I said I would save this subject for a later date...and that day has come. Let's talk pets, shall we? I have some advice for those who are thinking of relocating to China...don't own a pet. That is, by far, the easiest plan to have. However, if you're like my family and already own a beloved pet which you cannot possibly begin to think of separating from...well then, you have a problem. A big one. I think China has got to be one of the hardest countries to relocate an animal - on purpose!! They don't want your pet and they make that clear by all the red tape you have to sort through prior to moving over there! Below, I have tried to list the procedural details I have gone through THUS FAR.
1) We're moving to China! Ok! Of course we will be moving with our pet! He's part of our family! First, I call a few pet relocation companies I found online to get quotes. $4400??!! $5200??!! $6800??!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAAAT!!!??? No way! He can just fly over with us!!
2) I get some advice from a reputable pet relocation company that I feel comfortable with on how to do this by ourselves. It doesn't sound easy...but it's not impossible, right?? Since we are flying directly into Shanghai, I find out that there is a 7-day quarantine with a 23-day home quarantine IF all the proper paperwork is filled outprior to departure. I'm told by my local vet and the pet relo company that if the documents are not exactly right, there is nothing to stop the Chinese government from killing our dog. They are not usually prone to sending an animal back to it's original country out of kindness. This COULD be a rumor...but why chance it?! So, let's get those documents!
3) I'm told...You need some permits by both the US and the Chinese government. You will also need a USDA accredited vet to inspect your dog within 10 days of departure to China. Then you need to send the official Health Certificate to the USDA office, have it stamped and get it sent back to you all before your family leaves for China. All this, along with the appropriate vaccinations before and within 30 days of leaving. Uh...ok...?
4) I get my dog a "physical" with our trusted local vet who happens to be USDA accredited - GREAT!! However, after explaining what we'll need from him and where we are moving, he obtains an "official" transcript from the USDA office on the proper procedures from him and from us. He explains a whole new list of items, hoops and barrels we'll have to jump through prior to leaving the country. What!? One of the items listed is a 30-day quarantine in the HOME country prior to departure and there are only a few facilities, in a few cities that offer this service. Which, by the way, adds additional costs galore!
5) After reviewing the list carefully, I find that the wording is obscure. The way I read it, the 30-day quarantine applies to breeders or some such people that have a long list of professional protocol to transport animals across the world. In fact, there is a separate paragraph addressing this issue, indicating that "normal" people have to only follow certain item numbers. However, my vet informs me he has to strictly abide by the document or it could cost him his license. Well, that doesn't sound good. And neither does having my dog put to sleep because I just couldn't get to the bottom of it all. So, I ask my vet to double check with the USDA office and talk to a person about it. He does, and the USDA office says that the procedures listed on the document are correct. Ok...yes, well, I got that. The document is correct but still vague about WHO needs to abide by the 30 day quarantine. UGH!
6) The pet relo company I had been talking to insists that they do this all the time and the vet doesn't truly understand the document. UGH!
7) Microchips. Yes, you're pet will need one. My dog already has one, but, as it turns out, he has the wrong one. Of course. Most of the WORLD reads the frequency of the Home Again chip. Parts of China, however, ONLY read from an Avid chip. So, ultimately, my dog will be double chipped, double vaccinated for Rabies, etc.
So, where does this leave me?? Confused and unsure - thoroughly! Let's not forget that the responsibility of having my beloved pet SAFELY transported to Shanghai hangs in the balance and I still don't know how to proceed. Is this a conspiracy?? Who is working with who? Hmmm...
My ULTIMATE advice: Hire a knowledgable and reputable pet relocation company.
That's all folks!
PS - I looked online and found a company who specializes in products for moving pets around the world. They had, available for purchase, documents and a list of items and procedures they would send to you if you wanted to do this all on your own. They had several countries you could choose from and of course, I pay to have them send me all I need to know about relocating my pet to China. When I received the bundle of paperwork and documents...in BIG RED INK...they have printed "When moving to China, use a pet relocation company." Good thing I didn't pay a lot for this packet...
1) We're moving to China! Ok! Of course we will be moving with our pet! He's part of our family! First, I call a few pet relocation companies I found online to get quotes. $4400??!! $5200??!! $6800??!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAAAT!!!??? No way! He can just fly over with us!!
2) I get some advice from a reputable pet relocation company that I feel comfortable with on how to do this by ourselves. It doesn't sound easy...but it's not impossible, right?? Since we are flying directly into Shanghai, I find out that there is a 7-day quarantine with a 23-day home quarantine IF all the proper paperwork is filled outprior to departure. I'm told by my local vet and the pet relo company that if the documents are not exactly right, there is nothing to stop the Chinese government from killing our dog. They are not usually prone to sending an animal back to it's original country out of kindness. This COULD be a rumor...but why chance it?! So, let's get those documents!
3) I'm told...You need some permits by both the US and the Chinese government. You will also need a USDA accredited vet to inspect your dog within 10 days of departure to China. Then you need to send the official Health Certificate to the USDA office, have it stamped and get it sent back to you all before your family leaves for China. All this, along with the appropriate vaccinations before and within 30 days of leaving. Uh...ok...?
4) I get my dog a "physical" with our trusted local vet who happens to be USDA accredited - GREAT!! However, after explaining what we'll need from him and where we are moving, he obtains an "official" transcript from the USDA office on the proper procedures from him and from us. He explains a whole new list of items, hoops and barrels we'll have to jump through prior to leaving the country. What!? One of the items listed is a 30-day quarantine in the HOME country prior to departure and there are only a few facilities, in a few cities that offer this service. Which, by the way, adds additional costs galore!
5) After reviewing the list carefully, I find that the wording is obscure. The way I read it, the 30-day quarantine applies to breeders or some such people that have a long list of professional protocol to transport animals across the world. In fact, there is a separate paragraph addressing this issue, indicating that "normal" people have to only follow certain item numbers. However, my vet informs me he has to strictly abide by the document or it could cost him his license. Well, that doesn't sound good. And neither does having my dog put to sleep because I just couldn't get to the bottom of it all. So, I ask my vet to double check with the USDA office and talk to a person about it. He does, and the USDA office says that the procedures listed on the document are correct. Ok...yes, well, I got that. The document is correct but still vague about WHO needs to abide by the 30 day quarantine. UGH!
6) The pet relo company I had been talking to insists that they do this all the time and the vet doesn't truly understand the document. UGH!
7) Microchips. Yes, you're pet will need one. My dog already has one, but, as it turns out, he has the wrong one. Of course. Most of the WORLD reads the frequency of the Home Again chip. Parts of China, however, ONLY read from an Avid chip. So, ultimately, my dog will be double chipped, double vaccinated for Rabies, etc.
So, where does this leave me?? Confused and unsure - thoroughly! Let's not forget that the responsibility of having my beloved pet SAFELY transported to Shanghai hangs in the balance and I still don't know how to proceed. Is this a conspiracy?? Who is working with who? Hmmm...
My ULTIMATE advice: Hire a knowledgable and reputable pet relocation company.
That's all folks!
PS - I looked online and found a company who specializes in products for moving pets around the world. They had, available for purchase, documents and a list of items and procedures they would send to you if you wanted to do this all on your own. They had several countries you could choose from and of course, I pay to have them send me all I need to know about relocating my pet to China. When I received the bundle of paperwork and documents...in BIG RED INK...they have printed "When moving to China, use a pet relocation company." Good thing I didn't pay a lot for this packet...
No comments:
Post a Comment