Bringing a dog

Rupert

My wife and myself are moving to Mumbai in February and want to take our dog. He is a male Lab - very house trained and is no problem with our employer. Any comments on what we can expect. He is very climatised to the heat.

capt_mahajan

Lots of info on this site, just search, or, some here:

Taking a dog to India?

Have to warn you, the general opinion is, don't.

Almoraboy

if one of u stays in the house, then it will be fine to bring the dog.

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Nick-H

...apart from the journey.

Actually I heard a flying-dog story (from the owner of the flying dog) only the other day.

On a trip from (I think it was) Italy to India, some time into the flight the captain announced that it was necessary to make an emergency landing due to the fact that they could not maintain the pressure in the hold. There was, he said, a dog in the hold, and flying at normal hight would cost the animal its life.

The dogs owner immediately assumed a 'dog? what dog? expression, but his wife was unable to remain so cool, giving away that it was their dog, which earned them some nasty looks.

The dog was transferred to the cabin, and they were allowed to keep the cage on an empty seat with them as the aircraft resumed its flight.

Have to say that I am enormously impressed with the airline for taking such action: I wonder what the cost of an unscheduled landing is...

I also wonder, in these harder times, if a harder-hearted commercial view of the situation might not be taken.

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Digital Drifter

The airline is pleased to announce that while the dog is saved, due to a problem in the baggage handling, your bags are still in terminal 4. You can collect them when you return from your trip.

Bon voyage.

*actually 8000 pieces are still lying in Term 4 heathrow because of mechanical snag somewhere.

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Host

I don't think there should be any problem for a Lab.

You have to just ensure that he is properly vaccinated, so that he should not catch any disease.

I have a 3 year old dachshund, he stays alone while we are out. Apartment building where I stay, has plenty of friends of by doxy!

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cyberhippie

The heat is someting to condiser I think. I was told that extreme heat impacts badly on the longevity of a dogs life!!

Host

Believe me Mumbai is not that hot. Its only humidity that causes problem.

Overall, I think weather is perfect for our little friends

cyberhippie

Neither is Goa but the dog lover who lives in Goa told me this!!

Almoraboy

if u go up to the hills (like in uttarakhand), check the bhotia dogs over there. dude, they almost grow to the size of a bear. i think the cold weather of the hills is beneficial for most of the dogs, as they are healthier, stronger and live longer than the ones in the plains.

fardesi

D-o n-o-t let him go through that. If you have your own house with a yard, maybe (read maybe). Where will you take him if he gets sick? Parvo, scabies, and rabies are everyday realities there. Parvo has seasons when you can see dog after dog affected with it. Rabies is even more a worry and very, very common. Scabies happen to most dogs but can be controlled to some extent by Neem oil. They don't have great vet care and vets that are there, are rough, very rough. And what if he swallows poison or is attacked by other dogs (you do realize he can never be taken for a walk, right? Street dogs are very territorial). And pets live terribly isolated and lonely lives in India, often tied to a pole days on end, year after year. People just don't understand.

I had a neighbour who bought himself a beautiful full-breed dog in India. His neighbours got jealous and poisoned it.

Nick-H

My wife and myself are moving to Mumbai in February

I think your answer comes a little late...

Now, I am very much against shipping animals by air. The conditions for us economy-class passengers who knowingly consented (and paid through the nose) for our ordeal are bad enough...

But I have to answer your post. My comments are based on my experience of Chennai. I imagine that conditions in a posh area of Mumbai would be at least as good.

Any half-decent (ie rich) area is almost certain to have decent vets. That should not be a worry. I'm sure that good vetinary care will be available.

I live in a street near a vet surgery. I see people turning up all day with their dogs, and I hear that the vet is good.

I'm sure that there is a greater chance of a dog catching one of the diseases you mention. A greater chance. Whatever can be innoculated against should be innoculated against.

There is rabies here, of course, but you make it sound as if every second or third dog is rabid --- that is not the case.

There is a risk from the street dogs --- but to say never be taken for a walk is rubbish. I often see peple walking their dogs. They usually carry a stick in case of trouble, but I didn't see any pet attacked by street dogs yet. I would not walk a dog late evening when those street dogs are doing their pack thing. I would try not to walk myself near them --- and yet I have no fear of them in the day.

Whether the dog lives tied to a pole is rather up to the owner: I agree that many Indian dog owners don't seem to give/expect the same companionship that I would with an animal --- but that is up to the person, not the country.

Your neighbour's poisoned dog could have happened anywhere in the world.

I too would say, don't bring your dog. But I would not subscribe to Fardesi's scare stories.

A good point on this general topic is that those who are in need of canine company will find many street dogs very amenable to being adopted.

capt_mahajan

Agree with Nick.

Though Feb is long gone and this is of no use to the OP...

We had a dog in an apartment for fifteen years in Mumbai.

She went for walks three times a day, got decent/good medical attention, and was treated as a family member, same as all our pets seem to be.

And we are not exceptions.

The problem is bringing a dog to India, not taking care of it here.