Importing A Pet Into Thailand

[sbk]

OK, search function is back up and I found this very comprehensive post on importing from the UK . It will give you a good idea of what you need on this end.

Here is another one, and here and here is a good one listing the importation rules

Hope it helps!

[dollydaydream]

I'd also like to add...

We ran into a problem that most do. When we got to Thailand (usually late in the evening) we had to stay in a hotel for a few weeks while looking for somewhere to live. A great American guy named Patrick Bundock runs a kennel-less kennel at his home right outside of Bangkok. Rates are reasonable and he met us at the airport to pick up our dog when we got here. Nice guy and he is a dog trainer as well. He works with Soi Dog Rescue too. I use him often, as I go out of town once every one or two months. If you'd like his contact info, please PM me. Also, if you go to Chiang Mai, I've got a person up there who offer the same service. Again, if you want the phone numbers...PM me and I'll let you know.

[/quote

Does PM me mean post me? hope so - this is my first attempt at posting. I would like the contact details for these dog carers please. I am planning to make the 'big' move to Chiang Mai in the new year.

Thanks

[sbk]

PM means private message. If you look at the bottom of a posters name and avatar you will see a PM button, click this and you can privately send a message to a user without it being posted in the open forum. Welcome to the forum

[Sheryl]

In a few weeks time I will again be travelling with her Majesty the Cat, feline plenipotentiary. I had the routine for getting the necessary paperwork to bring her on the plane down pat but now the new airport has opened...can anyone direct me to the Animal Quarantine office (I mean for taking cat out of Thailand, not into...the office where you get the export certificate) Thanks

[pistonpilot]

I will put a caveat...... Pre Bird flu.

I just brought two parrots into Suvarnabumi

[Neeranam]

It might be easier taking to Laos and getting them to fly over the fence.

[udon]

I will put a caveat...... Pre Bird flu.

I just brought two parrots into Suvarnabumi

Hi Piston,

Good news.....

where from and what species?

Any probs with the Agri dept?

In the hold or cabin with you?

Costa freight?

Any quarantine?

Cheers

[pistonpilot]

NYC.

African Grey & Senegal

Agri- had to bribe the ######ers 5000 baht. Forget to get Cites on this end.

As baggage in the animal hold.

240 dollars each.

500 vet including tests for bird flu and a few others.

Took 4 months.

No quarantine

[sbk]

OK, be patient with me, I have started a Pinned topic about importing pets into Thailand and will attempt to bring in all the other info from other threads into this one. Wish me luck If I miss any important threads please be sure to let me know!

[Unknown]

First time I came to Thailand in 1997, I brought a cat with me from Singapore.

Did not have any particular problems at the customes but still had to go to a small office at Donmuang airport to present the vaccination papers.

Overall, easy.

The cat died last year, biten by a rat and I do not make up the story...

[sbk]

OK, sorry if this ended up confused, it merges threads chronologically. But, it seems most of the important info has been added. Hope its not too confusing!

[udon]

Well done & thanks

[Muang Nok]

Taking Delta Airlines (China Airlines Operated) to Bangkok in late-January 2007. Will transit through Taipei, Taiwan with a stopover of 3.5 hours. The airlines mentioned that I need a transit permit from Taiwan before I can board the plane with my pets. They will be travelling in the cabin on the floor under the forward seat. Has anyone experienced this procedure?

They are a Blue Front Amazon parrot and a Monk parakeet.

[sbk]

Taking Delta Airlines (China Airlines Operated) to Bangkok in late-January 2007. Will transit through Taipei, Taiwan with a stopover of 3.5 hours. The airlines mentioned that I need a transit permit from Taiwan before I can board the plane with my pets. They will be travelling in the cabin on the floor under the forward seat. Has anyone experienced this procedure?

They are a Blue Front Amazon parrot and a Monk parakeet.

I just did a quick search and found this PDF document from the Taiwanese govt which states you must get one at least one week prior to landing and here is a link to the application document.

Sounds quite strict, a permit just for a transiting animal!

