How to transport a dog from U.S. to The Philippines

For further questions and faster reply, please e-mail me directly: nrhedlind@gmail.com. Sorry I don't get to answer comments right away. 



A lot of people are asking me how Nala got here in the Philippines from the United States.

So here it goes: 

SUBJECT: TRANSPORTING/TRAVELLING WITH A DOG FROM U.S. TO THE PHILIPPINES 
DOG BREED: GERMAN ROTTWEILER 
GENDER: FEMALE AGE: 6 YEARS OLD
DOG WEIGHT: 97 LBS.
AIRLINE CARRIER: NWA (NORTHWEST AIRLINE)
FLIGHT: PORTLAND-NARITA (JAPAN)-MANILA (CONNECTING FLIGHT)
DEPARTURE: PORTLAND AIRPORT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
ARRIVAL: NINOY AQUINO INT'L AIRPORT, MANILA, PHILIPPINES
TOTAL FLIGHT HOUR: 12 HRS.
HOW MUCH?
AIRLINE FEE (PLANE TICKET): $450 FOR MY 97 LBS. DOG (PRICE DEPENDS ON WEIGHT)
BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY PHILIPPINES FEE: Php 350.00 or $7.00 more or less per dog (weight doesn't matter).
CUSTOMS TAX: NONE, NOT IF IT'S A PET. You just need to fill out Customs declaration form provided by the airline during the flight, Declare that you board a pet dog. That's it.

BEFORE THE FLIGHT, WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

1. Your dog's HEALTH CERTIFICATE/RECORD (must be recent)

My dog's actual health record

2. RABIES CERTIFICATE and VACCINE RECORDS (make sure it's not expired)

 My dog's actual vaccine and rabies records

3. CRATE/KENNEL. THE CRATE MUST COMPLY TO THE AIRLINE STANDARD.

This is how her crate looks like. Crate must have enough room for the dog to move. Notice the crate have airholes which is the standard for any airline.

There's lot of crate available in Wal-Mart which is compliant to most of the airline. Don't forget to print-out a sign that says: "LIVE ANIMAL" that you should stick into the front of the crate.

For "LIVE ANIMAL" STICKER, PRINT one HERE

4. PAYMENT- For Nala, I paid $450 in cash at the airline's front desk right at the airport at the very day of my flight. You can also use debit/credit card. You can pay upfront at the airport. Amount calculated base on your dog's weight. I paid $450 foy 97 lbs. dog, so the lighter your dog is, the lesser the amount is.
My dog's actual ticket

To give you an idea, the following table is the estimated price of your dog's air ticket:

(Based on NWA/Delta flights) 

CARRY-ON PETS Info: If you have smaller dog and not older than 8 months and weighs not more than 15 lbs. with kennel/crate, you can book your pet as Carry-On pet (it means the dog is in your flight seat) with one-way fee of $100. Crate compliant to airline standard still required. Make sure the kennel/crate will fit in under the airline seat.

DO I NEED TO BOOK EARLY?
ANSWER? NOPE. NOT NECESSARY.
Dog will be charge as "EXCESS BAGGAGE" so it's just like you brought a regular baggage.

However, booking in advance will avoid hassles. There might not be always a vacant cargo place for your dog especially during peak season.

In my case, I did not book early. Nala and I arrived 4 hours before my flight. (See above for step-by step process).

->ARRIVING IN NARITA, JAPAN (CONNECTING FLIGHT)
The flight attendant will check your dog's plane ticket, rabies vaccine certificate & health records  This is also when you will be asked to fill out Customs Declaration form.


…………>>>Finally..

NAIA
Manila, Philippines

Paperwork inspection again- takes a minute or two. After airline staff check your paperwork, you can proceed to baggage counter area and get your regular baggage. Proceed and talk to the airline staff at the counter near the baggage area. The staff will give go signal to one of their baggage porter to release your dog. Takes about 15 minutes or so.

They will help you proceed to Bureau of Animal Industry Philippines office (not too far from the baggage counter area, it is around 20 ft. across). The Philippine Animal Bureau office at the airport will check your paperwork and make some physical inspection to your dog.

They will ask for you to pay Importation/Quarantine fee (in cash so better have some pesos). The amount as of November 2008 is Php 350.00  (See the actual receipt below).

You must pay in peso! If you do not have any cash, you can leave your baggage and your dog to the airline porter or to Bureau of Animal Industry office  (like what I did) and get to the nearest ATM (just around the corner from the Animal office).

After paying them...congrats! It's done! You and your dog can now leave the airport.

This is the actual Bureau of Animal Industry receipt or they said this is the import permit itself:

ZOOM IN SO YOU CAN SEE THE DETAILS.

You can proceed going out the airport with your baggage and your dog. That's actually the hardest part--carrying all your baggage and crate all at once! But worry not! There will always be airport porters who will help you out. Don't forget to give some customary tips to the airport porter for helping you!

1. Make sure to have bottled water for your dog and a ready dish. You can write instructions outside the crate (the airline will have you fill a note sticker in how you want to feed or put water for your dog, you can also instruct them if you want your dog to take meds or pills). Note Example: Give water@ 2:00 pm, @ 9:00 pm. Give food@ 8:00 pm. Give vitamins@ 5:00 pm.
2. Make your dog familiar with her crate (if it's a new one). At least twelve hours before the flight, let her sleep inside the crate.
3. It will be a long flight so make sure that the dog pee/poo all ready.
4. You can put toys inside the crate so put her/his favorite toy so the dog will not get bored.
5.WARNING:  I heard some put tranquilizer so the dog will be asleep the whole flight but I don't think it's a good idea. So don't do this! They can sure survive the flight. My dog fell asleep most of the time for sure!

                                              


Note: You will notice it says in the receipt from Bureau of Animal Industry (Philippines) the date of quarantine is 1 month after your arrival but it doesn't mean your dog will be put on hold, they just documented it that way. The dog is released with you same day of arrival.
Bureau of Animal Industry (Philippines) doesn't even visit your dog after it arrives.

Credit to: Ingrid, and the husband


UPDATE: DO I NEED IMPORT PERMIT/CERTIFICATE FROM THE PHILIPPINES BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY PRIOR/BEFORE MY FLIGHT?


Talking from my experience…NO. All the paperwork needed are those I mentioned above. All that was asked in every checkpoint during the journey with my dog was the papers/documents  I mentioned above- all documents I obtained  from the United States!
I was NEVER asked about import permit or any certificate from the Philippines so I do not know about the other articles I read about transporting a dog to the Philippines and why import permit is required. 
To double check this, I recommend to confirm it with the Bureau of Animals in the Philippines.




P.S. I do not question the credibility of the website which publish that article about requiring Philippine import documents because the article stated its source too. I love LivinginCebu.org and I just  registered in the forum to shed light for the matter.