Traveling with your pet dog to Singapore- what do you need to do?

Singapore has become the travel hotspot and corporate center in Asia over the past few years. Many companies are setting up shop in Singapore and expats are moving there in droves. If you are one of those people who value your pet dogs too much and have gotten such an offer, will you leave him behind? Definitely not, this is why you are probably reading this article about importing dogs into Singapore. There is a lot of information that you can get from the Sembawang animal quarantine station in Singapore. Thus you should not rely on the content posted on online forums; it is just misleading and discouraging. 

 

Information on importing dogs into Singapore 

 

The process of bringing your dog into Singapore is pretty simple. The first thing that you might have to do is have a microchip inserted in your pet. This sounds scary but you need not worry about it as it is such a simple and painless procedure. A microchip the size of a rice-grain is injected under your dog’s skin. Each microchip with its individual number is recorded in an international database. It contains all information concerning your pet including your contacts. In the event that your dog gets lost, there is a special unit to find it. 

 

Step two will be to find a pet-friendly air carrier. You would think that with the many airlines that exist on this planet then it would not be such a problem. Unfortunately this is not the case. There are airlines that have a no-dogs-allowed policy. Check out with different airlines and find one that is willing to handle your pet with the delicateness it deserves. 

 

The third step is the most important one. In fact if you started out with it then it would not be a problem. You should contact the Sembawang animal quarantine station and book a space for your pet dog. This has to be done two months or more in advance. They station usually has a 30 day mandatory quarantine for all dogs and cats that are imported. In order to avoid any disappointments, ensure that your travel plans for your pets are smooth. You must make sure that you apply for the quarantine space at least 2 months in advance of the expected arrival of the pet in Singapore. 

 

Accommodation in the quarantine station is scarce and thus your pet will be placed on the waiting list. The moment space is available; you will be notified about it. This is normally a month before expected date of arrival of the pet. The process of booking for accommodation in the quarantine station is quite simple to follow. For starters, you will have to fill ‘acceptance of animals’ forms. There are authorization letters you need to get to relocate your pet to another country. There are other forms that ask for your authorization for veterinary services in the event of any incident during transportation or while in quarantine. 

 

Air travel with pets 

 

Buy your pet a cage to travel in. This cage should be sizeable enough to allow your pet comfort while on that long journey to Singapore. Different airlines charge different fees to carry pets. Normally they are charged as luggage. On most airlines, if the weight of your pet and the cage is below 5 kilograms (10 pounds) you are allowed to carry him/her with you on the plane as hand luggage. Once you have finalized on the travel activities, you will need to make sure that your pet dog arrives at the quarantine station on the specified date. A delay or more than 2 days will lead to the spot being taken- a directive from the government.