The pet culture in Germany

As in many other respects, Germany is in terms of pets a country offering all options imagineable.
You can basically own any kind of animal (only some more exotic, endangered or dangerous ones need a license) and all kinds of supplies are readily available from pet stores or specialised suppliers.
Dogs, cats, rabbits, various rodents, many kinds of birds and fishes are all common (and often popular with kids). Reptiles, amphibians, insects and other invertebrates are less common, but do exist. Some people also rear lifestock animals as a hobby, like horses, cows, pigs, sheep, goats, bees, chickens and other fowl.
While small, caged pets are not usually a problem, it is certainly necessary to ask your landlord for permission before acquiring any bigger or more unusual ones. Bringing a Llama or ostrich out for a walk might also cause interesting encounters. And by all means prevent your tarantulas or pythons from escaping into the neighbour‘s garden!

Pet is popular here in Germany!  Germans love pets!  But not all apartments are accepting pets especially  dogs and cats that can damage the walls and doors.

Fish and small pets like hamster and guinea pigs are also popular and even reptiles.


Pet Foods and accessories are readily available.  German are more practical in terms of accessories for their pets in comparison to Americans.


Warmest greetings from Germany

A cool thing is that one has a legal right to have dogs and cats in a rented apartment in Germany. One does NOT have to get specific permission and landlords cannot refuse someone for having one. On the other hand, any pets cannot be overly aggressive or say bark all day long. If so, a landlord, or neighbor, can sue to protect their right to peace and quiet or safety and have such an animal banned. The burden of proof would be on the lawsuit bringer and such a legal case can be costly and take years. In case of aggression they would have to pay for a professional animal therapist evaluation that determines that they are highly aggressive and not just take the landlords subjective opinion on it.

But if one applies for an apartment and the landlord knows that one has animals, they could simply not rent to them on other pretexts. Thus it is on the safe side not to tell before that one has a dog or cat and the landlord is not allowed to demand to know. Some are uninformed and might put it in a rental contract that no animals are allowed but this is usually invalid and unenforceable. Another exception to these rules can be say if the landlord also lives in the house and they or someone in their family living with them has proven serious allergies against certain animals. Then the well-being and health of such a person would take precedent. But this should be clear from the start as virtually any landlord with such a situation will stipulate from the beginning that certain animals are not allowed on this basis. Again, this could be a trick and they lie because they simply don’t want animals.

In conclusion, the rules are generally on the side of pet owners in Germany with some exceptions. But unlike in America, nowhere in Germany can one have a lion, tiger or bear as a house pet. Actually most Germans like animals especially dogs. I can actually image a scenario where it might help one get an apartment rather than hinder. As a foreigner one has it double hard to begin with finding a place to rent. Then one finds an apartment for rent in a multiple family dwelling with the landlord with their kids living there. Joe foreigner shows up applying for the place and has a really cute and playful dog or two. Kids immediate fall in love with the dogs and BEG their parents to take the owner as the next renter. Bingo.

I posted about this subject before but it was a couple of years back. I remember getting some skeptical responses. I’m not going to post a bunch of links to prove it this time but simply ask that anyone in doubt or disbelief properly Google the subject before creating a shit-storm.