Livestock exhibitions and livestock markets Apply for exemption from location requirements

• You submit the application for a special permit together with all the necessary documents to the competent body in writing or electronically.
• The competent authority will check your documents. If necessary, it will request further documents or information from you.
• The competent body will review your application and make a decision.
• If your application is complete and meets the requirements, you will receive the exemption permit.

In deviation from the legal requirements for livestock exhibitions and livestock markets, you can apply for an exemption permit if the following conditions are met:

• The venue does not meet all the requirements for fencing, access routes and cleaning facilities that are normally prescribed for livestock exhibitions or livestock markets.
• There are no concerns regarding the control of animal diseases that would speak against the event.
• Your event is a livestock exhibition, a small-scale livestock market or a fair or weekly market that is exempt from official veterinary supervision.
• The event venue has paved areas and facilities for cleaning and disinfection as well as suitable accommodation for the animals.
• There is no risk from the deviation with regard to animal health and disease control.

Please provide the following information in the application and enclose the relevant supporting documents:

• Completed application for exemption (with details of the event, venue and livestock)
• Justification for the necessity of the requested exemption
• Site plan of the event venue with marking of entrances and exits
• Proof of existing cleaning and disinfection facilities for vehicles and persons
• Information on the accommodation of the animals (e.g. accommodation rooms, quarantine rooms)
• Hygiene concept for the event
• Veterinary certificate or expert opinion, if applicable
• If applicable, proof of exemption from the official veterinary examination (e.g. for annual or weekly markets)
• If applicable, previous approval notices or comparable documents (for recurring events)

Fees will be charged. The amount of the fees depends on the individual case.

Submit the application as early as possible, but no later than 6 weeks before the planned event.
You need the exemption permit to hold a livestock market or exhibition, a fair or weekly market at which live farm animals are offered or exhibited without having to meet the requirements for the event location.

If all the required documents have been submitted in full, the processing time can take up to 6 weeks.

• Gesetz zur Vorbeugung vor und Bekämpfung von Tierseuchen (Tiergesundheitsgesetz - TierGesG)
• § 3 Absatz 2 der Verordnung zum Schutz gegen die Verschleppung von Tierseuchen im Viehverkehr (Viehverkehrsverordnung - ViehVerkV)

Contradiction

As the organizer, you must meet the following requirements for the event location if you do not have an exemption permit:

• The place where the livestock exhibition or livestock market is to be held or set up is fenced in such a way that the animals can only be moved through entrances and exits that can be monitored.
• Paths and roads as well as places for loading and unloading livestock transport vehicles must be paved, easy to clean and disinfectable.
• A special area with a liquid-impermeable floor and pressurized water is available for cleaning and disinfecting vehicles.
• The floor of the area slopes down to a drain that is connected to the sewage system or another facility for the disposal of waste water.
• Rooms for the temporary accommodation of livestock have a liquid-impermeable floor and smooth, easy-to-clean and disinfectable walls.
• Accommodation rooms for livestock must be adequately lit.
• Where necessary, the rooms are divided into pens and have tethering facilities.
• There is a special room for isolating infected or suspect animals.
• Facilities for cleaning and disinfecting hands and footwear are available for people working on the drive.
• There is a suitable facility for storing animal by-products.

These farm animals belong to the livestock category:

• Horses, donkeys, mules, hinnies, zebras and zebroids,
• Cattle including bison, bison and water buffalo,
• sheep and goats,
• pigs,
• hares, rabbits,
• ducks, pheasants, geese, chickens, ratites, guinea fowl, partridges, pigeons, turkeys and quails,
• game birds,
• camelids.

24.04.2025

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.