[Muang Nok]

Thank you, sbk.

I will attempt to get transit permission thru Taiwan for my fine feathered children. Hope this is not an insurmountable hurdle, but I will press on regardless.

[expatmeg]

Hi all, new member here. I have a question for importing a dog here from Japan to Thailand. I'm curious if Thailand is actually strict on bringing a crated dog here... like you have to get all of your forms right and stuff. She already has all of her shots and the health certificate but not any of the paperwork done here. I was planning to get her this Saturday but due to the paperwork it may be 2 weeks . Should I go ahead and ship her this Saturday? By the way my vet put it he said I should go for it..

[Teatea]

Hello,

I would like very much to get Patrick's contact number. I have pets that need to be taken care off when I travel.

Thanks

[email protected]

I'd also like to add...

We ran into a problem that most do. When we got to Thailand (usually late in the evening) we had to stay in a hotel for a few weeks while looking for somewhere to live. A great American guy named Patrick Bundock runs a kennel-less kennel at his home right outside of Bangkok. Rates are reasonable and he met us at the airport to pick up our dog when we got here. Nice guy and he is a dog trainer as well. He works with Soi Dog Rescue too. I use him often, as I go out of town once every one or two months. If you'd like his contact info, please PM me. Also, if you go to Chiang Mai, I've got a person up there who offer the same service. Again, if you want the phone numbers...PM me and I'll let you know.

[Monroe]

Hello,

I was just wondering if anyone was familiar with NorthWest Airlines' policy on pets. Or, rather, what is the maximum weight allowed for carry-on pets. My family has 2 dogs: 1 a Bijon-poodle at about 18 lbs., 1 a beagle (not sure on weight, but she's fat for her size).

I don't particularly like either dog (they distract people from more important things, like money), but my mother and sister won't let me take them to the pound for adoption. So, we've decided to take them to Chiang Rai (where we own an estate and a few miles of land) to live out the rest of their lives with her family.

So far, I've collected that Thailand charges a 150 Baht fee to bring these in (no big deal) and they need up-to-date vaccinations. Has this procedure changed any? Are there other things I should know?

Thanks

[Nienke]

Travel by Air

From: http://www.vets-net.com/frames.aspx?page_t...mp;nieuws_id=33

Air travel is of most concern to pet owners. The airlines sometimes update their regulations on pet travel including restrictions on breeds and size. Check with your airline well in advance for their current regulations. Many of the major airlines now allow cats and dogs under 15 pounds to travel in pet-designed carry-on luggage that will fit under the seat. Also, new, smaller air travel services such as Companion Air (www.companionair.com) allow pets and their people to travel in the cabin together.

Federal regulations require that pets be at least 8 weeks old and weaned at least 5 days before flying. Always try to book a nonstop, midweek flight and avoid plane changes whenever possible. During warm weather periods, choose early morning or late evening flights. In colder months, choose midday flights. The Federal Animal Welfare Regulations prohibit airlines from accepting dogs and cats for shipment if the airline cannot prevent exposure of the animal to temperatures less than 45 degrees F for more than 45 minutes while transferring the dog or cat between the terminal and the plane. However, this prohibition is waived if a veterinarian provides an acclimation certificate stating that the dog or cat can be exposed to lower temperatures. Your veterinarian cannot give a certificate allowing exposures to temperatures above 85 degrees F for more than 45 minutes.

Reconfirm your flight arrangements the day before you leave to ensure there have been no unexpected flight changes. Arrive at the airport early, exercise your pet, personally place it in its crate, and pick up the animal promptly upon arrival at your destination. When boarding the plane, let the flight attendant know that your pet is in the cargo hold.

Transport crates, available from most airlines or pet shops, must:

1) Be large enough to allow the animal to stand (without touching the top of the cage), turn around, and lie down.

2) Be strong and free of interior protrusions, with handle or grips.

3) Have a leak proof bottom that is covered with plenty of absorbent material.

