Bringing Charcoal home
Relocating internationally is a pain.
Relocating internationally with a dog (and a baby) is a (double) nightmare.
(I was at the departure drop-off at the airport with all these plus a baby and a dog. I had to wait for about half an hour for Mark to return the car and get back here to meet me because of the lousy airport road design.)
So, having been through it, I would like to share my experience with you so that it would be less of a scare if you do intend to attempt it.
In summary, here is a list of what you need to do.
1. Meet the requirements for import
Knowing the right governing organization to look for helps. Lucky for us, we are both from Singapore so we know that AVA is the one to look for. If you're not quite sure who takes care of such matters in the country you are moving to, USDA has a website that supposedly directs you to the requirements needed for the country of import. I found the information inadequate when I was using it but it works if you are just looking for the right person or authority to speak to.
2. Get a suitable crate for your pet
You can find out which containers are suitable for your pets here. Most airlines require you to meet the IATA guidelines for your pet's crate, although they didn't exactly check ours. There was no cage big enough for Charcoal by IATA's standards available in pet stores so we went ahead and just bought the biggest we could find. While it fell short of IATA's required measurements, I can assure you that Charcoal was comfortable in it.
The crate will be sealed upon check in and it will remained closed until the crate arrives in the country of import. Charcoal survived without food and water for about 24 hours but it is possible to leave food (Charcoal would have just eaten them all at once) and water in the crate. I've also heard of people taping bottles of water on the outside of the container with a small bowl, along with a note requesting (begging) that the transit personnel do you a favour and give your pet some water.
Just a reminder that IATA does not certify, approve, endorse, or sell any particular pet container manufacturer, brand , make, or model so be sure to watch out for those fraudulent claims!
We introduced Charcoal to his crate about a month before our move so that he would be willing to go into it and not freak out on the day at the airport.
3. Liaise with your airline about flying with your pet
Big pets are usually flown as excess baggage while smaller ones may be allowed on board. Charcoal was obviously not going to be in the cabin so we checked him in. This required informing Eva Airlines about it, and providing the dimensions and weight of the crate + Charcoal. Airlines have a quota as to how many live animals they can hold in the cargo so it would be best to get this done as soon as possible to ensure that your pet will be on board the same flight as you.
4. Meet the requirements for transshipment (and import, if there are any additional ones due to transit) if it is not a direct flight
There are additional forms and applications to be done if you are not flying straight to the country of import. The country you are transiting in may need some documents and this can be specific to the airport you are flying through. Your best bet is to call the government organization in charge since the treatment differs from airport to airport even though they may be in the same country Thankfully, Taiwan Taoyuan (TPE) airport only required one form to the filled up and the person I spoke to (cause my Mandarin too lousy, I couldn't navigate the website) was pleasantly helpful with the process. In our case, the transit did not complicate our entry into Singapore. Phew.
Oh, btw, this is just an extremely condensed summary. It doesn't reflect the sweat, pain, time and anguish I went through to make it work.
Anyway, since we only brought Charcoal back to Singapore from the US (and hopefully nowhere else anymore) via air, it seems appropriate I keep the rest of this post specific to our experience.
I don't know how many of you intend to import a dog from the US into Singapore like we did, but perhaps some parts of this post could be relevant if you are thinking of moving to this sunny island with your best friend.
The hardest part to coordinate is actually #1 from the above summary, as there are plenty of time-sensitive steps involved, so this is what I write about. Hopefully it will make your move to Singapore smoother, or perhaps, deter you from bringing your pet here lol.
IMPORTING YOUR PET DOG INTO SINGAPORE
Before you start the crazy process, you first have to check that the breed of your pet is allowed in Singapore and that your pet is allowed in your intended residence.
Tables taken from AVA website.
Once you've established that your pet is welcomed here, the fun begins. My recommendation is to start at least 4 months before your arrival.
The requirements and procedures set out by AVA to import or transship dog/cat into Singapore can be found here. While the website was useful and all information can be found there, I found it slightly cumbersome to maneuver through the page and fish out important deadlines to meet.
So here a summary of the process, in Isabelle's words.
Ok, it's more like a flow chart than words but I've never been a fan of lengthy textbooks passages.
Anyway, you can find the relevant links, tables and more details associated with the table below.
1. Check exporting country's rabies risk
2. Fulfill AVA conditions based on your exporting country. All the veternary conditions and forms required can be found in the document.
Summary of AVA conditions
2b. Reserve quarantine space (Categories C & D) here
3. Apply for dog licence here
4. Apply for AVA import licence here
5. Make appointment for inspection at point of entry here
Oh, and one more thing, you need your Singpass account to do most of these so it would help if you remember your username and password, and have all the 2FA blah blah thing sorted out before you start the process.
Charcoal not wanting to say goodbye when visiting hours were up.
We were really lucky that our vet in the US was super helpful when it came to this and everything was in order so Charcoal was only quarantined for 10 days =) If anyone is in the Bellevue, WA region, we highly recommend Dr Newby from Loyal Family Veterinary Hospital. Not only did Dr Newby help us with Charcoal's itching problem (which cost us close to $1000 at another vet only to get a wrong diagnosis), she was also very meticulous when preparing Charcoal for this big move.
Oh yes, be sure to ask your vet for some tranquilizers for the flight. It turned out to be one of the best ideas to calm Charcoal down when we checked him in, otherwise I'm not sure if Charcoal could have survived the flight being all anxious and stressed the whole 24 hours. He was all shaken up when we received him in Singapore.
Charcoal got over the trauma quickly though and he was out and about running the woodlands of Woodlands as soon as he got out of quarantine, albeit a little fatter than before.
I hope this helps whoever is planning to move here, and good luck!
Love,
Belle
Disclaimer: This post is meant to illustrate my understanding of the steps needed for importing a dog into Singapore. It, on its own, may not cover every aspect of the subject. While I tried my best to provide accurate and complete information, this is just my own understanding of the matter. Following these steps do not guarantee AVA's approval and it would be best to cross reference this with the AVA website and to consult AVA if you have any queries.
