Protection against animal diseases - Show animal disease

  • Service description

    According to the Animal Health Act, you must report certain animal diseases immediately.

    This should enable epidemics to be recognised and combated in good time so that they do not spread further.

    Tip: The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture provides you with a list of notifiable animal diseases.

    You must not only report the outbreak of an epidemic, but also the suspicion of an outbreak.

    According to the Animal Health Act, you must report an animal disease if you

    • are the owner of the animal
    • represent the holder
    • temporarily supervise the animal
    • have professional dealings with animals, for example
      • Employees in the livestock trade, livestock transporters
      • Fish farmers or fish breeders,
      • Farrier and hoof trimmer,
      • Employees in hunting, fishing or sheep farming,
      • persons employed in the practice of veterinary medicine
      • Head of an investigation centre or
      • Persons who artificially inseminate animals, test their performance, castrate animals, slaughter animals commercially

    Caution: You are committing an administrative offence if you do not report suspected animal disease immediately or even conceal it. The animal disease can then spread, for example via the pet trade or people. In this case, you can expect a fine of up to 30,000.00 euros. In addition, you will not be paid any compensation for your own animal losses.

  • Procedure

    You must report the animal disease or your suspicion of an outbreak of an animal disease immediately. Notify the competent veterinary office by telephone or in person. The notification can be made informally.

    Provide information on:

    • suspected epidemic
    • occurring symptoms
    • Type, number, location and husbandry of the animals
    • Owner of the animals
    • possibly: Affected neighbouring stocks
    • Measures taken by you
    • the animals were bought or sold
    • Possibly keeping other animal species

    They must do everything possible to prevent the spread of the disease: for example, they must keep sick and suspected animals away from places where there is a risk of infecting other animals.

    The competent veterinary office will investigate your report. It will first order the sick and suspected animals to be separated from other susceptible animals and, if necessary, confined. The movement of people and vehicles on your farm will be restricted. If the suspicion of an animal disease is confirmed, the competent veterinary office will initiate the necessary countermeasures. These may include, for example, testing, quarantine or killing the animals.

  • What fees are incurred?

    for the display: None

  • What deadlines do I have to observe?

    You must report your suspicions immediately.

  • Legal basis

  • What else should I know?

    You can receive compensation for animal losses due to animal diseases in accordance with the Animal Health Act. You can find more information in the service description "Applying for compensation from the Animal Disease Fund".

  • Typing

    2/3

Who should I contact?

If you suspect that an animal disease may have broken out, report this immediately by telephone or in person to the competent veterinary office in your district or city.

Responsible departments