4) Be appropriately and clearly labeled. Include your name, home address, home phone number, and destination contact information, as well as a designation of "Live Animals," with arrows indicating the crate's upright position. (In addition, carry your pet's photo and health information with you on the plane for easy identification in the event the cage label is lost.)

5) Be ventilated on opposite sides with exterior rims and knobs so that airflow is not impeded.

Before leaving on your trip, take the time to accustom your pet to the crate in which he will be traveling.

Ask your veterinarian for specific feeding instructions. For your pet's comfort, air travel on an almost empty stomach is usually recommended. The age and size of your pet, time and distance of the flight, and your pet's regular dietary routine will be considered when feeding recommendations are made. It is recommended that you not give tranquilizers to your pet when traveling by air.

N.B. This last recommendation is made by vets!

[Nienke]

Exporting pets from the UK to Thailand:

http://www.passportforpets.co.uk/thailand.html

Importing pets into the UK:

http://www.passportforpets.co.uk/imports.html and http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/index.htm

Importing pets into Australia:

http://maaw.net/reviews41.html

Importing pets into Holland:

http://maaw.net/reviews41.html

Import/Exports pets Thailand:

http://www.dld.go.th/dcontrol/move/imex_e.html

[poppysdad]

A couple of months ago I asked the question on bringing our dog into Thailand and got many helpful and supportive replies, now having gone through the procedure just a week ago, my experiences and advice is the following. Be organised, use only reputable companies and it isn't cheap. I don't know if I'm allowed to mention names but we used PetAirUK who were brilliant and amongst the cheapest of all quotes we got, they organised everything from kenneling to flights and all the export certificates required. They also organised an import agency at Bangkok called Santa Fe (Thailand) Ltd to handle the import procedure who again were excellent. We arrived on a different flight to our dog, but Santa Fe met us off our flight, simply took our passport and the import tax which had already been calculated before we left the UK (so no shocks on arrival), they then met our dogs flight, handled everything for us and then delivered our dog and all the required paperwork to the Novahotel at the airport where we were resting all without any input from ourselves whatsoever, it was all totally and completely hassle free for us. Anyone considering doing the same just put your confidence in the hands of the proffesionals and simply enjoy the experience. please feel free to contact me for more precise info.

[ZigZagdiver]

I have also just brought my dogs from the UK. Very similar experience to the previous poster, just with no Novotel comfy resting.

They are absolutely fine but the big one is frightened of the thunder, the gecko, the big frogs......

Thanks all for your help.

[sbk]

Thanks for the advice guys, its good to know that your experiences weren't bad. Glad the animals made the trips ok!

[Thagess]

Hello. I would like to have some information on bringing a pet rat into Thailand. Has anyone here had experience with this or know of someone who has? Thanks!

[Agenda]

Want to tell about our experience.

We checked the Animal Carantine at Suvarnabhumi - everything is ok, they don't even look at pets, just need the international health certificate. Paid 100 Baht for new papers and left the airport (customs didn't pay attention).

[Yumiko]

I just wanted to post my experience in flying with my pets (1 dog & 1 cat) from California to Bangkok last week, and leave advice since everything I learned about bringing them was from ThaiVisa in the first place! Thanks everyone!

Ok, first things first, find a single airline carrier that flies all the way to Bangkok. The carrier can have stop overs, but you do not want to change carriers mid-trip. For example, taking Delta from USA to Korea, then switching to Korean Air from Korea to Thailand. The reason being that your animal has to meet the different regulations of both Delta AND Korean Air. (Not a problem if you're flying a cat or small dog, but I have a big dog that doesn't meet many of the carrier's regulations due to weight/size.)

I'll tell you about a bullet to the head that I barely avoided. I had wanted to fly with Delta because they were based in the USA, and I wanted to speak to native english speakers if something bad was to befall my pets in transit. Also because Delta was the only USA based airline that my big dog could meet the excess baggage requirements for. As I found out, Delta does NOT actually fly all the way to Bangkok even though you can buy tickets from them to Bangkok, in fact they have what they call a "plane-share" with other airlines like Korean Air & China Air.

