An animal welfare permit must be applied for from the district administrative authority responsible for the applicant (district office).

An animal welfare permit in accordance with Section 11 of the Animal Welfare Act is required in the following cases in particular:

• Breeding and keeping vertebrate animals for experimental purposes and similar activities,
• Keeping animals in an animal shelter or similar facilities,
• zoos or other facilities for the exhibition of animals,
• Moving or importing vertebrate animals (except farm animals) into Germany for the purpose of selling them for a fee or other consideration or brokering such animals
• Training of guard dogs for third parties (incl. maintenance of facilities for this purpose),
• Commercial training of dogs for third parties or commercial instruction of the training of dogs by the animal owner
• Organization of animal fairs,
• commercial animal breeding and keeping (exception: farm animals),
• commercial trade in animals,
• commercial operation of a riding and driving business,
• commercial display of animals,
• commercial pest control of vertebrates.

The granting of an animal welfare permit is a prerequisite for operating a facility requiring a permit or starting an activity requiring a permit. It is therefore of a preventative nature to protect the animals concerned.

Depending on the circumstances, further permits may be required, e.g. approval as an animal transporter or livestock dealer, building permit(s), approval of animal experiments (issued by the governments of Upper Bavaria and Lower Franconia), species protection permits; it is therefore advisable to enquire with the competent district administrative authority.