SINGAPORE NEW IMPORT AND QUARANTINE REQUIREMENTS

Starting on 1 January 2010

(Singapore, 23 April 09)
AVA is responsible for safeguarding animal as well as public health in Singapore from the introduction of animal diseases. One very important animal disease is rabies. Rabies is a fatal disease in both animals and humans. Hence, AVA treats the prevention of rabies incursion into Singapore very seriously. The requirement to quarantine imported dogs and cats is part of our risk management approach for this disease. This risk management approach has kept Singapore free from rabies since 1953.

At the same time, we regularly review our risk management measures to keep in line with developments in science and technology. We are pleased to inform that AVA will be implementing a new set of import and quarantine requirements as part of our risk management approach to the importation of dogs and cats into Singapore. AVA has forwarded a notification on the new import and quarantine requirements to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for comments by exporting countries, in accordance with our WTO obligation. AVA targets to implement the new quarantine policy starting 1 January 2010. You may find more details at the following link

The new import requirements involve re-categorising countries according to the rabies risk posed by different countries.

A list of categories and countries/places are as follows:

CATEGORY A
Australia, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom

CATEGORY B
Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, USA (Guam and Hawaii only)

CATEGORY C
Belgium, Canada, Netherlands, Spain, United States of America (except Guam and Hawaii)

CATEGORY D
All countries other than those listed in Categories A, B or C

Pets: dogs or cats from Indonesia includes in Category D with the following conditions:

1. Import License required prior Import to Singapore.
2. Dog or cats have stayed at the country of export at least 6 months continuously.
   
3. Dog or cat must have microchip, with the identification shown on the Health Certificate and Vaccination record.
4. Rabies vaccination must be done at least 6 month prior export, blood titer test must be equal or greater than 0.5IU/ml taken at least 1 month after the rabies vaccination. It doesn't say about the Laboratories for the Blood titer test.
5. Fore more details see this link

It might be updated and more information when this new requirements implemented after 1st January 2010.

Source: AVA

PETS TO SOUTH KOREA

Pets fly to South Korea must be as manifest Cargo.

Korean customs announced the new regulation for pets due to Pneumonia plague. Restriction for bringing pets as a carry on or excess baggage, will not accept any pets as carry on / excess baggage, starting this law effects from 11 Aug 2009.

All overseas travelers bringing pets to Korea must ship pets as manifested cargo only. Entry requirement is just same as before. (Gina-IPATA)

Below the list is requirements for dogs and cats entering South Korea from non-rabies-free countries:

1. Health Certificate
2. Rabies Certificate
3. No microchip nor Import Permit required
   

The animal must be vaccinated between 30 days and 1 year prior to the arrival date, there is no quarantine required for the pet. If the animal is entering Korea within 30 days after the vaccination date, the pet must be kept in the government quarantine station until they fill up the 30 days.

Puppies and kittens under 90 days old, or dogs and cats from rabies-free country (listed below) do not need rabies vaccination.

Japan, Taiwan, Ireland, Cyprus, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Singapore, Portugal, Island, Jamaica, Guam, Hawaii, UK etc.

Health documents must be issued within 10 days prior to the departure.
(Sohee Yoon - IPATA)

Pets to Pekanbaru (Updated)

Please note the revision of the Regulation as follows:

Government has reviewed the last regulation from the Local Government about Restriction for Dogs, cats, monkey etc as Rabies carrier to enter Riau Area (Sumatera) and islands, so from now Pets Shipment into Pekanbaru has been open again as normal.

On the other hands, Pets to the islands like Batam, Bintan etc still prohibited.