Bringing your pet to China? We’ve handled hundreds of pet exports to Asia — let us help with yours.
Moving a pet to China can feel daunting, especially if you’re traveling abroad with your pet for the first time. The country has clear rules around vaccinations, blood tests, and health certificates, but keeping track of them all can be tricky.
This step-by-step guide breaks down the entire process, from departure to arrival. Along the way, we’ll include expert advice based on our experience shipping pets to and from China to make your pet’s journey as stress-free as possible.
Eligible Pets and Country Restrictions
Argentina does not have a nationwide ban on specific breeds for pet imports, but breed restrictions may be in effect in individual provinces or municipalities. The airline you use to fly your pet to Argentina may also have breed restrictions in place.
Eligible Pets
While there is no federal ban on specific dog or cat breeds moving or traveling to Argentina, there may be restrictions on a local level.
Buenos Aires, for example, has breed-specific legislation in place targeting 17 breeds deemed potentially dangerous. The list includes most pit bull-type dogs, mastiffs, German shepherds, and the Dogo Argentino, a breed native to Argentina. These restrictions require special permits, registration, badges, and liability insurance for pet owners and their dogs.
Additional airline restrictions are also quite common. American Airlines and its cargo option, American PetEmbark, a popular option for travel to Argentina, won’t fly snub-nosed or brachycephalic breeds or dogs defined as “dangerous.”
Restricted dog breeds on their list include the following:
- Affenpinscher
- American Bully
- American Staffordshire Terrier
- Boston Terrier
- Boxer
- Brussels Griffon
- Bulldog
- Cane Corso
- Chow Chow
- Dogue De Bordeaux
- English Toy Spaniel
- Japanese Chin
- Lhasa Apso
- Mastiff
- Pekingese
- Pit Bull
- Presa Canario
- Pug
- Shar Pei
- Shih Tzu
- Staffordshire Terrier
- Tibetan Spaniel
Restricted cats include the following breeds:
- Burmese
- Exotic Shorthair
- Himalayan
- Persian
Avianca, an alternative option for travel to Argentina, also bans snub-nosed pets in cargo due to the added risk of breathing difficulties in the air. Unlike American Airlines, though, they will fly strong-jawed or dogs on most “dangerous” dog breed lists, but they’ll need to travel in a reinforced container.
There is no national breed ban in China, but there may be city-wide restrictions. China’s pet import policy that determines testing requirements is based on the origin point’s rabies risk.
Eligible Pets
Although China doesn’t have a nationwide breed ban, some cities have restrictions on specific dog breeds or sizes. For example:
- Shanghai currently prohibits over 20 breeds and their crossbreeds, including Rottweilers, Dobermans, and American Pit Bull Terriers.
- Beijing restricts certain dangerous dog breeds and limits the height of dogs in areas around the city center to just 35 centimeters.
- Chengdu has an active ban on 22 large or dangerous dog breeds in 5 different districts across the city.
The airline you choose to fly your pet to China may have additional breed restrictions to consider. Lufthansa, an airline we use frequently for pet travel to China, does not allow snub-nosed breeds in cargo. They allow dogs classified as dangerous, but they must travel in special reinforced crates in cargo unless they’re between 3 and 6 months old.
Each adult passport holder may only bring one cat or one dog per entry. Other live animals are not allowed for import into China.
Approved Countries
China groups countries and regions into 2 categories when it comes to pet importation requirements: designated and non-designated.
Designated places are considered rabies-free or rabies-controlled. The list includes 19 countries and regions, such as Australia, Guam, Hawaii, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
Pets arriving from these places still need to provide proof of up-to-date rabies vaccines and valid health certificates, but they won’t need rabies titer test results.
Non-designated countries and regions are any place outside of the designated list, including the United States. Pets can still avoid quarantine upon arrival by meeting rabies titer requirements and all other documentation rules at inspection checkpoints.
Planning an international flight for your pet? We can help.
Microchip and Vaccinations
China requires all dogs and cats entering the country to be microchipped and vaccinated for rabies. Pets must show proof of lifetime rabies protection through at least 2 rabies vaccinations as part of their required documents.
Microchip
All pets entering mainland China must be microchipped before they arrive. Your pet’s microchip should be an ISO-compatible, 15-digit chip. If your pet already has a microchip that isn’t ISO-compatible, you may not need a new chip if you’re able to bring your own scanner to verify your pet’s identity at customs clearance.
Vaccinations
All dogs and cats must be current on their rabies vaccinations at the time of entry into China. Pets should also have received at least 2 lifetime rabies vaccinations to meet China’s import rules.
While China’s national rules focus on rabies only, your vet may recommend additional core vaccines to protect your pet during air travel. These include the following for dogs:
- Canine distemper
- Infectious canine hepatitis
- Canine parvovirus (CPV)
- Canine parainfluenza
- Leptospirosis
The following vaccines are typically recommended for traveling cats:
- Feline calicivirus
- Feline panleukopenia (FPV or feline parvovirus)
- Viral rhinotracheitis
Your vet may have additional vaccine recommendations in mind depending on your dog’s health status at the time of travel.
Blood Tests and Treatments
Pets traveling from designated countries or regions with a low rabies risk don’t need any additional blood tests or treatments to pass inspection and avoid quarantine.
For pets coming from non-designated countries or regions, including the continental U.S., a rabies antibody test is required. Titers tests confirm adequate protection from rabies, and they must be recorded on your pet’s official health certificate.
