Moving to Japan with pets

[insanebikerboy]

I read the posts on the actual shipping part of taking a pet on the airlines but couldn't really find anything about physically importing a pet into Japan. I may be getting orders over there to HS-14 and I'm trying to iron out all the details to take my dogs.

Anyways, I have a few questions. The quarantine/vaccination info linked through the US Embassy in Japan seemed fairly straightforward. Are there any other tips or things I should be aware of?

How about places to live as well? On base versus off base, etc?

Thanks, any tips would be appreciated!

 

[a_m]

Don't live near restaurants.

 

[Harrier Dude]

Get the vaccination and quarentine done ASAP. That's usually the biggest hangup.

I don't know if this applies up where you'll be, but on Okinawa there were a lot of on base housing issues with pets. In "The Towers" you were not allowed to have pets. If they offered quarters to you there, and you had to refuse it because of your pet, it still counted as "turning down available government quarters". If you turn down quarters twice, you go off the waiting list for 90 days and to the back of the list. You also lose your TLF freebie (i.e. you don't get a free place to live until your house opens up).

Several times over I have seen folks get offered housing like this:
"We have a place for you! Tower 1, apartment 23A."

"I can't. I have a dog."

"OK. How about same building, apartment 23B?"

"Did you not just hear me say that I have a dog? I can't take it because of YOUR housing rules"

"You're off the list. Call back in 3 months. Oh, and we're cancelling your TLA. You have 48 hrs to either pay for the BOQ room that you're in, or get out."

They have to do this because a lot of folks don't want to live in the towers for other reasons. If they could get out of it by just buying a dog/cat/rabbit/weasel and get themselves into one of the houses, almost nobody would live in the towers.

Somebody from the mainland side could give you more specifics, but look out for traps like this. Good luck and enjoy Japan.

 

[lowflier03]

My wife and I had to do all the quarantine stuff when we brought our cats in. Im deployed right now but she has lots of useful info if you want it. Just shoot a PM to helo_wifey

 

[helo_wifey]

We live on base, I know a lot of people that live off base. I could write pages on this place.

I think if we were to come out again we would live off base (at least that would be my preference). If you have any specific issues you're worried about let me know.

As far as pets, as long as you follow the procedures in the correct order/timeframe you should be fine. We had no problems bringing in our cats, but I was very anal/meticulus about making sure everything was in order.

Just an FYI, if you don't finish the quarantine by the time you get here (we had about 2 months left), and you don't live on base you'll have to kennel them until the quarantine is up. You're allowed to quaratine in your on-base home. Kennel at Zama/Kamiseya is about $15 per day.

 

[Herc_Dude]

We are currently going through the quarantine/vaccination process just in case we head out to Oki. The vet on base has nice little packets of info for the rules that apply to different foreign countries. If you need more info, let me know. I could fax you the packet for Japan or copy them into a pdf file or something.

Basically, we had to first get them chipped. After that, we started the rabies vaccination process. Even if your dogs are up to date on rabies, you have to start the whole regiment AFTER they are chipped. They have to get a series of the shots and blood drawn at a certain point and sent away for some tests. They need to be quarantined for 6 months - basically just kept away from other animals.

The vet here on base has been really great, he knows exactly what we need to do and is making sure things are done properly. If there is a vet where you are (Whiting I'm assuming?) see if you can get with them and have em help you with the process. Good luck.

 

[insanebikerboy]

Thanks for all the advice, I'm actually in San Diego right now, just started the rag and they are looking for people so I'm weighing the odds. It sounds like the biggest hurdle is simply finding a place to live, the entry req's don't seem like they'd be that difficult to get through.

So, that's my next question, any good places out in town to live with dogs?

 

[helo_wifey]

Out in town the houses really don't have yards. You'll usually have a parking space (1 that maybe fits 2 kei cars--yellow plated mini cars, or 1 regular car). You'll have a walkway around the house made of gravel. No grass, no place for large dogs to run around.

Everyone I know that has dogs lives onbase. When you get here you'll rate a garden apartment that's 2 bedrooms. The units are 2 upstairs 2 down. The downstairs units have a small lawn off the back. I know of 1 couple that has a lab, and they live in a top unit. She does fine, but they walk her a lot...the wife is a dentist on base and is able to be home at lunch to take the dog out.

Attached is a pic of the back of the units, you can get an idea of the back yards. The side yards belong to the upstairs units. I have seen people keep their dogs in those (but there is no access from the unit itself).

