1. Preparation
- Make sure you have the necessary time, space, and budget for a dog (also in the long term!). It is a serious and big commitment and you have to be certain of your decision.
- Schedule a visit at the shelter you chose (ask us for help if you need). You must come to Greece, adopt, and bring back your dog as a new owner. We mainly work with Takis Shelter.
- Plan your trip time to book flights and hotel! We are here to help if you need any advice.
2. Visit the shelter
When adopting, verify this checklist:
- The dog must have a pet passport from Greece.
- The dog must have been microchipped (ISO 11784, readable by reader compliant 11785), and before the anti-rabies vaccination.
- The dog must have received a valid anti-rabies vaccination (it is valid 21 days after the vaccination).
- The dog must not have cropped or docked ears or tail.
- Some breeds are not allowed in various cantons (most are fine). You can contact us for more information.
- While in Greece, don’t forget to buy an animal carrier for the travel that is big enough and comfortable for your pet + enough food until you can buy some more in Switzerland.
3. Bring home your new friend!
Congratulations, you have just saved a beautiful soul and got a new friend! Only a few more steps left as you arrive:
- Register your dog with Swiss customs upon your arrival (keep the declaration documents). Keep in mind that you must arrive when the customs are open (For GVA airport, Mo-Fri 8-11:30 – you can verify the opening times there). You must go to the “red” section at the airport. Have the following documents ready: pet passport, health certificate (with the valid rabies vaccine), proof of microchip, and all invoices. You’ll have to pay a 8.1% VAT on the total price paid for the dog.
- Register your dog at your place of residence when you have arrived (at your commune/Gemeinde).
- Within 10 days of your dog arrival, you must visit a veterinarian to register your dog in the Swiss dog database (AMICUS).
- Stray dogs have often been through a lot and we highly recommend that you book some educational courses.
We are happy to assist with any questions you have regarding the adoption process. Kindly note that we do not take any responsibility in case of any issue that might be related with the adoption process – we are simply doing our best to assist you in this project.