Adopt (overseas)

Adoption and Animal Transport

Many tourists visiting Koh Samui fall in love with a particular dog and cannot bear to leave it behind on the island. Unfortunately there is only a very small number of hotels which tolerate or even feed strays. The chances of meeting the same dog when returning to Koh Samui are slim.

IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A DOG OR A CAT HOME - NO PROBLEM, WE WILL HELP YOU, just get in touch in time!

Please do have a look at the page "They Found A New Home Overseas".
There you can see the most beautiful pictures from dogs and cats in their new homes.

What will be needed?

The required vaccinations are carried out in the DRCS and the vaccination certificate is issued by the Thai doctor. Also any other Thai veterinarian can perform the rabies vaccination. Please pay attention that he properly fills the vaccination records including his license number! The passport must also be in English and the address of the veterinarian as well. Please take care that the vet does not write the Thai date. In Thailand we have the year 2554th.

After rabies vaccination you must wait 30 days, then the necessary rabies antibody test can be made.

For entry to Europe a rabies antibody test is required.

The serum test costs about 3200 Baht. It can be made only in Europe.

From the day of blood taken, the dog or cat has to stay for another 3 months in Thailand.

The DRCS issues all required documents.

Dog Transport is very expensive. Here are the costs:
a cage (weighs about 8 - 10 kg) for an approximately 15-25kg weighing dog costs about 5000 baht. The dog must be able to stand upright in the cage, so often a slightly larger cage has to be taken.
Cost for microchip: 1000 baht (the dog gets chiped in DRCS).
3000 Baht for blood test in Europe,
staying at the DRCS costs 100 baht per day (average stay at the DRCS are 4 months) 6000 baht,
the transport from Koh Samui to Bangkok costs about 2,500 baht,
the cost for handling in Bangkok 4000 Baht (if you do not want to go to the vet).
1000 baht for office expenses (telephone and issuing papers).

Handling in Bangkok: Our helper picks up the dog at the airport from BKK-Airwais and brings him to the veterinary officer at the airport. There the dog gets examined and gets the required export license. The helper then takes the dog to his house and brings it to you the next day for departure directly to the switch and gives you all the necessary papers. He also helps you checking in the dog or takes care of the settlement with the carrier at a cargo transport.

There has never been problems with the veterinarian oficer. There you will get the required export approval and the chip gets checked. The dog gets examined and then receives an official health certificate. You have to plan about 2 to 3 hours for it.

The price for your dog's ticket varies and depends which airline you fly with.

LUFTHANSA is most low-priced: for a box size 7 including the dog the price is 450$; only accompanied transport is possible.

Besides you might use AIRFRANCE, KLM or AUA; you've just got to mind transfer times when changing planes. Aeroflot should have good prices also.

A freight transport for a box size 7 (90 cm x 66 cm x 66 cm) to Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich, Zurich, Stockholm or Madrid costs 45 000 Baht – flight only! To London the transport with box 7 it will be 54 000 Baht.

Airlines (i.e. Thai Airways) without a special dog tarif charge 1450 Baht ~37 € per kg. If dog plus box weigh 25 kgs, the fare is 925 €. Plus all the other fees for box, Microchip, rabies antibody test, etc.

Country requirements?

In almost all countries of Europe and America, the importation of a dog is not a problem when the required rabies antibody test in a lab in Europe (applies to imports to Europe) was made and the three-month waiting period is satisfied. An entry to Australia is not possible. The dog would have to fly to Europe first, stay there for 6 months and then he could possibly enter.

For USA the dog need no rabies antibody test.

FOR THE UK: The dog has to fly with the owner (so you will have to come and pick up the dog in Bangkok) or we can send the dog via cargo either 5 days before or 5 days after your departure.

There is no other way anymore

Please contact the authorities in England to get more information.

Here is the address for the import permit for animal lovers from Switzerland: Swiss Federal Office for Vetrinärwesen, Schwarzenburgstr. 155, CH-3003 Bern Phone: 031 323 85 24 / 09, Fax: 031 323 85 22nd.

At the airport in Bangkok

At the airport in Bangkok the dog has to be presented to the veterinarian. He grants the export permit and health certificate for the airline. It costs 100 baht.

You get the approval and the export permit in the Cargo Building C2 in the "free zone" outside the airport (long building behind the transport/forwarding-agent halls on the ground floor, last door – to walk about 10 minutes from the entrance to the other end of the hall).

Here the address: Bangkok Airport Animal Quarantine Station,

Suwanapoom Vet Office
Location: Gate 1, 1st Building
Suwanapoom Airport
Tel. 02-1340731-2
Tel. 02- 134063-6
Fax: 021 340 637
E-mail: qsap_bkk@dld.go.th

What if you cannot stay long enough?

Since tourists quite often only decide to take their favourite dog shortly before going back home, the rabies injection may not be given in time to meet the timescale of blood tests, etc. If this is the case, the dog will have to stay at DRCS. The dog is then taken to Bangkok via Bangkok Airways as freight and the transport company there is put in charge of the forwarding.

At the moment we have a private person carry out the handling. The price is the same but we are sure that the dogs are all right. The dog is then brought to the vet at the airport. There, it gets the required export license and it is checked to see if it's been micro chipped. If the dog is forwarded as freight, export and import licenses are also needed.

Within the last year, about 80 dogs flew into a safe future and almost all of them are enjoying life in their new homes. In 1999 the first dog "BIRD" fly with our help and in September 2003, the first cats were rescued from Koh Samui. The regulations for transferring cats are the same as for transferring dogs.

Animal friendly Hotels in Bangkok

We got this tip from Tina and Alex:
In case you travel to Bangkok with your dog and need a dog friendly accomodation, check this one out:
www.reisen-mit-hund.org

In case you do not find anything you like, you have also the possibility to use the service form our helper in Bangkok. The dog would stay with him for the night and he would bring the dog directly to the check-in counter in case the dog flies abroud. He's charging 4000 Baht per animal for the service.

And here another tip from Yvonne:
Hotel Ploykhumthongboutiqueresort
info@ploykhumthongbangkokairport.com

At this hotel the dog is even allowed in the breakfast room!