In this article, the author will explain the requirements and procedures for taking pet dogs and cats abroad. The main points of the article are as follows.
- Each pet dog or cat must be microchipped.
- The dog or cat must be vaccinated twice against rabies.
- The dog or cat must undergo a rabies antibody test.
- The dog must be vaccinated against leptospirosis.
- The owner (exporter) of the dog or cat must apply for an export inspection at a branch office of the Japan Animal Quarantine Service.
- The dog or cat must be inspected at the Animal Quarantine Service branch office to obtain an export inspection certificate.
Introduction
Pets are important family members. If you want to take them abroad, what preparations should you make? This article describes the requirements and procedures for taking your dog or cat abroad from Japan, based on information from the Japan Animal Quarantine Service website as of November 2023.
Requirements for Pets Traveling Abroad
The followings are the requirements for taking a pet dog or cat abroad from Japan. In this article, the term “dog” refers to a mammal of the species “Canis lupus familiaris” and the term “cat” refers to a mammal of the species “Felis catus“.
- All dogs and cats exported from Japan must be implanted with an ISO 11784 or 11785 standard microchip prior to their first rabies vaccination.
- Dogs and cats must be at least 91 days old at the time of the first rabies vaccination.
- The second rabies vaccination must be administered at least 30 days after the first rabies vaccination and within the validity period of the first rabies vaccination.
- A blood sample for rabies antibody testing must be obtained after the second rabies vaccination and before the expiration date of the second rabies vaccination.
You can bring out your pet dog or cat from Japan even if the dog or cat does not have a second rabies vaccination. However, dogs and cats that meet the above requirements will also meet the requirements of many importing countries. In addition, if you plan to return to Japan with your pet dog or cat, the dog or cat must meet the requirements.
The revised Animal Welfare and Management Act, implemented in 2022, requires pet shop owners and pet breeders in Japan to microchip pet dogs and cats. Since then, all pet dogs and cats purchased in pet shops or from breeders in Japan have been microchipped. Some dogs and cats purchased before 2022 may have a microchip implanted. Your dog or cat does not need to be re-microchipped if it has already been microchipped and the microchip is working.
It is important to ensure that the microchip is readable with a microchip reader at each veterinary visit. It is recommended that dogs be vaccinated against leptospirosis.
The rabies vaccine must be an inactivated vaccine or recombinant vaccine. A live virus vaccine is not acceptable. Dogs and cats must be revaccinated within the validity period of the second rabies vaccination if the expiration date of the vaccination is prior to departure from Japan.
Dogs should be vaccinated against rabies every year in Japan. If your pet dog is already microchipped and has had at least two mandatory rabies vaccinations, the process can begin with the rabies antibody testing.
The rabies antibody test must be performed at a laboratory designated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan. A blood sample is taken at an animal hospital and the resulting serum sample is sent from the animal hospital to the laboratory. At your veterinarian’s discretion, blood collection for rabies antibody testing may be done on the same day as the second rabies vaccination. The rabies antibody titer must be equal or greater than 0.5 IU/ml. The test result is valid for two years from the date of blood collection.
It is important for pet dogs and cats returning to Japan after a short stay abroad to complete the requirements 1 through 4 before leaving Japan. Pet dogs and cats that meet the requirements 1 through 4 may be released from a quarantine facility within 12 hours of arrival in Japan, if they return to Japan 180 or more days after blood collection for rabies antibody testing and within the validity period (one year) of the second rabies vaccination. Pet dogs and cats that have received a third rabies vaccination abroad before the expiration date of the second rabies vaccination may also be released from quarantine within 12 hours of arrival in Japan if they return to Japan before the expiration date of the rabies antibody test result and within the validity period of the third rabies vaccination.
Procedures to be Followed by Exporters Before Leaving Japan
The following procedure should be followed to allow dogs and cats that meet the above requirements 1 through 4 to undergo a health inspection at a branch office of the Animal Quarantine Service at an airport or seaport. This is referred to as export inspection. Certified administrative procedures specialists can apply for export inspections on behalf of clients who are busy preparing to move overseas.
- You should contact the Animal Quarantine Service branch office at an airport or seaport to be used at least 10 days prior to export inspection (which is not 10 days prior to departure from Japan).
- Your pet dog or cat must be inspected at the Animal Quarantine Service branch office to obtain an export inspection certificate.
You may not hand over the dog or cat at an airport check-in counter until you receive the export inspection certificate.
In addition to these Japanese regulations, each country you travel to has its own rules for importing pets. You must check these regulations when you plan to travel overseas. It is also important to check airline policies regarding the carriage of pet dogs and cats, such as restrictions on the carriage of short-nosed breeds (such as bulldogs and pugs) during the summer months.
For more information, see “Export dogs and cats from Japan” on the Japan Animal Quarantine Service website.
