China & Shanghai Pet Export

Preparation is the key to a smooth pet move. Planning enough time and budget reduces the stress of a move on pet owners and their pets. There are several factors that affect the costs and time frame required to move your cat or dog from China to your next destination.

Relevant China pet export and destination pet import regulations

These are often not the same, but all steps must be completed at either end regardless of any differences in export and import requirements. Mainland China pets may be subject to additional import rules such as a rabies titre blood test.

Flight transportation options and restrictions

From in-cabin, to excess baggage, and cargo (ie. manifest cargo / freight) , costs vary significantly. Destination, airline, and weather (temperature) restrictions may apply.

Potential requirement for quarantine on arrival

Some jurisdictions impose quarantine on pets from Mainland China while not on animals from other jurisdictions, due to the higher risk of rabies.

Notable Pet Import Restrictions for Mainland China Pets

Ban on the Direct Import of Pets from Mainland China

Australia and New Zealand are the only jurisdictions that outright ban the direct import of pets from Mainland China. Pets from Mainland China moving to these destinations must spend up to 6 months in an approved transit country.

Pets are still be subject to quarantine on arrival.

Australia amended its pet import regulations to allow pets microchipped, vaccinated, and with a rabies titre blood test in Australia or in an approved country, to move from high rabies risk countries to Australia with a reduced 45 days in transit. Singapore is the most common transit in this case. Mayalsia is no longer approved for reduced transit time (as of 2019).

Contacting a reliable international pet transport agent is recommended.

Jurisdictions imposing extremely lengthy and / or costly import requirements for PRC pets

The following jurisdictions require pets from Mainland China follow challenging import requirements.

A move could take up to 7 MONTHS, require COSTLY CARGO / FREIGHT, restrict the number of pets an owner may import, impose lengthy quarantine, and / or require the use of a pet transport agent:

Hong Kong
Japan
South Africa
Taiwan
United Arab Emirates

This list is not exhaustive, but a good example of the need to FIRST research import regulations before ADOPTING a pet while residing in Mainland China.

Shanghai and China Pet Export Regulations

The focus of this section is Shanghai, but many of the export requirements are similar and pet owners should confirm other Chinese cities' pet export regulations with the relevant Customs Quarantine Bureau (CIQ).

Note that under PRC regulations, only cats and dogs are considered pets for export. Cats and dogs should be minimum 4 months old.

Basic Steps for Pet Export (applies to all pets/all destinations)
Official Shanghai Pet Export Veterinary Clinic

The info-graphics below summarize basic requirements that apply to many countries. For more details, including Shanghai's approved pet export vet clinic, rabies titre tests, and specific airline and destination issues that may arise (and can be planned around easily) please see the paragraphs below.

Step 1 - 1st Visit to the Shenpu Pet Hospital

This first step may be done at ANY Shenpu location (Puxi: Xujiahui, Changning, Putuo, Zhabei) BUT the 7 day pre-flight check MUST be done only at the Xujiahui location
Pets receive a microchip (RMB300) if not already chipped with a readable ISO standard chip
Pets receive a rabies vaccination (RMB170)

This rabies vaccination is required regardless of vaccination status from another clinic

Step 2* - 2nd visit to the Shenpu Pet Hospital

At least 30 days after and within 11 months from the 1st visit, pets return to the Shenpu Pet Hospital 7 days before departure for a health check.

Bring pet, your passport ID, flight booking details, Shenpu vaccination booklet and (if required for import) titre test. Also bring 2 COPIES of documents to avoid extra fees

Pay for export certificate (RMB700-800) and keep receipt for pick up at the quarantine bureau.

* See below for interim step between 1 and 2 for rabies titre blood test for certain jurisdictions (e.g. EU, UAE, Singapore and Japan) *

Step 3 - Pick up Export Certificate at Quarantine Bureau (Middle Huai Hai Road area)

3 days before departure, bring the receipt for the export certificate issued by the Shenpu Pet Hospital and your passport (AND a copy of a flight volunteer's passport if applicable) to the Customs quarantine bureau.

