Dear Clients ,

Welcome to Duesseldorf !
We would like to help and advise you about important rules and regulations concerning pet ownership in Duesseldorf , this knowledge will help you to enjoy your stay and avoid problems.
If you bring a dog to Duesseldorf , regardless of age or size , you are required to register for Hundesteuer ( dog tax ). This is necessary for any stay of longer than 2 months at a time . From the 3rd month Hundesteuer ( dog tax ) must be paid even if the dog is already registered in its land of origin . The dog tax can be paid on a monthly basis and there is an on-off method available ( e.g. you can choose not to pay if you and your dog are away for one month or more ) . If you have a second home in Duesseldorf and your primary residence is elsewhere in Germany then dog tax should be paid in that town/city ( i.e where you are registered ) .

Contact details for the dog tax office ;
Steueramt Duesseldorf-Hundesteuer , steueramt@duesseldorf.de
Tel . 0211-892 86 97 or 892 86 67 Monday-Friday 8.00-12.00
www.duesseldorf.de/buergerinfo/22/index.shtml
www.duesseldorf.de/stadtrecht/2/22/22-101.shtml

Owners of dogs with a shoulder height of more than 40cm (15 ¾ inches ) and heavier than 20 KG ( 44 lbs ) require a Sachkundebescheinigung ( a certificate to show that the owner knows how to handle a large dog and can cope with the dog in difficult situations ). To receive this the dog requires a readable microchip , a certificate ( retained by the owner ) confirming that a Sachkundepruefung ( this is a multiple choice test in which the dog owner demonstrates their knowledge of dog handling , it is available from our clinic in English ) has been successfully completed and a Hundehalterhaftpflichtversicherung ( dog owner`s liability insurance ) . It is usually possible for this to be incorporated into your Hausratversicherung ( household insurance ) . These certificates or documents must be handed into the Ordnungsamt in Duesseldorf . www.duesseldorf.de/ordnungsamt/hunde/
Tel. 899 36 66 Monday-Friday 8.00-12.00


Walking and exercising your dog :

Dogs should be exercised on their leads / leash in the city area , in parks , gardens , woods , fields and meadows . Similarly in public buildings , schools and nurseries . Dogs are not allowed in children`s playgrounds , cemeteries or food shops . ( Wenn wir `food ` benutzen dass heist alles egal ob es eine Baekerei , Metzgerei oder Supermarkt ist . Ich war mich auch nicht sicher ob ` grocery shop ` viel in den USA benutz ist ) .

Exceptions to these rules : within Duesseldorf there are about 30 places where dogs are welcome to run free . The details can be found under www.duesseldorf.de/stadtgruen/freizeit/hunde.shtml
Dogs may also run free below the dyke (Deich ) on the Rhein meadow from Wasserwerk-Messe , Am Staad as far as Kaiserswerth or on the left side of the Rhein from Oberkassel to Moechenwerth .
There is also a large area for dogs to run free in in Krefeld under www.hundefreilauf-kr.de

Dogs and cats with microchips can be registered , free of charge , under www.tasso.net . This service covers Germany and the whole of Europe . Should your pet be lost this service could help you to be re-united . This service is provided by a charity and is funded by donations .
Microchip : please check with your vet to ascertain that your pet`s microchip is recognized and readable in Europe .
Cats are not permitted ( ein bisschen staerker als ` allowed ` )to roam free until they have been neutered .
Important information for pet travel
From 01.01.2010 it is no longer required that dogs , cats and ferrets have a valid rabies antibody test when travelling to Sweden , Great Britain, Ireland or Malta . However , a rabies vaccination is still required .
It remains , as yet , unclear whether a worm treatment will still be required for England . For further details check the DEFRA website .

For further information regarding travel to other countries please see www.petair.de->Import Regulations or contact Vet. Amt Duesseldorf Tel
The USA continues to demand an annual rabies injection for animals living abroad , at the moment they do not accept the 3 yearly booster injection .

Inoculation recommendations for Germany following the European Commission :
After the necessary immunizations for puppies , including booster shots after a year :
YEARLY – Leptospirosa , Zwingerhusten ( kennel cough )
EVERY TWO TEAR.S – Staupe ( canine distemper ) , Hepatitis ( canine hepatitis ) , Parvo ( canine parvo virus )
EVERY THREE YEARS – Rabies . Cave if you are returning to the USA .

Following the usual inoculations/booster shots for kittens it is recommended that cats receive :
YEARLY—Katzenschnupfen
EVERY THREE YEARS – Katzenseuche
All cats who roam outdoors require rabies and feline l………… every three years . Cave if you are returning to the USA .

Where possible instruction leaflets for medication will be provided in English , these are normally found inside the packaging .

If you have any questions please contact the practice on 0211 454 3560 .
Should you need further explanation regarding the translation/wording in this information sheet please contact Mrs. Pat Paterson at patersoningermany@hotmail.com

We hope that you have found this information sheet useful and we wish you and your pets a very enjoyable stay in Duesseldorf . If you have any suggestions or further information that you feel would be of value please do not hesitate to contact