Moving Pets to Hong Kong

Name: Cecilia
Number of Pets: 5
Pet Type: Cats
Pet Breed: One British Short Hair, One Persian, Three Domestic Short Hair
From: Hong Kong
To: Bangkok, Thailand

 

Is there a quarantine for Thailand? Can my pets travel on the same aircraft as me?

Thanks,

Cecelia

 

Hello Cecelia,

 

Here are the pet import requirements for Thailand (and you can also find more info here). If all requirements are met there shouldn't be a quarantine.

As far as air travel, we recommend choosing a pet-friendly airline and in that case it's not necessary to travel on the same flight. You may end up hiring someone to help with your cats' passage, but just know that it's typical for pet owners to take separate flights.

Please contact us if you'd like a free quote or if you have any more questions. We'd be happy to assist you with your upcoming pet move!

 

Name: Katie
Company: Mars / Wrigley
Pet's Name: Buddy
From: Houston
To: Hong Kong
 

We were already in Hong Kong, so my mother and PetRelocation.com had to handle all the logistics of Buddy's move. We hit some bumps in the road (with a not-so-great vet), but Rebecca at PetRelocation.com was amazing and handled it all with positivity and a smile.

By the time Buddy arrived at our apartment in Hong Kong, he was over his travel jitters, tail wagging and happy to see me. The people who dropped him off were so nice, and Buddy seemed very comfortable with them.

All in all this was a very good experience. It was SO nice to not have to do this ourselves (the paperwork alone is daunting!) and Buddy is safe and sound in his new home. (The photo below is from the moment he arrived :)

Name: PC
Pets' Names: Jaja and Leia
From: San Jose, Costa Rica
To: London, UK


Jaja and Leia are sisters, both 10 years old, and of mixed shepherd dog breed originally from Turkey, the first country I lived in overseas with my husband. My husband brought them home when they were pups on the day they were about to be taken away from his factory grounds by the local municipal who were rounding up strays.

Since then, they've moved with us to Honduras, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Costa Rica and now UK! Though they're seasoned travelers, we still dread the day when we have to pull out the carton boxes for packing.....the reckoning of what's coming and the resigned look in their eyes says it all.

The difference with this move is for the very first time, we're using the service of a door-to-door pet agent. For every single relocation in the past, I've personally handled all related paperwork, from the vaccinations to the relevant country's import and export documents, using agents only for certain route of the journey. The reason why we used PetRelocation.com this time was due to the trauma my husband and I experienced at Los Angeles airport when we had to fly with the doggies from Bangladesh to Costa Rica.

We were patting each other on the back after our first two flights went without a hitch, from Bangladesh to Hong Kong (overnight to rest the doggies), and then from Hong Kong to Los Angeles. During our last leg from Los Angeles to Costa Rica whilst we were on board, no one would tell us if our doggies were in the hold! After threatening to walk out of the plane, they finally told us that the doggies are still on the ground and have not been loaded due to missing paperwork! The airline then had to reopen the cabin door, remove our luggage and we then made a few frantic calls to try and retrieve our doggies from the cargo building. This all happened at 2 a.m. at the Los Angeles airport, us standing at the airport with two large dogs and crates, four suitcases, no taxis and no one in sight! To cut the long story short, after finding a taxi kind enough to accept the doggies we then hopped from hotel to hotel to search for a pet-friendly hotel. The following day was equally stressful because then we had to rebook all our flights and cargo space for the girls!

When we heard we were relocating to UK and knowing the quarantine laws have changed effective Jan 1, 2012, we both decided that we definitely cannot afford to have a repeat of our last experience and we wanted to make sure that everything goes smoothly this time. Not even the snow at Heathrow airport posed a problem....just unbelievable!

The girls went on their first walk in the woods today. We're introducing them to their walks slowly to acclimate them to the freezing weather in UK now. How I wished I could've read their mind when they saw snow since the last time they saw snow was almost 10 years ago in Turkey.

Everyone involved from Costa Rica to Houston to London were wonderfully attentive and professional. It makes such a huge difference not to worry about the "what ifs"! We'd like to thank Andreas and Dr Jose in Costa Rica and Jayne in London, and last but not least dear Ashley and Sarah. Your prompt replies by email and more importantly how you never hesitated to pick up the phone to call really makes all the difference. Thank you for bringing our girls home safe and sound.

