First things first.
1. Registering your pet when you arrive: Please fill out the pet registration form and bring it with any veterinary treatment records to your local military Veterinary Treatment Facility (VTF). All patients must be registered, and local garrison regulations require pet registration for on-post residents and some off-post locations. Most VTFs will not accept emailed records or registration forms. For your convenience, our Remote Online Veterinary Record (ROVR) maintains patient info from military VTFs worldwide and civilian veterinary records can be added to your pet’s ROVR record.
2. Dangerous Breed Information: Many countries in Europe ban the importation of certain breeds of dogs. Specific breeds affected vary among countries. Before you PCS, consult the VTF serving your future location of assignment for the most current regulations.
3. Pet Liability Insurance: Regardless of the training, temperament or size, any dog can unintentionally injure third parties or damages their property – causing a great deal of stress to its owner. Without a dog liability insurance, the dog owner is liable for damages caused by their dogs with all their assets. It is highly recommended to purchase dog liability insurance for anyone owning a dog in Europe, for certain dog breeds it is even mandatory.
4. Ticks & Hearworm: Ticks are common in most countries within Europe, especially between the months of March and November; they can even infest pets that spend very little time outside. We recommend that dogs and outdoor cats be treated monthly with a flea and tick preventative; please ask staff for more details
Heartworm disease is present in Europe, although at lower levels than in the southeastern US. We recommend keeping your pet on monthly heartworm prevention; this requires proof of a negative heartworm test annually.
5. Pet Passports: If you are planning on traveling Europe with your dog a European Union pet passport is required. The EU Pet Passport is designed to protect citizens from the threat of rabies and certain other diseases. EU rules apply to the movement of animals; pets entering England require an additional tapeworm treatment that is administered by a veterinarian not more than 5 days and not less than 24 hours prior to scheduled arrival time.
6. Pet Abandonment: Pet abandonment is prohibited per military regulation KMCI 32-6003. If you are unable to find a new home for an unwanted pet, please contact our clinic to get more information on options.
7. Pet Waste: Please be considerate of others and clean up after your pet. Children playgrounds do not allow dogs and while some restaurants accept trained dogs to come with their owners to dinner, dogs are not allowed in grocery stores, butcher shops and other shops where fresh food is sold. Some bakeries or cafes, don’t allow them either.
8. On Base Housing: Pets that live on base housing must have their rabies tag on the pets at all times. In addition only two pets are permitted in government housing. Please refer to your installation's Housing Regulation for further information.
9. Commercial Breeding: Breeding your pets for commercial purposes is not endorsed by the military and is prohibited in government housing under AR 40-905 chapter 3 paragraph i., Army veterinary clinics are prohibited from providing medical care in support of breeding for profit.
10. Pet Control: All pets must be leashed or in pet carriers outside of their domicile, including inside veterinary treatment facilities. Pets running loose may be picked up by Security Police (on base) or the host nation police (off base) and taken to stray facilities. Violations against these rules may be punished by fines up to 5,000 euro.
11. Pet Noise: Barking has to be kept at a minimum. During quiet hours between 2200-0600 hours and 1300-1500 hours, dog owners must ensure neighbors are not disturbed by barking, whining or howling. Outside these hours, dog owners must ensure dog noises do not last longer than 10 minutes in a row or exceed 30 minutes cumulatively per day.