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When Birgit Eberlein and her family traded their Berlin home for a Beijing one, they had one outstanding dilemma: how to bring along Buddy, their beloved family pet. "The idea to take him was to make the children happy and that was really important as a family to take him with us," she says.

 

Before leaving Germany eight months ago, Eberlein was baffled by the conflicting and confusing information available about pet transportation.

 

 

Franziska Eberlein, 10, and her beloved Buddy. The Eberlein family value Buddy so much that they brought him from Germany to Beijing with them. Courtesy of Birgit Eberlein

 

With guidance from a Beijing acquaintance, she employed a China-based pet relocation company, which handled all arrangements once she, her husband and three children and Buddy arrived at the airport.

 

It cost 1,000 euros ($1,339) for the black labrador to travel in the cargo section of the Lufthansa plane and once it was inspected by Customs staff, it was delivered to the family's home in Beijing Riviera in Chaoyang District the next day. The relocation company charged $800. Eberlein was pleased with the experience.

 

"I was really nervous about how to go with a dog to China. I had a bad feeling: 'What will they do with the dog at the airport?'" Eberlein says.

 

 

Ask any expatriate about relocating their dog or registering it in China and you will hear many different experiences regarding the authorities, registration fees and other rules.

 

One rule is consistent: all dogs in Beijing and Shanghai must be registered with local police and be vaccinated.

 

"The rules for pets extend to everybody and the laws are absolutely clear: all dogs must be registered, it's a legal requirement for any dog owner," says Mary Peng of the International Center for Veterinary Services, a private hospital in Chaoyang Distric (www.icvsasia.com).

 

Although registration fees vary in Beijing, they generally cost less outside the municipality.

 

Foreigners who relocate to China for work are allowed to bring their pets with them with general ease. However, only one pet is allowed for each passport holder.

 

"To bring a pet in, you can't be a tourist and you have to be a lawfully employed person with a Z visa or a PRC national," says Peng.

 

Peng says given that every locality may have slightly different registration fees and other rules, it is wise to check with your building owner about the jurisdiction in order to register your dog at the nearest Public Security Bureau.

 

The first-time dog registration fee is 1,000 yuan ($131) in Beijing and further 500 yuan ($66) to renew each year. A similar fee process is in place in Shanghai.

 

Some owners say they pay much less to register outside downtown Beijing and some receive discounts if they can prove their dog is neutered or desexed.

 

One rule setting Beijing apart from the outer areas is the requirement that dogs housed downtown must be under 35 centimeters. Owners say this rule is flexible depending on the breed and whether the dog lives in a gated compound or in a busy commercial area. The specific rules can be obtained from the local PSB office.

 

Australian Mary Pryce, who worked in a dog shelter in Egypt and relocated to Beijing with her husband for his job with an Australian oil and gas company, brought her mixed-breed dog and has no complaints.

 

"I was brought up to respect all animals so we've always had animals and such," says Pryce who lives in Beijing Riviera, a private residential compound in the outskirts of Chaoyang.

 

It cost 400 yuan ($52) to register her dog, but Pryce paid 300 yuan ($39) because it was neutered, an incentive available in many parts of the city.

 

Carol Wolfson, founder and executive director of the non-profit Second Chance Animal Aid in Shanghai (www.scaashanghai.org), says local police have been cracking down on unlicensed dogs because some owners neglect to vaccinate for rabies.

 

"Most expatriates take care of their dogs in terms of medical care and yearly vaccinations but they think they live in 'safe' areas and do not need to get a license for their dogs," Wolfson says. "We get calls from expats who are of course distraught because their dog has been seized and they cannot get it back, and they blame the police.

 

"We ask if the dog is licensed and they say no." 

 

Wolfson adds that the police have the legal authority to seize a dog and most are not returned.

 

"This is simply irresponsible pet ownership," she says.

 

"If people do not, or cannot, pay the yearly licensing fee in Shanghai, they should not own a pet dog because they are putting their beloved pet at risk."

 

Before moving to China, dog owners are required to prove their dog is vaccinated for rabies and is in healthy condition. A health certificate is usually required from the home country, experts say.

 

Experts recommend pet owners check with specific airlines about dog transport facilities and pricing. They should also get in touch with relocation companies prior to leaving their homeland.

 

There is no requirement to use a relocation company but many believe it is better because company representatives will meet the owner and pet at the airport and handle the paperwork. Once on Chinese soil, all dogs are subject to quarantine.

 

In Beijing, officials make a decision on whether to quarantine a dog after inspection, and in most cases, owners are allowed to keep their dogs at home for 30 days during which time they're not allowed to take them outside.

 

The government charges if they conduct the quarantine in their facility and charges about 1,500 yuan ($198) for one week.

 

In Shanghai, there is an automatic seven-day stay at a quarantine station and then the pet can be sent home once all tests are negative, according to AGS Four Winds, a moving company that provides services for pets. The dog is then quarantined at home for another 23 days.

 

Meanwhile, Eberlein of Berlin says their eight months in Beijing has been more enjoyable because they have Buddy with them.

 

Despite being unable to swim in local lakes, as he did in Berlin, they sometimes take him into nearby mountains for some natural fun. "It's working very well, he's very well," she says.

 

(China Daily June 22, 2007)