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PETS

Dog tax and insurance: What are Austria’s rules for owning pets?

There are many joys of having dogs or cats in Austria, an extremely pet-friendly country, but there are also several obligations.

Dog tax and insurance: What are Austria's rules for owning pets?
Photo: Helena Sushitskaya / Pixabay

A country of just under 9 million people, Austria has an impressive 1.39 million private households with pets, primarily cats and dogs, according to Statistik Austria. 

Austria is also very pet-friendly, with dogs and cats welcome to most places, including public transportation and bars and restaurants.

While children could be barred entry to some of those establishments, including hotels, there are several places where dogs are not only welcome but the primary target audience, with some hotels offering special packages, with walks and pet sitting, for the furry ones.

READ MORE: Eight signs you’ve settled into life in Austria

Even offices can be very pet-friendly, and it’s not uncommon for people to take their dogs to work. 

However, owning pets in Austria is not so simple, especially if that pet is a dog, and there are several regulations that owners need to follow.

Here are some of the most important things you need to know about owning a pet in Austria.

Dogs need to be registered

When reaching three months old, all dogs need to be registered by their owners with the responsible authority in Austria. If they haven’t already, by the kennel or breeder, they will receive a chip with the owner’s contact information and an identification number for the animal.

This is usually done quickly at a veterinarian clinic, where they can also get an EU pet passport which shows they had the mandatory rabies vaccination.

There is a recommendation for cats to also be chipped, but this is only mandatory in case of animals that will be used for breeding. 

READ MORE: Seven weird things about life in Austria you need to get used to

There is a tax on dogs

Dog owners will also have to pay a yearly tax for their dogs, depending on the municipality. In Vienna, the tax is €72 for the first dog, with prices rising for those who have more than one dog.

However, there are a few exemptions to the tax, such as for guide dogs and specific discounts, including for low-income people. 

Compulsory insurance

Dogs also need to be insured for liabilities of at least €725,000. This ensures the coverage of possible personal injury and property damage by the dog, so it’s different from pet health insurance – which is not mandatory to have.

Many house insurers will also add a dog to the policy for a very low price, if for a cost at all. 

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Rules against animal cruelty

Austria takes the care of house animals very seriously, and the rules can differ a lot even from standard practices in other countries. For example, it is forbidden to keep a dog, even temporarily, chained. The only exception is the short-term binding outside of a shop while the owner is shopping. 

Other than that, all collars that cause pain (shock or choke collars, for example) are forbidden. This is taken very seriously – I have been asked if the GPS tracker my dog has on his collar was a shock device by a very suspicious dog owner. 

Any interventions that don’t serve diagnostic purposes are also prohibited, particularly the cropping of tails and ears and the removal of claws or teeth. 

Rules to ensure the quality of life

Similarly, Austria intervenes quite a bit to ensure the pets’ quality of life. There are minimum requirements for dogs, including the fact that dogs need to run and exercise at least once a day in a manner that meets the animal’s need for movement.

Dogs also need to be taken outdoors several times a day, have social contact with people at least twice a day, have water available at all times and be provided with suitable food.

Muzzles are also standard for dogs here and even mandatory in some cases (such as in public transportation or busy areas). Dogs need to be accustomed to them, and the muzzle needs to fit correctly, allowing it to pant and be comfortable. 

Austrians are known for their love of nature, the spirit of walking in forests, and trekking, which is not different for their dogs. It’s common to go to the dog parks, where they can be off-leash, and to woods and parks on the outskirts of cities so that the dogs can run free.

Cat owners need to ensure that windows and balconies have protective devices, and cats regularly allowed outdoors must be neutered. They also need to have water at all times and proper feeding. 

READ MORE: Six ways you might be annoying your neighbours (and not realising it) in Austria

Vienna’s dog course

Vienna has a particular demand for new dog owners, those who haven’t had a dog in the last two years and are now looking to register an animal.

They need to show proof of attendance to a Canine Expertise course, Hunde-Sachkunde. From 2019, evidence of attendance in the basic knowledge on dog keeping course lasting at least four hours is mandatory in the capital. 

“Listed” dogs

Austria, and Vienna in particular, has a list of “dangerous” breeds. The listed dogs (listenhunde) are of breeds that were originally created as “fighting dogs” and therefore are seen as more aggressive. Therefore, there are special regulations for these breeds and mixes, including pitbulls, rottweilers, dogo argentinos and others

The Listenhunde need to wear a muzzle and leash in public spaces in Vienna, except for fenced dog parks. People walking with an animal of this breed have an alcohol limit and could be fined € 1,000 if over it.

Dogs and owners also need to pass an examination, the Hundeführschein.

Some common practices

Even though it’s not mandatory, it is very common for owners to take their puppies or new dogs to dog schools, the Hundeschule. They help owners communicate with their animals and bring valuable socialising experiences for the puppies. 

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Dogs are welcome in most places, but not inside supermarkets. This is why it’s not unusual to see them attached to a hook by the wall waiting for owners to shop. Despite how common the practice is, there have been cases of dogs being robbed while leashed at a storefront.

