Pet Move

Economove Japan delivers pets from a Tokyo airport (mainly from Narita, but for some destinations from Haneda). If you are not from the Tokyo area, you can send your pet to Narita or Haneda Airport by a domestic flight at a reasonable fare (you can find the reference fare in the following). We will pick your pet up at a Tokyo airport and clear the export quarantine inspection as well as the export customs, after which we will send your pet to your destination airport as an unaccompanied luggage (by an air cargo) in the specially provided cargo space (pet area) in an aircraft. We use Tokyo airports because there are great many direct flights originating from them to wherever your destination may be. (As transit flights can cause great stress to your pet, we make it a rule to use direct flights. But for some destinations such like Melbourne or Perth, we must use connecting flights.)

The pet keeping area in an aircraft is controlled under the same criteria as the passenger cabin. That is to say, the temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure are kept at the same level as the area for human passengers.

The departure date cannot be on a Saturday, Sunday, or National Holiday, as the customs office and quarantine office are generally closed on those days, and therefore, we would not be able to gain clearance for export quarantine and export customs.

Please also consider the arrival date. It is advisable to select an arrival date that falls on a weekday (Monday-Friday). No Saturdays, Sudanys, or National Holidays will be accepted. In order to avoid a large additional charge by arriving on a Saturday, Sunday, or National Holiday, we recommend that you schedule the arrival of your pet to fall on a weekday.

Export Service of Pets

Economove Japan sends dogs and cats from Japan to the following countries (as of Nov. 2012).

• UK
• USA
• Canada
• Singapore
• Malaysia
• Burnei
• Hong Kong
• Australia
• New Zealand
• French
• Polynesia

If your living location in Japan is far away from Tokyo

If your living location in Japan is far away from Tokyo, you can have your pet delivered using a domestic flight from Narita or Haneda, and the consignee would be Economove Japan Co., Ltd.
You can refer to the following website of JAL domestic CARGO (sorry only Japanese version available):

http://www.jal.co.jp/jalcargo/dom/guide/animal/

Domestic cargo fares for sending to Narita/Haneda a small sized dog such as a toy poodle, miniature dachshund, or chihuahua at a cage volume weight of 10-20 kg are as follows:

• From Sapporo 6060*150%=JPY9090
• From Osaka 3005*150%=JPY4508
• From Fukuoka 6310*150%=JPY9465
• From Naha 8285*150%=JPY12428

Weight calculation

The largesst portion of the cost of sending a pet is the airfare. This airfare will be determined NOT by the actual weight of the pet,BUT by the volume weight, which is calculated by the metric volume of cage / 0.006. The volume weight will be much heavier than the actual weight. Many pet owners think that selecting a smaller sized cage would be less expensive.
However, the carrier has strict regulations for pet cages, which are as follows:
Inner length of cage > (pet length + 50% of pet leg) “Pet length” is from the end of its nose to the root of its tail.
Inner height of cage > pet height
Inner width of cage > 200% of its shoulder width
*Due to the recent increased concerns over animal protection, carriers are becoming very sensitive and strict about customers complying with the above cage size standards.

IATA has a detailed standard for the pet cage specifications.

IATA (International Air Transportation Association) has a detailed standard for the pet cage specifications.
The important points are that the cage has enough ventilation, that food and water containers are provided, and that the upper and and lower half of the cage is fixed by firm screws so that it is resistant to damage during air travel. Even if the cage happen to drop, pets inside should never be in danger of being able to come out during the air transportation.

There are two methods for sending a pet

1. To send as your accompanied luggage, or send as a pet in a cabin (on your flight).
2. To send by a manifested air cargo (as an unaccompanied luggage).

For bringing a pet into Japan, Japan allows pets to be brought in on the same flight as you. However, for bringing a pet abroad from Japan, some countries do not allow pets to be brought in on the same flight as you, and require that the pet be sent by a manifested air cargo.
Countries that will not allow pets on the same flight are as follows:
Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Burnei, UK, French Polynesia
To send a pet to one of the above countries, you are required to use an air forwarder like Economove Japan.
For countries that allow a pet in the same cabin, you can accompany your pet and are not required to use a forwarder.

We recommend that you send your pet by a direct flight.

Routing by air (especially by using a manifested air cargo)
We recommend that you send your pet by a direct flight. But in some countries, a transit flight must be used. In order to avoid causing great stress to your pet, we recommend that you NOT use a transit flight. But in some areas, there are no direct flights, especially in Australia. For example, there are no direct flights from Tokyo to Melbourne, or from Tokyo to Perth. If your destination is Melbourne or Perth, we recommend that you send your pet to Sydney. After a 30-day quarantine is completed, we will pick up your pet at the quarantine facility and send it out on a domestic Australian flight (or alternatively, a transit flight via Singapore if the pet owner is willing to allow great stress for the pet).
As for Brisbane, there are no direct flights nor is there a 30-day quarantine facility. Therefore, we would have to send the pet to Sydney, and after 30 days, send it to Coolangatta Airport.
Another option is for the pet owner to come all the way, for example, from Brisbane to Sydney to pick up the pet.
(Some LCCs operate direct flights from Tokyo to the Gold Coast, but they do not accept pets. )

Our export service for pet handling

1. Apply for an import permit (Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, French Polynesia, Singapore).
2. Coordination work done among the pet owner, the vet, Japan Narita quarantine office, Aircargo Carrier, air forwarder, and the quarantine office of the destination country.
3. Advice to your vet (e.g., how to complete the required form)
4. Pick up of your pet in the Tokyo area, or if your Japan location is a remote area away from Tokyo airport, you can send the pet on a domestic flight from either Narita or Haneda.
5. Clearing export quarantine by our own attendance.
6. Clearing export customs by our own attendance.
7. Taking the pet on a final stroll and make sure it goes to the bathroom.
8. Hand over to the air cargo company at Tokyo airport.
9. Airfare to a destination airport.
10. Clear import quarantine.
11. Clear import customs.
12. Have the required quarantine (10 days in NewZealand and 30 days in Australia).
13. Hand over at a quarantine facility.
14. If your location at your country is far way from the quarantine station, we can put it on a domestic flight for an additional charge.