Name: Linda
Company: US Department of State
Pets' Names: Snowy and Sheila
From: Arlington, Virginia
To: Hong Kong



My name is Linda and I am a traveling spouse with the US State Department. We are a traveling family and we take our senior dogs, Snowy (13) and Sheila (14), everywhere we go - no matter the country. I am fully aware of the details of shipping our pets, as I had prepared all the paperwork, vaccinations, etc. for shipping, as excess baggage, our two large dogs to Chennai, India and back.

However our next post, Hong Kong, proved to be more than I could handle alone. The regulations are much stricter and our dogs would have to be cargo shipped -- something I was not prepared to handle by myself. I had read information from other people, blogs and ex-pat communities and all of them advised using a pet shipping company.

I chose PetRelocation.com and I must say it was a great choice! I worked with Jon, who informed me every step of the way of all the details, vaccinations, paperwork and items I had to prepare. He calmed my nerves when at the last moment our chosen airline decided to cease processing pets on the weekends. He rejoiced with me when the airlines said yes to arranging a shot of insulin for my diabetic dog, Snowy, on the Frankfurt stopover. He was thorough and informative and did not seem to mind my long emails and phone calls with many many questions.

Yes, pet shipping can be expensive, but just look at all the information that must be acquired, the phone calls, agents to arrange, pet pick up, pet drop off, USDA certifications, etc... PetRelocation.com agents are pros at all of this, and it was wonderful! I highly recommend them!

We are now in Hong Kong (see picture) and Sheila loves looking out at the city, while Snowy just sleeps the day away. Thanks again, PetRelocation.com, for all your help. You made a difficult task easy!!!

Name: Nicole & Douglas
Pets Names: Isis & Caesar
To: Hong Kong

Hello Sarah. It has now been a full month since Isis (our 3-year-old Bull Mastiff) & Caesar (our 5-year-old Boston Terrier) joined my husband and I in Hong Kong. We are quickly getting settled and are excited to explore more of Hong Kong and Asia.

We are so very late with this note, so please accept our apologies. I personally just can't sleep another night without passing along our utmost gratitude to you and PetRelocation.com.

As you know, we don't have human children and Isis & Caesar ARE OUR CHILDREN. When the opportunity to move abroad was presented to us, our #1 and ONLY concern was the health, well-being and safety of our two fur kids. Everything else was just not as important. They were the only concern that had us teetering on whether to accept or not; especially given their breeds and airline restrictions. From day one, in speaking with you and your colleagues, I was immediately put at ease on the handling, preparation, safety and overall process. You comforted me and ensured me that this was your passion with a stellar track record in reuniting fur kids with their human families in their new home.

The experience from Day One was phenomenal. The attention we received from you, your availability for questions and concerns, and status updates made the whole process less stressful for all. Without your attention to detail, knowledge of the rules and regulations, we would not have been able to do this alone. We so appreciated the planning, education and numerous telephone and e-mail communications. On our last vet visit in the US, you were there by the phone ensuring that all the i's were dotted and t's were crossed. Thank you so very much!

Sue (the woman who picked up the dogs in SFO) was wonderful, compassionate, professional and kind. Despite my tears as they pulled away in the van, I had an overall sense of trust and faith that they would be handled perfectly. The Hong Kong receivers were very communicative and called us frequently to give us updates on their status -- something we appreciated beyond words.

Isis and Caesar arrived late evening, excited to see us.... healthy and happy. They were clearly well-watched over throughout their journey.

As a human companion to your own fur kid you no doubt understand the emotions and anxiety that accompany such an trip and when I tell you we had tears of joy at the sight of them coming out of their crates, I mean it... It's funny, because families that do not have animal companions can't quite understand and we frequently hear, "they are just animals". In our eyes, they are not, and unless you have had the privilege to live with a fur kid, it's difficult to impart the emotional attachment and gifts they bring into your life.

We are forever grateful to YOU and your team of professionals for helping to make this relocation less stressful and for assisting in reuniting our family.

Please extend our thanks to ALL involved, including Sue and the local Hong Kong pet movers.

With Utmost Gratitude~
Douglas, Nicole, Isis & Caesar

Name: Jason
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Schnauzer
From: Shanghai, China
To: Auckland, New Zealand


Hi,

I am hoping to move to New Zealand later this year, but I understand that New Zealand does not allow direct import of dogs from China at all, and that my dog would have to go to an approved country, like Hong Kong, for six months beforehand. Our dog has rabies jabs.

