Can I leave my dog in the car for a short while? What is the penalty for abandoning or hitting an animal?
In short
Leaving an animal in a hot car where it is in danger, abandoning it and causing it unnecessary suffering are all forbidden. In all three regions, this can lead to a court penalty and a ban on keeping animals.
Video transcript
A sunny day. You are popping into the shop for five minutes, the dog stays in the car. Not allowed: Putting an animal in danger in a hot car is forbidden. A car heats up within minutes. The right way: Take the dog with you or leave it at home. Never leave it in a hot car. Outcome: Fine: By region, can be high; Prison: Flanders: 8 days – 5 years; Also: Ban on keeping animals.
What is not allowed, what is required?
- Animal welfare is a matter for the regions. In Flanders, the Flemish Animal Welfare Code (Vlaamse Codex Dierenwelzijn, 2024) applies; in Wallonia, the Walloon Animal Welfare Code (Code wallon du Bien-être des animaux, 2018).
- Brussels does not have its own law yet; the Animal Welfare Act of 14 August 1986 applies.
- No one may abandon an animal to get rid of it. Causing an animal unnecessary suffering or causing its death is forbidden.
- Hot cars: the Walloon law explicitly forbids leaving an animal shut in a vehicle in a way that endangers its life. The Brussels police regulation also forbids this.
- If you see an animal in a car and it is an emergency, call the local police (101). Report neglect that is not urgent to your region's animal welfare service online.
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- Flanders: the law sets a fine or administrative fine of 52 € – 100.000 €. Wallonia: 100 € – 1.000.000 € for serious offences. Brussels: the court decides.
Legal basis:Codex Dierenwelzijn, art. 66Codex Dierenwelzijn, art. 70
- Court / prison
- Flanders: 8 days – 5 years in prison. Wallonia: 8 days – 3 years for a category 2 offence, 8 days – 6 months for category 3.
Legal basis:Codex Dierenwelzijn, art. 66C.env. Livre Ier, art. D.178
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- The court can ban you from keeping animals (Flanders: one month – five years, or permanently)
Legal basis:Codex Dierenwelzijn, art. 68, 2°
- The animal can be seized, and you pay for its care
Legal basis:Codex Dierenwelzijn
- In Wallonia, your permit to keep animals can be withdrawn
Legal basis:Code wallon BEA, art. D.6 + C.env. Livre Ier
Why does this rule exist?
Animals are living beings that feel pain and fear. A closed car in the sun can get very hot inside within a few minutes. Abandoned animals go hungry, cause accidents and fill up animal shelters.
Where can you go?
- Regional nature agenciesFlanders: Natuur en Bos · Wallonia: DNF · Brussels: Bruxelles Environnement
- MunicipalityMunicipal forests, animal registration and places for sacrificial slaughter
- Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.
This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses
Source and reliability
Official source- Source check
- 17 / 17 statements in an official source
- Checked: 12.10.2026
- Last checked
- 12.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 17 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
Flandre: Vlaamse Codex Dierenwelzijn van 17 mei 2024, yürürlük 1.1.2025
Decreet over dierenwelzijn, art. 72 / inwerkingtreding - Found in an official source
Valonya: Code wallon du Bien-être des animaux, décret 4.10.2018
Wallex – Décret du 4 octobre 2018 relatif au Code wallon du Bien-être des animaux - Found in an official source
Brüksel'in kendi hayvan refahı kanunu henüz yok (Ekim 2026)
Bruxelles Environnement, haber 19.06.2024 – Deux avancées dans la loi sur le bien-être animal - Found in an official source
Brüksel'de 1986 Kanunu uygulanır
Bruxelles Environnement, 19.06.2024 (Législation: loi du 14 août 1986); ayrıca Chapitre 13 Bien-être animal - Found in an official source
Flandre: kimse hayvanı ondan kurtulmak için terk edemez (md. 15)
Vlaamse Codex Dierenwelzijn, art. 15 §1 - Found in an official source
Flandre: gereksiz ölüm veya refah zararı yasak (md. 6)
Vlaamse Codex Dierenwelzijn, art. 6 - Found in an official source
Valonya: terk yasağı (D.7) ve gereksiz acı 2. kategori ihlal (D.105 §1)
Code wallon BEA, art. D.7 ve D.105 §1, 1° ve 3° - Found in an official source
Valonya: hayatını tehlikeye atacak şekilde araçta kapalı bırakmak 3. kategori ihlal
Code wallon BEA, art. D.105 §2, 36° - Found in an official source
Brüksel RGP: tehlike veya rahatsızlık doğuracak şekilde park halindeki araçta hayvan bırakmak yasak
RGP Bruxelles, art. 112, 2° - Found in an official source
Flandre: acil durumda yerel polis; bildirim yalnız çevrimiçi formla
Vlaanderen – Verwaarloosde of mishandelde dieren melden - Found in an official source
Brüksel: acil durumda doğrudan yerel polis
Bruxelles Environnement – Signalez un animal maltraité - Found in an official source
Flandre md. 66: 8 gün–5 yıl hapis ve 52–100.000 € (12.10.2026 konsolide)
Codex Dierenwelzijn, art. 66 - Found in an official source
Flandre: idari para cezası mümkün (md. 70)
Codex Dierenwelzijn, art. 70 - Found in an official source
Valonya: 2. kategori 8 gün–3 yıl, 100–1.000.000 €; 3. kategori 8 gün–6 ay, 100–100.000 €
C.env. Livre Ier, art. D.178 - Found in an official source
Flandre: mahkeme bir ay–beş yıl veya kalıcı hayvan bulundurma yasağı verebilir (md. 68)
Codex Dierenwelzijn, art. 68, 2° - Found in an official source
Valonya: izin mahkeme veya yaptırım memuru kararıyla geri alınabilir
Code wallon BEA, art. D.6 + C.env. Livre Ier - Found in an official source
El konan hayvanın masrafları sahibinden geri alınır
Codex Dierenwelzijn
The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?