had to go through to bring our parrot here...this was unbelievable.

Why not bring the pony? There are often places for rent (farmhouses) that have a place where you can keep a pony. On one of my dog walking routes we pass two ponies that are kept behind the house and it is not a farm house, just a house with a large garden and there is an enclosure for the ponies. It is not in the country either. Just a thought....

Shirley,

If all your dog's papers say mixed breed, then that is what he is, and that is how I'd register him. If his parentage is truly unknown there is no point in making a guess, is there?

A mixed breed (unknown) is not a listed dog.

I don't know, however, how the Basel authorities decide what constitutes a listed breed cross.

** Can anyone living in Basel comment?**

(For what it's worth, I've not read of seizures based on type happening here, as has happened in Liverpool and other parts of the UK.)

As for the walking issue - If your dog is registered as a listed breed, you can apply for a permit to be allowed to walk him with another dog, which would solve that problem.

Now, from what I've read Basel does not impose muzzling and on-lead restrictions for listed breeds across the board, although such restriction might be imposed for individual dogs who have been judged problematic. In Basel dogs of listed breeds stand a Verhaltungstest, which means that if your dog passes he is deemed a canine good citizen. (This is not true in other cantons, so if you visit another canton you'd have to comply with it's laws.)

Before you panic, I think you really should get in touch with an owner of a listed breed living in Basel for on-the-ground information. As I don't live in Basel I can't say how strictly or loosely the law is applied over there, or what attitudes or levels of tolerance you might run into. I think you need more concrete information from someone who has gone through the process, and also from someone with a mixed breed of similar physical type, in order to make an informed decision.

(The difficult thing about discussing life in Switzerland is that different rules apply in different cantons, and differing attitudes prevail - thus we may have widely varying experiences depending on where we live.)

As Amogles says, if you think the Basel laws will make life too difficult, do consider another canton, or even across the border. (Although, both France and Germany restrict staffies under BSL.) Switzerland is a small country, and commuting from another canton might not be too bad. My husband works in ZH but we chose to live in SZ largely for the dogs' sake - it's about a 45 minute commute for him.

I fully understand that this issue could be a deal-breaker. I have twice turned down moves - ironically, to the UK - because of concerns over my dogs' welfare. Could I ask, though - should you decide not to make this move because of the dog situation, would you make sure your potential employer understands that the anti-dog laws cost him a good employee? People here at times vote emotionally, and do not always connect their decisions with the larger consequences...

(By the way... we spent a couple of years with me living here, and my husband commuting to the UK, for the dogs' sake. It's do-able.)

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As to your other questions,

The federal Animal Protection Law, which mandates theory classes for first time owners, and training classes for owners who have adopted a dog after 1 Sept applies to the legal, registered owner of the dog only, not to all family members. So, my dogs are all registered in my name only - I'm not a first time owner, so the theory requirement doesn't apply. I will be adopting another soon, though, and so will have to complete the training requirement with him. My husband doesn't have to do a thing... although he regularly takes our dogs hiking. That's at the federal level.

At the cantonal level differing laws apply, especially in the case of listed dogs. You'd need to speak directly to the cantonal veterinary office to determine who needs to do what.

As for the course required for owners of listed dogs in Basel - it looks like one is required to take one offered by a recognized trainer/dog school - the cantonal veterinary office has a list. Whether courses attended in other countries would be accepted is something you'd have to ask them. (I'm guessing that if you could show that the course content was similar, you'd stand a good chance... but that's only a guess.)

Basel imposes leash law on all dogs regardless of breed during the hours of 22:00 to 06:00, and has the right to require dogs be kept on lead in designated areas. In general, dog must be kept on lead in restaurants, public transportation, street markets, along heavily trafficked streets, and when in heat. Dogs are forbidden from grocery stores, children's play areas, cemeteries, swimming beaches, public fountains. Even when off lead, dogs are to be kept in sight and under control at all times.

'Under control' is generally interpreted to mean instantly and reliably recallable. So in your example of the terrier flushing out rabbits - it would be expected that you'd have an eye on the dog at all times, and would call him back to you when you saw that he was heading down a rabbit hole.

Hunting is a whole 'nuther ballgame - yes, people do indeed hunt, you mostly see retrievers and other gun dogs accompanying hunters - and as you might guess hunting is strictly regulated as well. I have no idea what exactly is required to gain a hunting license - but the good folks at the Veterinaramt can tell you.
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Again, I must stress that you really should speak with someone living in Basel before you make up your mind. I've only read the documents posted by the Veterinäramt online - I have no idea how the law is actually enforced, or how it really affects one day to day.

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I hope everything works out for you, and for your dogs.

thank you once again for all your help.
It's all an interesting challenge, and I'm sure it will all work out in the end.
New year's resolution is to brush up my ancient a-level german. All these rules and regulations are best understood in the 1st language of the country.
Sx

Is there anyone here who live in Basel and have one of those breeds?
Who can afford 3 mio insurance for those breeds? What is it per month?
I have/had a Dobermann witch I still haven't imported with me, because it seems like it is not a good option for me... I think maybe it is just better for everyone to rehome her

hi Shirley
we too are moving over the summer - but our dogs are ok - cocker and a beagle - my question is about horseriding - did you find anywhere that is good - my 11 year old is horse mad.

anyone have any ideas on a hamster?