Importing Pets into Taiwan (Paperwork, Quarantine, etc.)

Hi! We will be moving to Taiwan shortly, and we’re having a very difficult time finding out exactly what the deal is with bringing cats into the country. We understand that there is a 21 day quarantine period for pets coming in from non-rabies-free countries, such as ours (the US). Fine, we can deal with that. We realize this will cost money. From what we can gather it will be about $250 per pet (did we mention there are two?). We know they need rabies shots (done) and health certificates (no problem). But now we’re hearing something about about having to apply to bring your cat in 3 weeks ahead of time? And that they need a health certificate for the application. But doesn’t the health certificate have to be done no more than 10 days before departure? The airline wants one within 10 days or they won’t let them fly. Are they asking for two separate health certificates? ACK!!! Additionally, our friendly vet who has been telling us a health certificate for each kitty would be free is now saying it only applies to a domestic health certificate. We need international health certificates which he’s very happy to charge us and arm and a leg for (per cat, of course).

Oh, also, the application seems to be asking for a “Taiwan contact person”. We don’t have a Taiwan contact person, as we are kinda going there to find an English job. After reading all the horror stories, we don’t want to try to get a job over the internet, and then find out that the company is demon-spawn.

Any ideas?

If anyone out there has done this before, your words of wisdom (and hopefully moral support!) would be greatly appreciated! We’re in the last weeks before leaving and is starting to go wrong now and we’re pretty stressed out.

Thanks!!!

Karen

Dont know too much about the process but one thing you’ll be happy to know is that vet care here in Taiwan is unbelievably cheap, about 1/5 of what you pay in the USA.

Panda

I have to agree with Panda and Juba. It’s not a good idea to bring pets over — UNLESS you plan on living the rest of your life (or theirs) here.

You left out a small little detail — it’s a 21 day MIN. stay. I have a Vet friend who works at one of the quarantine sites and knows many pets who have had to stay 3 to 6 months. And if your pet didn’t have any disease prior to getting here, they sure will have after being LOCKED up for 21+ days. After coming out, they will have flees, ticks, worms. They are CAGED for the entire duration. And the cages are VERY small.

It’s a horrible trauma for any pet — just to do it all over again when you go back.

I’ve heard that if you bring an animal through Japan, you can get around the lengthy quarantine. (Japan is on Taiwan’s list of rabies-free countries). Unfortunately, I don’t have details.
Help, anyone?
Also, if do a search on this site under quarantine, pet, cat, dog, etc. you can read past info on this subject.

I’ve been e-mailing with the quarantine folks and this is what they sent:

您好:
有關犬貓輸入檢疫規定如附件,
如有任何疑問,煩請E-mail hc04@mail.hcbaphiq.gov.tw
或來電(03)3982431洽詢.

                   動物檢疫課

Basically it’s 21 days (they haven’t mentioned any fee yet but I’m sure it’s coming!), 4 full-body photos of the pet, and you can even apply by e-mail if you want to. Just e-mail this guy and he’ll send you all the forms and info in Chinese and English. Slots in Taipei apparently fill up fast, though.

From what I’ve heard, I think I’ll be leaving my originally-Taiwanese cat with my parents, though…

Terry

I called the quarentine place in Kaoshiung and they say that pets going through Kaoshiung will get their own room instead of in cages. If going through Taipei, however, they might live in cages. I don’t know how big the rooms in Kaoshiung are. The rent is a little over NT $200 per day per cat.

Phone number for Kaoshiung place is 011-886-7-805-7790.

Fax number is 011-886-7-806-8427.

E-mail is kh0701@mail.khbaphiq.gov.tw

They accept digital photos of the cats via e-mail and also the health certificates via fax. You only need one health certificate within 10 days of departure. The proof of rabies shot is required for the quarantine application, and it’s different from the health certificate.

-Li Chu

Wow! I didn’t log in for a couple days and missed all the replies!

It seems we have everything in line as much as we can now. We have our licenses from Taiwan to bring in the cats. Unfortunately, we are coming through Taipei. If I had heard about the Kaohsiung thing earlier I might have changed our plans. But hopefully all will go as well as it can go! Their vaccinations are in order, the paperwork is complete, and the licenses granted. We’re not exactly sure how it works though. I guess we’re supposed to clear customs in Taipei with the cats, and then somehow they will go to quarantine, but we’re not quite sure how that will happen. We have requested that they go to Taichung, but I’m not sure that will happen either.

We’re leaving on the 16th, arriving Taipei the night of the 17th, and then, if all goes well, heading down to Taichung on the 18th. It’s going to be a rocky road, I’m sure, but I’m also confident all will be well in the end. We are planning on going to see them every day, for their sake, as well as ours. I suspect the risk of their quarantine being extended is lower if the owners show their dedication to the kitties.

We are planning on being in Taiwan for 2 years, if not longer. I know the quarantine part is horrible on the way in to Taiwan, but if worse comes to worst, going home is easy.

I’ll let you all know how it goes once it’s over!

Karen

Hello, to everyone!
I am new to the forum but have enjoyed reading many of the posts. :wink:
I was curious if some of you (I know have pets) could advise me on bringing my two cats with me to Taiwan.

