Starting May 1 in the Chinese mainland, dog-owners must have their pets on a leash in public spaces. The move is part of an update to the Animal Epidemic Prevention Law of the People's Republic of China. Other new amendments include a requirement that dogs wear a tag when outside.
The one-dog policy (Chinese: 一犬一户; pinyin: Yī quǎn yī hù) is a policy implemented in 2006, restricting residents of Beijing, China to one dog per family. It also prohibits Beijing residents from raising large (over 35 cm (14 in) tall) and ferocious dogs.
Although China doesn't ban the import of any dog breeds, there are breed restrictions in Shanghai, Chengdu and Beijing and it's important for all dog owners to be aware of the restrictions in each city they intend to visit as the rules can vary.
Dogs in China still have a protective function, there are also service dogs, and dogs that serve as status symbols for some Chinese. However, just as here in the West, the vast majority of dogs in China are pet dogs who are viewed as companions and usually treated as family members.
The traveler's name must be on the pet's veterinary health certificate (Ex: Consignor's Name) and match the name on the traveler's passport. Each pet must have its own veterinary health certificate, and only one (1) pet may be listed per certificate.
All pets arriving China will be quarantined for 30 days after arrival (*unless coming from a PRC designated rabies free country or area). You may bring in one pet per human passport holder. There is now a process for applying for quarantine waiver.
The cost of having your pet come with you to China will vary by type and size of animal, country of origin, use of a professional pet moving company etc. For example, if you're shipping a large breed dog to China from the United States using a pet relocation service, you can expect to pay as much as US$5,000.
Originally bred as companion dogs to the ancient Chinese imperial family, Pekingese have historically been revered as sacred in China—according to one legend, they're lions shrunk to miniature size by the Buddha.
This statistic shows the number of pet dogs kept in urban China from 2018 to 2022. In 2022, the number of dogs in China amounted to approximately 51.2 million, slightly decreasing from 54.29 million in the previous year.
In Islamic culture, dogs are perceived as 'ritually impure'. Apparently, the Prophet Muhammad once said that dogs may only be kept for acceptable reasons, such as farming, hunting or herding. In these instances though, the dog should be kept outside the home.
Cats and dogs may only be directly imported to Australia from approved countries. All testing and treatments must be performed by a government approved veterinarian or official government veterinarian in an approved country. Cats and dogs in non-approved countries cannot be directly imported to Australia.
When you leave China, some countries require long quarantines for pets coming out of China. In addition, Beijing has registration requirements for dogs, limits on the number of dogs per household, bans on large dogs in the city center, and complete bans of some breeds.
A new report released Tuesday by Pethadoop, a platform specializing in China's pet industry, said cats accounted for 59.5% of all the pets among the 30,000 respondents surveyed for the research. As of last year, there were some 58 million pet cats in China's urban households, compared with some 54 million pet dogs.
Millions of stray dogs and cats live on China's streets. Some are abandoned pets, left to fend for themselves after being dumped by their owners. Many are strays born on the streets. There are many animal lovers in China, and dogs and cats are often kept as family pets.
In 2021, around 200 million pets were held in Chinese households, ranging from mammals to reptiles. Forecasts showed that the pet population in China would exceed 220 million in 2022. Cats and dogs remained the most popular pets among Chinese pet lovers.
The number of stray dogs and cats in China is believed to have reached 40 million as of 2021, more than 20% of the global stray animals.
1. Pugs. One of the most popular dogs worldwide, Pugs, are known to have originated from China somewhere around 400 BC.
Chinese Chongqing
Though unrecognized by the American Kennel Club, the Chongqing Dog Club of the UK and Ireland touts this breed as “one of the oldest, and rarest dog breeds in the world.” Some reports put the number of existing purebred Chongqing dogs at just 2,000.
Dogs and cats killed for fur in China are often cherished companions. They are trucked for miles in wire crates and skinned alive. Learn more.
Much like black cats have been considered an omen in western cultures, black dogs are sometimes perceived as bad luck in Chinese culture. In Chinese folklore, Tian Gou (Heavenly Dog) is a deity depicted as a black dog that devours the sun, causing an eclipse in the process.
Pet ownership rates vary by country in East and South Asia. The most popular pet species also differs depending on the nation. An online survey by Rakuten Insight found that while 59% of people in the region keep pets, the average doesn't always reflect the range of rates in a specific country.
The total cost of bringing a dog to Australia is around $4,000 (USD) / $5,600 (AUD). The cost is broken down into the following fees: Vet fees – microchipping, vaccinations and treatments varies on your veterinarian centre's fees and home country (average $300 (USD) / $425 (AUD))
Many airlines allow pets to fly in the cabin as a carry-on, so long as they stay inside a carrier that's small enough to fit under the seat in front of you for the duration of the flight. Southwest, Alaska, United, American, Delta, Hawaiian, Spirit, and Frontier are some of the airlines that allow pets as carry-ons.
You can bring pet cats and dogs into Shanghai as either cargo or excess baggage, but you must provide proof of the vaccination documents and show that the pet is in a state of good health. You cannot bring the following pets into China: rabbits, ferrets, snakes, rodents, fish, or birds.