Tierschutz-Hundeverordnung

Tierschutz-Hundeverordnung · BMEL, Germany

Germany’s federal dog-keeping ordinance, which turns the welfare law’s general duty into measurable minimums for housing, exercise and handling.

01 What It Is

The Tierschutz-Hundeverordnung is the federal ordinance governing how dogs are kept in Germany, issued under the Animal Welfare Act (Tierschutzgesetz) and overseen by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Where the parent Act states a general duty of care, this ordinance fixes the detail, the specific conditions a keeper must provide, so the duty can be measured and enforced.

02 What It Covers

It sets requirements for keeping dogs indoors, in outdoor runs and in kennels, including minimum usable floor areas scaled to the dog’s shoulder height. It regulates tethering, requires daily exercise and human contact, and sets conditions for whelping. It also forbids prong collars (Stachelhalsbänder) and other painful aids in the training, education or handling of dogs.

03 How It Is Checked

The ordinance is binding law, enforced by the regional and local veterinary authorities rather than by certification. Officials may inspect premises, issue orders and, in serious cases, remove dogs or bring proceedings. Because the standards are written as numbers, a breach is straightforward to identify on inspection.

04 Why It Matters

It is the reason a German keeper’s obligations are concrete rather than vague. A kennel too small for the dog it holds, a permanently tethered dog, or a prong collar used in training are each measurable failures against a written federal standard, not matters of opinion.

Common Questions

Is it mandatory?

Yes. It is a binding federal ordinance made under Germany’s Animal Welfare Act, and it fixes the specific conditions a dog keeper must provide.

Who oversees it?

The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, with enforcement by the regional and local veterinary authorities.

What does it require?

Minimum indoor, run and kennel floor areas scaled to the dog’s shoulder height, limits on tethering, daily exercise and human contact, and conditions for whelping. It also bans prong collars and other painful training aids.

How is it enforced?

By the regional veterinary authorities rather than by certification. Officials may inspect premises, issue orders and, in serious cases, remove dogs. Because the standards are written as numbers, a breach is straightforward to identify.

Who does it apply to?

Anyone keeping a dog in Germany. It turns the parent Act’s general duty into measurable minimums.

What makes it stricter than a general welfare duty?

It converts a vague obligation into concrete numbers, so a kennel too small, a permanently tethered dog or a prong collar in training is a measurable failure against a written standard, not a matter of opinion.

Primary sources

Tierschutz-Hundeverordnung, consolidated textgesetze-im-internet.de
Tierschutz-Hundeverordnung, full textgesetze-im-internet.de