Animal welfare requirements

Do you keep animals in the Netherlands? If so, you are responsible for their health and welfare. You have to comply with health and welfare regulations from the Animals Act, which can differ according to the type of animal.

Most municipal authorities ban keeping animals in large numbers. If you breed animals or keep them as a hobby, you can apply to your municipal authority (in Dutch) for an exemption from this ban.

Registering animals

If you keep livestock or other animals commercially, you have to register them and be able to identify them.

Rules for production animals

The general animal welfare requirements apply to all production animals kept by farmers (in Dutch). There are also requirements on housing and health (in Dutch). Separate regulations apply to the keeping of commercial animals, such as cattle, pigs, and broiler chickens (in Dutch).

You are not allowed to perform physical interventions on animals, unless there is a medical necessity or in case of exceptions as described in the Veterinarian decree (Besluit diergeneeskundigen, in Dutch). It is, for example, forbidden to:

• trim the beaks of chickens and turkeys (this does not apply to broiler chickens)
• remove the back claw/spur of roosters and turkeys
• remove the nose flap of pheasants

Some interventions on poultry are exempted (in Dutch).

Rules for pet animals

Do you breed, buy, sell, or board pet animals professionally (in Dutch)? You have, for example, a pet shop or pet shelter? Then you must:

• register the location where you keep the pet animals (in Dutch). You need to register the location upfront. The location will then be assigned for a unique business number (UBN, in Dutch).
• supply a certificate of professional competence for the property manager (in Dutch)
• follow the rules for housing and handling (in Dutch)
• comply with the rules on breeding pet animals (in Dutch)
• comply with the rules on health and vaccinations (in Dutch)
• comply with the rules on selling and supplying (in Dutch)
• keep records (in Dutch)

These requirements apply to breeders, traders and intermediaries in animals, pet stores, animal shelters, and boarding kennels.

Check if you need an environment and planning permit and apply

Go to the online service counter Omgevingsloket (in Dutch) to check if you need an environment and planning permit (omgevingsvergunning) or if you need to make a notification. You can then use the Omgevingsloket to apply online for an environment and planning permit or submit a notification.

Breeding of pet dogs and cats

If you breed pet dogs and cats, the rules as stated above for breeding pets apply. However, additional breeding rules apply as well:

• A dog can have at most 1 litter per consecutive 12-month period.
• A cats can have at most 2 litters per 12 months and no more than 3 litters in 24 months.

Registration of dogs and dog passports

All dogs must be registered in the Netherlands. They must also be microchipped and have a European pet passport.

Sale of pet animals

If you sell pet animals (in Dutch):

• you may not sell animals to persons under 16
• you may not display animals in your shop window
• you must provide written information to the buyer

There is a pet animals list (in Dutch) with animals that people may keep as a pet without any further requirements.

Separating young animals from their mother

The Animal Keepers Decree (Besluit houders van dieren, in Dutch) stipulates minimum ages (in Dutch) for separating dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, and various types of non-human primates from their mother.

Circus animals

You are no longer allowed to use wild mammals (scroll down for pdfs in English and German) in circus acts nor transport these animals for this purpose. However, there are several exceptions, such as animal acts in zoos or marine parks. Foreign enterprises may also transport such animals through the Netherlands, provided the animals do not perform in the Netherlands.

Dispensations and exemptions

You can request dispensation for certain bans or regulations under the Animal Act through RVO. This dispensation or exemption will only be granted in very exceptional cases. Your activities may not harm the health or welfare of the animals.

Online application procedure via Message Box

Depending on the kind of dispensation or exemption, you can submit a request to the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) or the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (Nederlandse Voedsel en Waren Autoriteit, NVWA) via Message Box. Message Box is a secure email system that enables you as an entrepreneur to exchange digital messages with Dutch government agencies.