The Shenpu clinic receipt will provide the Customs bureau address and operating hours. Note the operating hours are LIMITED to short blocks of time in the morning and afternoon on weekdays only.

Shenpu Pet Hospital

565 Xujiahui Road
near the Pullman hotel - click here for Google map
Open 24 hours
Tel: +86 21 5301 8000
www.shenpucw.com (Chinese)
Some English speaking staff

Additional Step (between 1st and 2nd Shenpu clinic visits) for Pet Export - Rabies Titre Blood Test

Applies to some destinations (e.g. E.U., UAE, Singapore, Japan)

In between Step 1 and Step 2, some countries impose a rabies titre blood test to measure antibodies. Mainland China is considered a high risk country for rabies. Pets moving to the EU, Japan, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, and UAE must pass a blood test demonstrating a sufficient level of rabies antibodies.

A rabies titre test can be done minimum 30 days after the Shenpu Pet Hospital vaccination. Then there is a minimum 3 months (EU) to 6 months (Taiwan) wait from the date of the blood test before export.

The blood test requirement is easily met, however, the extended waiting time from the date of the test to export-import permission can be long:
EU and UAE: plan at least 4 months ahead of move
Singapore and Japan: plan at least 6 months ahead of move
Taiwam: Plan at least 7 months ahead of move

International-standard veterinary clinics in Shanghai (e.g. Shanghai and Pudong PAW) offer this service through affiliated certified domestic and international labs.

A rabies titre blood test costs between RMB1,600-RMB2,500 per pet at international-standard pet clinics, with some clinics offering a discount on multiple pet tests. IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO USE THE BLOOD TEST SERVICES OFFERED BY THE SHENPU PET HOSPITAL.

*Note: due to several instances of dogs with only the one mandatory rabies vaccination from the Shenpu failing the titre test, SCAA highly recommends large dogs receive an additional rabies vaccination either 3-4 weeks before the Shenpu rabies vaccination.

Many factors can influence vaccination failure - from the quality and storage of the vaccine, the animal's size/weight, and animal's stress/anxiety on and post vaccination. Failing and repeating the test is not only costly, it adds additional export preparation time.

Flight Transportation Options

Flight transportation costs vary greatly depending on the method of transport. Some options may be unavailable on certain airlines, limited to a certain # of pets per passenger, and restricted during certain times of the year (ie. the hottest and coldest months):

In-cabin transport: Available on many airlines at low cost, subject to pet's size & weight, one-per-per-passenger, and limit on number of pets per cabin. Not available for destinations that require pets arrive as cargo (e.g. UK, UAE and Hong Kong)
Excess baggage transport: Available on a limited number of airlines for reasonable set fee or based on pet & crate total size and weight, subject to limits of pets per passenger and, for Air Canada and China Eastern, not available during hottest and coldest times of the year. The best airlines for consistent and year-round excess-baggage transport include Air France, ANA, EVA Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, and Korean Airlines.

NOTE: U.S. Air Carriers - From Shanghai, American Airlines DOES NOT move pets cross-Pacific to the United States. Delta Airlines AND United Airlines allow small pets to fly in the cabin, one pet per passenger and generally 4 pet spaces available.

Delta AND United DO NOT offer excess baggage moves from China. Both airlines move pets in the hold ONLY as cargo (manifest cargo / freight). The cost is over $4,000 USD and requires a pet agent for Customs clearance.

Cargo transport: Most expensive transport option, required for all pets travelling unaccompanied, and required for import into certain destinations (e.g. UK, UAE, Hong Kong), required by US air carriers, and by Air Canada only in hot and cold months. A pet transport agent for Customs Clearance is required.

NOTE: for the UK - All pets arriving in the U.K. by air must arrive as manifest cargo. But the cost of a pet move can be significantly reduced by breaking up the journey into two flight segments; in-cabin or excess baggage from Shanghai to Amsterdam or Paris (if travelling with your pet) and then a cheaper and shorter cargo flight for the second/final leg or taking the Eurotunnel from Paris CDG.

Several transport companies specialize in driving pets + owners this route.