Can you confirm the situation with exporting a dog from China to NZ?

Regards,
Jason



Hi Jason,

Thanks for contacting you with your question! According to the official New Zealand Pet Import Requirements, you cannot bring your dog directly from China. Take a look at the full list of rules and requirements on their official site, and then please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions (we also outlined a few New Zealand import changes on our blog yesterday).

PetRelocation.com has helped to arrange many moves similar to this one, and we'd be happy to advise you. Good luck, and hope to hear from you soon!

Hi April,

First of all, congrats on the new (future) puppy! It's definitely a smart idea to start planning your travels well in advance, and we're happy to help. These are the pet import requirements for Hong Kong, and for your return trip, the pet import requirements for Canada. As you can see there are a few documents, vaccines, etc. to take care of.

It's important to talk to your vet about flying your puppy, as well, but generally we recommend that you wait until dogs are at least four months old. At this point they can be vaccinated against rabies and are also physically better equipped to withstand the rigors of travel.

Please contact us if you have any questions, read more about Hong Kong pet travel on our blog, and fill out our free quote form if you're interested in hiring us to help with your move.

Good luck, and we hope to hear from you soon!

As pet travel becomes more popular and corporate relocations make international moving more commonplace, it's helpful to stop and take a look at particular countries and their import requirements from time to time. We recently took a behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to export pets from Hong Kong, and today we're focusing on another popular Asian destination.

One of our Pet Relocation Specialists recently visited Sri Lanka, and while he was there took a look around a pet service provider called Pet Vet. Located in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, Pet Vet provides pet export services, they build custom pet travel crates, and they also house rescue dogs. Check it out:


Thanks to Mike for documenting this trip and to Rasha, a Pet Vet vet tech, for showing Mike around. It definitely makes it easier to feel comfortable with relocating pets when you can see some of the faces and facilities for yourself!

Find out more about pet travel to Sri Lanka on our website, and be sure to share your own Sri Lanka travel tips with us here or on Facebook.

-Two of our senior employees recently visited Hong Kong for the 2011 IPATA Conference. Read about their adventures moving a dog to mainland China and about the fun pet party they had at Pet World.

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We've been telling you all about the 2011 IPATA conference and how two of our specialists were also able to help Kika, a 150 Newfoundland, cross the border from Hong Kong to mainland China (read Part One and Part Two of Kika's story). Today we have another fun chapter to share. Check out Cara's account of the client pet party we had at one of the most pet-friendly venues you'll probably ever see...


It’s not every day that members of the PetRelocation.com team get to visit Hong Kong, so we knew we had to make the most of the trip. And what would be a better way to meet people and enjoy the surroundings than to host a party for our Hong Kong clients and their pets!

We determined that we had 48 clients currently living in Hong Kong; the majority are pets that we moved there, but we also had some who we were preparing to export. There were even a couple of returning customers that we were excited to see (including Sawyer, who we featured as our October Pet Move of the Month).

Obviously we wanted to have the party somewhere pet-friendly, with private space, catering available, and an all-around fun environment. It turns out that a place called Pet World fit the bill perfectly! We quickly got to work sending out the invites, planning the BBQ menu (butter garlic mussels, tiger shrimp, black pepper steak – not too shabby!) and assembling the party favor bags with toys, disposable potty bags, tennis balls, and treats.

Now the only thing left to do was cross our fingers that it didn’t rain! The day of the party turned out to be sunny and gorgeous, albeit a bit humid, not surprisingly. We provided complimentary transportation for any pets whose bus passes had expired, and it was great to see a bit more of Hong Kong while we criss-crossed between the Kowloon side, Hong Kong Island, and Discovery Bay.


We had high expectations for Pet World’s grounds, staff, and facilities, and were not disappointed upon arrival. There were two sparkling clean swimming pools (one for little pups, another for larger ones), a complete agility course, comfortable kennels for boarding, numerous enclosed yards for running freely, indoor sport courts, a grooming center, toy shop, full kitchen with doggie bakery, and the nicest staff around.


