SO

Dog Ownership Guide

Solothurn

Training Required

since 01.08.2007

Breed ban (8 breeds)8
Dog taxCHF 157

The canton of Solothurn regulates dog ownership in the Dog Act (HuG; BGS 614.71, in force since 1 August 2007, last revised on 1 January 2026) and the implementing ordinance (HuV; BGS 614.72). The revision of 1 January 2026 brought major innovations: a character assessment was introduced as an alternative to the FCI pedigree, and newly arrived owners now receive a temporary permit. For all other dog owners there is no cantonal obligation.

HuG SO (BGS 614.71) · In force since 1 August 2007 / Revision 1 January 2026

Permit required for 7 purebreds — crossbreeds and Pit Bulls banned

The Solothurn Dog Act (§ 4 HuG) requires a keeping permit for 8 breed types and their crossbreeds. In practice, however, an important restriction exists: according to the Veterinary Service Solothurn fact sheet, only purebred dogs with an FCI-recognised pedigree can be permitted. Crossbreeds as well as American Pit Bull Terrier (not an FCI breed) and American Bully (defined in AMICUS as an AmStaff crossbreed) are therefore generally not permittable and may not be kept in the canton. The revision of 1.1.2026 expanded § 4 para. 3 HuG: a character assessment by a recognised specialist after the end of adolescence can now also be accepted as an alternative to a pedigree. In addition, a new transitional provision (§ 4 para. 3bis HuG) protects newly arrived owners with a foreign permit.

🚫 Not permittable = keeping ban

American Pit Bull Terrier, American Bully and all crossbreeds of the 8 listed breeds CANNOT be kept in the canton of Solothurn — no permit can be granted. Purebred dogs of listed breeds absolutely require an FCI-recognised pedigree or (since 1.1.2026) a passed character assessment. The permit must be obtained before acquiring the dog (§ 4 para. 2 HuG).

Ownership & legal obligations

What every dog owner in the canton of Solothurn needs to know

Obligations arise from the HuG (BGS 614.71), the HuV (BGS 614.72) and the federal Animal Protection Ordinance (TSchV, SR 455.1). For permit-required dogs, §§ 3–6 HuV additionally apply.

ObligationDeadline / Details
Registration with municipality + AMICUSDog over 3 months to be registered with municipality with microchip number; registration in AMICUS (§ 7 para. 1 HuG; § 8 HuG)
Liability insurance (mandatory)Must be proven at registration; covers liability of owner AND supervising person (§ 7 para. 2; § 10 HuG)
Dog taxCHF 35.– to the canton + CHF 50–200.– to the municipality, levied on 1 April (§ 11 HuG; § 14 para. 3 HuG). Exempt: service dogs (army/police/BAZG), assistance dogs, shelters (§ 12 HuG)
Supervision and leash obligationDogs always under control (§ 3 para. 1 HuG). Leash required in forest 1 April–31 July (§ 4 para. 1 lit. a no. 1 HuV as of 2018). Listed dogs in public as single dog on lead (§ 3 para. 2 HuG)
Keeping permit for list dogs (before acquisition!)Must be applied for at the Veterinary Service at least 3 weeks before acquisition; documents: criminal record extract, liability proof, FCI pedigree or (from 2026) passed character assessment, proof of dog experience (AMICUS registration ≥ 1 year or dog taxes; § 4 paras. 2–3 HuG; VetD SO fact sheet)
Training requirement list dogsThe content and extent of training is set by the Veterinary Service on a case-by-case basis as a permit condition (§ 4 para. 4 HuG). No standardised cantonal course regulations as in AG or TG.
Notification obligation for bite incidents and behavioural issuesVets, police officers and dog trainers report incidents with increased aggression to the Veterinary Service; doctors report bite incidents (§ 6 HuG)
Protection training — notification obligationStart of protection training must be reported to the Veterinary Service SO using the form (Art. 74 para. 5 TSchV; notification form VetD SO). Only permitted for service dogs and BLV-recognised sport protection organisations.

Tax exemptions (§ 12 HuG)

Exempt from the dog tax are owners of: dogs under 3 months, service dogs (army, police, BAZG), assistance dogs and dogs for which tax has already been paid in another Solothurn municipality or another canton. Animal shelters and veterinary clinics are also exempt (§ 12 para. 2 HuG). Rescue dogs and tracking dogs are not explicitly exempt in Solothurn, unlike in other cantons.