People take the education of their dogs very seriously here, and you will see kids from an early age approaching dogs with care. It’s not considered polite to pet dogs without asking their owner (a simple “darf ich streicheln?” will do), and definitely don’t feed or give treats to pets that aren’t yours. 

Vocabulary and phrases

Darf ich es streicheln? – Can I pat/pet it?

Leckerli – treats

Sind Hunde hier erlaubt? – Are dogs allowed here?

Leine und Maulkorb – leash and muzzle

Ist das ein Männchen oder ein Weibchen? –  Is this a male or female?

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POLITICS

EXPLAINED: Austria wants to define its fundamental culture but what is it?

Politicians from Austria's centre-right ÖVP are putting together a definition of Austria's 'guiding culture', known in German as 'Leitkultur'. What is that and why are they doing it?

EXPLAINED: Austria wants to define its fundamental culture but what is it?

When you think of Austria, your first thoughts might be of Alpine hills, Schnitzel and traditional folk music. 

Is this what politicians are referring to when they talk about Austrian ‘Leitkultur’ or ‘leading or guiding culture’? 

Many in Austria are considering this question because the coalition government is honing in on this concept. 

Austria’s Integration Minister Susanne Raab, of the centre-right Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), has been tasked by chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) to develop a legal definition of ‘Austrian guiding culture’.

It’s part of the “Austria Plan” that Nehammer presented earlier this year when he called for a “guiding Austrian culture by 2030, which should also be reflected in law as a national cultural asset”.

READ ALSO: ‘Austria Plan’ – What are the chancellor’s new plans for the country?

Raab said it should ensure “that symbols and behaviours that contradict our fundamental values can be treated in a legally differentiated manner”.

However, this topic has been the subject of heated debate with critics accusing politicians of using it to alienate immigrants, particularly asylum seekers and refugees.There is a fear that the ‘Leitkultur’ concept goes against multiculturalism and calls on people to conform to one ‘guiding culture’ without an acceptance of other ways of life outside western culture. 

The concept is not just a talking point in Austria – it’s also been discussed heavily in neighbouring Germany for years, particularly by centre-right and far-right parties. 

How is Austria planning to define Leitkultur?

The Austrian government says it wants to define a concept of national cultural heritage in law over the next six years. 

As a first step, the Integration Minister has brought together a panel of experts who will meet on Thursday.

Under the banner “Austrian identity and guiding culture: values of coexistence”, the first meeting will be an introductory exchange, according to Raab’s office. The minister will outline her approach to the topic before the discussion, Austrian newspaper Der Standard reported.

The panel includes Katharina Pabel, a lawyer from Linz, Rainer Münz, who worked for Erste Bank and advised Jean-Claude Juncker as President of the EU Commission and Wolfgang Mazal, a professor at the Institute for Labour and Social Law at the University of Vienna.

What is Austrian ‘guiding culture’?

In an interview with Der Standard before the meeting, Mazal said the initial discussion “should serve to find a consensus in society about what is important to us and what form of coexistence we should cultivate”. He added that the ‘Leitkultur’ debate should be a “process of reflection”.

Mazal does not share the criticism of the term – in his view, it is not about placing one culture above others. Similar to the mission statement of a company, a “guiding culture” should define the “fundamental direction” of a society, he said. 

But the ÖVP’s communication has been more rigid. Secretary General Christian Stocker, for instance, recently explained in a Facebook video that Austrian identity is “what defines us”. This goes “from A to Z”, for example from brass band music to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. “How we celebrate our festivals and holidays” is also part of our identity, he said. And “anyone who doesn’t want to accept all that is welcome to leave”, he made clear.

Overall, the People’s Party is focussing the debate very strongly on the topic of migration. Stocker says, for example, in the context of his comments on identity, that those “who have come to us” have done so voluntarily. “They have chosen this country and therefore they must also accept how we live in this country, what tradition and identity we have.”

In social media posts, Der Standard notes that the party states things like: “Anyone who believes that they should not shake a woman’s hand because she is ‘unclean’ must leave.” Or: “Anyone who rejects our way of life must leave!” 

Integration a key component 

Integration Minister Susanne Raab (ÖVP) told the Kronen Zeitung earlier this year that the concept was centred on integration. 

“Integration means learning the language, going to work and also accepting the values of our coexistence,” she said.

“And that is relevant because many people come to us who have been socialised completely differently. Where the culture is completely different, where women are worth less than men, where girls have no access to education and are forced into marriage or where the police are not your friend and helper, but highly corrupt. All of this is important to convey. And this is where immigrants also have to adapt.”

Raab added that it was possible for someone who did not adapt to face sanctions. 

“Yes, there will be measures that can be implemented in law, Raab told the newspaper, suggesting that could include cuts to social benefits, for example, or negative influences in the citizenship procedure or to asylum status.

The minister gave the example of when refugees come to Austria they have to take a German and values course as well as sign a declaration of integration otherwise there is a risk of having social benefits cut. The ÖVP is also currently considering further sanctions. 

Whatever the case, it is clear that the ÖVP is pushing for more integration measures in Austria, which is something they have been doing consistently. 

READ ALSO: Austrian minister wants foreigners to improve German levels to keep social benefits

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