The party was great fun. Everyone left happy, with full bellies, and ready for a nap.  Special thanks to Polly and her entire team at Pet World, Pet Movers Hong Kong for providing the transportation, and our two-legged and four-legged guests for attending. Enjoy the pictures, and look out – maybe we'll host a party in your town someday!

Name: Marietta
Pets' Names: Bandit & Princess
From: Huizhou, China
To: Kentucky

PetRelocation.com moved Princess and Bandit to China and moved them back to Kentucky just last week. Both times, working with their agents has been the most smooth part of our move. I was more calm coming home because I have been through it before, but Christina, our agent, made sure I didn't worry any more than necessary. She sent pictures in Hong Kong and again when they arrived in Chicago.

When you have these guys handling your furry babies, you feel like they have a nanny all the way to their destination. The entire operation is first class, from the driver that picks them up to the driver that brings them to your new home.

There are no concerns or even suggestions for improvement. Every person I have spoken to during the travel separation leaves you feeling calm and comfortable before hanging up. The phone calls to my family member at home to update on how Princess and Bandit were doing was impressive.

You never feel out of reach or control of your babies when PetRelocation.com is moving them. They treat the entire process like they are moving their own pet.

Earlier this month, two of our senior PetRelocation.com employees attended the 2011 IPATA Conference in Hong Kong. This event constitutes the world's largest gathering of pet shipping professionals, and Cara and Matt were able to learn, share, and pick up plenty of fantastic tips for us all.

Over the next few days we'll be telling you more about their adventures, starting with Cara's firsthand account of what it's like to bring a dog (a very big dog, in fact) from Hong Kong to mainland China.

Here's the full story of Kika's experience:

At 6:15 a.m. on a rainy Wednesday morning, we met downstairs at our hotel to begin our journey across the border between Hong Kong and mainland China with a two-year-old Newfoundland named Kika.

Not only is it challenging enough just to bring a pet across the border into China, but we were also dealing with a 150 lb black teddy bear. As in most parts of China, dogs are not always seen as typical pets. The attachment that Westerners have towards our pets and the way most of us consider them to be part of the family is a foreign concept for many Chinese.

Also, those that do have dogs as pets generally have small (under 20 lb) pups that don’t take up too much room or need a large yard to exercise. With the limitations on space for people’s living quarters, having a large dog just isn't the norm. This cultural attitude would later explain why we saw so many people drop their jaws as we walked Kika by.


Today’s plan was to meet the clients, Kika, and their driver in Hong Kong and head to the Lok Ma Chau border crossing, one of the six land checkpoints. After a 45 minute drive, away from Victoria Harbour and towards the lush green mountains, we arrived at Lo Wu crossing.


In order for our vans to enter China, we had to have special license plates. Each border crossing requires a different type of license plate, and a separate license plate is required to drive within and enter Hong Kong.


The border crossing consisted of two checkpoints, which looked exactly like tollbooths. Here was the first one:


We each presented our passports to the Customs and Immigration Officer for inspection, and they also checked that we had visas. Although we stayed in the car, the officer asked each of us to look closely at her so she could examine our faces and be sure we were actually who our passports said we were. One of the things I found most interesting was the electronic customer service feedback box affixed to the officer’s booth. Here it is pictured below:


As you can see, the happiest face is the most worn out button. Who knew that Chinese Immigration had such great customer service?

After we made it through the first checkpoint, given that we had a dog with us, we were instructed to pull to the side before heading through the second checkpoint. We were required to bring Kika outside the van and inside to the Immigration and Quarantine Office for detailed inspection of her documentation and to ensure she would be eligible to enter the country. We were allowed to walk Kika on her leash from the van to inside the inspection office.


Here is the plaza and entrance to the pedestrian checkpoint and Inspection and Quarantine Office.


Once we entered the building, we were led to the Office and were told someone needed to wait here with Kika while her documentation and health documents were inspected.



As Kika stayed in one room of the office, her paperwork was brought to another for careful inspection.


Given that it’s not every day that these inspectors see a 150 lb Newfoundland, they had many questions for us and seemed suspicious of our paperwork. Despite the fact that all of Kika’s documents were in perfect order, the inspectors still had complete authority and discretion to deny her entry. It was invaluable for us to have our local Hong Kong agent accompany us throughout the process, as she speaks fluent Cantonese and Mandarin.


