Importing pets or service animals into Greenland

En liten hund i Ilulissat
Photographer
Silje Bergum Kinsten/norden.org
There are a few things to consider if you want to bring your pet with you when you move to Greenland. Read here about how to bring your dog or cat.

To import pets or service animals into Greenland, you must have an import permit from the Greenland Representation in Copenhagen. If you are importing a dog or cat, however, you must first send an application to the municipality to which you are planning to move. Each municipality has its own regulations on dogs and cats, and you must therefore have written permission from the municipality. If you are moving from one municipality to another in Greenland, you must obtain written permission once again from the municipality to which you are moving.

If your application is approved by the municipality, you must send the confirmation with the relevant certificates to the Greenland Representation in Copenhagen, who will then issue an import permit.

The same procedure applies when re-importing a dog or cat after a stay abroad.

Your application must enclose the relevant certificates, which can be downloaded from the website of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.

If your animal has an EU Pet Passport before you move to Greenland, this will make it easier for you to bring your dog or cat back with you to Denmark, for example when you go on holiday.

Rules for keeping dogs in Greenland

It is not permitted to import dogs north of the Arctic Circle, i.e. north of the village of Kangaamiut, or to East Greenland. This is due to the commercial use of sled dog teams. However, you may apply for an exemption from the Veterinary and Food Authority of the Government of Greenland if the animal in question is a sled dog, police dog or service dog.

It is permitted to import dogs to the southern part of West Greenland, i.e. from Nanortalik up to and including the village of Kangaamiut.

NB

  • At sheep farms it is only allowed to keep dogs of the breed Border Collie or Kelpie, or crosses of these.
  • It is forbidden to import fighting dogs or muscle dogs to Greenland.

Documents

Submit the following documents to the municipality to which you are moving. When the municipality has approved your application, you must then send all of the documents to the Greenland Representation:

  • Application
  • Rabies certificate – puppies under three months do not require vaccination if it can be documented that the mother was rabies-vaccinated before the birth of the puppies.
  • Vaccination certificate
  • Health certificate and owner’s declaration

If your dog is a bitch:

  • Documentation that your dog has been sterilised. You can apply for an exemption from the Veterinary and Food Authority of Greenland if your dog will be in Greenland for less than three months.

There are no form requirements for the application – you just send a letter or email with the relevant certificates attached. These can be downloaded from the website of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.

Rules for keeping cats in Greenland

Submit the following documents to the municipality to which you are moving. When the municipality has approved your application, you must then send all of the documents to the Greenland Representation:

  • Application
  • Rabies certificate – kittens less than three months old do not require vaccination if it can be documented that the mother was rabies-vaccinated before the birth of the kittens.
  • Health certificate
  • Owner’s declaration
  • Documentation that your cat has been sterilised or castrated.

There are no form requirements for the application – you just send a letter or email with the relevant certificates attached. These can be downloaded via the website of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.

Importing other animals

To import animals other than dogs and cats, you should contact the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration and the Greenland Representation in Denmark. 

 

The journey to Greenland

You must contact Air Greenland well in advance of your journey, so that your pet or service animal can be associated with your booking. Here you must state which animal you wish to bring, the dimensions of the transport bag/box, and the total weight. Remember to bring your import licence from the Greenland Representation at check-in – otherwise your pet or service animal may not be allowed to travel. You will also be asked to fill in Air Greenland’s own animal transport form.

The price of the transport corresponds to the rates for overweight, both for the animal and for the transport bag/box. The weight cannot be included in the number of kilograms for permitted luggage.

Further rules for animal transport may be read on the website of Air Greenland, where you will also find the animal transport form.

Veterinary surgeons in Greenland

If you are taking a pet or service animal with you to Greenland, please note that not all towns and villages have a vet. For information on veterinary surgeons in Greenland, contact the Veterinary and Food Authority of Greenland.

Further information

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