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General Rules for the ownership of companion animals
Rabies vaccination and electronic identification
The rabies vaccination of all dogs older than three months is mandatory. Vaccination in cats is voluntary.
Register for dogs between the 3 and the 6 months of age is mandatory, in case they belong to one of the following groups:
a. Potentially dangerous or dangerous dogs;
b. Dogs used for hunting purposes;
c. Exposition, contests, or working trials’ dogs ‐ used for commercial purposes or to obtain profit; placed in retail establishments, places of creation or trade fairs; used in advertising or similar purposes;
d. All canids born after the 1st of July of 2008.
Dangerous and potentially dangerous dogs
In accordance to the provisions of the Paragraph b) of the Article no.3 of Portuguese Decree-Law no. 315/2009, it is considered a “dangerous animal” any animal that presents one of the following conditions:
a) Has bitten, attacked or offended the body or health of a person;
b) Has seriously injured or killed another animal, outside the sphere of the real estate that constitute the property of its holder;
c) Has been willingly declared by its owner, in the parish council of its residential area, as having an aggressive character and behavior;
d) Has been considered by the competent authorities as a risk to the people or animal safety, due to its aggressive behavior or physiological characteristics.
In accordance to the provisions of the Portuguese Decree-Law no. 315/2009, from the 29th of October, and in the attachment to the administrative rule no. 422/2004 from the 24th of April, the animals belonging to the breeds outlined below, as well as their first generation crossings, the crossings of those crossings amongst themselves or the crosses those last crossings may generate with other breeds resulting in a typology that is similar to some of the referred races are considered to be potentially dangerous animals.
a) Brazilian Mastiff;
b) Argentinian Mastiff;
c) Pit Bull Terrier;
d) Rottweiler;
e) Staffordshire Terrier American;
(f) Staffordshire Bull Terrier;
g) Tosa-Inu.
Registration and Licensing
The ownership and circulation of a canid requires its registration and licensing, to be done at each residential’s parish council, between the three and the six months of age, following the license renovation annually.
Owner’s change of residence
The owner shall communicate such changes and disenroll the register at the respective parish council and later submit the disenrollment document at the parish council of the new residential area.
Amendment of the ownership of the animal
The old and the new owner must fill out the Transfer of Property declaration.
The old owner disenrolls the licensing, delivering at its parish council a copy of the transfer declaration, and gives to the new owner the health bulletin/passport and the original document of the registration sheet of the electronic identification of the animal.
The new owner regularizes the situation at his/her parish council, delivering the original document of the transfer declaration, the health bulletin/passport and the original document of the record sheet of the electronic identification of the animal.
Death or disappearance of the animal
In the event of the death or disappearance of the animal, the communication of such event to the parish council is mandatory.
See here all the legislation on the Animal’s Health and Welfare;
See here all the legislation on Dangerous and Potentially Dangerous Dogs;
See here all the legislation on rabies’ Prophylaxis and Other Zoonoses;
See here all the legislation on Food Safety;