Authorities Warn Against Buying Puppies in Eastern Europe

The State Research Institute strongly warns against purchasing puppies from Eastern Europe. According to a report by the agency, investigations in recent years have shown that the animals often carry pathogens. These include salmonella, parvovirus, parasites, and tapeworms. Rabies cannot be ruled out either, as a case in Rhineland-Palatinate at the end of 2025 demonstrated. 

Rabies Case Makes Waves All the Way to Saxony

The case involved a dog that had been brought there from Russia via an animal welfare organization. Germany is considered free of classical rabies. 

The case also caused a stir in Saxony. This is because the group transport included other dogs, three of which found new homes in the Free State of Saxony. They were examined by an official veterinarian and placed under official observation, the Ministry of Health reported in response to a dpa inquiry. However, laboratory tests on these animals showed they were sufficiently protected, allowing the measures to be lifted.

Authorities: Dog Smuggling Causes Significant Animal Suffering

According to authorities, commercial puppy breeding operations in Eastern Europe have been a growing problem for years. There, the dogs are often kept under appalling hygienic conditions that cause significant animal suffering. It is reported that dogs from illegal transports are repeatedly intercepted in this country at the borders with Poland and the Czech Republic. The districts of Görlitz and Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains are particularly affected. “These are often young animals of smaller dog breeds that are currently in high demand.” These include, for example, Chihuahuas, Spitz and Miniature Spitz mixes, as well as Maltese. 

Neither the Ministry of the Interior nor the State Forensic Institute (LUA) could provide figures on how many smuggled dogs have been seized during inspections in recent years. The Ministry of the Interior states that this is not tracked statistically. The LUA states that such animals are examined there only in individual cases and on a case-by-case basis—for example, if they have died. Between 2020 and 2025, autopsies were performed on 23 smuggled animals. 

Dog from Bulgaria Dies from Heartworms

Among them was a dog from Bulgaria in April 2025. According to reports, the dog had been confiscated at the border due to incomplete paperwork and a lack of rabies vaccination. It later died from bloody vomiting and diarrhea despite treatment at a veterinary clinic. A postmortem revealed that the cause of death was a severe heartworm infestation. 

Experts at the LUA emphasize that purchasing puppies from abroad is not recommended, both for animal welfare reasons and due to the risk of infection for humans and animals. Furthermore, purchasing such animals could result in high follow-up costs for the owners.