With your dog or pet on the Puttgarden-Rødby ferry

In short

Scandlines carries smaller pets free of charge on all Vogelfluglinie ferries: dogs, cats and small animals in carriers. Add your pet when you book, have the EU pet passport ready and decide before departure whether your dog stays in the car or comes upstairs with you. The crossing takes only 45 minutes, and for most animals the short trip is no trouble.

On board: where your pet can stay

• In the vehicle: Your dog can stay in the car during the crossing. The car deck is closed during the voyage for safety reasons, so you can't go down to check on it. On such a short crossing the car is often the least stressful option for calm dogs; make sure there is shade and leave water out.
• On the passenger deck: Pets are allowed in all areas without carpet, on a lead or in a closed carrier. For hygiene reasons they must keep at least two metres from the food counters. You remain responsible for your pet throughout the crossing.
• Water and toilet breaks: You can borrow a water bowl at the Scandlines Food Express. There is no dog toilet area on board, so let your dog do its business right before boarding and bring poo bags.

Assistance dogs travel free and are exempt from the area rules. Register them with Scandlines by phone in advance and plan to check in earlier.

Documents for entering Denmark

Dogs and cats need an EU pet passport with a unique microchip ID and a valid rabies vaccination; the chip must have been implanted before the vaccination. The first vaccination can be given at 12 weeks at the earliest, and entry is only allowed 21 days later, so puppies can enter Denmark from 15 weeks of age at the earliest. On holiday trips, a maximum of five animals per person is allowed.

There are no regular border controls at the ferry, but spot checks are possible. Without valid papers, your pet may be refused entry.

Banned dog breeds in Denmark

Danish dog law bans 13 breeds and their crosses from entering the country:

Pit Bull Terrier, Tosa Inu, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, American Bulldog, Boerboel, Kangal, Central Asian Ovcharka, Caucasian Ovcharka, South Russian Ovcharka, Tornjak and Šarplaninac.

Two exceptions: dogs that can be shown to have been acquired before 17 March 2010 are covered by a grandfather clause (except Pit Bulls and Tosa Inus, which have been banned since 1991) and must be kept on a short lead and muzzled in public. For transit through Denmark, dogs of banned breeds may stay in the vehicle in a closed transport crate.

If your dog looks like a banned breed, carry proof of breed as a precaution, such as a pedigree or a vet's certificate; the Danish police can ask for documents.

Booking and check-in

Add your pet when you book; there is no charge. At the port, check-in works as usual through the blue or yellow lane, and with an assistance dog through the staffed yellow lane with more time to spare. Both terminals have green spaces right next to them for a last walk before departure.

For the return trip from Rødby to Puttgarden, the same on-board rules apply; for entry into Germany, the EU pet passport with a valid rabies vaccination is likewise sufficient.

After arrival: lead rules in Denmark

On Danish beaches, dogs must be kept on a lead from 1 April to 30 September, and in forests and parks all year round, unless a dog area is designated. Bear this in mind for your first stop after Rødby.