Many pet owners avoid traveling abroad because they cannot find trustworthy caretakers for their pets, but bringing pets along on an international trip is possible — all it takes is an understanding of customs regulations and planning.
First, it is important that owners assess their pets’ health condition and temperament to determine whether they are fit to travel.
Pets that get nervous easily, have chronic diseases, are too old or too young should not travel, said Hsu Chia-chan (許嘉展), head of Tainan’s Ren-ay Veterinarian Hospital.
People should take their pets to the vet for a checkup before the trip and make sure their vaccination records and microchips meet the regulations of their travel destination, Hsu said.
Bringing a pet into a country requires a permit, and the documentation and preparation time needed to fulfill these requirements vary depending on the destination, said blogger Kanari, who took her dog to Japan last year.
Using Japan as an example, she said that applying for a travel permit for a dog is not as difficult as it might seem.
Dogs traveling from Taiwan are usually required to pass a rabies titer test, because the nation is considered a rabies risk area, she said.
Dogs must undergo a waiting period of at least 180 days between the day their blood sample is collected and the day they arrive in Japan, she said, adding that dogs that do not meet the obligatory 180 days are quarantined on arrival until they fulfill the required waiting period.
To obtain a Japanese travel permit for pets, owners should apply to the Animal Quarantine Service (AQS) at least 40 days before entering the country, attaching the pet’s rabies titer test report, vaccination records and microchip information.
After receiving the permit, owners can fill out the customs forms, which they can download from the AQS Web site.
Seven days before the departure date, owners are required to take their pets to the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine for a health check.
If the pet passes the inspection, it will be issued a veterinarian certificate and a boarding pass.
Taiwanese airlines only allow pets to stay in the cargo hold, Kanari said.
To make the flight more comfortable for pets, owners can place water and old clothes in the crate, which should be big enough for pets to move around in, she said.
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