Don't know if this is still up to date, but I think it is still useful: http://www.paperlapap.ch/pdf/Listenh...ze-Schweiz.pdf
TPE, probably best not to post when drunk.
Dear all,
We will be visiting Bern Oberland this summer for a week with our Rescue dog from Guadeloupe. coming by car. Renting in air bnb but she will go on train in the valley with us. The dog .. I wish I could post a picture. Its a street dog, a mix, obviously but if we look hard enough we could eventually see some bull terrier / stuffy in her. Not the muzzle but the broad chest..
Do you think this can be an issue ?
thank you all for your replies.
May I ask how big she is? She seems rather small ish .
she weighs 19kg and is the size of a big male australian shepherd dog
I will add another photo to try and give you a better view. The can on the furniture is not tiny either. So she is nto THAt small.
I can't help as much as other EF members. To me it looks like a not very large dog, read somewhere that special rules apply to dogs heavier than 25 kg. But, much better if someone with better knowledge replies.
What I know is about hiking and riding my bike in the mountains. It is not evident, but beware of shepherd dogs taking care of a sheep flock. Once I got to close to sheep while riding my bike. The shepherd dog took this as an attack and rushed to defended his flock. I put my bike between the angry dog and me, and stepped back slowly. I left without a bite but it was scary.
There are also cows and goats. Lots of trails pass through farms or pastures. A hike with a dog in the mountain is idyllic but not all dogs are trained to interact peacefully with farm animals. In this case the dog may be a risk to the cows if the dog scares them. When you're there just ask other dog owners about nice and safe places for a walk.
Luba,
As a visitor, as oppose to resident, there are different issues at play. There is no federal BSL, so the border crossing is not an issue. Dog control and BSL are cantonal matters - meaning we have 26 sets of differing regulations.
Will your trip only include canton Bern?
Canton Bern does not have BSL either, so you should be OK. However, if you were to venture into surrounding cantons you'd need to know the regs of each canton you intend to visit.
Here is a summary of the the regs for canton Bern, courtesy of the Tier Im Recht foundation:
https://www.tierimrecht.org/de/recht/hunderecht/bern/
While there is no BSL in Bern do pay attention to the general cantonal regulations, most notably where a dog must be kept on lead:
Eine generelle Leinenpflicht gilt auf Schulanlagen, öffentlichen Spiel- und Sportplätzen, in öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln, an Bahnhöfen und Haltestellen, beim Betreten von Weiden, auf denen sich Nutztiere aufhalten, sowie beim Fehlen anderer wirksamer Kontrollmöglichkeiten oder auf Anordnung im Einzelfall (Art. 7 Abs. 1 Hundegesetz/BE). Die Gemeinden können weitere Orte bezeichnen, an denen Hunde angeleint sein müssen.
BSL aside, one still needs to be aware of general prejudices all too prevalent in Switzerland. Owners of all dogs should follow regs to the letter, of course - but the reality is that owners of dogs who look somewhat akin to one of the molosser breeds are sometimes held to higher standards in the public's mind. When in doubt, and certainly at the request of others you encounter even in areas where free running is allowed, leash your dog. It's only polite.
If you plan to travel outside of canton Bern, the same website summarizes regs in each canton.
https://www.tierimrecht.org/de/recht/hunderecht/
Some (but not all) of the cantons where your dog could be banned nonetheless have a special permit for 30 days for visitors (with conditions like leash/muzzle in public). Valais is one such. You would need to contact the Veterinäramt of that canton for specifics.
Where are you crossing? It would be wise to look up regs in each canton you are traveling through on your way to the Berner Oberland.
Do you read German? If not, Deepl.com does a decent translation. If you need additional translation, just ask here.
Since Luba is coming from Paris I’m assuming she can read French so this might be helpful for her.
thank you very much ! I will keep her on the leash anyway, because she is still capable of running away
she is, after all, a stray dog. So definetly leashed.
I keep a seat belt restraint system and a muzzle in the car. This has kept me covered. If you are stopped or questioned you have something to react to a request or regulation with.
Hmm we have a 2 seat car (old opel no back seat). The dog will be in my daughter's feet . Muzzle is not a problem. My only worry in terms of car is the border. should be OK but due to covid go figure what kind of checks will they be doing ...
Not certain of the regulations on having dog on floor but sure someone will know. I would just make sure to bring the pet passport with you with everything up to date
I think you will be fine. I cross the border very often with the dog. Just don't forget the passport I was able to find a halter system that locks into the seat belt. If you would have something like this so that he is restrained and he is at your daughters feet, then I can't imagine they would ask further.
One point, they could check is the rabies. This is important to be sure is up to date.
One of my dogs always travels in passengers feet, the other - on the backseat. We were checked at the border multiple times, no issues with the border officers so far. Your dog doesn’t need to be restrained in a car, as long as she doesn’t bother the driver.
Valid rabies vaccination and a microchip is all you need.
Always check the rules of the country you’re visiting. In Italy dogs must be restrained in the car. We use a harness for walking so we just got a seat belt that attaches to the harness.
The general rule in Switzerland is that a dog must not be able to interfere with the driver.
As you can imagine, there could be many interpretations of how to comply with that.
The dogs used ride in the back of my car, separated from me and from each other by a cargo barrier. The dogs wear special harnesses from Ruffwear designed for use in a car, each attached to a seat belt lead. That worked well for years. Robin travels in a crate, because he's, well, Robin - but I had avoided the huge metal crates due to space constraints.
However, a fender bender in stopped traffic where the car behind bumped into us at only a few Kph put the fear of doG into me. Robin was in the boot where the car hit us, in a light travel crate. The force of even that mild bump cracked the crate; had Robin not been in a crate he would have been injured. Remember that an unrestrained dog in pain and shock could be dangerous if the car is still moving.
The recommendation for using a restraint (crate or seat belt lead) is less one of safety for the dog than to prevent the dog (or dog's body) from flying into the driver, exacerbating the damage of an accident. Seriously - think about that for a minute as you decide what makes the most sense for riding safely in your car with your dog.
The big metal crates are very expensive, and can be difficult to configure in some cars if space is limited. But perhaps a worthwhile investment nonetheless. Consider going to Germany for potentially significant savings.
And a reminder: Seat belt leads should never, ever be clipped to a collar - even a minor jolt could cause serious neck injuries! Clip to the back ring of a harnesses only. And do consider an impact-rated harness.
But to reiterate the question - restraint to prevent interference with the driver is the key point. There are many ways to comply with that.
Unfortunately this is not true.
By law one is obligated to secure everything one carries with the car. The dog does not count as a being, but as a thing. If one is stopped and checked by patrol, and the officer is not satisfied with the security one can be fined.
This is just a personal opinion, regulations aside, but I would not consider driving from Paris in a 2 seater with the dog on the floor all that time and reasons below
It cannot be comfortable for a dog of that size for that amount of time on the floor. (driving from Paris?) If the dog wants to get off the floor and onto your daughter's lap that would be a distraction for any driver How much protection would there be for the dog in the event you had to suddenly brake or, even worse, had an accident I believe that regulations do state that the dog should be secured and how can you do this on the floor in between daughters legs What is your back up plan if when entering Switzerland the border staff decide what you are doing is dangerous/not allowed and won't let you into Switzerland with your dog travelling like that? Are there any other travel options for you? Would it be possible to hire a more suitable car so your dog could be properly harnessed on the back seat (although do check regulations on allowing dogs in rental cars)