Korean Job Discussion Forums

Lois · Joined: 22 May 2006

Hello, I have my dog's documents for his vaccinations and rabies shot but they are in Korean (I bought him in Korea). I need to get them translated, especially the rabies certificate, so that I can bring him to Canada. Has anyone had this experience?
I'm assuming there must be a vet in Seoul somewhere who can help me out, maybe Itaewon?

khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

I'm sorry to doubt you but that seems really weird.

My doctor put the stickers from each of the bottles he used (for the rabies vaccinations). These had all the info in english; the name, the date the batch was prepared, the pincode...everything.

The shot records were put in a little log book that we got at the vet. Did you get this log book from your vet...or A vet? If not, you should go to another vet and get a book that would have the names of the shots written in Korean AND English.

I don't think a rabies "certificate" is necessary to bring it into Canada....oh sh11t! Wait. Now that I remember, there IS some kinda paper that you have to get from some head office (government body OR the veteranary association or something).
I'm sorry though I cannot remember anything else about it. A really good vet would be able to get the form faxed to their office though.

chipotle · Joined: 30 May 2005 Location: brooklyn

I think you should be ok. According to my friends who have taken their dogs home, the day of your flight you must go to the plant and animal office in the airport and give them the forms, where they will give you a new one for whichever country you're going to. This form will be in English, obviously. Keep in mind this is just word of mouth, and you're better off safe than sorry. Find a vet who can get you at least the rabies certificate in English. I had no problem finding one in Daejeon and I imagine it's even easier in Seoul. Just walk into any vet's office you see and ask if you can get English forms. If they can't, ask them to make some phone calls for you until they find a vet that can help you.

I'm flying home this Wednesday with my dog and I'll post again if any information changes.

Draven · Joined: 03 Feb 2003

If you want the official word from the Canadian government about bringing your dog from Korea, click here. You need the rabies vaccination certificate for Canada, but if you don't have it, it seems an inspector will order you to get a rabies shot done. We have the certificate, but the vaccination expires soon after we arrive, so we'll have to get it done quickly anyway.

Also, the airline you're travelling with may require a statement from the vet attesting to the general health of your pet. Like the OP, we received these forms from our vet in Korean. We translated them into English, filled in the information, then took them back to the vet for him to sign. If anyone wants a blank copy of the forms we made, pm me your email address.

joyfulgirl · Joined: 05 Jan 2006

my vet said i just had to take the rabies certificate to the quarantine office at the airport, and they'd translate it, or give me whatever i needed in english for canada.

Draven · Joined: 03 Feb 2003

pet lover · Joined: 02 Jan 2004 Location: not in Seoul

Last two times I needed one of those, I just asked the vet to give me one in English and in Korean. Each time, the vet wanted a couple of days to write one up, but I had no problem with that.

Also, each time I went to America, I never had anyone ask to see my dog's rabies certificate. Not that I'd ever advise anyone to go without one!

Lois · Joined: 22 May 2006

My actual booklet is at home (I am at work now), but I don't recall the vet ever putting stickers in it. Now that I think of that, it is pretty strange! My vet at home put on stickers for my family dog.

If I get home tonight and see that there are indeed no stickers in my book, I can visit the vet but he obviously wouldn't be able to replace the stickers since I got the shots over 7 months ago.

Do you think it would hurt my dog to get another rabies shot (7 months after the first one) so I can get the sticker? If the sticker is even definetly required??

chipotle · Joined: 30 May 2005 Location: brooklyn

chipotle · Joined: 30 May 2005 Location: brooklyn

As promised, my dog and I are safely in the states and I'm ready to post about our experiences. First of all, don't worry about anything being in Korean. When you first get to the airport, go down to the second floor to the animal center (it's next to the post office). You have to give the woman there the rabies vaccination record and any other papers you may have, and fill out a form. She types up all of your information and gives you your travel document, which is what you need to show at the ticketing desk. This costs 10,000 won.

**Make sure the rabies shot is up to date, and the shot was given no less than 30 days before the flight** Some airlines are ok with this, but I flew with Japan Airlines, and the shot was only 14 days old. I don't think that he was going to be allowed to fly, but lucky for me (and my dog), that shot was only an accidental "extra shot." His first shot never expired, so he was ok to go though. I just had to run back to the animal center and get them to change the date on the travel paper to the date of the original shot.

If you're checking your animal, then after getting your flight ticket, you have to pay the excess baggage fee (for me it was 270,000 won) and then go to the customs office, where they do a quick kennel examination and that's where you say goodbye to your dog.

If you have any layovers or connecting flights, keep that document handy, because you'll need to show it at each stop. I was called to the airline desk at the end of my Seoul-Tokyo flight, just to show them the document.

At the end of the flight, I got my suitcase and waited for my dog to be dropped off, where I took him through customs (which was, surprisingly, a little too easy.) All they did was look at the rabies date and we were good to go. No look inside the cage, no nothing. Kimchi did really well with his flight- no messes, and he wasn't AT ALL shaken. He was happy to get out and relieve himself, and he was introduced to my two scottish deerhounds and monster of a cat. One big happy family now. Boy, he loves America.

I'm not sure about water restrictions with the new security procedures, but my dog was really happy to have a water bottle in his kennel, a chew toy, and a soft blanket to lay on. That's all he needed. I also taped a bag of emergency food to the top in case of a long layover and locked the kennel with a bike lock (a copy of the key was taped next to the food.) Everything worked out quite smoothly.

Overall, it was very easy, and everyone was REALLY nice and helpful about everything.