天美麻豆

Hi Joanne and welcome to the forum.

Wow many questions and answers, perhaps our esteemed moderators will throw your introduction into a new thread.

Are you/those travelling in 2025 PH nationals, US nationals or dual?

There are plenty of threads on this and other sites regarding moving internationally as well as sending a pet or 3.

We shipped what we wanted to keep in a 20ft container from Australia, lot's of ground work but in the end all was seamless with shipping, customs and the guys that transported and unloaded to here from Manila 6 hours away, great company and forwarders to deal with. Cost was a little under AU 9K 4 years ago.

We did that under my better half's name as a returning Filipino national holding permanent residency in Australia, not an OFW who are allowed to ship from memory P 250K after 5 years out of country, regardless the container seals were not touched and no brown paper bags involved but a lot of paperwork.

3 years of reading and research worked for us so do your homework as you have plenty of time before your retirement.

Good luck.

Cheers, Steve.

Hello everyone and welcome on board Joanne,

Please note that I have created a new thread from your post on the Davao forum.

You may also check the Useful expat services in Davao section of the website for free quotes from our moving and pet relocation partners

All the best

Bhavna

@carmineblue2 I can go at length on the pet thing. Allow me to tell you the musts and the options, as I just brought my Belgian Malinois with me from the states to Cebu in November. (He's loving it here, so am I)

1. You will need a full battery of vaccines and proof, notarized if possible. 2-3 copies.
2. You will need to go to the Philippine Consulate website. I used the San Francisco website.
3. Navigate to "services" scroll to Notarials. Scroll to Pet Importation. The requirements are listed, which include your pet being chipped. You'll need the chip # and have it registered by your vet. Make sure all those Vaccines are current and documented.
4. You'll have to go to the intercommerce website listed on that page and fill in the blanks as directed. It's a pain in the arse website/link that can be very confusing. Especially since you can't even register/request importation until just a few days before your flight. I actually ended up calling the proper dept's in the Philippines until I got through to intercommerce for actual guidance on the website just 4 days before my flight in a panic. In the end it was my faults on the website and I got my permits. But it's totally counterintuitive.
5. Note you will not have approval until just days before your flight! But you can get it. And when you land, first thing even before Immigration is getting that paperwork handled and paying the small import fee. You must have an address in the Philippines where your pet will be "quarantined" for 30 days upon arrival. Yea, he was in our yard, lol. Just have your residence address handy.
6. You will need to fill out some US forms that I can't recall where they are but the airlines link them.

