AMICUS: Registering Your Dog in Switzerland Made Simple

Anyone who keeps a dog in Switzerland cannot get around AMICUS. The national dog database records all the country's dogs and is required by law. For many new dog owners the process is unclear at first, though: who does what, in what order, and what deadlines apply?

This guide explains clearly what AMICUS is, why registration is mandatory and how the interaction between municipality, vet and owner works. That way you complete the registration correctly and know what you have to keep up to date over the years.

What is AMICUS?

AMICUS is the central, nationwide database for registering dogs in Switzerland. It is operated by Identitas AG on behalf of the cantons and has replaced the former ANIS database. It records the dogs as well as the associated owner data.

The purpose is manifold: AMICUS helps to match lost or abandoned dogs to their owners, serves traceability and hampers the illegal trade in animals that are too young or sick. In addition, the uniform recording makes travelling with a dog within Switzerland easier.

Registration is mandatory

The registration of dogs is mandatory throughout Switzerland. This applies to all dogs, regardless of breed and size, and begins already before or immediately upon taking over the animal. Registration is therefore not an optional service but a legal obligation.

It is important to distinguish AMICUS from the cantonal or municipal dog tax. Registration in the database and payment of the dog tax are two different things, even if both are linked to keeping a dog and often fall in the same period.

The process: municipality, vet, owner

Three parties are involved in the registration. The municipality creates the owner account and records you as a person in the database. The vet inserts the microchip and registers it in the system. As the owner, you finally confirm the assignment of the dog to your account.

In practice you first register with your municipality of residence, which creates your account. Then the linking of chip, dog and owner runs via the vet and the confirmation. Your municipality and your vet practice guide you through the individual steps.

Microchip and deadlines

Every dog must be marked with a microchip for unambiguous identification. Breeders and shelters generally have puppies chipped within the first three months of life or before handover. Dogs imported from abroad must already be chipped before entry.

For new owners the rule is: register with your municipality in good time, generally already before taking over the dog. For a dog taken over from abroad, a vet visit for registration is also needed within a few days of takeover. Clarify the exact deadlines with your municipality.

What you must report

AMICUS lives on up-to-date data, which is why you are obliged to report changes. These include a change of owner, that is, handing the dog over to a new person, a move or change of address, exporting the dog abroad and the death of the dog.

These reports run, depending on the case, via the municipality, the vet or directly in the system. Keep your details always up to date, because only that way can a lost dog be matched to you and only that way do you fulfil your legal duty as an owner.

Only one owner per dog

Unlike in the former ANIS system, only one official owner can be registered per dog in AMICUS. In a multi-person household, therefore, consider who will be entered as the responsible person. This person is the official contact.

With a change of owner, the assignment is cleanly transferred from the previous to the new person. This ensures clear circumstances and guarantees that the data remain unambiguous. Especially when buying or taking over an adult dog, this step is important.

AMICUS and the dog tax

Many confuse AMICUS registration with the dog tax. Registration records the dog nationally in the database. The dog tax, by contrast, is a levy whose amount varies depending on the canton and municipality and is payable annually.

Because the amounts are regulated locally, a look at your municipality's details is worthwhile. Plan the dog tax as a fixed item in your annual budget, just like food, the vet and sensible dog insurance.

Dog from abroad

Anyone bringing a dog from abroad into Switzerland must observe additional points. The dog must already be chipped in the country of origin, and after entry a vet visit for recording in AMICUS is needed within a few days. Import provisions and vaccination protection must also be considered.

Inform yourself in good time and thoroughly before an import, because violations can cause problems. The responsible authorities and your vet practice provide information on the currently applicable requirements, which can vary from country to country.

Thinking of everything in practice

AMICUS registration is an important building block, but only one of several around a dog's arrival. Also think of registering with the municipality, the dog tax, insurance cover and the basic equipment. An overview is in our guide to the puppy starter kit.

If you tackle these points early and in an orderly way, you start life together relaxed. Keep the vaccination record, chip number and AMICUS access details safe, so you have everything at hand for reports and vet visits.

Frequently asked questions

Is registration in AMICUS really mandatory? Yes. The registration of dogs is mandatory throughout Switzerland and applies to all dogs, regardless of breed and size.

Is AMICUS the same as the dog tax? No. AMICUS is the national registration database. The dog tax is a separate, locally set levy that is payable in addition.

Who chips and registers my dog? The microchip is inserted by the vet and registered in the system. Your owner account is created by the municipality, and you confirm the assignment of the dog.

What must I report to AMICUS? Among other things a change of owner, a move, export abroad and the death of the dog. Keep your data always up to date.