Moving Countries with Pets - Singapore to Shanghai, China
Singapore Special, Ding, turned 8 years old last June and in July 2024 moved to Shanghai with his dedicated pawrents, who share their considered and thoughtful journey to move with a skittish dog.
Tell us a little bit of background about your dog such as breed, age, where did you adopt from, personality etc. How have you seen Ding’s personality evolve from when you initially adopted him and now?
"Ding is a black and tan Singapore Special who was part of a litter of pups that was rescued in Jurong Island by SOSD. We adopted him when he was ten months old back in 2017 and he will turn nine in June 2025. Ding has always been a fearful and anxious dog since young. We soon learnt that his fears - the greatest of which are strangers - were not something he could outgrow or “get used to”. But beneath that armour of fear and reactivity was a wonderfully intelligent and playful boy.
"When we first adopted him, we had our fair share of challenges as clueless, first-time pet guardians, such as exposing him to environments were too stressful for him, and not knowing how to read his body language and give him the space he needed. This resulted in conflicts at home, where he would snap at us, seemingly without warning, to protect himself. We knew then we needed professional help. Engaging a force-free dog trainer who emphasised kindness and empathy in training dogs was a pivotal moment in our relationship with Ding.
"Today, Ding is still that same playful, intelligent dog, but our time together has brought a level of trust, communication and understanding between us that I would never have imagined was possible all those years ago. I like to think that Ding knows that when he “speaks” (with his body language), we will always listen. If he is uncomfortable in certain situations, he has the freedom to exit those situations. Most recently, he has taken to sitting in front of me and pawing me at a fixed time in the evenings - it is dinner time human, please get up and feed me."
How long were you living in Singapore (including with your dog) and how much time did you get to plan your move to Shanghai?
"We’ve lived in Singapore all our lives (including Ding). While my husband had to move to Shanghai for his work at the start of 2024, we did not want to rush Ding’s move, as it was very important to us that we had his crate training done properly. In all, we had about 7-8 months to get Ding ready for the move. We will be in Shanghai for at least the next two years. Beyond that, it all depends!
Did you move your dog on your own or through a Pet Transporter?
"We decided to use a pet transporter, Pets Lighthouse, as Ding had to fly as manifest cargo. A pet transporter was also necessary for us as this was our first time moving countries and with a dog, and it was not easy to find information on the regulations around the live import of animals into China."
Can you run us through the process of moving your dog to Singapore to Shanghai.
a) List of things you purchased and if you can recommend any products.
"A sturdy, right-sized, IATA-approved crate - we got this through our pet transporter but you can probably purchase this online for cheaper. We actually had to change crates mid-way through our crate training as the first one was slightly snug and we wanted to make sure Ding had ample space to stretch out, so do make sure you get the right size.
"A comfortable, lightweight crate mat for the dog to lie on (the ChuckIt! Travel Dog Bed is great). We also wanted it to be anti-slip to facilitate our crate training (where Ding would be running in and out of the crate), so we placed a thin rubber mat below. A water bowl for the flight - this is more of a water trough than a bowl for easy attachment to the crate and to prevent spillage. This was provided to us by the pet transporter.
"Medications, supplements and “comfort snacks” - we weren’t sure if we would be able to get these daily essentials for Ding in Shanghai, so we made sure to stock up and bring them along with us. Something that maybe wasn’t so much for Ding as it was for us was having Singapore-themed treats that our kind friends at In Good Thyme gifted us (the Dog Grocer also has nice options), that we gave to Ding during Singapore’s National Day last year. It felt nice to have a little bit of Singapore with us!"
b) The checklist of paperwork (online site people can refer to, your own list) required. How much time did it take? (so people can build in a timeline).
"Rabies vaccination for China is required, with the vaccination needing to be administered more than a month before, but less than a year earlier, before the dog’s flight. We had Ding take his rabies vaccination about six months prior to his flight, in part to cater ample time for any adverse reactions he might have to the vaccination, as he had never taken the vaccination before.
"We also ensured we updated his core vaccinations as well as his leptospirosis vaccination about two months prior to his flight. Before that, we had been doing annual titer tests to check that he still had adequate antibodies. While these vaccinations were not compulsory to enter China, they would be required if for some reason, Ding needed to be boarded at a boarding facility.
"Then there is also the requisite pre-export health check by the vet required on the Singapore end, which we did two days prior to Ding’s flight. For Ding’s arrival in Shanghai, my husband flew in a day earlier than Ding’s flight to provide the Chinese pet transporter (arranged via our Singapore pet transporter Pets Lighthouse) with his passport and an original Baggage Declaration Form, the latter to declare his “import” of a pet dog into China."
