IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO MOVE YOUR FAMILY TO AUSTRIA – AND ONE OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS IS YOUR PET – THERE IS SOME INFORMATION THAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER.

Cats, dogs, birds and reptiles are considered as pets. It is allowed to take up to five pets with you. Before entering Austria, each animal must get a vaccination against diseases – the most important one is the rabies shot. For some countries, Austria requires to prove the effect of the rabies shot by taking a blood sample of the pet 30 days after its shot and three months before entry to Austria to an approved lab.

However, you may not take animals with you with the intent to sell them or transfer ownership to a third person!

It is possible to take food for your pets with you. While citizens of other EU states are permitted to carry up to 10 kg of pet food, other nationals may only bring 2 kg.

When entering Austria at the airport, you must declare your animals at the customs office which can be found through the red exit way. Here, you can show the health certificate for your pet or the pet passport in case you are relocating from another European union member state. The health certificate must be issued by an authorized veterinarian in German and English. The border veterinarian at the Austrian airports in Linz and Vienna will check the health status of your pet.

After handling your own immigration procedures (for humans), the last step you need to do for your pet is to register them with a microchip (in most cases within one month of entering Austria).

We are happy to help you settle into your new home by assisting you through the process of bringing your pet with you. Do not hesitate to contact us.