Traveling with animals through Switzerland: entry requirements, vignette and animal trade

Anyone travelling to Switzerland with a dog, cat or horse, or who wants to buy or sell an animal there, should familiarise themselves with the applicable regulations in advance. Each type of animal is subject to its own requirements regarding transport, registration and documentation, and knowing these in advance saves you unpleasant surprises at the border crossing. This guide summarises which documents you need, how customs checks work, what to watch out for when trading animals, and which toll applies to your journey.

Entering with pets: dogs, cats and ferrets

For dogs, cats and ferrets, a clearly regulated procedure applies when entering from the EU. Your animal first needs a microchip compliant with ISO standard 11784/11785, since only after that may the rabies vaccination be administered, which is given at the earliest at twelve weeks of age. The vaccination only becomes effective 21 days after the primary immunisation, so be sure to factor this period firmly into your travel preparations. Tattoos used as identification are only accepted if they were applied before 3 July 2011; for all more recently born animals, the chip is mandatory.

All relevant data, i.e. identification, vaccination status and owner details, must be entered in the EU pet passport, which you must carry with you at all times. There is generally an import ban for dogs with cropped ears or tails, with exceptions only for a permanent move to Switzerland or for very short stays. Small animals such as rodents, birds or fish generally require no special travel documents, though it is still worth checking the current import restrictions of the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO), for example for protected species.

Checks at the border crossing are carried out in person: Registering your animal via the registration box or the QuickZoll app is not permitted; customs staff must be able to inspect the animal and its documents directly on site during regular opening hours. If you are bringing in more than five animals, or if you purchased the animal online from an unfamiliar seller, this is already considered a commercial import with its own requirements. If the value of the animal exceeds 300 francs, VAT of 8.1 percent also becomes due on the purchase price and ancillary costs. If you are moving to Switzerland permanently with your dog, the animal must be presented to a veterinarian within ten days and registered in the national Amicus database.

• Microchip before the rabies vaccination, vaccination from the 12th week of life, effective from day 21 afterwards

• Carry the EU pet passport with complete details at all times

• In-person registration at a staffed border crossing, no registration box or QuickZoll

• More than 5 animals or purchase through a third party counts as a commercial import

• For a permanent move: registration with a vet and in the Amicus database within 10 days

Behaviour during your stay

Even during the trip itself, various rules apply in Switzerland that can vary by canton and municipality. At many bathing lakes, dogs are only permitted at certain times or in designated areas, so it's best to check locally on site. Leash and muzzle requirements vary by region, as does the obligation to pick up dog waste in cities and local recreation areas.

• By law, your animal must be secured in the vehicle in a crate or with a safety harness

• It's best to check for pet-friendly accommodation already at the time of booking

• In alpine terrain, watch out for wildlife refuge zones, especially during breeding and nursing season

Tolls in Switzerland: what travellers with animals should keep in mind

Regardless of whether you're travelling with a dog, cat or horse, the same toll obligation applies to your vehicle in Switzerland as for any other trip. Vehicles up to 3.5 t gross weight require an annual vignette for this; Switzerland does not offer other validity periods such as day or month vignettes. The vignette is valid for 14 months, from 1 December of the previous year to 31 January of the following year. It is available as a classic sticker vignette or as a digital vignette, which is linked directly to your licence plate and no longer requires a sticker.

This is exactly where our own product comes in: with the vignette flat rate for Switzerland, you order your digital vignette conveniently online, simply specify your desired start date, and the vignette is automatically activated within a few minutes. Via your flat rate account, you can keep track of its status at any time and book additional annual vignettes as needed, without having to stop at the border again or search for a point of sale. If you're travelling with a trailer for your animal, such as a horse trailer, it requires its own vignette for a gross weight of up to 3.5 tonnes; heavier trailers are instead subject to the heavy vehicle charge.

In addition to the vignette, Switzerland has two further types of charges: the special toll for individual road sections such as the Great St Bernard Pass or the Munt la Schera Tunnel, which is payable in addition even with a valid vignette, and the heavy vehicle charge for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes. You can find all the details on this, including payment methods at customs and online, in our comprehensive guide to tolls in Switzerland.

Entering with horses

A significantly more extensive procedure applies to horses than to dogs and cats. In addition to the mandatory horse passport, you need a health certificate from the official veterinarian as well as the corresponding TRACES notification in the European trade control system. The transport itself must be gentle, well-ventilated, non-slip and safe, so that the animal can withstand the journey without stress.

When it comes to importing, customs distinguishes between several cases:

• Temporary import: for tournaments, holidays or short stays

• Carnet ATA: international customs document for time-limited import

• ZAVV: customs permit for temporary use as an alternative to the Carnet ATA

• Permanent import: required for a permanent move with the horse

Not every customs office is authorised to handle the import of horses, so clarify the appropriate border crossing well in advance. If you're travelling with a horse trailer, you need your own digital vignette for up to 3.5 t gross weight as described above; for heavier trailers, the heavy vehicle charge applies.

Buying and selling animals

Trading in animals is subject to strict rules under the Animal Welfare Act (TSchG) and the Animal Welfare Ordinance (TSchV) in Switzerland. The key distinction is between private and commercial trade: anyone who regularly sells animals with the intention of making a profit is considered a commercial provider and requires a permit from the responsible veterinary office. Even the one-off sale of a litter can already fall under this, depending on the circumstances, so when in doubt it's worth checking with the cantonal veterinary office before selling.

Violations are consistently prosecuted in Switzerland:

• Animal cruelty: imprisonment of up to 3 years or a fine

• Illegal animal trade: fine of up to 20,000 francs

• Violations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES): imprisonment of up to 5 years

The Europamaut team wishes you a pleasant journey!

At Europamaut, everything revolves around the digital vignette, so that you can focus on your animal when preparing for your trip instead of on toll questions. Instead of having to deal with a sticker vignette at the border just before departure, order your Switzerland vignette online in advance and continue straight on as soon as your animal has all the necessary documents. Via our vignette flat rate, you not only book your first annual vignette, but can also book additional vignettes for subsequent years at any time for recurring trips, for example to tournaments with your horse or your annual holiday with your dog, without having to go through the entire ordering process again from scratch.

Our route planner also shows you, already at the planning stage, which toll products apply on your specific route — particularly handy if your trip with your animal takes you through several countries and you don't want to research each country individually. With the right documents for your animal and the appropriate vignette in hand, nothing stands in the way of your trip. If you have any questions about your order or the right vignette, our team is always available by email.