It's official! Our cats are legally in India. Getting pets to post with you in India is no small task. There is a ton of paperwork before you leave and even more when you arrive. You also are required to take the pet(s) to the quarantine office for inspection immediately after arriving in the country and 30 days after arrival. I had heard many interesting stories about people having to "call their pet by name" to prove that they hadn't swapped it with another animal. This is probably no big deal with dogs... but people with cats have had varying success. Fortunately for me, both times we went to the quarantine center, they merely inspected the cats through their carrier's screen, asked me a handful of questions, and stamped our papers. It still took several hours each time, but at least I didn't have to try to stuff the cats into their carriers more than once (per trip)!
Our cats:
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| Sweet Pea |
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| Cinnamon |
Have you heard of people getting their dogs into varying countries (perhaps through older FSOs or the trainers at the FSI)? I'm keen to have a dog, but putting them through shipping or quarantine seems awful.
ReplyDeletePeople definitely have dogs, large and small, in the Foreign Service. Some countries are harder to bring pets into than others. India only quarantines the animals if their paperwork is not in order (or they appear ill), but I believe Australia requires several months in a government quarantine facility.
DeleteIn general, I'd suggest avoiding picking up a pet before joining, as they are expensive (See my post: The Hidden Costs of Pets in the Foreign Service) and a hassle to move around. However, if you have a pet (or can't live without one), it is very possible to bring them with you. Small pets can often ride under your seat on the plane, large pets have to be shipped.