The law regarding pet ownership in Austria

Austria is stricter than many countries with regard to pet ownership. Make sure you research properly before buying any sort of pet. Laws are national although individual provinces often have their own by-laws (see below the Austria section).

Here are some useful links:

• The law regarding all kinds of pets (in German but your browser will translate it for you): https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/themen/freizeit_und_strassenverkehr/haustiere.html

• Obligation to register a dog (in English): https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/en/themen/freizeit_und_strassenverkehr/haustiere/1/Seite.741000.html

• Listed dogs ("fighting dogs") list by province: https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/themen/freizeit_und_strassenverkehr/haustiere/1/2.html

• Travelling by bike with a pet: You need a transport basket or trailer. It is illegal for you to run your dog on a lead alongside your bike: https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/themen/freizeit_und_strassenverkehr/haustiere/Mitnahme-von-Tieren-mit-dem-Fahrrad.html

There are also EU regulations about the import of certain dog breeds: https://www.zoll.de/EN/Private-individuals/Travel/Entering-Germany/Restrictions/Dangerous-dogs/dangerous-dogs.html

If in doubt, please take legal advice, ask a vet or in a pet shop.

Specific laws in local provinces

If you are aware of local bylaws in other provinces, please leave us a message in the comments.

Pet ownership in Vienna

Pet ownership laws differ by province. Vienna has very comprehensive information about the topic on its website.

• Animals, keeping animals, animal welfare (in German but your browser will translate it): https://www.wien.gv.at/gesellschaft/tiere/

• Information for dog owners (in English): https://www.wien.gv.at/english/environment-leisure/watch-out-dog-owners.html

• How to keep a dog in Vienna (Metropol article, English): https://metropole.at/how-keep-dog-owner-guide-training-vaccination-vienna

• Dog licences in Vienna: https://www.wien.gv.at/english/environment/animal-protection/dog-licence.html

• Listed (regulated) dogs in Vienna: https://www.wien.gv.at/gesellschaft/tiere/haustiere/hunde/listenhunde.html

Pet ownership in Salzburg

Pet ownership laws differ by province. Both Stadt Salzburg and Land Salzburg have websites which pet owners or prospective websites should check.

• Link to the Stadt Salzburg government website on pet ownership (in German but your browser will translate it for you): https://www.stadt-salzburg.at/tierhaltung/

• Link to the Land Salzburg website (in German): The keeping of animals: https://www.salzburg.gv.at/dienststellen/bezirke/bereiche-zustaendigkeiten/bhha-sicherheit-verkehr/bh-sicherheit-verkehr-sicherheitsthemen-2/bh-sicherheit-verkehr-tierhaltung-2

• Obligation to register a dog (Salzburg): https://www.salzburg.gv.at/themen/sicherheit/landessicherheitsgesetz/hundehaltung

• Travelling with pets: https://www.salzburg.gv.at/themen/aw/veterinaermedizin/haustiere

Lower Austria: New laws for dog owners from 2023

1. These new regulations apply from 1 June 2023:

2. Dog passport requirement for new owners BEFORE obtaining your new dog

3. Maximum of 5 dogs per household

4. Liability insurance of at least €725,000 per dog

Links

• Lower Austrian government website for pet regulations: https://www.noe.gv.at/noe/Tierschutz/Tierschutz.html

• News article about the new laws: https://news.trenddetail.com/today/317231.html

• https://www.heute.at/s/tiere-haustiere-2023-das-sind-die-aenderungen-fuer-hundehalter-in-noe-100247354

Dog ownership in Tyrol

Whether you live in Tirol or are here on holiday you need to know the law regarding dog ownership.

What do you need to know if you own a dog in Tirol? This local government website lists the requirements for dog owners: https://www.innsbruck.gv.at/en/leben/gesundheit-tiere/tiere/alles-zum-thema-hund In short:

• You need a certificate of competence

• You need dog liability insurance

• You need to register for dog tax (Hundeabgabe/Hundesteuer). The size of the tax depends on where you live. In Innsbruck it costs around €100/year. Further information in German: your browser will translate it for you.

• Your dog will need to be chipped by the vet and you will need to register it. (link in German: your browser will translate it for you)

In addition make sure you know the law about when your dog is allowed off the lead/leash, when it must wear a muzzle, dogs on public transport, cycling with your dog running on a lead beside you (illegal) etc. The link above provides most of this information.

Further reading

The following websites will be useful for further information. Your browser will translate the German for you.

• An article in The Local (April 2023): https://www.thelocal.at/20220304/explained-everything-you-need-to-know-about-owning-a-pet-in-austria

• General information (Austrian government): https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/themen/freizeit_und_strassenverkehr/haustiere.html

• In-depth information (Austrian government): https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/themen/freizeit_und_strassenverkehr/haustiere/Seite.742090.html