Ms Ang said she would like to keep travelling with Freckles as long as she is healthy, as the pet is fond of hiking and camping on vacations, which can be physically taxing.
“We love the outdoors and that is why we decided to get a breed that is energetic and up for an adventure,” she said. “It is not easy travelling with a dog. Almost the entire trip is planned around her, and a lot of research needs to be done… But it is worth it to us.”
The road to that picture-perfect holiday with a beloved pet is not easy, though. Up to 90 per cent of owners interested in taking their pets on vacations drop the idea after learning about the process, said a transporter, who declined to be named.
Taking a pet overseas on a holiday of less than two months entails formally exporting it from its home country while importing it into the destination country. The return trip carries similar requirements.
These requirements include relevant licences, documentation, vaccinations, vet-endorsed health check-ups and certifications, all of which have to be approved by authorities from each country, with the processes and validity periods of each document potentially differing both ways.
It can get tricky, as each country has its own specific categorisations, restrictions and medical requirements, which may differ from Singapore’s.
A detailed breakdown of Singapore’s process and requirements can be found on the Animal and Veterinary Service’s site.