Blood tests must be given at an approved lab on the same day or any day after your pet’s most recent rabies vaccinations. China recognizes the following for titer testing in the U.S.:
- The Department of Defense Food Analysis and Diagnostic Laboratory
- Kansas State University Rabies Laboratory
- Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathobiology Virology Laboratory
Other labs may also be acceptable, depending on whether your pet has previously traveled with a valid titer. Pets that have had one done in China and are returning to the U.S., for example, may use the same test as long as it’s still valid. Your pet’s blood test is valid for one year.China doesn’t generally require additional parasite treatments at entry, but we always recommend that pet owners treat their pets for external and internal parasites ahead of travel. Many boarding facilities require proof that pets have been treated for both before stays.
Import Documents
China doesn’t require a separate import permit for traveling pets. The key document is your pet’s APHIS-endorsed health certificate. Certificates can be prepared by a USDA–accredited veterinarian, but they must then be officially endorsed by APHIS.
The certificate is valid for 14 days from the date of issue, so timing your travel carefully is important. If you’re traveling with more than one cat or dog, each pet must have its own individual certificate. In addition to the health certificate, you’ll also need the following:
- Your pet’s original rabies vaccination certificate
- Your pet’s original rabies titer laboratory report, if applicable
- A digital photo of your pet printed on regular paper
- A photocopy of that same photo
- A photocopy of your passport for each pet
For larger dogs, include something in the photos you’re taking of your pet to help officials gauge the animal’s size. Upon arrival, you’ll present all of these documents to the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) at the airport.
Airline Options
We use Lufthansa most often for pets traveling to China. That typically means transiting through Germany or another EU country. Your pet will already have a valid rabies vaccine to enter China, so as long as that vaccine is less than a year old, they’re covered for travel via Lufthansa.
Pets on Lufthansa fly as carry-on, as excess baggage in the cargo hold, or as air freight on Lufthansa Cargo. Snub-nosed breeds aren’t allowed in cargo, but “dangerous” dog breeds are, as long as they’re in a secured crate.
Several Chinese carriers offer pet transport options, typically in the cargo hold. Air China has a few direct U.S.-China flights into major hubs like Beijing. China Airlines allows pets as checked baggage, but won’t fly animals on the B738 aircraft due to temperature concerns in the hold. Cathay Pacific is an option, but it involves a layover in Hong Kong.
No matter your pet’s breed or size, we can help you go over your options to get your pet safely to their destination.
Quarantine
Pets coming from both designated and non-designated countries or regions can avoid quarantine as long as all requirements are met. For pets coming from the U.S., that means a valid titer report, microchip, and relevant health documentation. Your pet will also need to pass a visual inspection.
If your pet is missing any of these import requirements, they’ll need to undergo 30 days of quarantine at a GACC-designated facility. This is more common with pets unable to schedule a rabies titer at a government-approved lab ahead of their trip.
Pet owners expecting a quarantine stay must arrive at a designated port of entry and notify quarantine officials ahead of their stay. Quarantine facilities are located at many of the major transportation hubs, like Beijing Capital Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun Airport.
Pets are brought directly to the quarantine facility upon arrival at the airport. During quarantine, veterinary staff monitor your pet and order lab testing as needed. Pets are released at the end of their 30-day stay if they’ve passed all of their required tests. No matter your pet’s quarantine status, if you’re traveling with a dog, they’ll need to be registered with the local police within a month of your arrival.
Returning to the USA
The U.S. classifies mainland China as a high-risk rabies country, so if you’re returning to the U.S. at any point, you’ll need to meet additional CDC import requirements upon arrival. For traveling or relocating dogs, that means a CDC Dog Import Form receipt and one of 2 additional forms:
- A Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination or
- A Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip, plus a rabies serology titer from a CDC-approved lab.
If your dog doesn’t have a valid titer, you’ll also need to make a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility (ACF) in the U.S. before travel. Vets at the ACF will revaccinate your dog with a U.S. rabies vaccine during a 28-day quarantine stay.
If your dog needs a quarantine stay upon arrival in the U.S., you’ll need to choose an airport entry point with a CDC-registered facility. Our boarding facility, Kennel Club LAX, is one option for pets arriving in Los Angeles.Cats aren’t subject to CDC rabies import restrictions when returning from high-risk countries like China, but airlines may have their own requirements for transporting cats internationally.
How Tailwind Can Help
At Tailwind, we guide pet owners through every step of international relocation, from check-in to pick-up. For destinations with lots of moving pieces, like China, we handle the complexities so you don’t have to.
No matter your origin or your pet’s size, breed, or special needs, we make sure your pet travels safely and efficiently. With us, you get a dedicated team of experts who know the rules, the airlines, and the best routes.
Ready to get started? Each pet relocation situation is different, so to get an idea of the costs involved, fill out a quote request.
See What Our Clients Have to Say
“Thanks Brady and his reliable team on everything done for our two dogs. We flew from China to USA and the dogs need to stay overnight for physical exams and rabies re-vaccination. They took good care of the dogs and quick response to meet customer’s needs. Special thanks to Michael who help us a lot. I highly recommend their service!”
– Jing Z.
“We had an excellent experience with Tailwind Global Pet in helping us relocate our pet from mainland China to Hawaii. Since Hawaii is a rabies-free state with extremely strict pet import regulations, navigating the process—especially with additional CDC guidelines—felt overwhelming. However, Brady and his team at Tailwind Global Pet made it seamless. They were incredibly resourceful, guiding us through every step and even recommending a trusted partner in China who helped us handle all the necessary paperwork. Their expertise and coordination provided us with peace of mind, and it was such a relief to see our dog arrive safely and finally be reunited with us. I highly recommend their services to anyone navigating international pet travel! Mahalo Brady and Michael, I am forever grateful for your services!”
– Jenny C.
“These guys were fantastic. I imported my dog from China but encountered all sorts of issues (flight cancelations which resulted in the need to update permits, etc) and every time Michael, Jasmin, and the whole team were responsive, informative, and flexible. Can’t recommend highly enough. I gave five stars because I can’t give 6.”
– Robert S.