Please forgive me if I am asking questions that have already been asked. I have searched this site and have learned and found alot of helpful info.

We just got our orders and should be arriving around Oct-Nov. 

We have two dogs and I am trying to get everything started and done. However I am starting to get a little confused with the info that I am receiving here where we live.

Wanted to see if someone had answers to my questions or if their was an e-mail address for the vet on base there that anyone has that I might be able to contact?

I am trying to contact the vet located on the nearest base where I currently live which is about 1.5 hour away. I have had no luck with contacting anyone so I have started contacting local vets. And that is where I am getting mixed answers. My understanding was that if I followed the check list that we would avoid the quarantine period of 180 days. However I was told this week that we have to do the 180 days no matter what. And that is where I have some questions, if I start the 180 days here in the states and have them finish it in Japan, will the dogs be able to stay at our house on base and finish the quarantine or do they have to go to some center in Japan?

Also for the FVAN test, can they have that the same day as the 2nd rabies shot or does it have to be done 15 days later?

Thanks for any help and info, and please feel free to throw out other info that you think I should have or need!!!

I didn't bring my dog to Japan for those reasons, we were lucky and found a great home for him. 

You really need to address those issues with the Vet where you are PCSing into.

I have seen people being allowed visitation with their pets during the quarantined period (week-end) play dates, but they have to be returned nightly.

I'm sure it's stressful for the animals and owners.

The FAVN test can be done on the same day as the 2nd rabies, we did just that. The biggest issue is making sure the health cert is signed by either an Army Vet or USDA vet.

As long as it's 180 days from the FAVN test being given the OK...they will not have to be quarantined.

    Thanks for the responses, I really appreciate them.

I know for sure that the dogs will not be able to finish their full 180 days of quarantine here in the states, with that being said do you know where the nearest quarantine facility would be?

Would you happen to know the vets e-mail address for on base at Yokosuka?

Thanks Again!!

We moved here in August 2011 with our 2 dogs and so the ordeal is fresh in my mind....Bringing pets over here is definitely not easy but our dogs are older and we just couldn't leave them behind for their 'golden years'.

I haven't come across an email address for the vets on base but when we were stateside I called them and they were quite helpful. I too had problems making sure I had the right info from our local vet. If you have a choice, I think working with a military vet for your health certificate is easier.

As for quarantine, they have to finish it out on base. The kennels or base housing if you are able to move right in. Another option is finding someone on base who can take them. While under quarantine the dogs can travel base to base. Just can't get out of the car en route.

hello,

we just came from HI so i'm not sure if the procedures are the same being that hawaii is rabies free. the vet's # here in yokosuka is 243-6820. i believe if you are calling from the us the # is 011-81-46-816-6820. my dogs needed current rabies vaccine and the original rabies certificate within the last 12 months. all vaccines must be current. also you will need to fill out a form of import of dogs for each dog and fax or email it to narita international airport. you can visit this site which was really helpful to us http://www.aphis.usda.gov/regulatio...s/animals/

or

http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/import-free.htm 

i believe the quarantine is on base. please call the kennel in yokosuka in advance to let them know your pets are coming (dogs aren't allowed in the lodge.) if i can remember correctly it's 15-25 a day for each dog which you will have to pay out of pocket, but keep your receipt b/c you will get some of your money back. also, for housing there are no dogs allowed on high-rises. for town-homes, depending on availability and the waiting list you will be able to get yokosuka, ikego (15-20 min from yokosuka,) or negishi (1 hr away.)  the way housing office put it is you have to pick the first choice they give you because there's only so many months before your TLA stops. Because my husband is only an E6 and we only have one child the wait for housing in Yokosuka would be a year! I hope this helps.

Hi. I am PCSing to Yokosuka this summer with 2 pets and have already found out the needed info for this. The 2nd rabies vaccine can be given the same day as the titer.

Everything you might want to know is here:
http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/ta...petsi.html

AND

http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/index.html
click on the "how to import link"
also on the 2nd site, there are email addresses for the quarantine people in Japan. I've emailed with them multiple times to make sure I have done everything right. They are very fast and helpful in responding. Let me know if I can help you any more.

we also followed the check list and our dogs did not have to go through quarantine. they will have to stay in the kennel while you are in lodging but you get to visit and walk them! ----hopefully if Japan's policy is like Hawaii and your dog did not finish the 180 days then how ever many days left is how much time your dog will be in quarantine. when we were coming from washington to hawaii my dog did not finish the 180 days, he had a month left. when we got to hawaii, instead of 6 months in quarantine it was only a month!