We are moving to Taiwan in October most likely and I would very much appreciate any advise on quarantine, shots, paper work and the like.
Please let me know.
Thanks again!
:slight_smile:

If you’re from a country other than New Zealand, Australia, Great Britain, Japan or Iceland, (all rabies-free locations) there is a mandatory three week quarantine.

And if you’re coming from one of those countries, you won’t be able to take them back in straight away without a six month quarantine.

Go here:

baphiq.gov.tw/main/BranCls.a … SourceID=2

Click on the FAQ link it will download the FAQ with all the information you need to know.

Chou

We brought our cats from Seattle over a year ago, and they are perfectly happy. Granted, the flight was hard on all of us, but we survived. Quarantine was hell, but it was only for three weeks, and we endured. I absolutely do not regret the decision to bring them here, and I don’t think they do either.

My cats were inside cats before, and they are inside cats now. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Partly because they are inbread Siamese, and they had all the intelegence and “street smarts” bread right out of them. They’re really cute though, and that makes up for it. :slight_smile:

Our apartment here is four times the size of the one-room studio we lived in before we came here. I’m certain that they are better off here with us then they would have been back in the US with a family member who didn’t really want them. And the cat sitting in my lap as I type this thinks so too! :slight_smile:

So, while I agree with Juba that Taiwan does not have the respect for animals that we do in our respective countries, I do know that the twenty or so Taiwanese friends of ours who have come to our house and hung out with our feline friends have developed a new appreciation for animals and a new respect for their livelihoods.

Meow!
Karen, Tea and Chai (my cats)

I’m bringing my two cats with me when I move to Taipei next month. I know that they have to go into quarantine for 21 days, but I don’t know how bad/good the facilities are.

The cats were strays which I adopted and although they are extremely loving and good natured, they are very nervous of new environments, so I am already dreading the actual move on the plane for them.

So does anyone have first hand experience of the quarantine facilities there?

To make matters worse, they both have FIV so their immunity is compromised. so I am worried that they could easily catch something whilst in quarantine.

I’m still bringing them with me, no matter what, but it would be good to get some advice anyway.

thanks in advance.

[quote]To make matters worse, they both have FIV so their immunity is compromised. so I am worried that they could easily catch something whilst in quarantine.
[/quote]
If your cats were healthy, they would probably (but by no means certainly) survive quarantine and then life here. Other people who post here have done it successfully.
However, if the cats have FIV, you are almost certainly bringing them to their deaths.
I can understand your being attached to them, but surely not enough to kill them? Talk to your vet about it.

I may have a chance of a 2-year contract in Taiwan and am trying to find out about quarantine requirements, kenneling etc. I have read some horror stories on the site about neglected pets in kennels and am considering not bringing them. How long is quarantine anyway?

Does any body have any advice or experiences they can pass on to me.

Ironically, they are both imunised against rabies and have been regular travellers between Italy and the UK for over 3 years, with no problems.

Would appreciate any info, Cheers :?

Quarantine is three weeks, and if you’re in Taipei, you can request to have them quarantined at Taipei National University’s Animal Hospital Quarnatine, which is fairly accessible. You are allowed dailyvisits with your pet, but I’m not sure if they allow physical contact. If your pet were coming from the UK, and had been living there for the past six months, there would be no quarantine at all. The quarantine is only for animals coming from countries with rabies.

Hi! I can give you some info. I spent last December in Taipei teaching a ‘new’ method of dog training. I spent some time teaching this method to the vets at the vet school in Taipei, which is where the animals are quaranteened. I’m pretty sure it is for 3 weeks. I didn’t see the kennels, but was favourably impressed with the people at the school.

I have an associate who is now in Taipei, but she is coming back to N. America soon, and then, in a few months will be moving there, i.e. to stay. She will be taking her dog.

We will likely be doing something together there, re dogs once she is settled.

I have a discussion list, if you would like to continue to be in touch. Or, we can talk here too of course.

Vicky

Hi
can anyone advide on how to bring cats from Singapore into Taiwan.
I understand that there are restrictions doing this directly from Singapore today.

thanks
ian

good evening

we are expected to come and work in Taiwan but we have two cats and I don’t find the information about how many days they will be kept by the autority as a “quarantaine”

can anybody help me with this question??
and if they are kept some days for quarantaine, do we have the right to visit them and where they are located?
and also what kind of document do we need ?

thanks for your help

laeti

PETS

  • Quarantine required (time varies… I think its 21 days???)

  • After quarantine period the pet should be kept under continuous supervision on the owners premises for 6 months

  • Documents required:

  • Import Permit

  • Work Certificate

  • Copy of owner’s Passport with first three pages and entry form

  • Residence Certificate (copy)

  • Application form to Bureau of Commodity Inspection and Quarantine (issued by owner’s company in Taiwan)

  • Letter stating pet is not for sale or profit

  • Original Health Certificate (from licensed veterinarian at origin, certified by foreign veterinary authority and Agricultural Bureau of State stating pet species, breed, sex and age)

  • Original Rabies Vaccination Certificate (must be administered 30 days prior to the flight, but not more than 180 days prior to departure and be certified by Agricultural Bureau of State)

  • Six colored photographs of pet (front view and profile) 6 copies each 4X6

tracking.alliedintl.com/customs_reports/TW.asp

This may be helpful too: ipata.com/ipatasub/countries … taiwan.htm