Which airline did you use and how was the experience with them? How long was the entire journey? Did you fly together?
"We flew with Singapore Airlines - this was really the only option we had when Ding flew in July 2024, as the only other options were the Chinese airlines, which at that point had suspended flying of live animals.
"Ding flew as manifest cargo with SQ. The actual flight time from Singapore to Shanghai is not very long - about 5 hours. But including the time to check-in at the air freight centre in Singapore, as well as to clear Customs over at the Shanghai side, the overall length of time that Ding had to be in his crate was close to 18 hours. In particular, we did not expect that he would take so long to be processed after arriving in Shanghai. He landed at 6:30am in Shanghai, and while we knew that he would need to wait till 9:00am to be processed, we did not expect to only receive him at home around 2+pm.
"We did not fly together, as my husband needed to be in Shanghai to complete paperwork for Ding’s arrival into Shanghai. On my end, I wanted to ensure Ding had safely boarded the flight as my biggest concern was that he would panic and try to escape from his crate. I therefore took a flight the day after Ding’s departure."
What kind of pre-travel training did you do for your dog – eg.crate training.
"Yes, definitely crate training, and lots of it! Looking back, crate training was the most fun, but also the most nerve-wracking part of the entire move for me.
"We purchased Ding’s crate almost a year prior to his flight, and over the next 2-3 months, took tiny steps to get him used to the crate. We started out with just having the bottom half of the crate out, and rewarded him for initially even looking at the crate, working up to having him merrily run into the crate for his rewards. Eventually we had him very confidently and comfortably going into the full crate and us being able to close the crate door for just a couple of seconds. This confidence in going into the crate was very important as we did not want him to ever avoid or struggle with going into the crate come flying day, as we certainly did not want to have to force him into the crate.
"The most challenging part came when having to simulate Ding having to be left alone by himself, confined, in the crate, which would be the case for the flight. In discussions with our wonderful trainer, Dr Kang Nee of cheerfuldogs.com, we agreed that the ideal state for Ding to be in on flight day was slightly woozy (not fully sedated, as that would be dangerous without the ability to monitor the dog in mid-air) - with the help of behavioural medications - and calm, not scrabbling away at the crate door to get out. To achieve this, we worked with a board-certified vet behaviourist in the US, Dr Wailani Sung (who is equally amazing) to trial the right combination and dosage of medications that could achieve the effect we wanted for Ding, while keeping him safe. This took several months of trials, crate training and note-taking to log Ding’s behaviour, before we finally hit on a good combination, just a week before he had to fly, phew!
"During his crate training, I also included sounds simulating airport noises that you can find online, and that our pet transporter had provided, playing them at increasing volumes to desensitise Ding. Other things I did a little bit of, but wished I had time to do more of, were to introduce Ding to a transport trolley and its various noises to get him used to the movements and the sounds of being wheeled around, and to also shake his crate while he was in it to simulate the feeling of being moved around. We also practised him going into his crate in the carpark of our condo, where we had decided we would load him up on flying day, and immediately into the pet transporter’s van, rather than have to move him from our house, into the lift etc, which would be added points of stress for Ding.
"Our efforts paid off come flying day, when Ding entered the crate on his own in the carpark, and the pet transporter was able to quickly secure his crate for his journey. To this day, Ding is totally comfortable with the crate that he flew to Shanghai in, going in there for naps, and always ready to refresh his crate training."
Did your dog have to be quarantined on arrival in Shanghai, if so for how long?
"As Singapore is a rabies-free country, no quarantine was required for Ding."
How easy was it for your dog to adjust to their new home in Shanghai?
"Funnily enough, easier compared to his previous adjustment to us moving homes in Singapore. He was able to eat and sleep well, and his favourite past time is gazing out of the window at the world going by below.
"Because our current place in Shanghai is very quiet without ambient traffic noise, Ding - who is already noise sensitive to begin with - can now very easily pick up on people moving around or talking outside our apartment, and he will sometimes bark very loudly. We have been managing this by playing music or white noise at home, and de-sensitising and counter-conditioning him to the sounds. He is now handling the noises better!"
When you lived in Singapore what were your dog’s favourite things to do?
"Ding is very much a homebody. His favourite thing to do at home in Singapore (and now in Shanghai too) was probably what we call “training”, but to him is just fun and games and lots of food. He’d learned to file his own nails on a scratchboard, taken canine fitness classes with Dr Kang Nee, and acquired many fun tricks. He loved hanging out at my in-laws’ place as well.
"Aside from that, he had his one favourite place to visit (if only for 20 minutes and then he’s done), which was the rooftop of a HDB multi-storey carpark (MSCP) in Punggol. He loved running around and sniffing there. In the year before we left for Shanghai, we also discovered a nice secluded spot of beach in Changi, where he loved rolling around and digging in the sand."
