Korean Job Discussion Forums

[joyfulgirl]

any stories er words of advice about gettin' yer cat er dog home? have you had an easy time? bad time? are certain airlines better than others?

also, what documentation did you need? i've got the rabies shots papers. is there more? (for canada).

oh, also...where can i get a good strong cat carrier? i bought this one for 45,000 at carrefour, but the door just pops open when the big boy is in it.

[mole]

I don't know the regulations. How about a twisty-tie on the latch?

& what about an enormous golden retriever? We may be adopting one to take to US. I'm familiar with PetSmart, etc. But don't recall seeing a carrier so big.

Oh, yeah. I can shop online. Gotta stop being such a technophobe.

[resa]

I haven't returned to North America with my dog, but she has traveled with me (first from the States to Israel, then from Israel to Korea). You need to figure out what Canada's regulations are and that will determine what you need. So long as the cat is current on rabies vaccs and it has been more than 30 days since it got the shot, it should be fine. Figure out what Canada says you need, and then you'll need to figure out how to get the documentation that the cat is safe from the Korean government. Traveling internationally with a pet isn't as complicated as it seems like it would be (from a paperwork perspective) but it can be a huge hassle.

As far as good pet carriers, go to a vet or pet supply store. The carriers they sell will be higher quality than what you could get at Carrefour.

As for airlines, do research. How heavy is your cat? If it's under 15-ish pounds, it could theoretically ride in the cabin with you. Talk to a few different airlines, see what their guidelines are about pets, and go from there. When I flew from Israel to Korea (Lufthansa, a word I am incapable of spelling correctly) they were awesome. They blocked out two seats beside me so I could keep my dog's carrier on the seat beside me (she has a bit of separation anxiety) and they brought me water regularly to give to the dog. Anyway, you have to notify the airline when you book the ticket that you'll be traveling with a pet, as there is a limited number of animals (maybe just 1 or 2) that is allowed on each flight. Good luck!

[sistersarah]

it was so easy to get my little poodle home a couple years ago. showed my papers, picked him up at vancouver airport. cost a little over $200. no quarantine.

[Novernae]

[chipotle]

I'll be flying home (to the US) with my dog in less than two weeks and so far everything I've seen posted here has been true. Some airlines allow dogs or cats to fly in cabin with you, but this number keeps decreasing due to passenger allergy complaints. I'm flying with Japan Airlines, which recently changed its policy, so my little guy will be checked in and I'll meet him on the other side.

As far as papers go, at least for flying to the US, you must have the vet records, a rabies certificate, and a certificate of health that can be no more than 10 days old from the day of the flight. The most recent rabies shot can be received no less than 30 days in advance, BUT, there are ways around this. A friend flew home with her dog who had gotten a shot 15 days before the flight. She just had to sign something at the airport saying she would keep her dog away from wildlife for the remaining 15 days. This is also what will happen with me, as my dog's shots expired this month and I had to get the booster, which unfortunately created a time conflict.

As for carriers, if your pet is flying cargo, make sure you get one that's airline-certified. It must be sturdy plastic, not the kind that breaks easily. Your carrier sounds like it's no good... it needs to latch and lock securely. I got mine at a pet store and it even came with a "Live animal" sticker with room to write food instructions. Also, for cargo, be careful about temperature. If it's too hot or too cold, the animal won't be allowed to fly. Try to book a flight according to the time of day and ideal temperature.

Anyway, that's all the information I've gathered during my flight preparation. The US and Canada are very similar in requirements, so I'll be sure to post when we're home and settled to share the traveling experience.

[mole]

[The Great Toad]

Do a Masada on him have a big feast cry a lot then break out the big knife and cut his throat don't leave behind to the Romans errr Koreans it'll wish it was dead...

[mole]

[RobinH]

What Chipotle says is correct. I flew home with my cat in Jan. US customs does not require anything special for a cat, but the Korean gov't requires rabies and health certification. I had to stop at the animal quaratine office at the airport, show my forms, and pay 10,000 won, I think, the woman gave me another form and that was it.

BTW, if you were thinking aboutit, don't bother giving your pet drugs to calm it on the flight. They can have a bad reaction and it's not pleasant for them. I've flown twice with two different cats. They cry for the first 30 minutes or so, and again if there's turbulance, but then they're ok.

Once I arrived in the States, a US Customs vet took a quick look at her inside her crate, stamped a form and we were done.

[chipotle]

Good point, RobinH. I forgot to mention about sedation, but I just want to stress the importance of it... everything I've read says not to do it. A lot of pets wind up over-sedated and it really messes with their bodies when they reach high altitudes. Also, their reaction time slows and they can wind up injured if the trip becomes a little bumpy because they can't properly brace themselves.

As for leaving the ferret behind... no! She's in the US, waiting for my return!

This will be a pretty picture... a ferret, a chihuahua, and two giant scottish deerhounds meeting for the first time. Send some good vibes my way.

[RobinH]

Ha! Ha! Sounds like a handful, Chipotle!

My kitty got to meet my parents' three black cats and a black Newfoundland when she arrived.

[joyfulgirl]

thanks for the great responses, guys.

i was doing some research, and i know it's all do-able. i just wanted to hear some stories and be reassured that the cat or dog showed up okay. and to make sure i wasn't missing anything...i have the rabies shots papers, will get the health certificate. canada has no quarantine. tho, like people have said, think the carrying the animal in the cabin is becoming less and less popular. but i think my cat is too fat for that anyway. he's basically a tiger.

and the temperature thing bothers me a bit..not taking pets if it's too hot or cold. you can't really get around that when you have one specific day to be out of a country. i am 'supposed' to leave korea on dec. 29th, but it'll probably be before that. but had that been the case, i checked Air Canada's site, and they said they wouldn't take pets between dec. 18 and jan. 7...geez. KoreanAir's site seemed very pet friendly tho.

the canadian gov't site said you needed rabies shots papers in english, but mine are in korean...tho the vet said just take the papers to the 'animal er quarantine' place at the airport, and it'd be no prob.

basically, i'm just stressing about my poor kid being in a box in a scary environment for that long. do they poo? do they pee? 24 hours with no food or water? ack. i know not to give him sedation...most everyone says not to do that.

must have more faith in him. he's a tough korean kitty.

i'm a worry wart. i'll feel better when i get a good cat carrier. will go have a search for one this weekend. any particular shop names/locations to reccommend?

and i love that a ferret, a chihuahua, and two giant scottish deerhounds are meeting for the first time....ha...you have many good vibes coming from here.

[RobinH]

If you take your kitty with you in the cabin, make sure you get a crate that fits under the seat. I can't remember the max dimension, but you should check with the airline. I got my crate at my vet's office.

And that bit about not taking animals in cargo during certain times is strange to me. The airlines I've always flown on have put animals in heated or a/c pressurized compartments in the hold. Must vary by airline.

Don't worry about your kitty being upset either. Sure, he won't like it, but he'll settle down. He will not pee or dump in his crate either, most likely. He probably won't want to drink or eat anything, so no biggie.

[tbag81]

just wondering if anyone knows exactly where you can find out about your countries regualtions on bringing a pet home.