also...like I said, it 2nd rabies can be given the same day as the titer but the FAVN has be done AFTER the 2nd rabies shot is given, same day or not.
Also, the pets need to be microchipped prior to any vaccines...AND...the type of rabies shot given must be considered "inactive" or recombinant". Also, if you don't have the time to finish the quarantine period in the states, it must be finished on base...either by finding someone on base to house your pets, living on base yourself, or keeping the in the on base kennel..which I have heard is kinda harsh, but I couldn't say anything personally. When I arrive, my pets will have completed the quarantine period, but no pets are allowed at the Navy Lodge. I have a tiny chihuahua and small cat and am trying to figure out what I'm gonna do. I can't leave my little babies in the kennel. Maybe either pay for lodging in town or find a family that's nice enough to let us room with them for a few days assuming we find a house fairly fast. Again, let me know if I can help u anymore.

My only misunderstanding with the rabies issue is, as soon as we adopted our dog, we made sure she had all her shots up to date, and have continued to do so. I thought all responsible owners got their dogs vaccinated for rabbis. If she has already had a full treatment, is that all I need in that aspect?

pretty much. But some people, like me, have puppies or dogs that have may have only gotten 1 rabies shot. As you know, the dog has to get two shots. I suppose as long as the dog was microchipped before the last 2 rabies shots and the shots are still active, meaning up to date, should be fine. The dog has to have the microchip for at least two of the vaccines. Then get the FAVN test done, again, assuming all shots are up to date and still within their effective period-and enough time has passed between the first and second rabies vaccines...32 days. That's how I read the info and confirmed with the Jap embassy.

Our second transfer to Japan we brought our dog. As long as you do everything on the list, your dogs will be fine. There is a quarantine time of 180 days, but it is done either in the base kennel at the vet or in your home if you can get into housing. Unfortunately for us, it took awhile to get into our housing so she spent a lot of time in the kennel. You are able to pick up your dog during the day and spend time with them on base only. If you get right into housing, your dog does the quarantine there.
We are now getting ready for our third transfer to Japan. We will be there this December. So we are going through the same thing you are but now we have two dogs. On your orders it should have websites on the procedures for bringing your pets overseas to Japan. As long as your dog has its micro chip, 2 rabies shots, FAVN done and the paperwork certified by the USDA or Army Vet you will be fine.
Your overseas screening information should include that you are bringing a dog. Your new command should be notified so they can inform your sponsor. You can ask the sponsor to notify and help you make a reservation at the kennel. It will make your life a lot easier!
Good luck! If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask. We have spent a grand total of five years stationed in Japan, 1999-2001 and 2005-2008. I might be able to help you out. :o) Cheers, Karen
P.S. Make sure you make lots of copies of all of the dogs paperwork. You will need it to put on their crates and it is good to have on hand as well. The airlines and customs will need them.

hey karen-will your family be moving on base or off base this time around?

I would like to say thank you for all of the responses and great info! Getting all this info is easing my stress some
My dogs will start the microchip and 1st rabies shot next week at a base vet here.....but will have to finish up the process out in town due to the base vet closing because the guy is PCSing and there is no replacement for him yet!

Thanks for the websites also - I want to make sure that I do everything that I am suppose to do correctly!!

How many copies of the dogs paperwork should I make?

I never made any copies when PCSing with pets to Italy. I just had them organized in a folder...but copies is a good idea. I might do that too when we head over this summer

Make sure the microchip number is listed on the rabies certificates.

We had something like 6 copies of our cats' paperwork, but I think we only needed to give away two: one for customs and one for the vet's office. The airline just wanted to verify the health certificate (they gave it right back to us). Our cats were our carry-on items, but we would have taped copies to the carriers if they'd flown as baggage.

However many days your dogs have in quarantine in the States will get subtracted from the 180 days. And remember, they can't stay in the Lodge with you, so they'd be in the kennel for a while anyway. Sometimes this works out perfectly-like when your animals are given 30 days quarantine and it takes you 32 to find a house.

Aloha,

I will be moving to Japan with my dog from Hawaii. If you don't mind, could you tell me your process with getting your dog to Japan. I have read all the websites, and it seems to be pretty simple PCSing with a dog from Hawaii to Japan due to Hawaii's strict rabies regulations. Did your dog fly on the same flight over with you? If so, what airlines? Did you ship him over ahead of your flight?

