On holiday with your dog

When you travel to Denmark on holiday with your dog, there are naturally some rules to follow concerning vaccination and the Danish Dog Act. On this page we will try to guide you through the rules regarding dogs coming from EU countries or EU-like conditions (Andorra, The Faroe Islands, Iceland, Croatia, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and the Vatican State).

Before travelling
If you live in a EU country, your dog must have an ID-mark, either in the shape of a ear tattoo or a chip. Furthermore, dogs over the age of 3 months must be vaccinated 3 weeks before travelling. Is your dog under 3 months old and not vaccinated for rabies, you will need a breeder permit and a special entry permission, which must be submitted to the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration 30 days before travelling. All dogs must be accompanied by a EU Pet Passport, which you can get at the vet. It would also be a good idea to equip your dog with a dog tag with your name, country code and mobile number.

Dogs on the beach
At Blue Flag beaches, you may swim and stay on the beach with your dog outside the Blue Flag zone. The usual rule is that the zone has a distance of 200 meters from the pole with the Blue Flag - in both directions.

In the Sønderborg area, there are beaches where it has not been possible to place the flagpole centrally. Therefore, it is a good idea that you familiarize yourself with the location of the zone before you set off with your dog and beach towel - see the overview of Blue Flag beaches in Sønderborg Municipality, where you will find a zone map under Download.

During the summer time (from April to September) your dog must be kept on a leash at the beach in regards to breeding birds and other guests. The rest of the year (from October to March) your dog can enjoy the freedom of the beach, provided that you have full control over it, meaning you can call upon your dog at any time.

With your dog in the nature
Except for the special dog forests, which you can see on the map, your dog must always be kept on a leash in the forests and nature areas, since a dog might be a stressful factor for the wild animals of the forest or of a nuisance to other guests. If your dog is not mentioned on the prohibtion lists, you and your dog might benefit from a so-called Flex-line, allowing your dog to run more freely.

Other animals naturally perceive dogs as being predators and tend to react accordingly. If you choose to take the dog into an area with livestock, do not have the leash tied to your body.

Dogs in the dog forests
In Sønderborg municipality we have 7 dog forests and 1 fenced dog park. The dog forests are not fenced and here your dog can run freely, provided you still have complete control over it.

The dog park Kær Hundepark was opened 24 February 2019. Here your dog can run free and play in the fenced park. Your dog must be compatible with other dogs and react on your call at any time. On the Danish Facebook group Hundetræf Kær Vestermark you can ask if someone want to join in on some playtime.

Dear dog owner
The dog owners who are noticed in a negative way, are here to stay. However, as a responsible dog owner, you might be attentive to your dog while travelling in unfamiliar surroundings. If so, your stay should be problem free.

At the tourist office you can get brochures with detailed maps over the forests in the area. Here your dog has to be on a leash, but the many paths and beautiful surroundings offer you the chance to walk long distances with your dog.

Sønderborg Tourist Office wish you and your dog a pleasant stay in our scenic nature!