Entry requirements
Be careful when re-entering Switzerland after a vacation in the Ukraine
We offer additional help
The war in Ukraine has already forced many people to flee. They often leave the country with only what they can carry: Backpacks, suitcases and their beloved pets in their arms.
The displaced persons who flee to Switzerland with their four-legged family members urgently need support. This is why the Animal Protection Coalition for Emergency Aid for Pets of Refugees from Ukraine was launched by FOUR PAWS, the Foundation for the Animal in Law, the Susy Utzinger Foundation for Animal Protection and the STVT (Swiss Veterinary Association for Animal Protection) and is supported by other Swiss animal protection organisations. The centrepiece is the digital help platform “SwissHelpForUkrainianPets.ch”, where all important information and helpful offers of support are centrally bundled. Here, help is provided immediately.
Get help
Entry information
The temporary easing of entry requirements for dogs and cats from Ukraine are lifted as of August 1, 2023. From this date, the usual entry conditions will apply again to animals.
IMPORTANT: The usual regulations apply even when re-entering the country after a vacation or a few days in Ukraine. The animal cannot return to Switzerland without fulfilling the legal requirements. The regulations apply every time one crosses the border - even for animals that are registered in Switzerland. Please contact the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) before a planned trip.
Persons entering from Ukraine with an animal can find detailed information on the regulations at: Online tool: Crossing the border with dogs, cats or ferrets
Further information:
Questions & Answers
For people seeking help
You should register the animal with the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office as soon as possible. The animal owners are then informed whether further measures are necessary.
You can find a veterinary practice for medical care here:
To support communication between helpers and refugees, Allianz Insurance offers a free interpreter hotline (between German, Ukrainian and Russian).
For psychological help, you can contact Emergency Pastoral Care Switzerland .
The animal should be registered with the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office as soon as possible. The animal owners are then informed whether further measures are necessary.
Make a note of the dates of the incident and the contact details of the pet owner and contact a doctor in your area as soon as possible.
The risk of rabies being introduced by dogs and cats accompanying their owners is considered low, as a large proportion of the pets taken along are vaccinated against rabies or have had no contact with wild animals.
Standing Commission on Vaccination in Veterinary Medicine (StIko Vet)
If you have questions about animals with behavioural problems, you can contact a recognised behavioural therapist. You can find an overview of qualified behavioural medicine practitioners at Swiss Veterinary Association for Behavioural Medicine.
The risk of rabies entering the country is considered low by experts. A large proportion of the animals arriving from Ukraine have already been vaccinated against rabies. According to calculations by the National and WHO/OIE Reference Laboratory for Rabies at the Friedrich Loeffler Institute, the probability of an unvaccinated pet being in the incubation phase at the time of crossing the border is about 1:300,000. In vaccinated dogs and cats, the potential risk of rabies outbreaks is even lower.
Standing Commission on Vaccination in Veterinary Medicine (StIKo Vet)
For people providing help
If it is sealed, unused and unexpired pet food, you are welcome to drop it off at our collection point at the Susy Utzinger Foundation for Animal Protection in Kollbrunn. Unfortunately, we cannot accept animal material for logistical reasons. Contact your local animal shelter or ask your municipality if donations of animal material are needed for private shelter providers.
You can also offer your animal material on the digital animal material marketplace of the Susy Utzinger Foundation .
Please contact the Susy Utzinger Foundation for Animal Welfare directly.
You are welcome to donate to the organisation of your choice via the respective website of the partner organisations of “SwissHelpForUkrainianPets.ch”.
The most effective way of providing support at the moment is a financial donation, which can be used to deliver the most needed relief items to those who need them most. You are welcome to donate to the organisation of your choice via the respective website of the partner organisations of “SwissHelpForUkrainianPets.ch”.
The website and all our other communications about it are welcome to be shared digitally at any time. You are also welcome to use the following flyer:
A joint project by:
With the support of:
