Travelling with pets to Denmark
When travelling to Denmark with a pet, you must comply with a number of rules. The rules may vary, depending on which country you are travelling from and how old your pet is.The rules apply both to people going on holiday in or moving to Denmark, to people returning to Denmark after a holiday abroad, and to people who have bought a pet abroad and want to bring it home to Denmark.
Vaccination, microchipping and pet passport when travelling with your pet to Denmark
You can travel with your dog, cat or ferret to Denmark for non-commercial purposes from an EU country, Norway or Iceland, if the following requirements are met:
- You are accompanying the animal yourself. In some cases, you may authorise a friend or family member to travel with the animal.
- The animal must be identified with a microchip. However, animals marked with an easy-to-read tattoo before 3 July 2011 may be issued with a pet passport.
- The animal must have an EU pet passport issued by an authorised veterinarian.
- The animal must have valid rabies vaccination. The vaccination must have taken place at least 21 days before the departure to Denmark.
You can find more information at the website of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, including the rules for the commercial transport of animals, and the rules for the import of unvaccinated puppies and kittens.
When you arrive in Denmark with your dog, cat or ferret
If you are travelling to Denmark with a dog, cat or ferret from another EU country, Norway or Iceland, and the animal has not stayed outside these countries, you may freely enter the country. It is not necessary to declare the animal at the border. However, you must always be able to show the necessary documents and prove that the animal entered the country legally.
If in doubt, you can contact the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.
Dog and cat registers in Denmark
In Denmark, it is compulsory by law to register dogs, but not cats.
In Denmark, all dogs must be registered in the Danish Dog Register. This may be done via a microchip number or ear tattoo, and must be done before the dog is eight weeks old.
It is also required by law for Danish dogs to wear a dog tag with the owner's name and address. The Danish Dog Register also recommends that you provide your telephone number.
You can read more on the Danish Dog Register website.
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).
Liability insurance for dogs in Denmark
If you are a dog owner, you must have dog liability insurance. This also applies to short stays, such as holidays. The insurance must provide cover in the event that the dog causes injury or damage to people or things. You can read more about dog insurance in Forsikringsguiden (the Insurance Guide). The requirements towards dog insurance are set out in the Executive Order on Liability Insurance for Dogs.
If you are unsure about whether your liability insurance covers damage caused by your dog during your stay in Denmark, you should contact your insurance company.
Banned dog breeds in Denmark
In Denmark, certain breeds of dog are banned. You can find more information about which breeds are involved with the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.
The ban applies to a number of dog breeds and their crosses. This means that it is forbidden for private individuals, including tourists, to bring the banned dogs with them, for example on holiday in Denmark. It is also prohibited to commercially import the dog breeds in question, including crossbreeds, into Denmark.
Travelling with animals to and from Bornholm via Sweden
If you have pets with you while travelling through Sweden between Bornholm and the rest of Denmark, the animal must comply with the same rules as though you were travelling with the animal to Sweden.
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.