Even though the facilities were clean and the staff was relatively agreeable, the stakes were extremely high and the business was serious. Similar to saying the word “bomb” on an airplane, hearing the words “fleas,” “biting,” or “sick” could have been detrimental. After more questions and document reviewing, Kika ultimately got the requisite stamps on her health certificate and we were on to the next part of the mission.

It took about 15 minutes to pass the “written” portion of the test, and now it was time for the physical inspection. Kika was made to stand up while the officer seemed to give her a pat down. She looked over her face, legs, and backside for any signs of disease or illness. We were then instructed to have her sit down and stand back up.


I wondered to myself if she would be asked to shake hands next, or roll over. No, the officer was merely trying to gauge her temperament. Any signs of aggression or threatening behavior would be highly frowned upon and could jeopardize her immigration status. Fortunately for Kika and her owners, she is quite a gentle giant and showed nothing but sweetness. She was also not acting nervous or afraid of her surroundings.


My experience moving pets around the globe taught me that this was in large part due to the owners’ calm energy. Yes she was in new surroundings and didn’t know what was going on, but what did she have to fear if her owners were not fearful themselves? Still, I was grateful of her demeanor, as many dogs would still be nervous no matter how calm their owners were.

There was another aspect that struck me as atypical. The fact that the officer placed her hands on Kika and got close to her at all was a big surprise for me, given that the vast population of mainland China is not particularly fond of dogs. However, as is the case with any stereotype, there are always exceptions.

This particular officer was very young, perhaps in her mid-twenties, and from the “new” generation. Our Hong Kong colleague explained that more and more jobs are being taken over by younger people who tend to be very well-educated and have a larger sense of the world, thus bigger pets (and pets in general) may be on the way to becoming more accepted. Albeit slowly, the times are changing before our very eyes.


After a quick walk  (past a few more gawkers!), we hopped in the van to go through the final checkpoint. Once that was finished, we headed to Shenzhen International Airport!



--

Want to know more? Check out Part Two and Part Three of our IPATA Conference series, as well as a run-down of the Pet World Pet Party we threw for some of our former clients.

Name: Elizabeth
Number of Pets: One
Pet Type: Puppy
Pet Breed: Lagatto Romagnolo
From: NSW Australia
To: Hong Kong



What is the minimum age for a puppy to travel by air?



Hi Elizabeth,

Thanks for submitting a question to us. It's the policy of our company to relocate puppies only when they've reached the age of four months. At this point they're old enough to get a rabies vaccine and are much stronger and better able to withstand traveling.

Please contact us if you have any more questions about moving pets, and good luck with all future traveling!

Say hello to Sawyer, a two-year-old English Springer Spaniel and our choice for Pet Move of the Month! Sawyer recently moved from New York to Hong Kong, and since a relocation like this can be pretty tricky (also Sawyer's parents were busy planning their wedding), they decided to let Pet Relocation Specialist Christina handle the details.

Find out more about the move in our interview with Sawyer's owner, and join us in wishing them good luck in their new home!




What were some of your concerns going into the move?

We were concerned about everything. Moving a dog to Hong Kong is no small feat, and we were particularly concerned simply because it was our first time moving a dog and we had no idea what to expect. PetRelocation.com made the process so easy and it was very reassuring to work with a firm that so clearly understood the process and was in control of all the many small details go into moving a pet.



Did anything surprise you about the international pet moving process?

Frankly, at the end of the day I was surprised at how easy the whole move was for Sawyer. Obviously, a move to Hong Kong is going to be hard on a dog no matter what, but I think the process was made as easy and fluid as it could be. Sawyer emerged from his travel crate 24 hours after going in it just the same happy dog that he always is. A bit thirsty, but that was really it. We noticed no behavioral changes or issues at all. He was just the same happy, loving dog.



How is Sawyer adjusting to the new location?

He has adjusted seamlessly, which is such a relief to his parents. We were worried before this move that it would somehow affect his personality or demeanor, but we have seen no evidence of that. He seems completely nonplussed about the entire experience!



What is life like in Hong Kong? Is it a pet-friendly place to be? 

