How to Immigrate/Travel/Fly with your fur-child?
My experience reflects bringing Lolly from Taiwan to the U.S. In short: “Entering the U.S. is easy; returning to Taiwan is relatively difficult.” I’m especially grateful to the Facebook group Pet Guardians (Pets Are Not Luggage - No Pet Quarantine in Taiwan) and Ren’ai Animal Hospital for their invaluable advice and support in traveling with a pet.
Unfortunately, despite advocacy for “pets are not luggage,” “no quarantine,” and “cabin access,” most pets still travel in cargo, require crate training, endure ten-plus hours with only water, no food, and arrive exhausted and desperate for their owners. Veterinarians joke that finding your pet on arrival is easy—a bunch of barking is a dead giveaway.
酪梨在芝加哥The Spoke & Bird 著名咖啡廳，第一次品嚐到puppuccino。
To prepare in Taiwan:
1. Book your flight early: Call EVA Air for a direct Taipei–Chicago flight, which allows up to five pets per flight. Provide crate dimensions in advance—then confirm with your veterinarian. Since Covid, pet travel has surged, so seats fill quickly.
2. Rabies vaccination: Ensure your pet’s rabies shot is up to date within one year.
3. CDC registration: Complete the U.S. CDC online form (pet must be at least six months old). Some breeds are restricted by state. Save the CDC confirmation email.
4. Health certificate: About six weeks before departure, visit your vet with the vaccination record and CDC form to get a health certificate. Have an IATA-compliant crate ready; Ren’ai Animal Hospital sells suitable crates if you need one last minute.
5. Taiwan quarantine check: Five days before departure, schedule an appointment at the Taipei Songshan Airport quarantine station. Bring all vet documents. On-site, leashed pets are allowed—no need for a pet stroller or crate. Pets without leashes may incur fines.
6. Early check-in: Complete EVA Air’s online check-in. At the counter, check your pet in later—just before boarding—so your pet spends two to three fewer hours confined. Flight attendants will check that your pet’s water bottle is accessible; choose a compatible bottle (Taiwan brands fit crate attachments better).
7. Boarding: Flight attendants will call your name to bring your pet aboard. It can feel awkward—as if you’re carrying something dangerous—but stay calm.
8. U.S. arrival: At Chicago O’Hare, follow signs for U.S. Customs and non-citizen lanes. Present your quarantine slip (keep it safe), then collect luggage. Your pet will arrive on the baggage carousel. Unlike most dogs that bark, Lolly stayed quiet until she saw me.
9. Pet retrieval and inspection: Find your pet and present the quarantine slip, health certificate, and CDC form at the inspection area. (I was that anxious traveler who had everything—except my dog—ready.)
10. Exit: Kind inspection officers will escort you and your pet through the final gate. Only once you reach the pickup area can you release your pet. Lolly was anxious yet excited, drank lots of water, and held in until we reached the hotel. Bring pet-safe wipes to clean your dog before she emerges from her crate.
Lolly was brave and made it through the entire journey. We arrived at a hotel twenty minutes away by car, finally free to rest and recover.
