German Animal Welfare Regulation for the Protection of Dogs

German Animal Welfare Regulation for the Protection of Dogs

The new Animal Protection Dog Ordinance (Tierschutzhundeverodnung) has been in force since 1 January 2022. Among other regulations, it provides for a ban on showing certain dogs:

§ 10 Prohibition of exhibition

It is prohibited to show dogs or to organize exhibitions with dogs,

1. in which parts of the body, in particular ears or tail, have been completely or partially amputated in a manner contrary to the protection of the animal, or
2. in which for hereditary reasons

   a) body parts or organs are missing or unsuitable for the proper use of the species or have been altered, resulting in pain, suffering or damage,

   b) behavioural disorders associated with suffering occur,

   c) any species-appropriate contact with conspecifics causes them or a conspecific pain or avoidable suffering or harm; or

   d) the keeping is only possible with pain or avoidable suffering or leads to harm.

The responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the ordinance lies with the organizer and exhibitor. The veterinary office will pay special attention to compliance with the Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance, violations can be punished with fines.

Based on the experience of past exhibitions, we have agreed with the veterinary office on the following concept:

    Clinical or special examination for certain dog breeds.
    Random checks of all dogs

1. clinical or special examination before a dog show

Dogs of the following breeds, which are entered for the dog show, have to undergo a general veterinary examination and/or a special examination in advance and have to be certified with the VDH forms (download see below).

Dogs of breeds not mentioned above do not have to be presented to the veterinarian as a prerequisite for participation in the show.

*The numbers U0-U7 are for internal assignment. Please upload the required certificates when registering your dog in the VDH exhibitor portal in the appropriate field (designated U0-U7).

Form "Clinical examination before a dog show" 

Form "Special examination"

Form "Stress test"

Further information about the VDH stress test, which is offered by the VDH member clubs, can be found here.

If you have already entered your dog in this year's show in Dortmund (VDH-Europasieger & Frühjahrssieger-Ausstellung) or Neuss and uploaded the veterinary certificate (clinical examination and possibly special examination - depending on the breed), we do not need a new certificate.

Certificates for shows that also use the VDH examination form will be accepted.

We also accept certificates that you have submitted for the shows in Lingen or Erfurt, as long as they cover the required examinations (see above).

You can submit the completed forms in the exhibitor portal until 13.09.2022.

Irrespective of the presentation of the examination form, animals with relevant diseases in the sense of § 10 No. 2 TierSchHuV, which were not detected during the examination, may be excluded from the event by the responsible veterinary office or the organiser at their own discretion. In such cases, the entry fee will not be refunded.

2. Checks at the show

In accordance with official requirements, the VDH shall carry out random inspections of the registered dogs at the exhibition. If a dog shows one of the characteristics listed below or relevant diseases in the sense of § 10 S.1 Nr. 2 TierSchHuV during these inspections, the dog must be excluded from the event by the responsible veterinary office or the organizer at his own discretion.

In order to avoid stress for the dogs at the entrance, these veterinary checks will take place immediately downstream in the North Entrance Area and Hall 8. Dog owners/exhibitors will be informed at the entrance when their tickets are scanned if their animals are scheduled for inspection and directed to the examination rooms in the entrance area. The inspection will take place before the owners/exhibitors go to the rings. The Special Managers will be informed which dogs will be inspected. Only after this and in case of proof that the control has taken place and that there are no veterinary concerns about the dog's participation, the dog is allowed to be judged in the ring.

In addition, controls may be carried out in the halls. All dogs participating in the final competitions in the ring of honor will additionally be checked by a veterinarian in the preliminary ring.

These checks can be performed in dogs of all breeds. In order to ensure the most effective selection of random samples, known breed dispositions will be taken into account here.

Relevant anatomical changes/symptoms, which will be paid special attention to during the on-site inspection, are in particular:

• Dyspnea, pathologic breathing sounds, signs of impaired thermoregulation    
• Brachycephalic eye syndrome
• Excessive/pathological ocular discharge
• Redness/inflammation in the area of the eye
• Ectropion/macroblepharon with symptoms
• Entropion with symptoms
• Exophthalmos
• Mikrophtalmia
• Inflammatory skin lesions
• Alopecia
• Deafness and other neurologic symptoms
• Tail length (must cover the anus when rolled out)
• Lameness/abnormal, e.g. due to relevant diseases like:
  • Hip joint dysplasia
  • Elbow joint dysplasia
  • Vertebral changes
  • discopathies
• shortened or missing vibrissae
• Tooth defects: If more than two teeth are missing in addition to P1/M3, it must be proven that the missing tooth is not congenital, but that the tooth had to be removed, e.g. due to a disease.

If a dog has one of the listed characteristics or relevant diseases in the sense of § 10 No. 2 TierSchHuV, the dog can be excluded from the event by the responsible veterinary office or the organiser at their own discretion. The entry fee will not be refunded in such cases.
 

3. dogs whose vibrissae have been shortened or removed cannot participate in the show.

4. dogs, in which characteristics in the sense of § 10 TierSchHuV are found during the show, must leave the ring without being judged.

5. the breed judges will implement the Breed Specific Instructions (BSI) and pay special attention to health and functionality in the breeds listed therein. The breeds listed in the BSI were selected based on the estimated risk of health-threatening exaggerations of breed characteristics and possible misleading interpretation of the standard.