Life with a dog in Hong Kong is definitely more challenging than it is in US cities. Dogs are just not as common here, particularly medium or large-sized dogs (there seem to be lots of small and toy-sized dogs). However, we have found that there are great vet services, including a mobile vet service that comes to you. We actually had to take Sawyer to the vet a couple of days after he arrived in Hong Kong as he had a small sore on his back. The vet experience was excellent and just the caliber of veterinary service that we would receive in the US. We also found a wonderful dog park in Sheung Wan that is on the waterfront near the ferry terminal. It is a large dog park (at least compared to NYC standards that we are used to) and is a very well-kept grass lawn. Sawyer has had great fun playing with all the other dogs in that dog park.



What advice do you have for people who might be planning a move?

Use a pet relocation service! There are so many small intricacies to the process that you really need a professional who is trained to handle these types of complicated international moves. You want the process to be as easy as possible for your pet, and in order to ensure that is the case, you need to use a service. We could not more highly recommend PetRelocation.com.

Name: Daphne
Pet's Name: Sawyer
From: New York, NY
To: Hong Kong


We worked with PetRelocation.com to move our two-year-old English Springer Spaniel from New York to Hong Kong. From start to finish, the entire process went very smoothly. Our contact at PetRelocation.com was very knowledgeable and efficient. She kept us very well informed during every step of the way and worked tirelessly to ensure that no part of the vast amount of procedure and paperwork went wrong and caused problems for Sawyer during his trip.

He flew over to Hong Kong on Continental, which also did a fabulous job taking care of him before and after the flight. PetRelocation.com then arranged with a local pet agent on the ground in Hong Kong that ushered Sawyer through the Hong Kong customs process and delivered him to our door within three hours after the plane landed in Hong Kong (it took time to process him through customs).

I would highly recommend using this service, as there are just so many regulations to follow and so much paperwork to file. Having a professional, knowledgeable person helping you with a pet move makes all the difference in the world. They are definitely worth the money!

Most of the pets moved by PetRelocation.com are "traditional" ones like dogs and cats. Every once in a while, though, we relocate a bird, a horse or a snake, and lately we've worked with a couple of chinchillas, as well.

Beyond the obvious fact that they're pretty dang cute, most of us don't know much about these furry little guys. As we've gotten to know them better lately we've learned a few things, however:

-Chinchillas are from the rodent family and originate in the Andes region of South America, and over the last few years have grown more popular as pets.

-They require exercise and chew toys, and in fact need to gnaw on a regular basis so their teeth are kept to a comfortable length.

-Chinchillas need (and like) to clean themselves by taking dust baths; water isn't good for their thick coats, and dust works well to absorb oil and dirt. In the wild they find dust from fine ground volcanic rocks, and in captivity they should be provided with the chance to take dust baths regularly (check out the video below to see a bathing chinchilla in action).




-Chinchillas are actually hypo-allergenic, making them popular pets for people sensitive to the dander of other animals.

-Because they have sensitive digestive systems, it's important to keep chinchillas on careful diets. Fresh fruits and veggies should be avoided, for example.


In terms of traveling with chinchillas, there are a few things to keep in mind. As always, it's important to research the country to which you're traveling well in advance of departure to find out about any specific rules and regulations.

Many countries require a document issued by a government authority certifying that the chinchilla is captive-bred. We recently moved Norvay (see the cutie below below) to Hong Kong, and that's how he was able to be imported. It's also very important that chinchillas are housed in a travel crate that's both safe and airline-approved. Contact us for more chinchilla travel tips, and be sure to share your own stories if you have them!

Sabah and Sarawak are two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Brunei and Indonesia are also located on Borneo, and since these states have different import requirements from the rest of Malaysia, pet travel here can be a confusing issue to sort out.

PetRelocation.com recently moved some clients here, so we learned all about the do's and don'ts of importing pets to Sabah and Sarawak. Here is what we found.

First of all, be aware that Malaysia is not particularly pet-friendly, and local authorities may have regulations regarding the number of dogs that can be kept within residences.

The import requirements for Sarawak and Sabah can be broken into two categories:

Category 1
(United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, Brunei and Singapore)

When importing pets from one of these countries, an import permit and a health certificate issued within seven days of departure will be necessary. The certificate must be issued by an approved veterinary authority and state that:

1. No case of rabies has been reported to have occurred in the country during the previous six months.

2. The pet has been in the country for at least six months.

3. The pet has been examined and found to be healthy and free from any clinical sign of infectious or contagious disease at the time of examination and certification prior to export.

