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Wavy DaveyOffline
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Post  Posted: Dec 17, 2007 - 08:11 AM  Reply with quote  Back to top
Post subject: Why so many DOG questions in the expat CAT answers?

I am considering a move to Shanghai with my employer. This is likely to be a two year posting. I have a dog that I would like to bring with me but have seen a lot of negative comment regarding very restrictive rules on what you can and can't do with your pet.

Does anyone have any first hand experience of owning a dog in Shanghai who could give me the lowdown? Particularly I am interested in..

Are there any parks where dogs are allowed (on and off leash)?
Can you walk your dog at any time in any area?
Is there somewhere within easy reach (within a couple of hours drive) that you could hike with a dog?
Are there areas that are better for living in with a dog?
What rental allowance would I need for a place in a nice area with some form of outdoor space?
Are there any good kennels / boarding / day care businesses?

Thanks

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MichaelOffline
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Post  Posted: Dec 17, 2007 - 09:27 AM  Reply with quote  Back to top

I suspect its not easy for dog owners here. I love dogs, but I won't have one in an apartment situation and with the range of attitudes here toward animals. Some people seem to do OK, and some not. It would probably depend on how scared your neighbors where of dogs and if they complained about it.

In the city, I guarantee that you would almost always have to have them on a lease. I am sure there are places to do to run them, but I don't know the details. I would not put a dog of mine in any local kennel. There is just a completely different prevalent attitude toward the care of animals here. You probably can find an ayi would watch your dog if you had to travel.
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supernenaOffline
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Post  Posted: Dec 17, 2007 - 12:09 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

Hey Wavy Davy,

Be aware of quarantene. Check it out well because you dog may have to be there for about a month. Also, the license fee for dogs is pretty heafty here. I brought my cat here from Europe and I used Dr. Jenny at Jialiang petmoving@jialiang.com to help me. It's expensive but she is up to date on all of the regulations and is a huge help getting through customs etc...... Good luck!!!
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Post  Posted: Dec 17, 2007 - 12:48 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

We have a golden lab and have had a handful of problems, but all in all, I'd say that the positives of having her still outweigh the negatives.

If there are dog parks, we haven't found one. We moved to an apt. close to Century Park thinking it would be great for taking Cleo on long walks, unfortunately dogs aren't allowed. I've also heard that there is a leash law in Shanghai, but it is not strictly enforced (no walking in public places from 7-7). Generally, I think locals are afraid of dogs, largely because contracting rabies from rabid animals still happens, and quite often. A general rule of thumb: the larger the dog, the greater risk you take in bringing him/her here. As for kennels and boarding, I’d have to agree that it is a bad idea. Your best option would be to find a dog-lover willing to take care of your pup when you are gone.

We've had two incidents involving Cleo, where no one was injured (unless you call a play scratch an injury). These have resulted in being blackmailed for money and threats of calling the authorities to have her put down. I had to sweet talk, beg, cry, & pay my way out of these…it was horrible. After it all, I would still say that it is very easy to own a dog, even a large dog in Shanghai, so long as you adapt your habits to the local culture. Register her, be cautious, never take him/her off their leash, clean up after him/her, and do not allow anyone you’re unfamiliar with to interact with your dog.

If you need more info, feel free to PM me. Good luck!
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emersonOffline
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Post  Posted: Dec 17, 2007 - 03:53 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

A friend of mine has a golden lab. So far, he has had no major problems. He did have to pay a slightly higher deposit for his apartment and it took him a while to find a vet that he likes/trusts. Also, had to get a permit--but took a Chinese friend with him to apply and the process went OK. City Shop and a few other western/expat friendly stores carry several name brands of pet food and other basic supplies. During the daytime he has his Ayi walk the dog. Also, in summer he has to leave the AC low during the day because it gets really hot.

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hc
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Post  Posted: Dec 17, 2007 - 05:12 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

You should visit http://www.scaashanghai.org.

Great organization with animal loving people.

Good site with loads of info too.

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DesertSpider
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Post  Posted: Dec 17, 2007 - 06:43 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

I think Lemongrass has a couple of dogs here... PM her.