Be careful when buying tickets on Cheaptickets/Travelocity/Expedia/Orbitz etc (I'm thrifty and always get my tickets there) because it will look like you are buying a Delta ticket from start to finish, but the fine print might read that the connecting Delta flight is "operated by Korean Air" or "operated by China Air." This operated flight is actually a Korean Air plane, or a China Air plane, therefore your pet must meet the requirement of that seperate airline.

None of the airlines know any of the other airline's pet regulations, Delta does not know Korean Air's regulations even though they plane-share with them. You have to call each airline seperately to get the information. As it turns out, my dog's total weight with kennel was 90 lbs. (40kg), plus kennel dimensions (siz: XLG/500 series, 40" x 27" x 30") DID meet the Delta requirements, but did NOT meet the Korean Air regulations of 70 lbs. (30kg) maximum. Therefore, I would have bought my "Delta" plus "Delta operated by Korean air" tickets, checked in at the Delta booth in USA, got my boarding passes all the way to Bangkok (since the Delta agents do not know the Korean Air regulations they would not know that my dog could not continue onto the Korean flight), and my dog would have been LEFT IN KOREA in the stop-over, WHILE I CONTINUED ON TO THAILAND. I flipped out and called both Delta & Korean Air to confirm that that would be the consiquence of buying those tickets, and they both said YES my dog would have been left in Korea, and "good thing I checked."

So I bought EVA tickets instead and it worked out perfectly.

Ok, so the second thing to check after you find a carrier that flies all the way to Bangkok (probably EVA, & Thai Air are most popular) are the pet regulations necessary to check your animal(s) as excess baggage. You will need to know the "total" weight (aminal weight plus kennel weight) & kennel size/dimensions. You always want your pet to travel on your SAME airplane, therefore in the cabin (if it qualifies) or as "excess baggage." Flying as excess baggage is cheaper than buying a seperate "Cargo" flight, and you will rest assured that when you arrive at the airport, so will your pet.

Third, get all your necessary paperwork. As mentioned in this forum, I contacted the Thai Dept. of Livestock/Agriculture by email (emailed to: [email protected] OR [email protected]) to request the necessary documents needed. They emailed me back this list seen here:

http://www.dld.go.th/webenglish/movec1.html

1) A health certificate in English, signed or further endorsed by a full-time authorized veterinary official of the government of the exporting country, if it is previously acknowledged by a veterinary surgeon, stating :- 1.1) number and species ,

1.2) breed, sex, age and color or animal identification,

1.3) name and address of the owner OR the kennel of origin,

1.4) certification of condition items (2) to (5).

2) The animals must come from an area where animal diseases are under control. They are found to be healthy, free from signs of any infectious and contagious diseases including ectoparasitism at the time of export and fit to travel.

3) The country has been free from Rabies for at least the past 12 (twelve) months OR the animals are vaccinated against Rabies with an official approved vaccine not less than 21 (twenty- one) days prior to the departure.

4) EITHER a) The dog is vaccinated against Leptospirosis at least 21(twenty-one) days preceding departure.

OR The dog is subjected to a test for Leptospirosis with negative result during the 30 (thirty) days prior to the departure.

5) The animals shall be vaccinated against other significant infectious or contagious diseases i.e. Distemper, Hepatitis, and Parvovirus, with an official approved vaccine at least 21 (twenty-one) days prior to the departure.

6) The animals must be conveyed in nose-and-paw proof crates designed to avoid any risk of injury or unnecessary suffering.

7) The animals are not allowed to expose to other animals if they have to be landed in transit at any approved intermediate port. They shall not be allowed to leave precinct of the port except to an officially approved transit quarantine area.

8) The animals are subjected to quarantine at approved premises for a period of at least 30 (thirty) days upon arrival during which they shall be submitted to tests and/or treatments deemed necessary. The importer/owner shall be fully charged for the incurred expenses.

9) Failure to follow the import procedures may result in returning the animals to the country of origin or destroying without compensation.

