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Bringing My Dog
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NYC_Girl



Joined: 04 Oct 2010
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 3:20 pm    Post subject: Bringing My Dog Reply with quote

My husband and I are in Korea, and plan on staying for another year or two, but are starting to look for our next move (we've been here for 3 and a half years so far, and 5 seems like a nice round number) and are considering Japan. Our main concern is our pooch. We won't go anywhere that we can't take him. Does anyone know what the requirements are? What the process is? If there's a lengthy quarantine? These things are very important in choosing our next home.
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Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

PostPosted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 11:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My initial recommendation is to leave your dog in Korea with trusted friends. Most apartment owners will not accept dogs. Those that do will charge you more, and they often/usually will not take medium/large dogs. What kind is yours?

Quarantine procedures lightened a bit, so I'm told, but you still need to plan way ahead if you insist on bringing a canine. Shots, papers, that sort of thing. http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/index.html
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NYC_Girl



Joined: 04 Oct 2010
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 3:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I found some info online. It's an antibodies test that takes a few months beforehand but is good for up to 2 years, a certificate, and a 12 hour quarantine, but nothing serious.

I'd never move anywhere that my dog wasn't welcome. He's family. He's just under 5kg, so a small dude. He's mostly mini pin, and a handsome devil. One of my friends said that he sees people walking dogs often, so they have to live somewhere. We wouldn't mind paying more for rent, as long as he could live with us. Thanks for the link.
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Pitarou



Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan

PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 3:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It depends very much on where you think you'll live. If you're planning on living the big city, most apartment landlords don't accept pets. There are a few contraband cats out there, but most dog owners are also home owners.

You may also find that Japanese ideas of acceptable conditions for a dog do not match your own. Personally, I'm disgusted by the conditions in pet shops here, and by owners' general lack of regard for the needs of their small, fashionable dogs. They dress them up in designer label clothes (I kid you not), but think that letting them run around for 20 minutes in a postage stamp garden counts as "taking them for a walk".
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timothypfox



Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 492

PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 4:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Actually many people have pets in Japan these days, and most real estate agencies can refer you to "pet friendly" apartments. it will limit your choice of course, but there are apartments for people with pets.

You need a long time to get through pet immigration - and you will also need to communicate with quarantine staff at Narita in Tokyo by fax or phone to reconfirm required documents. you will also need to reserve ahead of time a place in pet cargo on your flights over.

the requirements are almost as rigorous as applying for a greencard. highlight every point on instructions you print out from the MAFF website, and be diligent. i speak from experience bringing three cats from new york into japan 2 years ago.

good luck!
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kathrynoh



Joined: 16 Jul 2009
Posts: 64

PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 6:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Japan quarantine is nothing compared to Australia. if all goes well, you can pick your dog up within 24 hours. I think it depends where you are coming from too.

You see thousands of people with pets in Tokyo so they have to live somewhere. There is a great fenced in dog run in Yoyogi park (and probably other areas too). I'm not sure how people got their dogs there - maybe they just lived in the area - because you don't see people taking dogs on the train. I guess a small dog you could get a pet carrier bag.

Pitarou, I agree it's disgusting. A lot of younger women treat their dogs like little dogs. I wonder what happens when they get bored with them! And the 24 hour pet shops around Shinjuku are all kinds of wrong.
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timothypfox



Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 492

PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 8:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No that's most likely not true at all... Please read the MAFF website! The quaratine time could be considerable - weeks and even months if you do not follow the proper steps. Your own cost to pay for the animals accomodations and your own responsibility to go to the airport each day to feed and water it.

http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/import-other.html
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kathrynoh



Joined: 16 Jul 2009
Posts: 64

PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 10:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The site says 12 hours if you have done everything you need to prior to the dog's arrival.
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Cool Teacher



Joined: 18 May 2009
Posts: 930
Location: Here, There and Everywhere! :D

PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 10:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pitarou wrote:
You may also find that Japanese ideas of acceptable conditions for a dog do not match your own. Personally, I'm disgusted by the conditions in pet shops here, and by owners' general lack of regard for the needs of their small, fashionable dogs. They dress them up in designer label clothes (I kid you not), but think that letting them run around for 20 minutes in a postage stamp garden counts as "taking them for a walk".


Yeah but dogs that look liek Sherlock Homes are really cool and so are the ones with dark glasses and funky dyed fur. Cool
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Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 1:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, dog live somewhere. Please read carefully. Most of the time it is in a house. You are unlikely to buy a house fresh off the boat. Rather than mince words here, just where exactly did you hope to live? That will settle a lot. People who live there can tell you precisely how many/what percentage of rental properties permit dogs. Trust me, it is far fewer than those who don't.

Yes, quarantine can take a short time. Read again. If you are prepared, that is true. Gotta jump through the hoops, which is why I wrote that you need to get things in order way ahead.

Now, how about your work schedule? gone from noonish to 9pm in eikaiwa, plus 30-60 minutes commuting time. Can you/dog live with that?
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timothypfox



Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 492

PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 11:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My point is that quarantine can take up to 180 days if you do not follow the steps correctly. You are supposed to - as one the stages of pet immigration - have a 180 "quarantine" of your pet in your home prior to departure to Japan. If you have not, then you may have problems in Japan. But, you probably would also not get the required veterinary certificate.

In other words don't even think of leaving for Japan with your dog until you have the required veterinary certificate proving all the tests and shots have been done as well as proving you did the 180 house quarantine.

Many veterinarians have experience with pet immigration and will help troll the MAFF website with you. But, again on your own talk to your airline, and the airports where you will be traveling including the airport you will be departing from. In the end there was some additional paperwork and fees that were not included on the MAFF website. Also, airlines may require certain procedures for caging and labeling pets as well as a required reservation and fee. Procedures also vary between domestic and international flights even with the same airline.
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OneJoelFifty



Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 463

PostPosted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 6:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kathrynoh wrote:
A lot of younger women treat their dogs like little dogs.


Awful!
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mitsui



Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki

PostPosted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 8:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In Osaka, the quarantine period used to be two weeks. If it is faster, that is good. You should have a record of the shots they have had. Filaria is the main one, as well as for rabies.
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kathrynoh



Joined: 16 Jul 2009
Posts: 64

PostPosted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 12:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

@JoelOneFifty... oops, I meant the dogs are treated like DOLLS! Very Happy
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timothypfox



Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 492

PostPosted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 12:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mitsui,

Thanks for sharing in the discussion, but you really should stick to what is on the MAFF website. Pet owners can't afford to go on hunches or what someone thinks they remember.

Pet immigration is much more strict than getting a work visa and will be the bulk of the work for someone moving to Japan from another country.

The MAFF website says pet owners need to do a house quarantine of 180 days in most countries, or be forced to leave their pet at a Japanese airport for an equivalent amount of time - 180 days. I don't know what would happen if you did the quarantine time but didn't finish all the innoculations and proper paperwork... I think it just not worth taking a chance. It could be very expensive and long and drawn out if you don't follow all the steps properly.
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