Moving your pet to or from China might not seem like an easy thing to do, but the good news is, it is not impossible. However, since China's regulations are a bit confusing, we can't guarantee that this article will help you 100% of the time, although we're confident that this will work in most cases.

Part 1

HOW TO MOVE YOUR PET TO OR FROM CHINA

Pet Import Requirements for China

• Different cities and provinces require different items from owners (visas, passport copies, etc.) or ways of entry (manifest cargo, excess baggage, in-cabin).

• All of China requires that all pets have a rabies vaccination within a year of departure and older than 30 days at the time of travel.

• There is a strict one pet per passport rule that cannot be avoided if entering China directly.

• Many major cities in China require that dog owners obtain a dog license once the dog has arrived into the city. Beijing even requires this document prior to export, so if you’re planning on eventually leaving China with your dog it may be a good idea to look into obtaining a dog license upon arrival. This document can be obtained by paying a visit to the local police station with your dog along with your passport, visa, and local address in hand.

Moving Multiple Pets to China

So, what happens if you have more than one pet? Well, you still have two options:

• Use another relative or friend’s passport(s) to import your other pet(s)

• Enter China through Hong Kong

The options above also depend on your destination city in China.

Pet Quarantine in Shanghai

Many cities in China, including Beijing and Shanghai, require up to 30 days of quarantine for pets upon entry.

In Shanghai, though the facility is basic, the quarantine station offers safe accommodations for pets. Here are a few helpful facts about the facility:

• The units pets stay in are air conditioned and clean.

• There’s an outdoor area for dogs and a cattery for cats.

• Pets are fed twice a day and dogs are walked regularly.

• While visitation is not allowed for security purposes, local contacts are welcome to call the facility to check in on pets throughout their stay.

Avoiding Quarantine in China

Avoiding pet quarantine in China, while possible, can be a little complicated. As mentioned previously, going through Hong Kong is an option for entering China. By following Hong Kong’s strict import rules, we are able to avoid quarantine in China altogether.

Pet Export Requirements for Leaving China

When you're ready to leave China, there is no pre-export quarantine for pets. This makes the process a little smoother, although it can still be tricky based on the city from which your pet is departing.

Regardless of the city, your pet will need to have a completed vaccination booklet (with stickers) from a Chinese vet, a health certificate, and an export permit. In most Chinese cities, the health certificate can only be obtained by going to a government-approved vet or a government vet, who also issues the export permit.

Because some cities require a copy of your physical passport to be present at the time of check-in for your pet, we highly recommend traveling after your pet has departed to avoid any issues with your own departure.

Part 2:

HOW TO TRAVEL WITH YOUR PET AROUND CHINA

First Things First

1. Make sure that your pets are healthy enough for travelling. Consult the relevant fees, requirements, precautions, and services in advance.

2. Confirm the order of pet transportation before the date of boarding.

3. Consider tranquilizing your pet under the guidance of a veterinarian before boarding if you find your pet very anxious when traveling. Note that the sedative combined with the high-altitude can be very dangerous to some animals.

Documents to Prepare

1. Animal health immunization certificate

2. Animal quarantine certificate

3. Proof of disinfection of transport equipment

The immunization certificate must be handled by a local pet hospital. The quarantine certificate and the disinfection card are handled by the animal quarantine office in the local area. Animal quarantine requirements: pet must be vaccinated (open animal health immunization certificate) after half a month without adverse reactions, the two certificates can be obtained.

Travel Notice‍

1. Traveling by plane: It is relatively safer and faster to ship your pet by plane. There are two choices, the first one is separate shipping, which means that you don't need to accompany your pet during the flight (consignee's ID card and waybill number are required to pick up the pet), and the second one is to travel together with your pet in the same plane.

2. Traveling by train: There must be somebody that accompanies the animal in the train, and the procedure will take longer than the normal one.

