Cantonal Dog Laws

Dogs are part of our everyday life. There are therefore a large number of provisions that regulate the coexistence of dogs and humans. Apart from the animal welfare-oriented provisions in the federal animal welfare legislation, most cantons have incorporated further regulations in individual dog laws. However, these do not primarily aim at protecting dogs, but rather at protecting humans from dogs. Due to the high density of regulations within Switzerland, it is important that every dog owner knows the legislation of the canton they live in as well as that of other cantons, because they are subject to the law of the canton they are in at the moment, even if they are only passing through.

In order to facilitate orientation in this legislative jungle, TIR has compiled the current cantonal laws below (we cannot guarantee for the listed cantonal laws to be fully up to date or complete).