Animal emergency in Switzerland: who can help?

Europäischer Notruf 112

The Europe-wide emergency number, also available in Switzerland. For animal emergencies it's better to call the police (117), the fire brigade (118) or an animal rescue service directly.

Available: 24/7

Feuerwehrnotruf 118

Call the fire brigade for bee swarms or when an animal is stuck – for example a cat that still can't get down from a tree by itself after being coaxed for some time.

Available: 24/7

Polizeinotruf 117

Swiss police for animal emergencies: report a collision with wildlife immediately (mandatory; the police alert the game warden), acute animal cruelty, an animal in an overheated car or stray animals.

Available: 24/7

Sanitätsnotruf 144 (nur für Menschen)

Ambulance service for people, not animals – for example after an allergic reaction to a bee or wasp sting. For injured animals, call an animal rescue service or a vet.

Available: 24/7

GTRD Grosstier-Rettungsdienst

Rescue service for large animals such as horses and cattle in Switzerland and Liechtenstein: recoveries, evacuations and emergency transport, working with vets and fire brigades.

Schützenhausstrasse 56, 8424 Embrach

Available: 24/7

Stiftung Tierrettungsdienst (TRD) – Tiernotruf

Free animal emergency line for all of Switzerland: rescue teams recover injured or ownerless pets and wildlife and take them to a vet. Includes the Pfötli animal shelter in Winkel ZH.

Lufingerstrasse 1, 8185 Winkel

Available: 24/7, 365 days a year

Animal Rescue Tierrettung (SH/TG)

Non-profit animal rescue for the cantons of Schaffhausen and Thurgau: recovery and transport of injured animals. Reports by phone only; withheld numbers not accepted.

Available: 24/7

Tierambulanz Schweiz

Non-profit association with its operations centre in Dietikon ZH: rescues injured pets and wildlife, gives first aid and transports them to a vet. No WhatsApp.

Available: 24/7

GST – Tierarzt-Finder (Praxissuche)

Directory of the Swiss vets' association GST (Gesellschaft Schweizer Tierärztinnen und Tierärzte): find practices across Switzerland by location, species and speciality. In an emergency, call your own vet first.

Brückfeldstrasse 18, 3012 Bern

Notfalldienst Basler Tierärzte (KNBU)

Small-animal emergency service for Basel and surroundings, run by regional vets. Round the clock, CHF 1.90/min; from 6pm calls are forwarded to VetTrust Tierklinik Basel.

Available: 24/7

Kleintierklinik Vetsuisse Bern – Notfall

Small animal clinic of the University of Bern (Vetsuisse): 24/7 emergency service on 0900 900 960 (CHF 1.50/min from a landline). Weekdays 8am–5pm: 031 684 23 15.

Länggassstrasse 128, 3001 Bern

Available: 24/7; Mon–Fri 8am–5pm also 031 684 23 15

OVT – Veterinario di picchetto Ticino

On-call service (picchetto) of Ticino's vets' association OVT: puts you through to the duty vet round the clock (CHF 3/min). Try your own practice first.

Available: 24/7

Tierspital Zürich – Notfall Kleintiere

Zurich's university animal hospital (Tierspital): 24-hour emergency service 365 days a year for dogs, cats, rodents, birds and reptiles. Please call ahead.

Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zürich

Available: 24/7, 365 days a year

Tierspital Zürich – Notfall Pferde und Nutztiere

Tierspital Zurich's round-the-clock emergency service for horses. For farm animals, use 044 635 81 11. Please phone ahead.

Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zürich

Available: 24/7, 365 days a year

Tox Info Suisse – Notruf 145

Switzerland's poisons information centre: advises pet owners round the clock on poisoning risk and simple first-aid measures. Treatment itself is provided by the vet practice.

Freiestrasse 16, 8032 Zürich

Available: 24/7 (from abroad +41 44 251 51 51)

Kantonale Veterinärämter – Verzeichnis

In Switzerland, animal welfare is a cantonal matter: report violations to the veterinary office (Veterinäramt) of the canton where the animals are kept. All offices are listed here.

Veterinärdienst Kanton Aargau

Cantonal enforcement office for animal welfare in Aargau. Reports by form, email or post, not anonymous. In urgent cases outside office hours: police 117.

Mönchmattweg 6, 5035 Unterentfelden

Available: Mon–Fri 8am–12pm, 1.30pm–5pm

Veterinäramt Basel-Stadt

Cantonal authority for animal welfare, animal health and dog matters in Basel-Stadt. This is where to report breaches of the Animal Welfare Act in the canton.

Schlachthofstrasse 55, 4056 Basel

Available: Mon–Fri 8am–11.30am, 1.30pm–4pm

Amt für Veterinärwesen Kanton Bern (AVET)

Cantonal animal welfare authority for Bern: welfare cases can be reported via an online form; the office inspects animal keeping and orders measures.

Herrengasse 1, 3000 Bern 8

Service de la consommation et des affaires vétérinaires (SCAV) Genève

Cantonal veterinary authority in Geneva, responsible for animal welfare and veterinary matters. Reachable by phone on weekday mornings.

