How to Bring your Pet to China?

After witnessing my friend’s experience of shipping a pet, I decided to ship my dog from the US to China. Hopefully, by my experience, you will get a better idea of how to ship your pet, and how much it can cost to bring your pet to China.

Requirements to bring your Pet to China

Just like the other countries, China also has a lot of requirements to bring your pet in China. Some of these requirements are:

• Vet-approved Health certificate: You have to get the health certificate of your pet, and that has to be done just a week beforehand to your pet’s flight.
• Proof of Rabies vaccination: Before the flight, your pet should get the Rabies vaccination, and you have to prove it. 
• China export documentation: The documents will come from your country for bringing in your pet to China.
• Mandatory Quarantine: Unluckily, after getting in China your dog or cat has to be in quarantine for 7-30 days. The quarantine time may depend on the rabies status of the country from which your dog or cat is imported. 

Remember that there are limitations on the number of pets you can get in China. With a work visa, you are allowed to bring only one pet per adult. While in the major cities like Beijing, you can only have one pet in your home.  

Keep in mind that the dogs bigger than 14-inches and 41 certain breeds that are considered violent are banned from Beijing’s city center. Also, Bulldogs and other kinds of bigger dogs are not permitted at all. 

After getting your pet in China, you need to register your dog in Beijing, and you can register only one dog on your address. If you want to have more pets, you may need a friend’s address to register your pet. You can get the complete details about your pet registration at the International Center for Veterinary Service in China.

In China, the rules seem to transform often, so it is better to go with a company that is specified in International pet travel. I used a pet moving service in the US that assisted me with all the paperwork. It was expensive but much easier.

How to Get Your Pet Back Home?

A friend from Australia told me that it is just a headache to get the pet back home once his documentation is completed in Beijing. Australian considers China is not a safe place for pets to come from. Keep noted that there are specific rules to consider for getting your pet back home. You can get complete information on the internet. 

Getting your pets back to Europe is easier. If you want to bring back your pet from China or any other country which has high rabies status, European countries will require a blood test to check antibodies against rabies.

To bring your pet back home, you may need to complete some requirements including rabies vaccination, proper pet checkup from a qualified veterinarian, and required paperwork. To avoid quarantine you should start your research before travel and follow the required timeline between pet vaccination, blood test, and paperwork.

When you bring back your dog from China, the US may require rabies vaccination and proof of screwworm treatment. The pet relocation rules in the US are very straightforward and easy as compared to Australia.

Thus, before getting your pets to China, you should learn how hard it will be to bring your dog or cat back home after spending time in China. Pet relocation rules may be different in all countries. However, the same rules will be applied for pet adoption in China.

How much does Pet Relocation Cost?

The cost of carrying your pet to China will be different by the size and type of pet, use of a specialized pet relocation company, country of origin, etc.

For example, if you want to bring a large size dog to China from the United States by using a specialized pet moving service, you may have to pay as much as $5,000. However, small size pets are cheaper and easy to transport. You can also arrange the shipping documents yourself. No matter from which country you want to bring your pet, you should budget no less than a couple of thousand dollars to move your dog or cat to China.

If your company directed you to China, they would pay for you and your family transportation expenses. However, for your pets, you will have to pay yourself.  

Consider the Expenses for you and your pet transport

The cost of your pet moving, paperwork, transportation, and quarantine requirements makes sense to have your pet if you are already living in China for a longer time. Before making a decision you should get all the information about exporting and importing your dog or cat.

Several animals are panicky and would probably be upset by such an international tour. So before deciding to move your pet, you should also consider what it will be like to bring your pet in China. For example, if you have to get away for a little while, who will look after your pet when you are gone? It would be better to leave your pets with your family or friends.

I felt that pets are a part of our family, and the idea of leaving them behind is foolish. You have to think about their health, food, and well-being. So, it is good to bring them with you.

Final Thoughts 

I brought my dog to China for the sake of my kids and wife. My pet completed the journey without any problem and we got thorough quarantine rapidly. However, it costs a lot of money to bring my dog to China.

Expectantly by my experience, you learned a lot of things about how to bring your pet to China and perhaps set your mind at ease. It is definitely possible but there is a lot of prep work that has to be completed to ensure your pet moving without any issue.