Animal breeding (excluding farm animals), authorisation

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

• Breeding or keeping of vertebrates other than farm animals and wild game
• Trade in vertebrates
• maintain a riding or driving operation
• Exhibiting animals or making them available for this purpose
• Control of vertebrates as pests
• They train dogs for third parties, such as companion dogs or assistance dogs, maintain facilities for this purpose or instruct the training of dogs by the animal owner, for example through dog schools

Registration of a trade is not a prerequisite.

As a rule, a trade is deemed to exist if the activity is carried out independently, systematically, continuously and with the intention of making a profit.

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

• They carry out the breeding or keeping, including for sale to third parties, or use of vertebrates or cephalopods which themselves or whose organs or tissues are intended to be used for scientific purposes, for example animal experiments.
• They carry out the breeding or keeping of vertebrates whose organs or tissues are intended for non-scientific purposes, for example for the creation of cell cultures for diagnostic purposes.
• You keep animals in an animal shelter or similar facility, such as a rescue centre.
• They keep and exhibit animals in a zoological garden or other institution or make them available for the latter.
• They bring or import vertebrate animals - with the exception of farm animals - into Germany for the purpose of selling them for a fee or consideration, or broker these animals for a fee or consideration, such as through foreign dog welfare organisations.
• They train guard dogs or maintain facilities for this purpose.
• They organise animal exchanges for the purpose of the exchange or sale of animals by third parties.

You require a licence for the commercial handling of animals if you wish to carry out the following activities commercially:

• Breeding, keeping or trading of vertebrate animals other than farm animals
• Maintenance of a riding and driving centre
• Display of animals
• Control of vertebrates as pests
• Bring vertebrate animals that are not farm animals to Germany for sale (sale against payment)
• Train dogs for third parties or instruct the training of dogs by pet owners

This authorisation is also required if you

• Keep animals in an animal shelter or similar facility
• Keeping and exhibiting animals in a zoological garden or other institution
• train dogs for third parties, maintain facilities for this purpose or instruct the training of dogs by the pet owner
• bring or import vertebrate animals into the country for the purpose of supplying them in return for payment or consideration or broker these animals in return for payment or consideration
• organise animal exchanges for the purpose of exchanging or selling animals by third parties

Note: You do not need a licence to keep farm animals.

The licence can be granted to an individual person (sole proprietorship) or a corporation. In the case of a partnership, the individual personally liable partners each receive a licence.