Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Yo!Chingo]

I'm thinking about getting a dog here in Korea and taking it back with me. Does anyone know what I need to do as far a vaccinations and quarantine? How much does it cost to fly it to the States and would a vet object to sedating it? I'm a bit hesitant about taking a dog on such a long trip. If I do I want to make sure it's as comfortable and untraumatized as possible. Also does anyone know a good English speaking vet in Seoul or Incheon?
Thanks in advance!

[dogshed]

All the stuff I've read says to not sedate. We don't puppy to quit
breathing.

[dogshed]

I decided not to bring my dog to Korea but from what I remember
it's around $300 and you have to use an approved carrier.
I think Hawaii is the only state that requires a quarantine.
They may refuse to take the dog if any stop might be too hot or
too cold.

[pest2]

just say, "to go, juseo" and they will totally understand. If you want it to taste even better, have them add song-ee (mushrooms). Yummm! People back home will be so happy you brought the dog home!

[Geckoman]

A good person to contact with questions, concerns and inquires regarding stuff like this is:

Shirley Miller
She is an officer in the humane and animal adoption society called
"Guam Animals In Need" or "G.A.I.N." for short, in Guam, USA.

She would have the answers to any questions, concerns or inquires about such matters.

Shirely Miller
Secretary, Guam Animals In Need (GAIN)

E-mail:
[email protected]
[email protected]

Phone:
(+1) 671-477-5658
(+1) 671-789-2358
(+1) 671-653-4246
(time zone difference: +1 hour from Korea)

Mailing Address:
Guam Animals In Need
P. O. Box 22365,
Barrigada, GU 96921
USA

Website: http://www.guamanimals.org/
E-mail: [email protected]

Good luck!

[Yo!Chingo]

Thanks Geckoman!

[tzechuk]

Friend of mine is taking her dog back to Canada with her. A sizeable beagle.. so cute..

Anyway, I think she said her ticket for PeeKay was around 200,000. They are flying with Air Canada and apparently, as bad as AC's reputation is, they are the best for handling pets?

[djsmnc]

I will, for one of the first times out of a thousand-something posts, offer to solicit something productive:

When I brought my little dog back to the States, I

1. Had to have his immunization records updated. Of course, having received him through an acquaintance of a friend, it was a bit difficult to retreive that information. However, thanks to my cunning demeanor and outstanding language aptitude, it was easily possible to get some of the info, shall we say...exaggerated?

2. Had to call the airline in reference to my booking and let them know I would have a pet. It's even better to do that BEFORE making a ticket, because there are a lot of restrictions.

3. MAKE SURE TO NOTE THE PRICE THEY QUOTE. I was told that it would be a total of $130 including the three stops I would be making on the way. $450 later, I was a bit irritated, and let them know, which eventually landed me (no pun intended) some $300 in lousy vouchers with outlandish restrictions.

4. Plan your route to the airport. I took the airport bus, and the driver was VERY reluctant to let me bring the dog. Fortunately, my girlfriend is a mouthy Korean b**ch, so he gave in. However, when the dog had to go back into the cage at the airport, he (the dog, not the bus driver) screeched and whined a lot, because, well, he was a caged dog in an airport, which leads to:

5. Arrange for your dog to fly in cargo. Putting him in the cabin seems troublesome, and the guy next to you, though he is smiling and acting cordial, would probably like to choke the dog. Dogs are not human, and I was surprised that they even offer to let you carry them on the plane.

6. You have to have records and everything verified in a quarantine/customs office before flying out. Make time for that, and be prepared to have your animal possibly poked and prodded at every airport you go to. Just wait til you get back to your western home country (where EVERYONE just HAS to notice, mention, and point at your dog) and you are carrying a whimpering animal between offices and conveyer belts amongst the bags full of too many things you brought home from Korea.

7. There's always some a-hole. In my case, it was the group of fuddy duddies working behind the counter in the Boston airport who said that the cage I was carrying (yes, from Seoul, through LAX) was not "regulation." So then I had a hysterical dog who I couldn't put on the plane, therefore holding up the line and pissing off some businessman who was subsequently cursing the staff, because the geeky guy who hates his job behind the counter was browsing the airline's website policy and finding that the cage didn't "seem to fit the regulations." They eventually relented.

Expect your dog to pop up in the strangest of places at the airport. DON'T expect him to be treated like royalty. He's cargo, like any other box, but with certain handling regulations and specifications. Watch what's going on the best you can, because you have a lot of blue collar people in control of your pet's fate. No offense to blue collar workers, but the ones at the airlines sometimes tend have a few screws missing here and there.

[khyber]

1) I have an arrangement with my vet where we required about 4 weekends. We start with a very low dosage and slowly build up til we find the exact right amount of sleepy medicine. Then when we leave, the dog'll get that.

2) To leave with your dog, you need to get a special form from the Korean vet association. It basically says that she/he got their rabies shot. A decent sized vet may be able to get the form for you. Otherwise (apparently) the korean vet's asso. has a website where you can download the form (could someone find that for me. Ican't search for it in english...well, I tried and it didn't work).
EDIT:
Found the site:
http://www.kvma.or.kr/
stil lcan't find the form I need (can't really read korena very well though).
lil help?


3) I'm flying with JAL and it's 220,000

4) SOME flights to some places at some times of the year have pet embargos cause it gets too hot. MAKE SURE YOU ASK when you bookk your ticket.

5) It's a long trip. You dog will NOT be happy. It won't be permanently traumatized too though she/he may not like the crate for a while.
Just make sure you take her out for a GOOD sized walk when you arrive back home.

[Yo!Chingo]

Hmmm. I'm thinking of rethinking this dog thing. I wanted to "rescue" a dog here but flying is crazy enough as it is. Hmmm. I might need to sleep on it another night. Thanks for all the information guys and gals.

[essyanthology]

djsmnc,
For your connecting flights, did you have to pick your dog up at every one and then check him back in? Where did you go to pick him up, and how much time did it take? My dog is coming back to Boston with me in about 4 months.

[djsmnc]

[sharkey]

I traveled with my little dog I rescued. I went from Busan - Tokyo - Toronto - and then to my house another two hour flight!

It wasn't the funniest thing I did, but, if you love your dog its worth it.