how to relocate your dog from the U.S. to Taiwan

When we moved from the Pacific Northwest to Taiwan in 2012, we rehomed our beloved cats because we felt like relocating them from Washington state to Taiwan was an impossible feat due to Taiwan's rabies free status. While in Taiwan, we adopted our beloved dog Bubu who is a central part of our family. In 2018, we left Taiwan for Washington state with our dog never suspecting we would be moving back one year later, but that's what we did. This time around, we refused to leave our dog in the United States or be stymied by Taiwanese and American bureaucracy. We were determined to bring Bubu back to Taiwan with us. Well, here we are two weeks after moving back to Taiwan, and Bubu is happily sitting beside me as I type these words.

So how did we do it? 

First, let me make this clear: we did not use a pet relocation company. These companies cost an arm and a leg, and I truly felt like this was a process we could undertake ourselves. I was right. It was very frustrating at times, but that frustration was well worth the $10,000 we saved by not using a pet relocation company. Yes, you read that figure correctly. That is what one pet relocation company quoted us when we contacted them about Bubu's move to Taiwan. 

I am lucky enough to have a dear friend who is a veterinarian, so she was a very valuable asset along this journey. That said, we were still the ones who took every step of this process. With or without a handy veterinarian friend, you can figure this out too! 

I would highly recommend consulting this website and this website to wrap your mind around the relocation process before taking any steps. Then, once you have done so, begin the process I outline below: 

1. Make an appointment to visit your vet ASAP! Really, you need six months from this first appointment until the time you can move with your pet. When you make an appointment, tell your vet that you are moving to Taiwan and need to begin the long process of bringing your pet with you. Explain that your pet will need to be inoculated with an inactivated rabies vaccine within 30 days to 1 year of bringing your dog to the airport. If that is already true, have your vet draw a blood sample for a rabies titer test (rabies neutralization test) within 180 days to 1 year of bringing your dog to the airport. Your vet should know which approved lab to send the blood sample to because you already told him that you are moving to Taiwan. Further, please note that your dog must have a mircochip implanted before receiving the rabies vaccine. If your pet does not have one, be sure your vet implants one and then gives another rabies vaccine. Also note that Taiwan only accepts certain mircochips:

The microchip used should comply with ISO Standard 11784 or Annex A to ISO standard 11785. Taiwan currently accepts AVID 9 and AVID 10 in addition to ISO. The microchip must be implanted before the rabies vaccine is administered.

2. Wait for the titer results. The report needs to come back from an approved lab stating that the rabies neutralization antibody is at least 0.5IU/ml. If the test results do not meet this criteria, you cannot proceed. If they do meet this criteria, you can move forward. 

3. Call your airline and make a reservation for your pet on the flight you booked for yourself. Your pet has to fly under your name! They cannot fly without you as cargo. You will need to know your dog's weight and mircochip number. You will also need to know the dimensions and weight of its crate, so you must purchase it before you call to make your pet a reservation on your flight. Check with your airline about crate requirements for live animals before purchasing one. Most airlines allow up to three live animals in the cargo area, so I would recommend calling as soon as possible after receiving the titer test results. The airline should tell you then how much it will cost to fly your pet as cargo, which is calculated by your dog's weight and the amount of space its crate requires. 

4. Apply for an import permit from the Taiwanese government. Use this website. You will need the following documents and information: your flight number, your dog's mircochip number, your passport, your dog's rabies certificate, and its titer test results. They process this quickly, so expect to have the import permit within one week. They will send you additional paperwork such as a survey for your dog's stay at quarantine and directions to the quarantine clinic for when you pick up your dog.

5. Make an appointment with your veterinarian to receive a health certificate for your dog. Most will do this within two weeks of your flight date. This certificate must be issued by a USDA certified vet. If your vet is not USDA certified, make an appointment with a local vet who is. Note: they must sign your pet's health certificate with blue ink! 

6. Make an appointment to visit a USDA vet clinic in your state within 10 days of your flight. You will need to bring the following documents: your flight itinerary, your dog's titer test results, your dog's rabies vaccine certificate, and your dog's health certificate that was issued by a USDA certified vet. At this appointment, they will emboss the health certificate with a seal. This is the final step of the process. While you can mail all these papers to a USDA vet clinic in your state, we drove 1.5 hours each way to do it in person so there was no possibility of the papers getting held up in the mail considering we only had 10 days before flying out. Note: you must make an appointment first; you cannot just walk into the office. 

7. Tie up all other loose ends. For example, EVA Air wanted us to print off two copies of their "Live Animal Declaration" form and bring it with us to the airport. Tip: buy a folder to keep all of your dog's paperwork in. It will make going to your appointments, the airport, and the quarantine counter in Taoyuan Airport much easier. We also made sure his crate was comfortable by putting in it his bed, blanket, toy stuffed elephant, and an unwashed shirt of mine.

8. On the day of your flight, bring your dog to your airline's normal check in counter three hours before your flight leaves. Going through all of the paperwork and the airline's process will take extra time. We were at the check in counter for nearly one hour. I would recommend making photocopies of the following documents: your dog's health certificate that has been embossed by the USDA clinic, your dog's titer test, and your dog's rabies certificate. 

9. Follow the customs procedures at Taoyuan airport. Near baggage claim 6, there is a quarantine counter. They will collect your papers and you will meet your dog there. After all your papers are approved, you will part ways with your dog for 7 days. After one week, you will pick up your dog from the quarantine facility near the airport. The process in Taiwan was simple and quick! 

Note: The total cost for all of these steps was about $700 USD, which sure beats $10,000 USD! While Bubu did not love the 12 hour flight or 7 day quarantine stay, he does love being with his family! 

If any of you want to move your pet to Taiwan and have questions, 

please feel free to ask them in the comment section below or email me!