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iara
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Post  Posted: Dec 18, 2007 - 07:58 AM  Reply with quote  Back to top

we also bought a dog here, a golden lab.
my ayi take good care of her when we are in holidays, she doesn't need to stay all day, but she comes morning and afternoon to give her water and food and to play with her.
for Christmas she told me that if her house wasn't so small she would take our dog with her, but she is also afraid someone could steal the dog Sad
my big concerns here: we don't have a driver, or car, so it gets complicated when we need to take her for baths or to see the vet, cause taxis wouldn't take anyone with a large dog.
Fortunatelly, my husband has one taxi driver that drives him everyday to office, and he is ok taking our dog.He waits at the vet and we pay by the taximeter.
the other point is about a good vet. I'm still looking for one.
As I live in Pudong, we don't have any good vet here. Everyone is chinese and they really don't know so much about dogs here. My golden has a skin problem diagnosed via internet by a vet in Brazil, cause here one vet told me that it was a skin problem, but he was giving her the wrong medicine, another vet asked me to go to HongQiao and speak to his teacher cause he never had seen that, and an old one in a dogs hospital near Mingsheng road that was the only one who took a sample of my dog skin and make a lab analisys told me that she was fine, only her skin wasn't so beautiful, can you believe this????
the problem is that maybe for good vets we need to travel to HongQiao or to Jialiang Kennel and both are too far for us...
but we still love to have a dog here, we hadn't have any trouble with her so far. In our compound a lot of chinese people also have dogs, big ones.
Even a laoway has 2 dalmatians, and one killed a small neighboor dog 2 years ago, police said they couldn't do anything because the dog has a license!
so, if your dog has a license, he would be fine!
good look

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NeilUK39
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Post  Posted: Dec 18, 2007 - 12:00 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

Its seem that Golden Lab or retrievers are very popular here!

For the vets and Kenneling we use PAWS vets and have nothing but good experience with them Vets are western James the main Guy is a Brit . I believe that PAWS are due to open a second Branch in Pudong which will be a bonus as we also live in Pudong.

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SnappySammyOffline
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Post  Posted: Dec 18, 2007 - 12:18 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

I think you can bring your dog into China via Qingdao and don't have to have them Quarantined. I think in Shanghai you have to Qurantine them for 30days.

I would consider entering through Qingdao from Seoul.
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lemongrass
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Post  Posted: Dec 18, 2007 - 04:09 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

DesertSpider wrote:
I think Lemongrass has a couple of dogs here... PM her.


Hey...I only have 2 dogs!! But hopefully I can get a greyhound soon. Smile

Well I think a lot of posters have given very good advice already. Having a big dog in Shanghai is indeed a pain. Not to mention that most of the locals are afraid of dogs, its also a pain that there is almost none dog parks in Shanghai. I used to bring one of my dogs to Omelly's where I can have their brunch and Ichi can run around and play with other dogs. Later Omelly's built something else on the grassland so there is no place for dogs to run any more.

We once brought Ichi to Paulana for their brunch and I was kinda begging the manager to let us bring Ichi in and I promised we would tie him around a little stone and never let him off the leash.

I usually just walk Ichi around my compound. Unless we have a car, I dont take him to somewhere far since i have noticed the cab drivers drive away once they see that I have a dog with me.

If you live in a big compound and own a car, having a dog here can be a lot easier.

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leidelaohuOffline
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Post  Posted: Dec 18, 2007 - 05:48 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

lemongrass wrote:
... hopefully I can get a greyhound soon. Smile

Saw two people exercising their greyhound in Golden Gate Park once. They stood at opposite ends of a big field and called the dog back and forth Razz

Really pretty to watch running but not very suitable for apartment life ...
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monkey7020Offline
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Post  Posted: Dec 18, 2007 - 05:51 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

lemongrass wrote:
DesertSpider wrote:
I think Lemongrass has a couple of dogs here... PM her.


I used to bring one of my dogs to Omelly's where I can have their brunch and Ichi can run around and play with other dogs. Later Omelly's built something else on the grassland so there is no place for dogs to run any more.


Omalleys is usually full of dogs (and cats for them to chase) on Sunday afternoons as they have the pet adoption day there.... lots of room on the (fake) grass!
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PaulROffline
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Post  Posted: Dec 18, 2007 - 06:51 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

I'm sure I read "somewhere" that to import a dog into China they had be within certain size limits Confused , we have two of these
<-----
back in the UK and they were too big to import........height at the shoulder and body length were quoted...can't find the article now though Sad

Have the Lab owners in the posts above imported their dogs?
I know about quarantining them on your premises and the licence and import duty stuff?
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hc
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Post  Posted: Dec 18, 2007 - 07:09 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

monkey7020 wrote:
lemongrass wrote:
DesertSpider wrote:
I think Lemongrass has a couple of dogs here... PM her.


I used to bring one of my dogs to Omelly's where I can have their brunch and Ichi can run around and play with other dogs. Later Omelly's built something else on the grassland so there is no place for dogs to run any more.


Omalleys is usually full of dogs (and cats for them to chase) on Sunday afternoons as they have the pet adoption day there.... lots of room on the (fake) grass!


O'Malleys helps the SCAA by hosting their bi-weekly adoption days there. It doens't happen every Sunday though. Please check http://www.scaashanghai.org before.

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DesertSpider
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Post  Posted: Dec 18, 2007 - 09:48 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

PaulR wrote:
I'm sure I read "somewhere" that to import a dog into China they had be within certain size limits Confused , we have two of these
<-----
back in the UK and they were too big to import........height at the shoulder and body length were quoted...can't find the article now though Sad

Have the Lab owners in the posts above imported their dogs?
I know about quarantining them on your premises and the licence and import duty stuff?


Money solves all, no ?

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PaulROffline
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Post  Posted: Dec 18, 2007 - 10:15 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

DesertSpider wrote:
Money solves all, no ?


Hmmmmm....... Confused but from what I remember it was compulsory..........my wife said it would be a great idea but we'd have to cut their legs off........which kinda defeats the object of bringing them over Laughing Laughing Laughing
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DesertSpider
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Post  Posted: Dec 18, 2007 - 10:20 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

You haven't been in China long enough yet.... ALL things are negotiable here.

I'm 87% positive that with the right "paperwork" and "application fees" you could bring a gray elephant into this country if you wanted to.

Seriously.

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lemongrass
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Post  Posted: Dec 18, 2007 - 11:36 PM  Reply with quote  Back to top

leidelaohu wrote:
lemongrass wrote:
... hopefully I can get a greyhound soon. Smile

Saw two people exercising their greyhound in Golden Gate Park once. They stood at opposite ends of a big field and called the dog back and forth Razz

Really pretty to watch running but not very suitable for apartment life ...


Oh dear I totally fall for greyhound since I saw the dog racing in Macao. The running was was ... stunning.

Once I have a big house I am so gonna have one greyhound!!! Razz

Last time I was in O'malleys (woops my spelling sucks) the fake grass had gone. But I haven't checked since Oct. Perhaps its back again.

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leidelaohuOffline
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Post  Posted: Dec 19, 2007 - 12:19 AM  Reply with quote  Back to top

lemongrass wrote:
Oh dear I totally fall for greyhound since I saw the dog racing in Macao. The running was was ... stunning.

They make smaller ones - called whippets. Look very similar but maybe better for Shanghai ? My friend's mom used to race them in Ireland.
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Wavy DaveyOffline
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Post  Posted: Dec 19, 2007 - 04:46 AM  Reply with quote  Back to top

Thanks to everyone for your advice. It seems that a car / driver would be a useful accessory for my dog! This has made me feel that I will be able to seriously consider a move to Shanghai with my dog - he's not too big (35lb) but he's a Springer Spaniel so does require lots of exercise.

Any recommendations for areas to live that mean I could get a small house with a garden / yard that would also be a good neighbourhood for running with my dog in the mornings / evenings - he's not the only one who needs exercise! What would my budget need to be?
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leidelaohuOffline
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Post  Posted: Dec 19, 2007 - 05:01 AM  Reply with quote  Back to top

Wavy Davey wrote:
Any recommendations for areas to live that mean I could get a small house with a garden / yard that would also be a good neighbourhood for running with my dog in the mornings / evenings - he's not the only one who needs exercise! What would my budget need to be?

Cordially speaking, are you nuts ? Perhaps you should consider living in Shanghai for a few months before you make any important decisions. This ain't Little House on the Prairie, not by a long shot.
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RobtcbOffline
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Post  Posted: Dec 19, 2007 - 08:11 AM  Reply with quote  Back to top

That comment about the good neighborhood with the yard and neighbors was funny. My wife had the exact same mind-set before she moved here, too ! Her first house-finding trip solved that. She wanted a big yard, a pool, etc.

BUT...having said this, there are a few idyllic places like this in Shanghai. Forest Manor, Rancho Santa Fe, even a couple of places closer into town (like Sandalwood). You just won't find it for cheap or for downtown areas.
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Post  Posted: Dec 19, 2007 - 08:17 AM  Reply with quote  Back to top

My dog got lost in my apartment building and the police took her and fed her to tigers. They have a quota every month. My friend works with animal conrol so I know this. The people here are really cruel wih animals. its like a pair of shoes to them. I wish somebody would have fed that police man to the tigers and feel the pain my dog felt. I had tupac 2 years. Don't bring your dog here. They are really cruel. Don't you see how people treat people here?
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iara
Veejay
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Post  Posted: Dec 19, 2007 - 08:33 AM  Reply with quote  Back to top

Sad this was cruel...
once the garden gate was open and I just notice that my dog had gone because the door's bell rang and there was one of the compound security guards with her in his arms...very nice guy Smile
at least where we live most people are nice with dogs!!

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