Getting a pet in the Netherlands 2026: adoption, buying and rules for expats

Table of contents

Should you adopt or buy a pet in the Netherlands?

Adoption through shelters and rescues

Dutch animal-welfare organisations run national and local adoption platforms, and they emphasise that many dogs and cats already need new homes:

• • Platforms such as Ik Zoek Baas (Dierenbescherming) list adoptable animals with vetted health and behavioural information, adoption fees and contracts.
• • Adoption often includes microchipping, vaccinations and sometimes neutering, which is reflected in the adoption fee.
• • Animals may have known histories (owner surrender) or come via controlled international rescue routes that follow import rules, including UBN usage.

Adoption is usually the most ethical and controlled way to get a pet as an expat, especially if you are open to mixed breeds or adult animals.

Buying from breeders or private sellers

If you decide to buy:

• • Dutch law requires breeders and importers of dogs to be registered with RVO and to use a UBN and the national I&R system.
• • Puppies born in the Netherlands must be microchipped and registered before they are sold, and must have an EU pet passport if they change owners.
• • Selling or transferring an unregistered dog is an offence; reputable breeders will therefore provide full documentation, including registration details and passport.

Legal basics when you get a dog or cat

Identification, registration and passports

Key legal points for dogs:

• • Puppies must be microchipped and registered in the I&R system within 7 weeks of birth.
• • Every dog that is sold or transferred must have an EU pet passport, which is filled out by a vet.
• • Imported dogs must be registered under a UBN belonging to the first keeper in the Netherlands by a vet within a set period (usually 14 days after arrival).

For cats, microchipping and registration rules are less strict at national level, but for international travel they need a microchip, rabies vaccination and either an EU passport (EU origin) or a valid veterinary health certificate (non-EU origin).

UBN and rescue imports

If you adopt via an international rescue:

• • The organisation usually uses its own UBN to register imported dogs.
• • A Dutch vet makes the import notification and links the dog to the rescue's UBN.
• • The dog is then transferred to your name in the I&R system when you adopt it.

This is why adoption via well-established rescues is safer than arranging a private import with unclear paperwork. The full process is covered in our dog registration and UBN guide.

Positive lists and 2026 welfare bans

Positive list for pets

Dutch animal-welfare policy is increasingly using positive lists: only animals on the list may be kept as pets.

• • The mammal positive list limits which exotic mammals can legally be kept in private homes.
• • Welfare organisations and municipal services use this list to inform owners and to address illegal keeping of unsuitable species.

The positive-list approach aims to prevent keeping animals whose welfare needs are hard to meet or whose traits cause suffering. Before considering unusual pets (for example certain exotic mammals), always check if they are allowed on the positive list; otherwise, you may be forced to rehome the animal.

2026 ban on certain cat breeds

In early 2026, Dutch media and welfare commentators reported a new ban on folded-ear and hairless cats:

The 2026 cat ban is part of a broader Dutch policy direction against breeding animals with extreme traits - a direction that has applied to dogs since 2014 and was actively enforced from 2019 onward (see the next subsection).

Flat-faced (brachycephalic) dog breeding restrictions

The Netherlands has been one of the strictest countries in the world on flat-faced (brachycephalic) dog breeding. The timeline matters:

• • 2014: A breeding ban on dogs with serious genetic defects, diseases or behaviour problems was introduced under Article 3.4 of the Besluit houders van dieren (Animal Keepers Decree). Enforcement was very limited in the first years.
• • 2019: The government began active enforcement using a measurable rule - the craniofacial ratio (CFR): a dog's snout must be at least half the length of its skull to be used for breeding. Dogs with a snout shorter than a third of the skull cannot be bred from at all.
• • 2023: The Dutch government announced plans to also restrict ownership, import, sale and advertising of flat-faced dogs, alongside the existing breeding ban. Existing owners keep their pets without seizure; the focus is on new acquisitions.
• • 2026: The folded-ear and hairless cat ban came into force (see above), continuing the same welfare-driven direction.

A traffic-light grading system (red = extreme, orange = less extreme, green = ideal) is used to assess individual dogs against the breed standard. Dogs in the red category cannot be used for breeding.

The breeds most affected by these rules include:

What this means in practice for expats:

• • If you want a French Bulldog or Pug-style dog, you will struggle to find a Dutch registered breeder who can legally sell you a puppy that meets the CFR rule.
• • Imports from countries with looser rules are the main remaining route - but the 2023 proposals aim to close this loophole too, and a Dutch vet still has to register the dog.
• • If you already own a flat-faced dog when you move to the Netherlands, you can keep it. You will not have your dog seized.
• • Welfare organisations strongly recommend choosing healthier mixed breeds or adopting via Dutch shelters instead of importing breeds the Netherlands is actively phasing out.

For full Dutch pet rules (leash laws, beaches, transport), see our pet rules Netherlands guide.

Where to find pets in the Netherlands

There is no single national shelter system in the Netherlands. Instead, adoption runs through a network of animal-welfare organisations, local shelters (dierenasielen) and matching platforms. The most relevant ones for expats:

The Dutch adoption process: fees, home checks and contracts

Adoption fees (Dierenbescherming, 2026 published rates)

Dierenbescherming publishes its official 2026 adoption fees. These cover microchipping, vaccinations and (for cats) neutering:

Source: Dierenbescherming Tarieven 2026, valid 1 January - 31 December 2026. Local shelters outside the Dierenbescherming network may charge different fees.

The home check (huisbezoek)

Many Dutch shelters require a home check before approving an adoption. A volunteer visits to confirm the home is safe and suitable for the specific animal (for example: secure fencing for active dogs, enough space, no obvious hazards, agreement from all household members). This is one of the biggest surprises for expats used to faster adoption processes elsewhere - plan extra time around it.

Adoption contracts

Dierenbescherming and most reputable Dutch shelters use formal adoption contracts (plaatsingsvoorwaarden). Typical clauses include:

• • You must return the animal to the shelter if you can no longer keep it - you cannot resell or pass it on.
• • The shelter may follow up after adoption.
• • You agree to keep the animal microchipped and properly registered.
• • The adoption fee is non-refundable.

Read the contract carefully before signing. If you are on a short-term contract or might leave the Netherlands within 1-2 years, raise this with the shelter up front - some shelters may decline or recommend a specific animal that matches your timeline.

Is a pet right for your Dutch lifestyle?

Dutch shelters ask these questions during the adoption interview and home check. Working through them honestly before you apply saves everyone time and helps you avoid an impulsive choice you may regret.

Practical checklist before you get a pet

Frequently asked questions