I highly recommend you contact the Maff people at Narita airport as one of the people here recommended since they are the ones who will be determining whether your pets come into Japan or not. When we were moving to Japan, they promptly answered every question I had promptly and guided me through the process. I just listed my questions and they answered every one.

I agree contact Maff with any questions or concerns that you might have. I have e-mailed them twice and both times they responded within 24 hours. They are very helpful!!

I saw your post about not wanting to kennel while you are in the lodge.  If your pets are already approved through quarantine, I live off base and would be happy to help you with your pets.  It can take a while to get into civilian housing...about a month because of all the paperwork.  There are a lot of fees associated with renting off base.  The Navy will help you pay those fees with a loan that you pay back over the course of a year.  It takes a while to get that approved though.  I have heard of people just paying those fees up front without having to wait, though.  That can be about $10,000, so quite pricey...  

Anyway, please let me know if you would like help...I also have pets, so I know how important they are!  

Hawaiian Mary, we came from Hawaii to Yokosuka a few months ago with our dog. We went to the Hickam clinic to make sure all the paperwork was good to go and the shots were up to date - it is a little less complicated coming from Hawaii because of the lack of rabies. We did that about a month before we left and I actually got the advance notification to Japan like 37 days ahead of time instead of 40 and it was fine. Then you have to do another appointment less than 10 days before your flight for the health certificate, and then you have to take that information to the USDA vet by the airport (Hickam will give you all the contact information you need). I had 3 copies of all the papers and that was enough. We flew United so our dog had to fly as cargo, not as checked baggage - plan on getting to the airport 4 -3 hours ahead of your flight if you fly your dog cargo. And I wouldn't ship the dog ahead of time unless you have a friend who is willing to drive to Narita and pick up your dog (easier said than done, and not something a sponsor should be expected to do). We also had some trouble at the airport since we flew into terminal 1 and needed to get over to cargo (with all of our luggage, since we had told our sponsor to come a few hours later so we could clear customs with the dog). This was something of a miserable few hours as we pushed 7 pieces of luggage about a mile over the airport grounds and were sent to the wrong cargo building initially, but we finally made it. (Knowing the word "inu" for dog was very helpful!) Once we got to the United cargo desk, clearing customs took another hour or so. If your sponsor is willing to meet you at the terminal you arrive in and drive you over to the cargo area, that would be a huge help, unless you travel a lot lighter than we did! It's a little nervewracking but wasn't too much worse than getting the dog to Hawaii. Feel free to PM me if you have other questions.

OK...so just arrived in Japan a week and a half ago and here are some things that I learned in bringing my pet over to Japan. Flying AMC from the states was the best choice for us. We did not have to give advance notification because we flew into Yokota. Be prepared to make transport arrangements when flying into Yokota or Narita in order to get to Yokosuka. Luckily for us, my husband has friends that have been helpful in that regard. Yokota does have a special shuttle, so ask your sponsor if going from Narita to that base. All of our pets records had been maintained by a civilian vet until we began preparation to transfer. I suggest using a military vet to do all of your microchip, rabies vaccines and FAVN. We did not because we did not know, however would have made the process easier and less expensive. Be prepared to pay for the cargo expenses in traveling, We paid a total of about $460, including $115 for the AMC portion- came from the east coast. We also had to drop our puppy off 3 hours before our initial commercial flight and pick her up from cargo and transport her to the AMC terminal ourselves (Thank God for the USO handling our luggage during this time or it would have been a huge task.) Due to the fact that there was absolutely no on-base lodging in Yokosuka our first ten days here, we stayed in Yokota at the Kanto Lodge in a family suite (fabulous stay by the way). Getting our puppy into the kennel here and Yokosuka was easy, just a couple of calls. We check into Yokosuka kennel tomorrow, but our kennel experience in Yokota has been superb ($18 per day, $25 for two dogs in same kennel). We have visited our pup everyday and the facility is great. We started the process with our puppy in November as soon as we received orders, so she finished quarantine in June. Not everyone has this option, but doing so allowed us to walk our dog freely once she checked in with the base vets. The only concern we had was having our civilian vet sign our rabies certificates in blue. American vets are not recognized in Japan, however we did not have a problem with this at all, not sure if that is because we flew AMC...as a caution, I would just have them certified by the USDA office if they were done by military vet, army vet could not do this because they were not the ones to issue the vaccines.....just some info I learned last minute and wanted to share.....We also emailed our docs to both Narita, Yokota AMC, and Yokosuka Vet office before we got our flight itinerary to make sure we had everything in order...good luck bringing your pets to Japan...our pup is happy to be with us, so we know we made the right choice in completing all the work to get her here. :-)

Does anyone know ....If I fly AMC out of Seattle to Yokota, is a small dog (5lbs) allowed in cabin on this flight?

