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  • in reply to: Importing pets Into China via Chengdu #53696
    Avatar photoj_hoke
    Participant

    Hello again, didn’t mean to scare you, since it sounds like you have a lot of experience traveling with your dog. My lasting advice, though, is to do as much research and preparation as you can, of course, but still assume you won’t know what the regulations-du-jour are until you arrive, because that is likely to be the case. If that lack of clarity doesn’t inhibit you from traveling with the dog, then go for it! For me, it was the confusion, more than the actual preparation and travel with my cats, that was so stressful.

    Good luck. Let us know how it goes!

    Best,

    j

    in reply to: Importing pets Into China via Chengdu #53693
    Avatar photoj_hoke
    Participant

    Hello,

    You want to bring a dog into China for only four weeks? I can’t even begin to tell you how not-worth-it that would be.

    At the time I brought my two cats into the country (summer 2016), I was told by officials Chengdu did not yet have room for quarantine, which is why it was so easy to bring them into the country via Chengdu (see above posts). Given that some time has passed and Chinese regulations change on a dime, it’s possible Chengdu quarantine rules have changed, too. You’re not likely to find out with any assurance before you arrive, as everything is unclear on- and offline.

    Quarantine or no, you’ll need to get your dog sufficiently vaccinated, get the appropriate paperwork filled out, and assemble their “passport”——all of this is a headache and a considerable expense. In my case, these documents were not even consulted at the airport, but I still would have never dared travel without them. (Keep in mind the re-entry regulations for pets from your home country may be just as strict, or more so.)

    At the time of my entry, we were able to bring pets in regardless of visa type, though I had a longterm visa anyway. It’s possible this has changed by now. You certainly cannot bring a pet in on a tourist visa in most countries, and I suspect the fact that I basically just walked in with my cats was sort of a fluke. (Keep in mind with cats and small dogs, you can often carry them onto the plane, and thus carry them through customs. If you’re trying to bring a large dog into China for mere weeks, forget it.)

    On top of this, if indeed there is quarantine for dogs in Chengdu when you arrive, it’s possible it will be longer than four weeks, the length of your stay. (Many other Chinese cities do indeed have strict quarantine laws, so you’d need to fly direct to Chengdu to avoid this; if you enter China in Beijing before connecting to Chengdu, for example, you’ll pass through customs there, and your pet will be stuck in Beijing.)

    Sorry I can’t give you more quarantine info. However, that’s sort of the point. You’re not likely to find out before you arrive.

    Perhaps you’re a veteran pet-traveling, I dunno, but I’m surprised you’d even consider bringing your dog for such a short time. Less than, say, a year seems not only not worth the hassle and uncertainty but also not worth the stress for your dog.

    Best,

     

    j

     

    in reply to: Thai Kaffir Lime Leaves Galore! #50843
    Avatar photoj_hoke
    Participant

    Hello, they are still available and all yours. I’ve thrown them in the freezer (the best way to store them). If you’re interested, add me on wechat: jmhoke06

    in reply to: Importing pets Into China via Chengdu #50607
    Avatar photoj_hoke
    Participant

    Hello again,

    Just thought I’d update here now that the cats and I are safely in Chengdu. My friend and I had my two cats’ paperwork perfect and ready to pull out when we arrived, and we literally just walked out of the airport with them, no questions asked. I had their cages covered with a blanket the whole time the whole time, so it’s possible the immigration officers didn’t notice, but I honestly think they wouldn’t have batted an eye.

    There’s also a custom’s check after baggage claim where you’re meant to send your bags through security; in the States this would require the cats to be taken out of their cages and carried, but before we could reach the checkpoint, a rather long line had formed and the officers just started waiving everyone through and not bothering to scan anything. I noticed an older white lady with two dogs also just roll them on into the country. This was around 18:30 on a Sunday, if that’s relevant.

    Not sure if this is always the case, and I had all the vaccinations and paperwork done to the last detail (at considerable expense!), but it seems to be rather easy, at least for now.

    Hope this helps.

    j

    in reply to: Importing pets Into China via Chengdu #50480
    Avatar photoj_hoke
    Participant

    Hello again,

    I’m still a few weeks away from my trip with the cats, so would also appreciate any updated information. I think I have everything in order, but it’s China—you never know.

    Elisabeth, I’ve never heard the one pet per household rule. (How would they enforce that?) I do know you can only have one pet per passport, as we discussed earlier in the thread, but if your dad is helping, that shouldn’t be an issue. I imagine as your dogs are small, you will carry them onto the plane with you, as I will my cats, so our situation might differ somewhat from Kelseyfay’s and her large dogs, as we will have our pets with us when we talk to the customs agent. Not sure if they will want to see all the pet-documentation or if they just won’t care at all.

    I still haven’t heard anything about Chengdu quarantine.

    If by “next summer” you mean 2017, you’re best worrying about it next year, as the rules will almost certainly be different by then!

