Bringing in pets

[Stormfever]

I'm on the verge of making a pretty momentous decision when I should be learning how to knit, playing Bridge and wearing slippers. But there's a little hotel in Bali that I can see myself running pretty happily for the next (last) 20 years or so of my life.

The thing that's holding me back is my responsibility to four (yes, four) cats. If I emigrate, they've got to come with me, after all, I made a commitment to them and I can't just chuck them away because they're no longer convenient to my lifestyle. And I have a respect for living things. And I love them. And a couple of them quite like me.

Can anyone tell me how to jump the hurdles (and what those hurdles are) to get my four cats (alive and still sane) to Bali?

I'm in the UK - it's one hell of a journey time for animals to go in cargo... Can this even be done, or should I just stop dreaming now????

[nayusari]

Hello, Stormfever

Unfortunately, I am not too sure whether I do have the answers for you. In fact, I would very much like for other member who has knowledge on this to respond to your questions as I, myself, have one dog I crazily love that is still in US.

When I arrived in Bali for the first time, I went into a section at the airport with intention to gather all kind of information in regards to bringing our pet to Bali.

From our 2 hours conversation, it is impossible for me to bring the pet directly from US because of the following reason: US is not the country that is RABIES FREE. They have lists of countries and cities in Indonesia that are allowed to transfer the pet to Bali without having them quarantined for six months [I believe] and US is not under that list. I was extremely sad about that but I am still trying to find a way, somehow, someday to take my Old English Sheep Dog with me on one of my return trip to Bali.

You may want to call the custom at the Ngurah Rai Airport to confirm whether UK is included on their 'RABIES FREE' country or not. If not, my friend suggested me another way. The first port of entry in Indonesia can be in Jakarta. Then, using tranquilizer, you could sneak them into Bali through driving from Java Island and took the ferry to Bali Island which is most likely I will end up doing.

My younger sister lives in Jakarta and she had no problem bringing her dog from US two years ago. Apparently, Jakarta is not the city in Indonesia that is RABIES FREE, so even if I'm able to bring my dog to Jakarta, I still couldn't bring him into Bali legally. One of the solutions is the one I mentioned above; tranquilizer.

That's all I know so far regarding this matter. Anybody who would like to contribute and who knows more about this regulation? Please post your response. I really look forward to finding an answer on this dilemma.

Thanks!
Sari

[tintin]

I realise that what I had planned to do back in 1998, when I was on my way to move permanently to Bali, is most reprehensible and selfish, but I was about to carrying it through anyway.

I did not have three cats, just one, but it had been with me for more than 22 years at that time (she died when she was 23-1/2 years old, one year late). Of course, she did not have rabbi or any other feline diseases, so I had a clear conscience on this subject. But what about if everybody would do the same? Although most people are careful with their pets, it’s not 100%, and there is always someone in the bunch who will act in a irresponsible or foolish manner.

So, anyway, how do I bring my cat to Bali? Putting the cat with cargo, for a total flight & transfer time of around 35 hrs, from the East Coast of the US, was out of the question. Can I take her in the cabin with me? Most airlines refused. And then, how do I handle getting her in to Bali?

I found that Northwest Orient working with its partner, KLM, would permit the cat in the cabin. Furthermore, the KLM flight stopped up in Jakarta and Surabaya, before ending in Denpasar. So, the plan was for my wife to carry the cat until Surabaya, and I, being in Bali at the time, would have driven from Bali to meet them and bring them back, via the Java-Bali ferry. One of my mechanical engineer employees had his son working for an American firm, in Surabaya, at the time. So, if questioned at her arrival in Surabaya by any custom officer about what she planned to do with the cat, she had a legitimate address in Surabaya itself. As you know, there were no quarantine restrictions for pets in Java.

We never carried this plan out, as I never moved permanently to Bali. :(

[rien.gluvers]

The first port of entry in Indonesia can be in Jakarta. Then, using tranquilizer, you could sneak them into Bali through driving from Java Island and took the ferry to Bali Island which is most likely I will end up doing.

If you this and you are caught by officials on the ferry, you will be deported and the dog or cat they will kill. ( so I have been told)

A better but more expensive and time-consuming way is to find a kennel, pet hotel or something like that in a rabies free country. There you have to get the documents to proof your pet is healthy and rabies free, and then import your pet from there to Bali.