Living now in Shanghai, what are the main differences your dog is experiencing and also your family living with a dog there in comparison to Singapore? Any tips for good dog parks, dog sitters, good pet stores etc? You mentioned you had found a pet sitter – have you come across any good dog boarding places for when you travel?
"In Singapore, the pedestrian paths are quite wide and conducive for walking dogs (for dogs that enjoy such walks). It would also be fairly easy to find a nice park or a MSCP rooftop garden to bring your dog to. Here in Shanghai, pedestrian pavements are extremely narrow, and many of them are halfway taken up by bicycles and scooters, which are a major form of transportation. The pathways are also right up against shopfronts, making the entire walking experience rather crowded and stressful.
"Most parks in Shanghai also expressly forbid dogs in them, and they are gated or manned by security, so that further reduces the options for enjoying a nice, leisurely stroll with your dog. There are some nice green spaces you can bring your dog to though, you just need to know where to look for them. We like one we found that is a 15-min drive from our place, called Haisu Greenland. We do miss the MSCP gardens back in Singapore though. Funnily enough though, many cafes, restaurants and shopping malls in Shanghai are pet-friendly!
"Further away from the city centre, there are more options for dogs to walk freely, including hiking trails and large parks. We are looking forward to bringing Ding out to Chongming Island, which is an island off Shanghai that is about a 1.5 hour drive away. It is supposed to be non-urbanised and much more nature-filled there, so fingers crossed Ding enjoys it - it will be his first long distance adventure! There is a nice website, https://roadtriprascals.com/ that we look at for ideas on where we can bring Ding to.
"Back in Singapore, we had the privilege of having Ding stay with our in-laws when we travelled, which gave us complete peace of mind as he was very comfortable with them and we had full trust that they would take good care of him. In Shanghai, a friend referred us to a reliable pet sitter who can come to our place to look after Ding - this is our preferred option as Ding is most comfortable at home. Prior to her actually doing so, we did several introductory sessions to get Ding familiar with her. There is also a popular petsitting platform here called SpareLeash, which connects pet guardians with pet sitters, though I personally have not tried such the platform before."
How much did your move cost in total?
"One should be prepared to spend a high four-figure and this could even go up to five-figures. For us, about half of the total cost was the freight cost (which is the cost of the flight factoring in the weight of your pet+crate, if flying as cargo), with the other half comprising the agent handling fees in both countries."
We consider pets as our family. But sometimes people get worried or realise the cost may be too much and leave their pet behind… what’s the something you’d like to share so that people will consider carefully when they get a pet?
"This might be an unpopular opinion, but given how scary and stressful flights are for animals (flying in cargo), I am not sure that bringing one’s pet along with them for international relocations is always unequivocally the best decision, if there are good alternatives where your pet could still continue to thrive in their home country. It could also be that one is moving to a place where the environment is not conducive to having pets.
"While we ultimately decided to bring Ding with us, it was not without much consideration for what would be best for his overall welfare, as I had no doubt the flight would be a traumatic experience for him given his disposition and sensitivity. Other options we seriously considered included me staying behind with Ding in Singapore, and living apart from my husband for the duration of his posting, or the two of us leaving Ding with my in-laws and we would come back regularly to visit him.
"A pet is a lifetime responsibility, and not just in terms of physical care. Because they have no agency over such major decisions in their lives, whatever decision we as pet guardians make for them has to centre the animal before us and consider what is the best outcome for them (and this will differ for every pet), and not what is expedient, convenient or feel-good for us humans."
SERIES ONE: MOVING BETWEEN SINGAPORE & THE UK
SERIES TWO: MOVING BETWEEN THE USA & SINGAPORE
SERIES THREE: MOVING BETWEEN AUSTRALIA & SINGAPORE
SERIES FOUR: MOVING BETWEEN SINGAPORE & GERMANY
SERIES FIVE: MOVING TO SOUTH KOREA FROM SINGAPORE
SERIES SIX: MOVING TO PORTUGAL FROM SINGAPORE
SERIES SEVEN: MOVING TO THE UK FROM HONG KONG
SERIES EIGHT: MOVING TO NEW ZEALAND FROM SINGAPORE
SERIES NINE: MOVING BETWEEN SINGAPORE AND SCOTLAND
SERIES TEN: MOVING FROM DUBAI TO SINGAPORE
SERIES ELEVEN: MOVING FROM SINGAPORE TO NEW ZEALAND
SERIES TWELVE: MOVING FROM SINGAPORE TO SHANGHAI, CHINA
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