How To Adopt A Dog From Another Country
November 5, 2022
Adopting a dog from another country might seem like a good idea at the time, but make sure you read the fine print. Every country has strict rules, laws and restrictions when it comes to bringing animals across the border.
You know that sweet, stray dog that’s been following you around all week during your holidays? Well, why not bring him back with you and give him a proper home?
Loads of people fall in love with stray dogs while on holiday. They get to know them, feed them and in many cases, form a bond with them.
If your heart is set on adopting this stray animal, consider working with a rescue shelter that imports dogs from the country in question. For a fee, they will handle all the paperwork and medical requirements. All you need to do is return home and wait…because all of this red tape takes time.
Why Does It Take So Long To Import A Dog And Bring Them Home?
QUARANTINE: You’re going to need a lot of patience when adopting a dog from another country. Many import laws require animals to be quarantined before entering the country so they can be monitored and tested for disease.
VACCINATIONS: Dogs will need to get a series of vaccinations before leaving the country and entering their intended destination. Many countries require a wait time of anywhere from three to six weeks to make sure the vaccination has taken effect and no known diseases are present.
RABIES: All dogs will need to be tested for and inoculated against rabies before you can take them home. These tests take a while to process in the lab, which adds to the wait times. Dogs from countries at high-risk for dog rabies are banned from entering Canada and other countries. You can find the full list of banned countries at the government website inspection.canada.ca.
SURGERY: In many cases, an imported dog must be neutered or spayed before entering the country. This will require finding a veterinarian, scheduling a surgery time and having someone with the dog during recovery. This all adds up in terms of time and money, so make sure this is the right decision for you.
TRANSPORT: When all is said and done, the final step is to arrange transport for your new companion. This could mean travelling back to the country of origin or hiring someone to pick up and deliver your dog for you.
PAPERWORK: In order to bring your rescued dog across the border, whether you’re driving or flying, you must have all your paperwork ready. This includes proof of vaccinations, history of medical records, veterinary reports and any other governmental forms necessary to bring your dog through customs.
Adopting a dog from another country is a controversial issue for many animal lovers. Why adopt from another country when our shelters are full to bursting? So before you make this huge leap and adopt a dog from another country, consider this:
It’s not uncommon for feral cats and dogs to run free among the streets of many vacation hot spots. They live off food scraps and handouts and many people care for them in their own way. These animals have keen street smarts and know how to win the hearts of the locals and especially the tourists, in order to survive. Next week, when you’re gone, and another tourist arrives, these street savvy dogs will cuddle up to them and win them over too. We can’t all adopt these dogs and bring them home, but we can help a needy dog sheltering in a rescue home and give them their forever loving home. Either way, it’s a win-win for everyone.