Travelling with pets to Denmark
When travelling with a pet to Denmark, the applicable rules depend amongst other things on:
- Which country the animal is travelling from
- The species of animal you are travelling with
- The age of the animal
- Whether the animal is travelling together with you
- Whether the animal is to be sold or transferred to a new owner.
The rules apply whether you are going on holiday in Denmark, moving to Denmark, travelling back to Denmark after a stay abroad, or returning to Denmark with an animal that you have bought abroad.
What applies when you travel to Denmark with a dog, cat or ferret?
You can usually travel to Denmark with a dog, cat or ferret from an EU country, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland or Norway if the trip is for non-commercial purposes and the animal meets the legal requirements.
Non-commercial travel basically means that the animal is travelling with you and is not going to be sold or transferred to a new owner. In some cases, another person may travel with the animal on your behalf if that person has been issued with a proxy.
Your dog, cat or ferret must usually:
- Be microchip ID tagged
- Have a valid EU pet passport or other relevant documentation
- Be vaccinated against rabies
- Have received the rabies vaccination after the animal was ID-chipped
- Have a rabies vaccination that is valid for entry to Denmark.
If the animal has been marked with a clear ID tattoo before 3 July 2011, this is some cases acceptable as an ID tag.
A basic vaccination against rabies is usually only valid at least 21 days after the vaccination. If the animal is to be revaccinated, you should check whether the revaccination has been given within the period of validity of the previous vaccination.
You can read more about the relevant rules at the website of the Danish Agricultural and Fisheries Agency, where you will also find guidance on the special rules that apply if the animal comes from a country outside the EU, or from a country with special requirements.
Do you need to declare the animal when you arrive in Denmark?
If you are travelling to Denmark with a dog, cat or ferret from another EU country, Norway or Iceland, and the animal has not been outside these countries, you can normally enter the country without declaring the animal at the border.
However, you must always be able to show the necessary documentation and show that the animal has entered Denmark legally.
If you are traveling with a pet from a non-EU country, special requirements may apply for entry through an approved point of entry and inspection of the animal and documents. You should therefore always check the relevant rules at the website of the Danish Agricultural and Fisheries Agency.
Dog and cat registers in Denmark
In Denmark, it is compulsory by law to register dogs, but not cats.
All dogs in Denmark must be registered in the Danish Dog Register.
If you bring a dog into Denmark, the dog must be registered in the Danish Dog Register within four weeks of entry into the country. This also applies to temporary stays in Denmark if the stay lasts longer than four weeks.
If the dog was born in Denmark, it must be marked and registered before it is eight weeks old.
Dogs in Denmark must also wear a dog tag with the owner’s name and address.
It is not compulsory to register cats in Denmark, but it is possible to do so with the Danish Cat Register, which is an independent association founded by the Danish Veterinary Association, the Danish Animal Welfare Confederation, Animal Protection Denmark, the Animal Foundation, Felis Danica and Kattens Værn (The Danish Society for the Protection of Cats).
Do you need liability insurance for a dog in Denmark?
If you have a dog in Denmark, you must also have dog liability insurance. This also applies to short stays, for example if you are on holiday in Denmark with your dog.
The insurance must provide cover in the event that the dog causes injury or damage to people or property.
If you already have a dog insurance from another country, you should check whether the insurance covers any damage or injury caused by the dog during a stay in Denmark.
Are certain dog breeds banned in Denmark?
In Denmark, certain breeds of dog are banned. The ban also applies to crossbreeds which include one or more of the prohibited breeds.
This means that as a private individual, you may not bring a banned dog breed with you to Denmark, for example on holiday. It is also forbidden to bring the banned dog breeds and crossbreeds to Denmark for commercial purposes.
Are you allowed to travel to Denmark with other pets?
Various other rules may apply if you travel to Denmark with pets other than dogs, cats or ferrets, such as birds, rabbits, rodents, reptiles, fish or exotic animals.
Some animal species are not permitted as pets in Denmark, e.g. certain species of birds, reptiles, turtles, lizards, fish and cat hybrids.
You should therefore always check the relevant rules at the website of the Danish Agricultural and Fisheries Agency before travelling to Denmark with other pets.
Travelling with animals to and from Bornholm via Sweden
If you travel with a pet animal between Bornholm and the rest of Denmark via Sweden, the animal must meet the rules for entry into Sweden.
This means that you must check the Swedish rules for ID marking, vaccination, documentation and notification to customs.
Please fill in our contact form if you have any questions or if you have encountered an obstacle in another Nordic country.
NB! If you have questions regarding the processing of a specific case or application, or other personal matters, please contact the relevant authority directly.