Cruising With A Service Dog....everything You Ever Wanted To Know!

[denversees4me]

Hi All

Long time - How is everyone ? Hi Roz - I will be in LA in June lets try for dinner or coffee its been TOO LONG and Den misses Brenny Baby :-)

Does anyone know what the requirements are for sailings from new york to canada and new England ?

Thanks

Cari and Denver

[Valentine's Mom]

Hi Everyone

 

I haven't been on lately I have been really busy with Valentine. Her skim just seem to be gettomg worse. We tried everthing. We have been to the dr. so many times now they are telling me it might be a food allergy! Seems that would have thought of that firstl:confused::confused: I also have to bathe her 1 time a week and she knows when it is bathtime and she gives me the most prthix look. I'll do anything at this point I just hope it works.:(

The pictures are very cute. I haven't figured out how to do that yet.

 

Hope all is well.

Barbara

[Quampapetet]

Hi All

Long time - How is everyone ? Hi Roz - I will be in LA in June lets try for dinner or coffee its been TOO LONG and Den misses Brenny Baby :-)

Does anyone know what the requirements are for sailings from new york to canada and new England ?

Thanks

Cari and Denver

 

Canada doesn't have any special requirements/restrictions for certified service dogs: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/imp/petani/canqueste.shtml (But, I love how they misplaced "(assistance dogs)" so it is modifying "rabies", LOL!! :p )

 

Just bring your rabies vaccination and health certificate with you and you'll be all set for the U.S. and Canada.

 

Do note that Canada doesn't have a country-wide single law on service dog access; the access laws are by province. So, know where in Canada you are going and then look up the laws specific to that/those province(s). I know at least some of their laws require you carry a doctor's letter certifying you are disabled and need a service dog and that a business can ask to see such a letter (and can deny you access if you don't have it).

[S.S. Cruisers]

Mornin' all:

Thanks for thoughts on pictures. My attaching them is hit and miss. I don't do it often enough and have to re-learn (experiment) to get them to go. The easiest way I find is the little paperclip on the row where you change font size, color, add smilies and so on on the top line here where we post.

Cari: Hi! Hugs to Denver man. Is he doing good after his surgery? I haven't been on facebook for months. And you? You surgeries done and you back to normal? Well as normal as us crazy people can be! :D

Better run. Time is a ticking and time for Trav to get up and ready for school.

Everyone have a terrific Tuesday.

Nancy

[wizard-of-roz]

Hi Everyone

 

I haven't been on lately I have been really busy with Valentine. Her skim just seem to be gettomg worse. We tried everthing. We have been to the dr. so many times now they are telling me it might be a food allergy! Seems that would have thought of that firstl:confused::confused: I also have to bathe her 1 time a week and she knows when it is bathtime and she gives me the most prthix look. I'll do anything at this point I just hope it works.:(

The pictures are very cute. I haven't figured out how to do that yet.

 

Hope all is well.

Barbara

 

Barbara: I'm so sorry to hear that Valentine is not doing well with her skin. Aveeno bath's [just like the one that people use when kids have chicken pox] it's basically oatmeal and other soothing stuff like aloe vera.

Have you tried Desitin? The stuff that we used for our babies bottoms? It's a miracle cream......it can't hurt!

Good luck.

I just want to come over and hold her in my arms to make her feel better! :)

[wizard-of-roz]

Hi All

Long time - How is everyone ? Hi Roz - I will be in LA in June lets try for dinner or coffee its been TOO LONG and Den misses Brenny Baby :-)

Does anyone know what the requirements are for sailings from new york to canada and new England ?

Thanks

Cari and Denver

 

We didn't have to do anything extra for Canada, than we had to do for Mexico [for access.] Just be careful.......their access laws [into restaurants/theatres, etc.] are a bit stringent! Not everyone recognizes the USA laws.

And, let me know when you'll be in town. My Grandkids are coming down, from Oregon, in June and I'd love them to meet you and Denver.

Brenda sends huge licks & love to Den.

[Quampapetet]

Have you tried Desitin? The stuff that we used for our babies bottoms? It's a miracle cream......it can't hurt!

 

 

Make sure you run anything like this by your vet first, as there could be something dangerous to injest in it! Babies don't lick their bottoms, so baby cream isn't designed to be swallowed and may have chemicals and such in it. Dogs do lick themselves and whatever you put on them gets injested.

[S.S. Cruisers]

Mornin' all:

Quam: Thanks for the chuckle! Not because it was funny, it is very serious information and something I had not thought of. The visual makes it stick in my mind, so as not to forget. You always have such insightful information. Its like you are my other brain, giving me the minut details that I don't think of. Thank you for contributing.

 

Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday.

 

Nancy

[wizard-of-roz]

Babies may not "lick" their tush's [OMG, what a visual] but those little hands go EVERYWHERE and after they've been "everywhere" they go right into their mouth's.

 

My oldest thought that she could paint her sister with the stuff! Talk about a horrible clean-up job.

 

The main ingredient in Desitin is Aloe Vera......truly a miracle soother to man and beast.

