Erlaubnisse nach §11 Tierschutzgesetz

You require a permit if you wish to carry out the following activities with animals on a commercial basis:

• Breeding or keeping vertebrates other than farm animals and game kept in enclosures
• Trading in vertebrates
• Operating a riding or driving business
• Exhibiting animals or making them available for exhibition
• Controlling vertebrates as pests
• Training dogs for third parties, such as companion dogs or assistance dogs, maintaining facilities for this purpose or supervising the training of dogs by their owners, for example through dog training schools

Registration of a business is not a prerequisite.

A commercial activity is generally deemed to exist if the activity is carried out independently, systematically, continuously and with the intention of making a profit.

A permit is also required if you wish to carry out the following activities:

• You breed or keep, including for sale to third parties, or use vertebrates or cephalopods that are themselves or whose organs or tissues are intended to be used for scientific purposes, for example in animal experiments.
• You breed or keep vertebrates whose organs or tissues are intended for purposes other than scientific purposes, for example for the creation of cell cultures for diagnostic purposes.
• You keep animals in an animal shelter or similar facility, for example a rescue centre.
• You keep and display animals in a zoological garden or other facility, or make them available for the latter.
• You import vertebrates – except farm animals – into the country for the purpose of selling them for remuneration or consideration, or you broker these animals for remuneration or consideration, for example through foreign dog protection.
• You train protection dogs or maintain facilities for this purpose.
• You organise animal exchanges for the purpose of exchanging or selling animals by third parties.

Processing time: up to 4 months, extension by 2 months possible

Section 11 Animal Welfare Act (TierSchG) – Breeding, keeping and trading animals

Erlaubnis zur Zuchthaltung und Handel mit Tieren