The quarantine has to happen like you said no matter what but you can definitely start in the states . The quarantine starts the day the Favn blood is drawn.  As long of course as the Rabbies level is right.  You can bring dog from airport to base and only base housing.  The navy lodge does not allow pets grrrrrr . If you make arrangements ahead of time you can avoid the quarantine in the kennel . Hope that helps.

Cfam2015 , Thank you so much for sharing your experience with your pets. I have done all that is needed to be done our pets beside the final vet checkup the week that we are scheduled to fly out. We should be flying out mid Oct, we do not have flight info yet, so that is starting to get me a little stressed because I have no clue what to expect in regards to flying with the pets.

Does anyone know how far in advance do you get the flight info? The reason why I ask is because PSD told us that we are responsible for the fees for our pets (which is fine with me and I understand) I was just wandering how will our dogs be listed in our flight info that PSD is booking if they are not paying, and how do we go about paying for our dogs?

You should get your flight information as soon as your transfer clerk at PSD puts in the request to NAVPTO. Probably around a month before you leave. Not sure about the pet info for the flight.

Thank you RODCT2012!

Yes...we had two small terriers on the flight I was on.....We did not here hear them at all.  The owner said she gave them a natural supplement to calm them, do not know what it was called though.

We received our flight info about ten days before we left.  You will pay for your pets twice: the first time at the cargo check in when you drop them off at the commercial counter and then again at the AMC counter when you check in for your flight there.  It was only about $115 for the AMC portion (best deal in town).  We had our AMC portion of the flight scheduled early by NAVPTO, usually they can do that part to get you the date you want.  Be sure to reserve the flight with your pet space reserved on-board/below in cargo, whichever applies.  The commercial flights can be scheduled around the AMC flight.  This allowed us to schedule the health certificate appointment with the army vet clinic early and not have to wait until the last minute.  Also save all of your receipts to file with your travel claim.  We did and hope to get some of those funds back.

When PSD schedules the flights are the pets listed on the itinerary and you just pay when you check in?

The pet has to be listed on your AMC itinerary to fly. It will list your family members by name and then say "a dog" (or whatever your pet is). You then pay when you are checking in. They will take cash, check or credit card. The cost is based on the weight of the pet.

We flew Alaska airlines to get to Seattle for the AMC flight and the pet was not listed on the e-tickets. I called them ahead of time to confirm that they were expecting the dog (once as soon as I got the tickets and also the day before we flew). I booked the domestic portion of our airline tickets myself, but I am sure you could still call the airline to confirm your pet.

Good luck! Also make sure to check with the domestic airline for food/water and health certificate requirements. They are generally listed on the airline's website.

Thank you so much for the great info! We are down to about 60 days before flying out and just wanted to make sure I knew the process! Thanks again.

HELP!!

I am wanting to see if anyone knows the phone number that I would need to call on Yokosuka base to arrange for a shuttle to pick up my family and pets from Yokota? We are flying in next month and wanted to set up transportation.

Thanks

There are buses that wait at Yokota to take new arrivals to Yokosuka. idk about pets on it.

Family Assistance Support Team (FAST) helped a friend of mine when she and her husband PCS'd with pets. They arranged transportation for all. The FAST number is DSN 315-243-5770. Commercial from the US thats 011-81-468-16-5770

another option,

https://sites.google.com/site/yokotajapan/home/private-shuttle-service

Thank you guys for the responses, I will check into those options!!!