Traveling With Your Pet by Plane

1. Before buying a ticket you should first consult with the airline and ask whether or not its aircrafts support pet shipping.  If they do, then ask for a pet air shipping request. 

2. Your pet needs to live in the "Animal Quarantine Station" for a certain duration of time in order for the quarantine certificate to be issued; or you can also take it straight to the "Animal Quarantine Supervision Station" in the airport to do on-site quarantine.

3. On the day of the flight, take your pet to the airport, make sure everything is ok with its carrier. Then, check in with your pet and pay the transportation fee. 

4. If your pet is too big to be put in the cabin, don't forget to take its bagage claim ticket. Your pet will arrive at the destination within 1-2 hours after your landing. You need your original ID to pick up your pet.

Shipping Crate Requirements for Airplaine

1. The rules and regulations regarding the container might differ from one airline to another. Make sure you obey all the rules and fullfill all the requirements so you don't meet any unneccessary obstacles while trying to ship your pet. On most commercial airlines, dogs can only ride in the cabin with you if they are small enough to travel in a carrier that fits under the seat. If your pet is bigger than a small dog, then a shipping crate is needed. 

2. Shipping crate must be strong in order to prevent injuries for the pet while shipping. It must be big enough for the pet to comfortably stand up and turn around inside the crate, and it must also be well-ventilated. Generally, the maximum volume of the cage cannot exceed 40 * 60 * 100 cm, the minimum volume can not be less than 5 * 15 * 20 cm, and the maximum weight can not exceed 50 kg, although this regulation can be different depending on the airline.

3. Crate should have a "District Animal Epidemic Prevention Supervisor" or a higher grade disinfection certificate.

4.  Prepare your pet’s crate. Put enough water for your pet and some food if needed, and make sure it doesn't leak in order to prevent your pet's excrements from being scattered around the cargo. Attach contact information on the crate, including your dog’s name, your contact information (both phone and e-mail), flight numbers, and your final destination.

Traveling by Train

1. Traveling by train may cost less than traveling by plane. However, you can't just 'ship' your pet, there must be somebody who travels along with it.

2. Not every train station in China is pet-friendly, so ask whether the departure station is willing to accept live animals, whether the train has a baggage compartment to put your pet at, and whether the arrival train station has a baggage room to handle pet arrivals.

3. On the day of the travel, make sure you bring all the documents written earlier on this article, and also make sure everything is ok with your pet's crate. Come to the train station 2 hours early and bring your pet to the baggage services. Your pet will be weighed and you will get a travel document issued by the train station. You will need this document to pick up your pet at your destination.

Numbers to dial: 

Dalian International Airport pet consignment inquiry office: 0411-83886303 (accomodates simple English service)

大连国际机场宠物托运问询处：0411-83886303（提供简单英文服务）

Dalian exit inspection unit advisory telephone: 13604253234 (Chinese service only)

大连出境报检单位咨询电话：13604253234（只提供中文服务）

NOTE:

• The Declaration Inspection Unit provides inspection services only for passengers leaving Dalian;

• Only cats and dogs can be shipped;

• We have called to consult with the Declaration Inspection Unit, according to them, different countries have different attitudes towards the shipment of pets, the degree of difficulty is also different, some countries receive overseas consignments of pets while some don't;

• When you are ready to ship your pet, you must call the airport (0411-83886303) or the Declaration Inspection Unit (13604253234) in advance to confirm it;

注：

• 报检单位只为从大连出境的旅客提供检验服务；

• 可托运的宠物只包括：猫和狗；

• 我们打电话咨询过报检单位，不同国家对于托运宠物的态度不同，难易程度也不同，有的国家允许接收境外托运的宠物，而有的国家不接收；

• 准备将宠物托运前，一定需要提前向机场（0411-83886303）或报检单位（13604253234）打电话确认；

If you meet some problems in the process of shipping your pet, 

Daisy might be able to help you :)

Hope this helps!

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