 

After you've asked your Vet tell us what he/she says.

I hope Valentine gets some relief. It's tough to watch our dogs suffer!

[Quampapetet]

The aloe plant is toxic to dogs. I'm not sure about the aloe vera that comes from it or if it is just the outer plant parts that are toxic.

[dobiemom]

My Vet told me that the human kind and the animal kind are absorbed differently. It's best to stick with the one specifically made for dogs. It's not worth wasting your money or your dogs health on something that won't even work or may cause some digestion problems.

 

JMHO

Thanks, Roz. I downloaded the brochure from the link that Quampapetet provided, and I'll take that to the pet store for reference.

[Luey]

We are going to be traveling to Grand Turks, St. Marten, San Juan, and St. Thomas. Fray had a 3 year rabies vaccination that isn't due until next May (1 more yr). Do you know of these four islands have problems with the three year vaccination? If so, could you explain the titer test to me as I am not familiar with that? Thank you in advance.

 

Luanne

 

Usually you cannot get a rabies vaccine within 30 days before entering another country, so you should not get it at your health certificate app't.

 

March is a long time away - almost a year - and you wouldn't want to over-vaccinate your dog any more than needed (the rabies vaccine lasts longer than three years as it is, but you have to go by the laws, of course ... and the one-year is the same vaccine as the three-year, just with a different label on it).

 

Why don't you call your vet and ask them about Mexico's regulations? But, everything I find doesn't say anything about the vaccine needing to be within one year. Perhaps the person you heard that from was wrong or their health certificate just didn't state that the vaccine was the three-year vaccine so the authorities had to assume it was the one-year for health's sake and deny the entry.

[S.S. Cruisers]

Mornin' all:

The neighbor called Animal Control on Jezzy Lou. He has been spraying her with his hose, when she barks at him. Remember she bit him, and he kicked her, all in our yard. She cannot stand him. She is never outside alone, except maybe a minute to run back in the house to grab something. She comes unglued if she is left out alone. So as soon as she starts barking at him one of us has to go get her. He told Animal Control my hubby threatened his cats and the dog barks all the time. What hubby told him was "leave my dog alone and quit spraying her." He then told him, something like "How would you like it if I did that to your cats?" Hubby asked Animal Control if the dog is not allowed to bark at anything. Told him she only barks at him, his cats that run wild or if a car comes and turns around in front of the house. We do not let her sit and bark. It has always annoyed us when people just let their dogs bark and bark. Anyway, hate neighbor fights. Of course we live in a Mobile home park so he is like "right" next door.

Sorry to whine this early, but am really bugged by this.

Everyone have a great Thursday.

Nancy

[DisneyKidsDad]

Wait till nobody is home and really make his home "MOBILE" and move it somewhere else. :D

[tinaaccess3219]

I was told to find a federally accredited vet. Get them to fill out the 7001 form and then have the state vet stamp it. However its must be done 10 days from the date the vet signed it and within 10 days of traveling is this true?

 

how do you get the dog back into the U.S. is there paperwork for that also?

 

leaving out of fort lauderdale jan 15 HA Noordam

How do I get off ship with dog in St. Thomas? Do I need special paperwork?

 

so many questions I have, lol

 

thank you in advance

[S.S. Cruisers]

Wait till nobody is home and really make his home "MOBILE" and move it somewhere else. :D

Double :D:D Although hubby says this morning the neighbor walked out the back door, waved, said good morning and that he forgot to mail his granddaughters birthday card and was on the way to the post office! :eek: I more sure than I was before that he is a wack job......

[wizard-of-roz]

The aloe plant is toxic to dogs. I'm not sure about the aloe vera that comes from it or if it is just the outer plant parts that are toxic.

 

It's the plant itself. It would be poisionous to humans, as well, if we ingested the leaves!

[wizard-of-roz]

Double :D:D Although hubby says this morning the neighbor walked out the back door, waved, said good morning and that he forgot to mail his granddaughters birthday card and was on the way to the post office! :eek: I more sure than I was before that he is a wack job......

 

I love the response of "moving his home somewhere else!" We could all get together and help you out there.......I swear I spit my coffee on the screen that was so funny!

I know, Nancy, that you didn't think this "wacko" was so funny when he was spraying our Jezzy Lou but, you're probably right.....he's probably totally unaware of his rudeness!

Consider the source and keep on smiling!

[Quampapetet]

We are going to be traveling to Grand Turks, St. Marten, San Juan, and St. Thomas. Fray had a 3 year rabies vaccination that isn't due until next May (1 more yr). Do you know of these four islands have problems with the three year vaccination? If so, could you explain the titer test to me as I am not familiar with that? Thank you in advance.

 

Luanne

 

San Juan and St. Thomas won't have a problem with the three-year vaccine, plus they are U.S. Territories so you'll have ADA access there.