    Good luck. Perhaps we will pet-sit for each other one day.

    j

    in reply to: Weekend in Chengdu for gay tourist? #50353
    Avatar photoj_hoke
    Participant

    Hi Ben,

    There is indeed a gay scene in Chengdu, one of the largest in China. In part because many in the Chinese LGBT community are not (fully) out, though, it can be kind of difficult to navigate. Probably the most popular gay hangout (for men) is MC Bar. It has a fun vibe—loud!—a nice outdoor patio, and you will almost certainly be approached quickly by locals for a chat or invited to smoke/drink with them. As with most gay spaces in China, it is generally more for socializing than for sex. (Like the West, China has it’s own apps for that!) Have your Wechat up and ready. Most lively on the Fridays/Saturdays, in my experience.

    1/F Haicheng Dasha, Tianxian Qiao Bei Rd / 成都市天仙桥北路6号(东门大桥旁)海成大厦1楼

    There’s also a gay sauna next door, MC Sauna. There are also several other clubs and bars in that part of town, some gay-oriented.

    Hope that helps!

    j

     

    P.S. While I’m here: skip the more famous parks in favor of the “bamboo park”, Wangjianglou (望江楼公园), near Sichuan University. It’s gorgeous—a sanctuary for hundreds of rare bamboo species—and not so crowded that you can’t enjoy yourself. Order a cup of tea by the pond.

     

    in reply to: Importing pets Into China via Chengdu #49484
    Avatar photoj_hoke
    Participant

    Again, exceedingly helpful, thank you! Will come back to this thread if I run across any more questions in the coming months.

    in reply to: Importing pets Into China via Chengdu #49482
    Avatar photoj_hoke
    Participant

    Hi Kelsey,

    Thank you for all the helpful info. It’s confirming many of the few details I’ve been able to scrap together about this whole pet-relocating process. Will make sure all the forms are in order (presumably any certified American veterinarian can fill out that USDA form for me?) with both names on all forms. Chengdu will definitely be the first port of entry. Taking zero risks.

    I’m super relieved to hear that the visa type seems not to matter, as I’m not yet sure what visas my friend and I will be arriving with, and likely they’ll be different. My suspicion was that it’s likely to all be much less of a hassle than it seems, given the hype and uncertainty you mention, but so I glad to hear that confirmed. Did they interview you in any way, beyond glancing at the pets’ documents—about the pets, why your mom was bringing a pet on a tourist visa, anything? My friend’s stay in China will be short and he speaks very little Chinese (not to mention the cats aren’t even his), so any kind of interview is not likely to go so smoothly. We’ll be carrying my cats off the plane, unlike your dogs, so I don’t know if that changes anything in terms of the immigration/security/quarantine desks.

    I noticed [http://www.pettravel.com/immigration/china.cfm] that China seems to only require vaccine certifications and a USDA health certificate for pet entry, if this website is to be believed. Does that line up with your experience?

    Thanks again. You’ve put me a bit more at ease! I think.

    Justin

     

    P.S. By the way, where does one shop for pet products in Chengdu? I didn’t have any pets with me when I was last living there, so never bothered to look out for places selling catfood/litter. Not as pressing a question, just thought to ask.

    in reply to: Importing pets Into China via Chengdu #49356
    Avatar photoj_hoke
    Participant

    Hi all,

    I’m planning to move from the U.S. to Chengdu this summer with my two cats in tow, and I am currently searching for some of the same information is seems Nele was looking for a few months back. I wonder if anyone has any updates? Were you able to get your cat in without quarantine or excessive questioning, Nele?

    The question of what sort of visa allows for pet-bringing is an apt one. I’m planning to enlist a friend to carry my second cat in, since only one pet per visa is permitted, but I’m not sure what sort of visa he will have or if the cat needs to be “registered” under his name. I don’t want to take any chances, but at this point I’ve heard so many stories of people being able to basically just walk through with their pet that I’m pretty confused.

    Any advice or updates greatly appreciated! This is definitely the most stressful part of planning this move.

     

    Justin

    in reply to: The Best Coffee in Chengdu #42539
    Avatar photoj_hoke
    Participant

    Well if this thread is resurfacing again anyhow, might as well add:

    There is a tiny little artisan-style coffee shop (the kind that should be pretty familiar to urban Westerners by now) near the Blue Caribbean Plaza just off of Kehua North (科华北路). It is called “Jason’s Coffee” (杰森咖啡烧烘工坊) and is run by a young Chinese guy. They roast many different beans on site, and offer them for sale at 70RMB for 250g or so. I highly recommend buying their beans: freshly roasted and many varieties to choose from. (There is some outdoor seating for sitting and sipping too, but it’s a small place.)

    It is on Kehua Jie (科华街), about half a block in from Kehua North, on the left side of the street if you’re walking towards the river. Look for a sign in English and Chinese on the second level, white background, black lettering.

    in reply to: Silly coffee question #41944
    Avatar photoj_hoke
    Participant

    Hi Vincent,

    Thank you for sending that along! I’m new to this forum and haven’t dug through old threads yet.

    Best,

    j

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)