Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The city of Antwerp launched a free pet pass. Jeanne-Marie Van de Vliet and her daughter Nirina Rafidison were the 1st to register their dog Cappuccino for emergency care.
As VRT News reported, the city of Antwerp has launched a free pet pass for residents. The pass allows pet owners to record their contact information, details about their animal, and the contact information of a trusted person who can take care of the pet in case of an emergency.
What is the new pet pass launched in Antwerp, and how does it work?
Antwerp officials encourage all pet owners to register for the pass and assign a responsible caretaker.
“In unforeseen circumstances or acute situations, this information card can be particularly useful and even make a big difference for the pet and its owner,”
says Alderman for Animal Welfare Stin De Rooster (N-VA).
The city of Antwerp has launched a pet pass to protect animals when their owners are suddenly unable to care for them.
“It is nice to know that our dog Cappuccino can go to someone we appoint and trust if something were to happen to us,”
said Jeanne-Marie Van de Vliet and Nirina Raidison
Jeanne-Marie Van de Vliet and her daughter Nirina Rafidison, who care for their dog Cappuccino, were the 1st to receive the new pet pass. Residents can apply online starting today, Nov 26, 2026, or visit any city counter from December 8, 2025.
“We think it’s a great initiative. It’s comforting to know that if anything were to happen to us, we know Cappuccino can be cared for by someone we recommend and trust,”
Jeanne-Marie Van de Vliet said.
“So far so good, but anything can always happen. The pet card will always be in our wallet next to our ID card.”
In Belgium, the 1st national regulations on pets were introduced in 1998; at that time, it became a state law that all dogs must be microchipped and registered. Since that time, in 2004, the government began issuing “European Pet Passports”, which allow for the easy movement of pets throughout all EU member states; this also allows for the electronic verification of vaccinations. In 2025, Ostend was the first city to implement the ‘Pet Pass’ program; however, all other cities and counties in Belgium have also started this same program to assist their residents.