Posted By cfam2015 on 08-11-2012 4:09 AM
OK...so just arrived in Japan a week and a half ago and here are some things that I learned in bringing my pet over to Japan. Flying AMC from the states was the best choice for us. We did not have to give advance notification because we flew into Yokota. Be prepared to make transport arrangements when flying into Yokota or Narita in order to get to Yokosuka. Luckily for us, my husband has friends that have been helpful in that regard. Yokota does have a special shuttle, so ask your sponsor if going from Narita to that base. All of our pets records had been maintained by a civilian vet until we began preparation to transfer. I suggest using a military vet to do all of your microchip, rabies vaccines and FAVN. We did not because we did not know, however would have made the process easier and less expensive. Be prepared to pay for the cargo expenses in traveling, We paid a total of about $460, including $115 for the AMC portion- came from the east coast. We also had to drop our puppy off 3 hours before our initial commercial flight and pick her up from cargo and transport her to the AMC terminal ourselves (Thank God for the USO handling our luggage during this time or it would have been a huge task.) Due to the fact that there was absolutely no on-base lodging in Yokosuka our first ten days here, we stayed in Yokota at the Kanto Lodge in a family suite (fabulous stay by the way). Getting our puppy into the kennel here and Yokosuka was easy, just a couple of calls. We check into Yokosuka kennel tomorrow, but our kennel experience in Yokota has been superb ($18 per day, $25 for two dogs in same kennel). We have visited our pup everyday and the facility is great. We started the process with our puppy in November as soon as we received orders, so she finished quarantine in June. Not everyone has this option, but doing so allowed us to walk our dog freely once she checked in with the base vets. The only concern we had was having our civilian vet sign our rabies certificates in blue. American vets are not recognized in Japan, however we did not have a problem with this at all, not sure if that is because we flew AMC...as a caution, I would just have them certified by the USDA office if they were done by military vet, army vet could not do this because they were not the ones to issue the vaccines.....just some info I learned last minute and wanted to share.....We also emailed our docs to both Narita, Yokota AMC, and Yokosuka Vet office before we got our flight itinerary to make sure we had everything in order...good luck bringing your pets to Japan...our pup is happy to be with us, so we know we made the right choice in completing all the work to get her here. :-)

Cfam, do you happen to have the contact info for the Yokota terminal. I'd like to mail them everything to make sure I'm in order as well.

Yokota AMC Passenger Terminal
Hours of operation: 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily

Mailing address
730 AMS/TRP
Unit 5114
APO AP 96328-5114

Fax number
DSN 315-225-9768
Commercial fax from the United States: 011-81-3117-55-9768
Commercial fax within Japan: 042-552-2511 Ext. 59768

E-mail
To make a reservation: 730ams.space.available@yokota.af.mil

Phone numbers
Flight recording: DSN 315-225-7111
Lost and found: DSN 315-225-9543
Information: DSN 315-225-5660, 5661, or 5662; commercial from the U.S.: 011-81-3117-55-5661; commercial within Japan: 042-552-2511 Ext. 55660

Thanks again for all of the help!!!!! The FAST office was able to help and book transportation from Yokota to Yokosuka!!!

Pacific Army Veternary Command has all the information and checklists needed to bring a pet to Japan http://www.usarj.army.mil/organizat...r_doc.aspx . It is possible that an Army vet is not USDA certified, make sure. Also, we found some of the Army vet staff do not know the rules very well, so make sure you understand everything clearly. In our case the checklist states the microchip has to be ISO certified or the Japanese scanners will not read it, our AVID brand was not ISO, so the Army vet said we needed to put a second chip in our 10 lb dog, that is a darn big needle, especially for a dog of that size. Found out when we got here that Avid chips are fine.
Contacting the animal quarantine folks at Narita is very helpful. They will check over your paperwork if you fax it to them (They didn't do e-mail scans when we went through last year) and e-mail you back within 24 hours if you are good or have things to fix. I litterally spent about 15 minutes at the quarantine counter in Narita to fill out some papers and was on my way because we did this and everything was in order.
I came ahead and got an off-base house first, so when the family/dog came over there were no issues with a kennel.

For those coming from Hawaii. This is where we found the Army vet staff not to know the rules very well. If you have any questions I would recommend calling the USDA vet at Honolulu Int'l Airport. There is only one and he has been doing this for years, he really knows his stuff for Japan or Europe.

Ticketing your pet. You can either tell the military travel office to do this, or if you want ot make sure it gets done and there are no surprises, as soon as you have itinerary you can call the airline yourself and "ticket" your pet. United will allow small pets that fit under the seat to go in the cabin as a carry-on, but they have a limit to how many are allowed on a flight, so get this done early. American will not allow a pet in the cabin, but they partner with JAL and many of their flights to Japan are actually on JAL planes. JAL I think does allow small pets in the cabin, so you need to find out who is actually operating the flight, not just who the ticket says.
I also learned that JAL does not have any allowance for larger weight limits for military on orders that all US carriers have, so we had to pay an excess baggage fee, this fee was NOT reimbursed even though I claimed it on the travel claim, it was refused, another whole story on this, just be aware.

If you find out that your pet's microchip does not meet the ISO requirements, an alternative to putting the pet through getting an additional microchip is to rent a scanner that reads your pet's chip. Many companies will do this.

robnao-my pet has AVID, we have been told we're going to have to rent a scanner. So you're saying the AVID chips are ok?