Moving to another country, whether for work or for play, is always an exciting experience. But amidst all the chaos and anticipation, you might not realise how stressed your pets feel too. Exporting a pet out of Singapore can be a challenge. Both out of Singapore and into your next destination, there is typically a laundry list of documentation and procedures that you would have to familiarise yourself with. Often pet relocation from Singapore can be time-sensitive and complicated, but here’s what you need to know.
Key Steps In Your Journey
1. Understand the destination country’s import requirements
Every destination country has its unique import requirements on pets and animals, designed to manage biosecurity risks. Often, this consists of vaccinations, laboratory tests, a microchip or even a quarantine period for your animal upon relocation. As your first step, you should familiarise yourself with the import requirements. You will find these information from the relevant government authority.
2. Obtain an export license
Within 30 days of leaving Singapore, you would have to apply for an export licence for your pet from the GoBusiness Licensing Portal. This pass is valid for 30 days, hence it is important that you time your application properly. This costs $50 for a normal service (a 2 business day turnaround) or $100 for an express service (1 business day turnaround).
If you are exporting your pet dog out of Singapore, do remember to cancel your dog license in PALS once your dog has left the country.
3. Obtain a veterinary health certificate
If your destination requires it, you will also have to factor in the time and resources needed to bring your pet to a veterinarian for an examination. Countries with stricter rules will require that the health certificate is endorsed by an official government veterinarian. This will either take the form of an endorsement of the importing country’s health certificate template, or the issuance of a watermarked electronic veterinary health certificate. You can complete both of these processes on the GoBusiness Licensing Portal. The application costs range from $23 to $43, and will take up to 2 business days.
4. Complete a pre-export inspection
Again, this step is contingent on the pre-admission requirement of the destination country. At least five days before your pets departure, you can begin this process by booking an appointment via iFAST at the Changi Animal & Plant Quarantine Station. As a general rule of thumb, you are encouraged to have the inspection at least four hours before departure, to ensure that there is sufficient time to transport your pet to the cargo terminal for pet exportation out of Singapore.
5. Make arrangements with a ground handling agent
Finally, it’s time for your pet to embark on the final process of exporting a pet out of Singapore. Inform the airline to make arrangements with the ground handling agent prior to departure (either SATS Gateway or DNATA Singapore). Before handing over your pet to the ground handling agent, ensure that it is accompanied by all the necessary documents required for entry into the destination country. This helps to prevent any unnecessary and stressful delays for your pet.
Costs You Should Expect
The administrative costs related to obtaining the necessary applications (totalling approximately $100) are just the tip of the iceberg. In general, we recommend factoring up to $4,000 – $5,000 to relocate your pet out of Singapore. This includes costs related to quarantine, vaccinations, and veterinary check ups. Understandably, these costs differ from country to country, with some destinations having stricter rules and requiring more fees and administrative hurdles.
Choosing The Right Pet Relocation Company
With such complicated moves, it makes sense to hire a professional pet relocation company to take the load off your back. Here are some of the factors to consider:
1. The International Pet and Animal Transport Association (IPATA)
IPATA is an international accreditation that certifies professional pet transportation specialists. We recommend going for an IPATA certified service, giving you a peace of mind that you are in safe hands.
2. Confirm the exact range of services on offer
Ensure that the company can handle the end to end exportation of your pet from Singapore, without any hidden surprises or charges.
3. Consider their experience.
Check that the shortlisted company has experience with exporting your pet out of Singapore to your destination company. Also confirm that the people who will be actually involved with your pet have the required training and experience. An inexperienced service will double your troubles, so read testimonials and online reviews to confirm their credibility.
Conclusion
It should already be clear by now that moving people is far simpler than exporting your pet from Singapore. Most of the time, it is a highly complex process that requires careful management of time, budget and resources. This will be helped with the right pet exportation company, easing the journey ahead.
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