All holders of dogs have to register their dogs in the dog registry and make necessary notifications such as changes of keepership.
Dogs in the possession of companies and associations can be registered in the Food Agency's dog register using the business-ID.
Provisions on the identification and registration of dogs are laid down in Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Decree 68/2022. The decree lays down provisions on the identification of dogs and the deadlines for the identification of dogs, the identification certificate and its contents, entry in the Dog Registry and notification of changes to register data, as well as the qualifications of the person who has set the microchip. The Dog Registry is an official register, in which the information referred to in section 5 of the Decree is stored. The official register does not store dog pedigree data or other information related to hobby activities.
According to the Decree, a dog born in Finland after 1 January 2023 must be chipped and reported to the register no later than 3 months after birth. If a dog is handed over to a new keeper before the age of 3 months, the dog must be chipped and reported to the register before it is handed over. Dogs born before 1 January 2023 must be chipped and reported to the register by no later than 31 December 2023. The notification for entry in the register is to be submitted to the Finnish Food Authority (hereinafter FFA) or a party authorised by it.
A dog arriving in Finland from another country for a permanent stay must be chipped and reported to the register in Finland within four weeks of arrival or before the dog is handed over to a new keeper if the change in keepership takes place before the four week deadline. A dog temporarily staying in Finland for more than three months must also be reported to the register within the corresponding time limit.
The dog keeper is responsible for obtaining identification for the dog (chipping and identification certificate) from a private actor (veterinarian or other person competent to set a microchip), in which case the price for this service is set in accordance with the prevailing market rate. Entering an identification certificate in the register is an official activity whose costs are determined in accordance with the selected method of identification. These are regulated by Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry decree.
Frequently asked questions about the function of the Dog Registry, the identification and registration of dogs and its monitoring can be found on the website: Frequently asked questions about the Dog Registry