**ATTN USA Residents** Note about item "1." on the list, in the USA there is no "full-time authorized veterinary official of the government of the exporting country," so I had to get the international health certificate from an APHIS accredited veterinarian (I've never seen or known of a vet that wasn't accredited so you probably don't have to worry about that part) and then take the certificates to the US Dept. of Agriculture (also referred to as "Veterinary Services" Import/Export) to have them notarized. If you live in the USA, go to this website and find your local US. Dept. of Agriculture officer, call & make an appointment for them to notarize your documents:

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ncie/portvet.html

Your animals do not need to be present, the only thing you need is about $24/per notarized document. Gary Chun in San Francisco notarized my cat & dog health certificates with one of those nifty stamp/press things that embosses a seal, and stamped my 2 rabies certificates, all for $24, so I guess I got a discount!

Also note, that being that Thailand is pretty "lax," and after my experience with the Thai quaratine office, I think they would have accepted the the health certificates even if they weren't notarized. Never hurts to have your "i"s dotted and yout "t"s crossed though.

Some airlines require that you obtain a "Thai Import Permit." In order to do this, as before, contact the Thai Dept. of Livestock/Agriculture by email (emailed to: [email protected] OR [email protected]) and request an Import Permit. They will send you back the above list of requirements for you pets, and request info from you as well. You can scan your documents & email them, or fax them. I am pasting the email from the Thai officer below:

Dear Jessica,

Please send document to E-mail : [email protected] or Fax +662-134-3640 for make your

Import Permit

1. Copy of Passport or Identification of owner

2. Address in exporting country and Address in Thailand

3. E-mail address

4. Details of your pet (ex. kind,breed,number,age and sex) and copy of vaccination

book of your pet

5. Detail of arrival date, airline and flight No.

Best regard

A few days later they emailed me back a scan of the Import Permit they issued for me. This was optional for EVA, I didn't even show it to them at the airport, they didn't ask for it.

I would suggest NOT connecting your flight through Hong Kong unless you have a months time to apply for a Transit permit (China Air connects in Hong Kong which is why I didn't want to use them), as every animal that transits through Hong Kong, no matter how brief the layover, must have a transit permit issued. From what I read you need to apply for the permit several weeks to 30 days in advance. I did not have this much time, so I flew EVA wich connects in Taiwan instead. For EVA I did not have to apply for a Taipei transit permit. The EVA agent told me that since my animals would not be leaving their kennels during the 3 hour layover, they were exempt from needing a permit.

In my case, this is the paperwork I brought to the Thai Quaratine office upon arrival were:

Cat (Bengal):

1.) International Health Certificate (notarized) *Required

2.) Rabies Certificate *Required

3.) Microchip Number (not listed as a requirement, but your animals should be microchiped! And I brought a copy of the microchip

certificate)

4.) Copy of passport (not listed as a requirement, but I like to be thorough... if you couldn't tell)

Dog (Giant Schnauzer):

1.) International Health Certificate (notarized) *Required, On your health certificate there should be an area for the vet to list "Other

Vaccinations" have your vet list Leptospirosis & DHPP in this area

2.) Rabies Certificate *Required

3.) Leptospirosis Vaccination *Required

4.) DHPP Vaccination *Required (this is a "core" vaccination your dog should already have, assuming your dog is old enough to get

vaccines. It's several vaccines consolidated into a single shot. Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus)

4.) Microchip Number (not listed as a requirement, but your animals should be microchiped!)

5.) Copy of passport (not listed as a requirement, but I like to be thorough... if you couldn't tell)

Going through the Quarantine office was easy as pie. Filled out a few papers, no translator necessary, they had samples in English so we knew what we were doing, paid 200 baht for both animals combined, they gave us our Import Permit & Import License. All the staff were extremely nice, we were allowed to let the dog out of the kennel to walk around on his leash for the rest of the exit. Everyone at the airport smiled ear to ear and pointed at the doggy.