⚠️ List dog without permit — immediate measures

List dogs without a permit are seized as a precaution at the owner's expense by the Veterinary Service until a decision is reached (§ 3 para. 2 HuV). If requirements are not met, the permit is refused or revoked, the dog rehomed or, if appropriate, euthanised (§ 3 para. 3 HuV). The permit must be obtained before acquisition.

Permit-required breeds & keeping ban

7 permittable purebred types — and who is still banned

Solothurn distinguishes strictly between permit-required (but allowed) purebred types and generally prohibited dogs. Only 7 breed types can be permitted with an FCI pedigree. Everything else is prohibited (§ 3 HuV; VetD SO fact sheet).

✅

Permit-required purebred types (FCI)

Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Rottweiler, Dobermann, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro — ONLY with FCI pedigree (or from 2026 passed character test)

🚫

American Pit Bull Terrier

Not an FCI-recognised breed → generally NOT permittable → keeping ban in the canton of Solothurn (§ 3 HuV; VetD SO fact sheet)

🚫

American Bully

Defined in AMICUS as a crossbreed of the American Staffordshire Terrier; not an FCI breed → NOT permittable → keeping ban (VetD SO fact sheet)

🚫

All crossbreeds of the 8 listed types

Crossbreeds cannot be permitted with FCI papers → generally NOT keepable in the canton. In case of doubt, the Cantonal Veterinarian decides (§ 3 para. 1 last sentence HuV; VetD SO fact sheet)

🔴 New from 1.1.2026: character assessment as alternative

Since 1 January 2026, the permit for one of the 7 purebred types can also be granted without an FCI pedigree if the dog has passed a character assessment by a recognised specialist after the end of adolescence (§ 4 para. 3 lit. b no. 2 HuG). This eases the situation for dogs from abroad or from poorly documented breeding. Crossbreeds remain non-permittable nonetheless.

Requirements for the keeping permit (§ 4 para. 3 HuG)

The keeping permit is granted if: (a) the applicant is of legal age, proves the required knowledge of dog ownership (AMICUS registration ≥ 1 year or dog taxes) and has an unblemished criminal record; and (b) the dog has an FCI-recognised pedigree OR (from 2026) has passed a character assessment after the end of adolescence. Out-of-canton permits are recognised provided the dog has not shown any problems so far (§ 4 para. 3bis HuG). Submit the application at least 3 weeks before acquisition.

FAQ

Do I need to attend a course as a regular dog owner in Solothurn?+

No — the canton of Solothurn has no general course obligation. However, a course may be ordered by the Veterinary Service or district office if a dog has been flagged or a danger exists (§ 5 para. 2 lit. e HuG).

Which dogs are banned in Solothurn?+

American Pit Bull Terrier, American Bully and all crossbreeds of the 8 listed types (Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, AmStaff, American Pit Bull Terrier, Rottweiler, Dobermann, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro) may not be kept — they are not permittable. The 7 FCI-recognised purebred types (excluding American Pit Bull Terrier) may be kept with a permit.

I am moving with my permitted list dog from another canton to Solothurn — what do I need to do?+

Since 1.1.2026, foreign permits are recognised provided the dog has had no issues to date (§ 4 para. 3bis HuG). If the dog has not yet reached adolescence and no permit can be presented, the Veterinary Service issues a temporary permit. In all other cases, the regular permit requirements apply.

How much is the dog tax in Solothurn?+

CHF 35.– goes to the canton plus CHF 50–200.– depending on the municipality, collected on the reference date of 1 April (§ 11 paras. 1–2 HuG). Typical total is around CHF 120–235.–. Exempt: service dogs, assistance dogs and dogs in shelters/clinics.

Is there a leash obligation in forests?+

Yes — in forests there is a general leash obligation for all dogs from 1 April to 31 July (§ 4 para. 1 lit. a no. 1 HuV). Additionally, municipalities or the Veterinary Service may order a leash requirement for individual dogs (§ 4 para. 1 lit. b HuV). List dogs must be kept on a lead as a single dog throughout all public space (§ 3 para. 2 HuG).

Can I practice protection work with my dog?+

Protection training is only permitted for service dogs and dogs in BLV-recognised protection sport organisations (Art. 74 para. 5 TSchV). You must notify the Solothurn Veterinary Service of the start of training using the official notification form.

What happens in the event of a bite incident?+

Doctors are required to report bite incidents to the Veterinary Service. Vets, police officers and dog trainers report incidents with increased aggression (§ 6 HuG). The Veterinary Service investigates and may order measures — from a leash requirement through a dog course to euthanasia (§ 5 HuG).