Quai Ernest-Ansermet 22, 1205 Genève

Available: Mon–Fri 9am–12pm

Veterinärdienst Kanton Luzern

The authority responsible for animal welfare and animal health in the canton of Lucerne. Reports by phone or email; appointments by prior arrangement only.

Meyerstrasse 20, 6002 Luzern

Available: Mon–Fri 8am–12pm, 1.30pm–5pm

Amt für Verbraucherschutz und Veterinärwesen St. Gallen

Cantonal animal welfare authority in St. Gallen: reviews reports about animal keeping and welfare violations and orders measures.

Blarerstrasse 2, 9001 St. Gallen

Available: Mon–Thu 8am–11.30am, 2pm–5pm; Fri until 4pm

Ufficio del veterinario cantonale Ticino (UVC)

Cantonal veterinary authority in Ticino: responsible for animal welfare, animal diseases and wildlife; takes welfare reports and is the reporting office for found animals.

Via Dogana 16, 6501 Bellinzona

Direction des affaires vétérinaires et de l'inspectorat (Vaud)

Cantonal veterinary authority of Vaud: responsible for animal welfare, dog matters and reports of animal mistreatment in the canton.

Chemin du Marquisat 1, 1025 St-Sulpice

Veterinäramt Kanton Zürich

Zurich's cantonal veterinary office accepts animal welfare reports via an online form (not anonymous). In emergencies such as welfare cases or suspected epidemics, also reachable out of hours.

Waltersbachstrasse 5, 8090 Zürich

Available: Mon–Fri 8.30am–12pm, 1.30pm–5pm; emergencies 24 hrs

AMICUS – Hundedatenbank der Schweiz

Switzerland's national database in which all dogs are registered. Vets, shelters or the police read a found dog's chip and can then trace its owner.

ANIS – Heimtierdatenbank

Swiss database for microchipped pets, mainly cats (dogs are registered with AMICUS). Enables quick identification after accidents or when animals go missing.

Kantonale Meldestellen für Findeltiere

Anyone who finds an animal must report it. The STMZ overview shows the official reporting office for each canton, such as the STMZ, the veterinary office or an animal welfare society.

STMZ Schweizerische Tiermeldezentrale

National reporting centre for found and missing animals, fulfilling the legal duty to report finds. Found animals: 0848 357 358 (standard rate); missing animals: 0900 357 358.

Milchbrunnenstrasse 3, 6370 Stans

Available: 24/7, 365 days a year

Tierfundbüro der Stiftung TBB

The TBB foundation's lost-and-found animal office is the official reporting office for found animals in Basel-Landschaft and helps with missing and found animals in the Basel region.

Birsfelderstrasse 45, 4052 Basel

Available: Mon–Sat 8am–12pm, 1.30pm–4pm (by phone)

Meldestelle für Findeltiere Kanton Zürich

Official found-animal reporting office at Zurich's veterinary office (reporting required under Art. 720a of the Swiss Civil Code, ZGB). Reporting online via the STMZ is free.

Waltersbachstrasse 5, 8090 Zürich

Available: Mon–Fri 10am–12pm

Fledermaus-Nottelefon (Stiftung Fledermausschutz)

Switzerland-wide emergency line for injured, weakened or disoriented bats, round the clock. Calls only – no SMS or WhatsApp.

Zürichbergstrasse 221, 8044 Zürich

Available: 24/7

Stiftung Wildstation Landshut

Care centre in Utzenstorf BE for injured, sick or orphaned protected native wildlife, with the aim of releasing them. Call before bringing an animal in.

Schlossstrasse 21, 3427 Utzenstorf

Available: Daily 8am–12pm, 1.30pm–5pm

Schweizerische Vogelwarte Sempach

First port of call for found, injured or young wild birds: refers you to around 60 care stations across Switzerland. Weekend emergencies: 041 462 99 99.

Seerose 1, 6204 Sempach

Available: Mon–Fri 8am–12pm, 1.30pm–5pm; Sat/Sun/public holidays 9am–12pm, 1.30pm–5pm on 041 462 99 99

Fischerei- und Jagdverwaltung Kanton Zürich

Cantonal office for wildlife and hunting in Zurich. After a collision with wildlife or if you find an injured wild animal, call the police on 117 first – they alert the game warden.

Eschikon 28, 8315 Lindau

Greifvogelstation Berg am Irchel

The PanEco foundation's station in Berg am Irchel for injured birds of prey and owls. Cover the bird with a cloth, place it in a cardboard box and call before bringing it in.

Chileweg 5, 8415 Berg am Irchel

Igelzentrum Zürich

Non-profit association in Zurich that treats sick and injured hedgehogs free of charge and gives advice by phone. Only bring a hedgehog in after calling or emailing.

Hagenholzstrasse 108b, 8050 Zürich

Available: Mon–Fri 4pm–6pm (phone)

Wildvogel-Pflegestation Voliere Zürich

Care station at Mythenquai in Zurich for wild birds that are sick, injured or have fallen from the nest, staffed daily; outside drop-off hours there are bird post boxes.

Mythenquai 1, 8002 Zürich

Available: Daily 10am–12pm, 2pm–4pm