Thread: please help me
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Old August 4th, 2010, 02:14 PM
Floppy Dog Floppy Dog is offline
Floppy Dog
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Squamish, BC
Posts: 194
First, check the official People's Republic of China web site for information regarding importing a domestic animal not indended for human consumption. Your local Chinese consulate or embassy is also a good option for information. At a minimum, you will have to ensure that all shots are up to date, rabies testing has been done and the proper certificates issued. You may also have to have a microchip implanted. That is the easy part.

Next, comes transportation. You will want to ensure that your dog is on a direct flight. The airline carrier will have to be sealed and certified. If the carrier is opened at any time during transportation, it will have to be re-sealed and re-certified. If the direct flight is longer than 8-10 hours, you may have problems with feeding, elimination, dehydration and general fear and anxiety in your dog.

This is the hardest part, now you have to check on quarantene requirements. Almost every country in the world has some sort of quarantene requriement for imported dogs. New Zealand's, for example, range from 30 days to 6 months, depending on the country of origin and travel history of the dog. The longer the quarantene period, the greater the chances your dog will not survive the experience with her health (mental and physical) intact. That's just a fact of putting together a large number of animals in a confined space and depriving them of the socialization and exercise level they are used to.

Also, you will have to consider what is required to bring your dog back to your usual country of residence. Once you take your dog to China, will you be able to bring her back and under what conditions. Again, I am thinking about the quarantene requirements, in particular.

Lastly, and perhaps the biggest consideration, is the attitude of Chinese people themselves to dogs. There are many cultures in the world that do not share our Western European/North American attitude towards dogs. There are many areas in the world where dogs are considered as pests, not pets. This is not a critisism of Chinese people and culture, again this is just a fact. My own personal experience has taught me this as I am part Arabic by heritage and the Arabic half of my family has always been puzzled by my family's pet-owning ways. Indeed, some of my relatives have been outright fearful of our pets.

The biggest thing you have to weigh, is how long you are planning to stay in China and if the duration of your stay merrits the effort and length of quarantene for your dog. There's no point subjecting your dog to a 6 month quarantene if you are only staying in China for a year, but if you are staing for a much longer period of time, it may be worth it.
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