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I need to move, How to bring dog to Taiwan

25 10:07:03

Question
I just got a male dog today, 10weeks old, 10pounds, got the first shot, want to move the dog to Taiwan in two weeks if possible. How can I do it? Could you guide me thru?  

Answer
Hi Chloe,

To find the answer to your question, you will need to go to the Embassy of Taiwan and ask them what their policy and regulations are for Pet importation, specifically for dogs.  

Your dog may be too young.  

Most countries have requirements about age of pet, how far along they are in their vaccination process, health records, they may require them to be neutered or spayed which shouldn't happen until the pet is between 6-8 months of age for development reasons.  You do not want to over vaccinate your pet by giving them shots sooner than they should be getting them. This could make them extremely ill. .  Some countries also have mandatory quarantines  - which you absolutely DO NOT want to do, especially with a puppy. They can get very sick and could end up being put down without your knowledge.

When you speak to the embassy, make sure you get all of their requirements in writing from the emabassy.  Get the name of the person who is in charge at the Customs office in Tawian where you will be arriving.  Find out what the health requirements are, what the age requirements are, what the vaccination requirements are, what certificates your pet will need and where they need to come from, and When they need to have this paperwork in order, find out if there is a direct release program and if so, what needs to be done in order to meet the requirements for the direct release program.  

Frankly you will most likely not be able to get all of the paperwork and vaccinations in order within 2 weeks to get your puppy to Taiwan.  For most countries this is a 3- 6 month process, in some it's a year.

I'm sorry, but it's very unlikely you'll be able to bring your puppy with you to Taiwan with only 2 weeks notice.   Puppies and dogs are like having kids and take a lot of advanced planning, especially when moving between countries.  

Please keep in mind that if you do try and bring your puppy and he is not in compliance with the importation / customs regulations for pet importation in Taiwan - they can refuse the puppy entry, send him back where he came from, put him down, or if there is room put him in quarantine.  (One thing I did forget to mention  - if your dog does need to go into quarantine at the airport you would also be responsible for ensuring that there is space there for him to be put in quarantine. Some countries have been known to put pets down if there is no room without letting the owner know. I do not know if you are traveling to know.. but keep this in mind. It is very important to have all your ducks in a row before traveling with your pet.)  Quarantine periods usually last between 1 - 6 months depending on the country.  During that time your pet will not be permitted to leave the quarantine kennel and you will not be able to spend much time with him.  For a puppy this can be lethal.  The reason for the quarantine is to ensure that animals don't have communicable diseases. A puppy's resistance is very low, especially one who has only had his first round of vaccinations and is not yet ready for round 2 and 3.  The liklihood that your puppy gets very sick if he has to spend time in quarantine is very high.  

I'm sorry this is probably not what you want to hear, but you may want to see if you can post pone your trip for 6 months or so and work on getting all the paperwork, health records, etc in order first.

Sincerely

Chris Shoulet
DogTravel Company
www.dogtravelcompany.com