Now the options: Assuming a dog

1. You can get a crate for your dog to go into cargo. You'll have to look at the airlines requirements but basically your pet needs to be able to stand and turn around. and you need to provide enough water and food for 20+ hours. The issue I have with that is then my Buddy would be left to the whims of baggage handlers. There are nightmare stories about that. Just remember, you may be on connecting flights and thus layovers and baggage handlers at multiple airports before you ever see your pooch at final destination. No thank you.
2. Why not bring you pet on board as a "service dog" in cabin? Totally doable, but LOTS of hoops and convincing needs to be done. I know, I did it. While the US has laws allowing service animals (dogs only) in-cabin domestically, it's a bit different on international flights. I knew at least a year ahead that I wanted to bring Buddy on board. But once you land in say Taiwain for your layover and flight change to Cebu like I did, you're now under another countries laws. And they will say he's welcome (with proper paperwork as a service dog) on board in cabin to Taipei (because of those US laws) but he'll have to go into cargo from there.
3. This is a hell no for me. So I need to provide a REAL NEED to have him on board-in-cabin. TRAINING TIME! I spent over $6k getting my Mal trained. I mean really well trained. I told the trainers exactly what I needed and wanted and they provided. Six weeks on board and training. Seven days a week, 12 hours a day, 30 dogs were outside their individual rooms and in a huge room undergoing training. Ever see 30 dogs laying on little individual cots, 4 feet apart and none of them are going crazy? After the 6 weeks it was my turn to learn. Private one hour sessions and group lessons. But when I picked up Buddy, the very first thing we did (I hadn't seen him but once in 6 weeks as I was in Cebu for 4 and on the road for 2) was go to a hotel in home town Las Vegas and get a room with my "service dog". Then straight to the restaurant for a meal...testing his "under" command, getting under a chair and waiting. Then into the casino with bright lights, bells, whistles, tons of people. NO PROBLEM. Very alert but steady as a rock.
4. When it came time to get approval from the airlines....stress city! You can't even apply to bring your pet until you already have the ticket. Then the airlines have forms to fill out and email. I had everything. Including a letter from my doctor friend stating I was under his treatment and that I required a service animal with me at all times. *ahem* . I provided all the required documentation and was refused for the 2nd leg, Taipei-Cebu for in cabin. But I found "chinks" in their armour. Using the specific wording from their website and forms I found I provided exactly what was needed and politely but firmly in emails used the standard definitions of words from their website and forms to point out I met all the requirements. Once doing this, they approved Buddy in-cabin and sent email confirmations and notations for both legs of the flight. NOT EASY!
5. At any time from the check-in counter to the gangway the airlines or even airport security may refuse your animal. So he/she needs to be on best behavior. Especially if he's coming on board as a "service dog". This is where the training along with his official looking vest and all my paperwork came in handy. The ticket counter wanted to say no. But I challenged them with papers and approvals, along with his absolutely perfect demeanor and response to commands in front of them.
6. I bought business class seating. Triple the cost of economy. But so much more room for a 65lb dog. I think it helps with the airlines too. A little incentive for the extra money, and they know you're trying to make it comfortable as possible for the pooch too.
7. PLAN WELL. I researched like hell to see if Taipei had any dog "facilities". Our layover was only going to be 90 mins, but a spot to pee would help after a 14 hr flight. NOPE. None. Our flight was scheduled for 11pm out of LAX. Buddy got his last meal the night before. NO BREAKFAST. He had plenty of water until about 12pm.聽 I put two tiny puppy bowls in my carry on for a little water and maybe light food after the first leg. The 2nd leg would only be a 5 hr flight and I knew once I got out the customs/immigration desk there was a field I could cut him loose in to pee/poop. I look at maps of LAX beforehand to know where the doggy stations were and planned accordingly. This is important. Give them every opportunity to go. I also brought three emergency "poop pads" I bought at PetSmart just in case (didn't need).
8. TSA security. I was sent to a different TSA gate/entry than normal passengers. They'll do this if the cops have drug/explosives dogs stationed at the normal entry. This is good because the entry we used is for crew and other high priorities and much less crowded. They allowed him to keep his vest and metal collar on. But I had to go through solo for the x-ray while he sat and waited. Then call him through. They may want to pat down the animal, but they didn't with us.
9. Make use of early boarding. You know for those needing assistance or disabled etc. Gives you time to get in and get settled with your dog.
10. The good: Business class with EVA air is excellent. I would never fly PAL Business class. ANA Air totally refused Buddy so that was a nogo. But EVA flight crews were GREAT for us. The lavatory in Business class is much bigger than economy. I didn't want to leave him alone at our seat, as I didn't know how he would respond for the few mins alone on a plane. Taking him with me into the toilet was fine. Plenty of room. On the 2nd leg of the trip, Taipei - Cebu Business class was virtually empty. They even made up a bed in the seat across the isle just for Buddy so we wouldn't be crowded. Very awesome. When returning from the lavatory once, EVERY female crew member took a moment in the galley to squat next to a posing-seated Buddy and take a selfie with him. They LOVED him! It was an excellent journey. It just took a lot of work to get there. And a few thousand dollars! lol. In the end I'm so happy we did the training. my main purpose was to get him in-cabin. But he's so much happier as a trained dog. While the business class seat cost a lot more $3600 one way, I wouldn't do it any other way with my pooch.

BTW, if memory serves me right. EVA air flies from Taipei - Cebu - Davao. So if you're flying out of LAX it's only One plane change. If I recall correctly, SFO has a connection in Taipei to the same flight, but it may be longer than the 90 mins we had out of LAX. I looked at this as an option because I'd get to visit friends and family in SF if we went there.