[tintin]

Rien wrote:

A better but more expensive and time-consuming way is to find a kennel, pet hotel or something like that in a rabies free country. There you have to get the documents to proof your pet is healthy and rabies free, and then import your pet from there to Bali.

which sounds more as the way to go than my “scheme.”

I have never investigated the question, as I have no interest in owning a dog, but I also noticed that more and more expats and Balinese own dogs that obviously never belonged in Bali. I am sure many of these pets were “sneaked” in the island. For example, my (beautiful Swedish) neighbor in Nyuh Kuning, whose husband is the executive chef at the top hotel in Bali, had two huge ruttweilers, which she surely did not find, even in Kintamani. :wink: I think it was her husband’s idea to keep old lechers like me, away from his wife, while he is at work. :lol:

[suew]

Firstly, hello to everybody. This is my first post. As a long time reader (and gleaner of info) I have not previously felt that I can add to the wealth of knowledge on this excellent forum.

In this instance, as it is within my area of expertise, I feel I can contribute something.

I live in Perth, Australia, and in such an isolated place we are more than aware of the distances animals (and most everything else) have to travel.

I have brought in dogs from as far away as Sweden (which is classed as rabies free and has no quarantine) and Germany (which is not rabies free and requires quarantine) and have sent dogs to as far away India and UK as well as all over Asia.

In actual fact, the animals have always travelled very well with no problems, and always in the hold, never sedated. Please do not be concerned about this aspect.

Into Australia, from almost every country, animals must be quarantined as we are a rabies free country (as Indonesia) Every country has different criteria but from US we quarantine our dogs in Hawaii. This would be the way for US citizens to go. The animals are boarded in Hawaii for the specified length of time then brought in from Hawaii as it is rabies free. I see in the quarantine notes that import of animls into Indonesia from Hawaii is fine.

This is not a cheap excescise. For us to import our stock from Europe we do not get much change from AUD10,000, so that is something to take into account obviously, but I am letting you know it can be done legally. Your best bet is to contact an import/export agent in your country who will have a contact in Indonesia to liaise with.

If you are already in Indonesia you could try these people.

Groovy Pet Supplies & Services
Jl. Kemang Raya no 44, Jakarta 12730
Telephone: +62 21-7197704, 71792158
Fax: +62 21-7180872
e-mail: pets@groovy.co.id

Hope this helps :)

[NED]

I would suggest you try Putu Ernawan from Bali Pet Removals. ernawan@yahoo.com

He has been recommended to us by a number of people who have taken dogs direct from Australia to Bali without problems.

We are about to do the same with our dog in January.

Australia is rabies free, but dogs have to go into quarantine near Sanur for 2 weeks. This of course can be reduced to 2-4 days with a reasonable payment to 'someone'. :roll:

We have spoken a number of times to Putu and we have full confidence in him.

I'm not sure about the UK and quanantine , but Putu is your best bet.

Rest assured...it can be done, no matter what else you are told.

Ned.

[nayusari]

Hello, NED and SUEW

Thank you so much for the great information. I will definitely contact both of them as one of my choices. In the end, since I'll be importing a dog from US (which is not a free rabies country) and if no other way that works out, I am ready to pay lots of money to bribe some government officials at the airport to get my beloved dog to Bali. My love to my dog is definitely greater than any $$$$. I just haven't found the right channel to inject the fund yet.

And, no Rien. Gluvers, money still talks in this country [UNFORTUNATELY and FORTUNATELY to some extents] and don't forget, I'm not a foreigner either so they can't kick me out of this country. Not that I'm encouraging the extortion of money in this country but at this moment, apparently extortion still works. A lot of my friends have worse case scenarios, and they still got away with it - somehow, someway (mainly $$$ or IRD).

If anybody else knows contacts that can help us with this matter, please do post them.

Thanks a lot, guys!
Regards,

SS

[NED]

Sorry Stormfever,

I have given you the wrong email address.

It is ernawanp@yahoo.com

Good luck,

Ned

[Stormfever]

Thanks to everyone... It was cats (rather than dogs) I was talking about importing from the UK, which is, like Australia, a rabies-free country. I believe there may be an embargo on cats (which I would ONLY import legally) and am conducting more research by contacting the Ministry in Jakarta. I will let you know the results. It's not looking good though..... :roll: