Bringing a dog or cat to mainland China

Choose your situation first

• One dog or cat travelling with you: the accompanied-pet rule allows one animal per person per entry. More animals need a different plan, not an assumption that you can pay for an extra pet. GACC notice, article I
• Entering mainland China: identify the exporting country or region, the first mainland-China entry point and any connections.
• Only connecting through China: check the transit note below; do not assume an international connection removes Customs requirements.
• Travelling with an assistance dog: check the named exemption categories below as well as the general entry documents. Airline recognition is a separate decision.
• Unaccompanied cargo or more than one pet per traveller: arrange a separate assessment before booking; this guide does not establish that pathway.

Start with the exporting country

Shanghai Customs guidance, displayed as updated 16 October 2025, lists these designated countries and regions: New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Hawaii, Guam, Jamaica, Iceland, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Cyprus, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Macao. Hawaii and Guam are listed separately, not the whole United States. This is the published list in that guidance, not a newly verified complete GACC list. Confirm the applicable exporting-country category before booking. Published country list · List-update notice

For a designated origin, compliant identification, documents and an arrival inspection can qualify the pet for release without isolation. For other origins, the exemption also requires an acceptable rabies-antibody report from a Customs-recognised laboratory. Neither route guarantees release before inspection. GACC notice, article II

Continental USA to Mainland China: who prepares your dog's documents

A French Bulldog or another brachycephalic dog first needs a confirmed transport option. A veterinary certificate does not establish breed acceptance. This section covers the continental USA; the form separately exempts Hawaii and Guam from titer testing. It explains paperwork; it does not establish an available flight for a brachycephalic dog.

Identify the accompanying traveler and entry procedure first. APHIS's pet-travel instructions allow one pet per traveler and a separate certificate for each pet. The traveler's name on the certificate must match the passport. Do not automatically apply this procedure to unaccompanied cargo or additional pets.

Use the January 2026 dog certificate. A USDA-accredited veterinarian prepares it and submits it through VEHCS for digital APHIS endorsement. Issuance must be within 14 days before arrival. Carry a printed endorsed certificate; a vaccination record alone is insufficient.

Reconcile details before endorsement. The form records microchip number, implantation date/location, dog identification, weight in pounds, shoulder height in inches, vaccinations and titer. For the applicable non-quarantine procedure, it requires two vaccination records, current protection and sampling no earlier than the second vaccination; arrival must be within a year of sampling. Original current vaccination and laboratory records accompany the pet.

A titer result alone does not establish quarantine exemption. The APHIS form says “greater than 0.5 IU/mL,” while its overview says “at least 0.5.” The sources differ: for an exactly 0.5 result, clarify applicability with the certifying veterinarian and competent authority before buying tickets. The existing guide's other conditions still apply.

Before buying tickets. Align the document procedure with the arrival airport and confirm breed, carrier and every sector with the operating airlines. Do not choose an airport assuming that quarantine there can remedy any missing requirement. Contact Pets Delivery Expert: we can assess documents and route around your pet's needs.

Sources for this addition checked 28 October 2026: USDA APHIS; APHIS January 2026.

Prepare the travel file

1. Identification: use an ISO 11784/11785 microchip; if it does not meet that standard, bring a compatible reader. Match the chip number across the records. Shanghai Customs guidance
2. Certificates: the national rule requires a valid official quarantine/animal-health certificate from the exporting authority and rabies-vaccination evidence. Do not treat an ordinary veterinary visit as government certification. GACC notice, article I
3. Final examination: arrange the clinical examination within 14 days before arrival. This is an examination deadline, not simply a certificate-issue deadline. Shanghai Customs clarification
4. Antibody report, when needed: have the certifying veterinarian check the laboratory, sampling sequence and report validity before arranging the test or relying on an existing report. As a conservative preparation benchmark, use a result above 0.5 IU/ml: Shanghai's English guidance says “above”, while the national Chinese notice uses “0.5IU/ml以上”. The Chinese wording includes the 0.5 boundary; the stricter English figure is a planning margin, not a claim that exactly 0.5 fails the national rule. Confirm an exact-boundary result with the certifying authority and arrival Customs. National wording · English guidance

Australia needs an individual check. Shanghai's FAQ describes a rabies-vaccination exception, while the national notice states the general vaccination-certificate requirement. Obtain route-specific confirmation before omitting vaccination evidence. GACC · Shanghai FAQ

On arrival: declare the pet to Customs and present the required documents for checking. Expect a microchip scan and an on-site clinical inspection. Document preparation alone does not establish clearance. Shanghai Customs arrival process

Choose the arrival point around quarantine

If isolation is required, the national rule specifies 30 days at a Customs-designated facility and entry through a port with the required facilities. Do not book an airport until Customs confirms it is suitable for your case. This guide does not establish a current named-port list. Missing official certificates, excess animals or arrival at an unsuitable port can result in return or destruction; quarantine is not a universal fallback. GACC notice, articles II–III

Country, laboratory and quarantine-port lists can change. Use the current GACC list, not an old airport table. GACC list-update notice

Assistance dogs, airlines and connections

Assistance dogs: the national exemption names guide, hearing and search-and-rescue dogs. It requires a microchip, relevant user and professional-training evidence, and a satisfactory inspection. This concerns release from isolation, not automatic recognition by an airline or permission to omit the general entry documents. Do not extend it automatically to every assistance-dog category. GACC notice, article II

Airline acceptance: confirm your exact flights, transport format, carrier and documents separately with the operating airline. This guide does not verify any airline's acceptance policy or promise cabin travel.

Transit: Shanghai Customs says transit alone does not invalidate an otherwise valid certificate when the examination timing is met. Its separate Pudong international-transfer answer still requires documents and an on-site inspection; abnormalities can trigger quarantine measures. These statements do not settle every connection, landside transfer or airline-document requirement. Certificate clarification · Pudong transit answer

Pet food: no allowance has been verified here. Ask Customs about the actual product and quantity before packing it.

Official sources

• S1 — www.mofcom.gov.cn
• S2 — english.shanghai.gov.cn
• S3 — www.mofcom.gov.cn
• S4 — english.shanghai.gov.cn
• S5 — english.shanghai.gov.cn