Category 2
(All other countries not listed above)

When importing pets from a country not listed above, an import permit and a health certificate issued within seven days of departure will be necessary. The certificate must be issued by an approved veterinary authority and state that:

1. The pet has been examined and found to be healthy and free from any clinical sign of rabies and infectious or contagious diseases at the time of examination and certification prior to export.

2. The pet has been vaccinated against rabies using an approved anti-rabies vaccine prior to export at least six months prior to export and less than one year.

3. The vaccination history, treatments given and health status must all be certified.

4. A rabies serology report showing rabies antibodies of more than 0.5 iu/ml.


Quarantine

Upon arrival from a Category 2 country, the animal will be placed in quarantine for a minimum of 30 days or a maximum of 180 days. The exact quarantine period is 180 days minus the number of days from the date of the last vaccination. (This is similar to Australia's current quarantine policy). As long as the rabies vaccine is more than six months and less than one year old, the quarantine period is 30 days.

According to the information we found, the available quarantine facilities are located about ten minutes away from Piasau Camp and Lutong. Twice-daily visits can be arranged (weekend visits may be difficult to manage), and the cost is low -- a few Malaysian dollars a day.

Estimated quarantine fees:
Dogs: Large - RM 5.00, Small - RM 3.00
Cats: All Sizes-  RM 3.00
Quarantine Certificate: RM 2.00


Banned Breeds

Pitt Bulls (including American Pitt Bull Terriers), American Staffordshire Terriers, American Bull dogs and mixes, Akitas, Neopolitan Mastiffs, Tosas, Dogo Argentines, Fila Brasileiros, Boerboels, Perro de Presa Canarios and mixes.


Routes/Airlines

If a pet requires quarantine they must fly into Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Penang or Padang Besar where the quarantine facilities are located. It's recommended that pets fly with KLM (via Amsterdam) or Lufthansa (via Frankfurt) into Kuala Lumpur. Cathay Pacific (via Hong Kong) or Malaysia out of LAX with a stop in Taipei are two other possibilities.

In preparation for pet travel to Sabah and Sarawak, it's also necessary to secure a microchip, approved travel crate, Rabies Titer Test and other necessary vaccines depending on the breed.



This information provides a good start, but there are more details involved with travel to Sabah and Sarawak. Please contact your pet relocation specialist with any further questions or concerns, and feel free to leave your Malaysia travel tips in the comments below.

Name: Mike
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Yorkie
From: England
To: Hong Kong

What is the procedure for moving my dog to Hong Kong, especially regarding the rabies vaccination?

Thanks,
Mike



Hi Mike,

These are the pet import requirements for Hong Kong. Your dog will need to have a valid rabies vaccine at the time of departure (some are good for one year and others for two, so double check that you're in the clear well in advance of your trip).

If you meet the stated requirements, there will not be a quarantine upon entry to Hong Kong. Thanks for your question, and please contact us for more information or for a free quote. Good luck!

Name: Prabha
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Border Collie
From: Mexico
To: Philippines or Malaysia or Thailand or Hong Kong

What are the pet import requirements for these countries? My pup has already had his rabies shots. Thanks!


Hi Prabha,

Thanks for contacting us! Here are pet import requirements for Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong. Take a look, and please contact us if you have any more questions!

Name: Guenter
Number of Pets: One
Pet Type: Dog
From: Germany
To: Shanghai, China

The dog is a 12-year-old Mini-Poodle. All his rabies vaccinations were done and will be done in July 2011. We will also show an approved statement of health from a local vet clinic or the official veterinarian. We will carry him with us as cabin baggage, as his weight is less than five kilos. The dog has diabetes and needs an insulin injection twice a day. Due to the diabetes he is almost blind and needs a special care, so we need to know if there is a way to avoid the seven day quarantine. Could you support us with your service in this case?

Thanks a lot,
Guenter


Hi Guenter,

Your concerns are understandable and we hope we can help you! To start, take a look at the pet import requirements for China on our site. Here's another resource that may help clarify your situation. In terms of the quarantine, entering Shanghai from another locale (Hong Kong or Guangzhou) may help you to avoid it.

Also, since your dog is older and has some health issues, it's important to have an honest conversation with your vet before you go. Is your pet really fit to travel? What can be done to make the process easier? These are important questions to ask.

Good luck with everything! Contact us directly if you have more questions, and please feel free to seek out a free quote on our website if you're interested in our services.