The only reason I said that I would live off base if we came back was the fact that we haven't yet. I like the apartment on base, there's enough room for 2 people (actually 1, the husband is gone A LOT), and it's close to everything. My husband rides his bike to work, and when he's on duty he doesn't have to stay in the Q. The only bad thing about living on base is it's a small community so everyone knows your business. On the other hand, it's nice to have people so close that can relate to what you're going through. In our building we have 1 couple from the same squadron that live downstairs, and it's nice to just pop down and have dinner, etc. A new couple from HSL just moved in next door and her husband is on the small boy det with mine, and this is her first deployment so I've been helping her get stuff settled and informed about how things work.

There are 2 sides to it, I know my friends who live out in town love it, but also have issues like we do on base.

It's all about what fits you guys. If you want more pictures, or info just let me know (about Atsugi, or even HS14).


(see, I can go on and on...)

 

[red1323]

I don't have pets, but one consideration to living out in base is that it takes a while to get stuff fixed. I know avaitors don't work quite the same hours as SWOs, but every time you want to get something repared, you have to make a call to your housing agent who will send a maintaince man out who doesn't speak English and who will more than likely schedule a return visit for a month later. Getting internet access has taken everyone I know at least a month, and it can take a while to just get a place. If you are patient and are able to take random weekdays off, it's not too bad.

On the good side, it's really nice to live off base because it forces you out into the culture. It is really easy to get comfortable on base and never go explore, especially when you work crazy hours. Living out in town forces you to learn at least minimal Japanese and you are more likely to try local resturants.

 

[hscs]

Insane, from going through this process now -- I have a couple of pointers:

1) Start your paperwork early. Your profile says that you are married. You and your wife will need an overseas screening. If there is a hiccup, your paperwork may sit while a doctor makes an approval. Most of the time, it is the family members that hold up the screening. Your screening will not be a problem, but you will need to bring your wife in to medical/dental.

2) Once you overseas screen is complete, get the Family Entry approval going. MAKE SURE THAT CSD ATSUGI IS LISTED AS ONE OF THE ADDRESSEES OF THE MESSAGE. PSD idiots in Norfolk put the wrong PLADs on it, so I lost a month. I ended up having to work the whole thing through HS-14's admin.

3) My family entry approval says that pets aren't allowed in the Navy Lodge. I don't know what you will do with your pets when you first arrive (especially if the kennel is closed). Someone else will have to answer that.

4) Start early, wait I already said that. I have had about 2 months at home since my latest deployment, and another three weeks to go before I move. I really wished that I had another month to get everything set.

 

[mrkoje]

I lived off base for about three years in Okinawa. We had a wonderful apartment and in my opinion it was a lot nicer than the available housing on base. Overseas BAH is a little different from regular BAH. I think we were able to get 180,000 yen a month for an apartment which at the exchange rates of 2003 or so was about $1800.00 a month.

We never had a problem with the local Japanese property manager or repairmen. Only thing we didn't have was a dog. Most off base properties are pretty strict in not letting you have big animals.

 

[helo_wifey]

hscs is correct-no pets in the Lodge. I think when you have them make your plane reservations you'll have to let them know. Zama kennel is very flexible though, if you call them and tell them your situation I'm sure someone could be there to let you in. It's been done in the past.

Zama Vet Website (also contact info for kennel which is run through Outdoor Rec)

As far as overseas screening, mine flew by and was a piece of cake. As long as she has the right documents and no serious health problems it shouldn't be an issue. I got mine done in under a week in SD,and all of my previous history came from civilian doctors since we had just gotten married (sometimes that can be a hold up).

 

[CodWife]

They have to do this because a lot of folks don't want to live in the towers for other reasons. If they could get out of it by just buying a dog/cat/rabbit/weasel and get themselves into one of the houses, almost nobody would live in the towers.

What is the story on The Towers? Just curious cause I don't think I want to live in them with 2 boys who sometimes think that they are Peter Pan. LOL! I saw pics and am terrified that they would try to go on the balcony....
I also "heard" that the air and heat are controlled by The Towers not by each individual in each individual home. What do you know about that?
Thanks!

 

[CodWife]

A few other questions...
1. Are we individually responsible for making the arrangements for the flight over? If we go MAC where the heck do we do that?
2. About the Navy Lodge...are we responsible for making the reservations or do we have to have someone else do it?
3. Where does your Express Shipment go if your husband is going immediately on cruise and you don't get there until housing is available?

Thanks!!!

 

[helo_wifey]

A few other questions...
1. Are we individually responsible for making the arrangements for the flight over? If we go MAC where the heck do we do that?
2. About the Navy Lodge...are we responsible for making the reservations or do we have to have someone else do it?
3. Where does your Express Shipment go if your husband is going immediately on cruise and you don't get there until housing is available?

Thanks!!!

1. PSD
2. Your sponsor will
3. Then your shipment obviously won't get there until someone is there to accept it. They won't deliver it to an empty house/lodge room/BOQ etc.