Tips for the Kennel:

1.) Put some clothes you've worn in the kennel, something you don't mind losing forever, the stinkier the better Helps to calm their

nerves, your scent will give your pet a scense of "home" on the long trip.

2.) Freeze water in th kennel dish the night before, so that they have an ice cube to lick, instead of pouring water and having it spill

the moment the kennel gets lifted & moved.

3.) Make a sign for the kennel that has a picture of your animal, your name & contact info. If your animal should manage to get out of

the kennel the employees will know what to look for! Our cat is exceptionally loud, especially when he's upset. (When I call

people on the phone they always ask me if I have kids because they can hear a screaming baby.... it's actually my cat lying on the

bed in the other room "talking"... he's speacial. So we also added a speacial note for our cat's kennel that said "No Ketamine"

Our cat is extremely sensitive to medication, and if an employee thought that the cat was in complete distress, because they've

never heard a cat as loud as ours, they might think to sedate him, bad idea, fatal consiquences for our kitty.

Hotels:

We have a 60 lb. (27 kg) dog, MOST of the hotels you find listed on websites like LetsGoPets.com, DogFriendly.com, PetTravel.com, etc DO NOT allow animals over 11 pounds (5 kg), I called about 15 hotels that claimed to be "pet-friendly" but they would not accept a dog as big as mine, or would not accept 2 pets in one room/apartment, or susprisingly they didn't accept pets at all anymore. Make sure you call the hotel and talk to someone personally before you book the reservation online.

We finally found a hotel that would accept both our cat & dog. It's a bit pricey by Thai standards but it is literally the only place we could find. And the longer you stay the cheaper the nightly rate. We're booked for several weeks so our nightly rate is very reasonable. We're staying at Oakwood Residences, 291 Soi Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra 24, New Sathorn Road, Chongnonsee | Bangkok, Thailand | + (66-2) 672-0200:

http://www.oakwood.com/serviced-apartments...owPolicies.html

This is their pet policy:

• Two pet maximum per unit (one canine and one feline).
  
• Maximum weight limit 75 lbs.
  
• All canines/felines must be spayed or neutered.
  
• All inoculations must be current, proof must be supplied.
  
• All canines must be licensed and must wear collar and current ID tags.
  
• Owners must provide litter box for felines.
  
• Canine breed restrictions apply.
  

And I think that's about all.....

And for some pictures....

We made it!! This is just as we came out of Customs. The first thing we heard was "Need a taxi?" And we responded, "Can you fit all 4 of us?" They certainly could, they gave us a van of our own.

In the taxi on the way to Oakwood.

The animals are COMPLETELY POOPED after the 24 hour trip, and take a well deserved nap.

Here is an example of the kennel label we made for the kitty:

Good luck to everyone bringing pets to Thailand! Though you really don't need luck, you just need your preparations. It was all the planning & preparations that had me stressed, but actually doing the trip was a piece of cake.The quarantine office was a breeze. All the airport staff were extremely nice & friendly. All in all I'd say the experience of bringing the animals was very good. If I were to do it a second time, it will be a snap!

2 pets as Exess Baggage cost: $495 (cat was $100, dog was $395)

Thai import fees/deposit: $6 (200 baht)

Total cost = $501 plus hours researching ThaiVisa & Google for importing info

And to think, I had considered using a "Pet Moving" service because I was afraid I'd mess something up. The Pet Moving service quoted me a cost of $4,895!! Totally rediculous & unfounded. You can do it yourself, really.

Thanks,

Jess

[sbk]

Excellent post Jess, thank you so much for all the information. Beautiful cat btw

[Nienke]

Wow, Thanks Jess, fantastic post! And really beautiful animals!

Nienke

Luckydogs Resort and Training Center

(also board cats)

[percy2]

Nice informative post and beautiful animals.

Cheers

[Nienke]

Came accross a fantastic website with quick reference guide for import requirements to Asian countries, import/export/quarantine links for many countries around the world and animal freight companies

www.lowchensaustralia.com/quarantine2.htm

Nienke