 

Grand Turk you need to write to the guy (see the info. earlier in this thread) to ask for the service dog exemption to the rabies titer and other requirements except for the health certificate, rabies certificate, and import permit (which you'll fax away for when you have the health certificate to fax to them - they'll fax or e-mail you back the import permit). My dog was due for her next three-year rabies vaccine at the end of August and we were just in Grand Turk on our cruise in February, so they don't have issue with the three-year vaccine. (I say "was" due because I had to get the vaccination for her early - did it last week - due to the entry requirements for next year's cruise including a six-month wait after rabies titer.)

 

St. Maarten I'm not certain of - I haven't gotten in contact with them yet (two of the other islands are on my list to be in contact with first because I can fit all of St. Maarten's requirements if they are indeed what I have found online). I don't recall if they specify that the vaccination has to be the one-year or can be either the one- or three-year.

 

The rabies titer is a blood test. It measures the antibodies to a specific disease to see if the animal (or human) is protected still/enough from the vaccination(s) they got. The blood must be drawn no less than a month after the vaccine is given to allow everything to settle down and all. Your vet draws the blood and sends it to Kansas State University's lab (they're one of the only labs who are acceptable to do the testing for import/export purposes) for testing. Within about three weeks you get the result back. The level has to be 0.5 or greater (I believe it is). If the level is not adequate to the regulations, the dog must be vaccinated again and another blood draw will take place at least a month after that new vaccination so it can be tested again. If you're an IAADP member, you get 50% off the cost of the testing from Kansas State (it is usually $50, so you pay $25) and they also prioritize your sample to the front of the line for testing. To get the discount, your vet must enter your membership number/info. on the electronic form they fill out when sending the blood to the lab. And, remember, the dog's microchip number MUST be on everything sent in or it won't fit the requirements! (Some countries and Hawaii specify that the dog must have been microchipped before getting the vaccine or the dog will have to get another vaccine after the microchip is implanted even if the former vaccine was not expired yet.)

[Quampapetet]

I was told to find a federally accredited vet. Get them to fill out the 7001 form and then have the state vet stamp it. However its must be done 10 days from the date the vet signed it and within 10 days of traveling is this true?

 

The vet does need to be USDA accredited. It is likely that at least one vet at your current vet office is accredited - call and ask. There are two accredited vets at my vet office (of course, they both take the same day off, so that doesn't help, LOL!).

 

Not all countries need the USDA state vet endorsement. If you are only going to St. Thomas, you do not need it. You didn't mention any other countries, so if you're going to other countries, please say which they are so we can help you out.

 

Different countries have different requirements for how many days ahead you need the health certificate. The Bahamas requires it within 48 hours of arrival and the U.S. within ten days of arrival, for instance. On a cruise, the date regulations are a bit relaxed due to the nature of the travel (i.e. if you're going to a country with a 48-hr. requirement on the fourth day of your cruise, you're not going to be able to fulfill that, but they're not likely to hold that against you because you can't help it). For St. Thomas/the U.S. it is ten days, so get the certificate just before you leave for your trip and you'll be good. (If you're going to other countries that have requirements for endorsement, faxing the certificate to get an import permit within a couple days, etc. then you'll need to adjust that time and get it a few days earlier. You're not going to have an issue getting back into the U.S., don't worry.)

 

how do you get the dog back into the U.S. is there paperwork for that also?

 

You just need the health certificate and bring along your rabies certificate, too, just in case.

 

leaving out of fort lauderdale jan 15 HA Noordam

How do I get off ship with dog in St. Thomas? Do I need special paperwork?

 

so many questions I have, lol

 

thank you in advance

 

St. Thomas is a U.S. Territory, so you just need the int'l health certificate and it is best to also bring the rabies certificate (in case your vet neglects to put that the vaccine is a three-year vaccine or something on the health certificate - it happened to me once, but I had the rabies certificate with me so all was well). When you check in for the ship, the cruiseline will make photocopies of your dog paperwork so they can give it to each country you port at. Those countries will clear your dog when they clear the human passengers on the ship (which happens all before anybody is allowed off the ship). When the ship is opened to ppl getting off in port, you will be able to just get off the ship with your dog like everybody else, since your dog will have been cleared already. So, you don't have to do anything, which is nice! :)

 

This is the place to ask questions, so don't worry about asking them! If you have any other questions, just let us know!

[Quampapetet]

It's the plant itself. It would be poisionous to humans, as well, if we ingested the leaves!

 

Don't worry - I've never tried it! :p

[DisneyKidsDad]

You don't need any paperwork for St. Thomas. It is a United States Virgin Island.

[rangeley]

Nancy, I hate to hear stories about ignorant people being mean to dogs. It seems to me that Jezzy Lou has got this guy pegged as a jerk! Dogs can sense an idiot. As for cats, I do not like outside cats that wander around getting into trouble and pooping in peoples yard. But no one thinks of that. I do not approve of letting cats out. I have seen to many get hit by cars, get poisoned by neighbors, bring home dead things, get in fights, and bring home all kind of diseases. I don't mean to offend anyone here who has outdoor cats. I just never felt it was the right thing to do. My cats were always indoors and they were happy and healthy. Just my opinion.

 

Cindy

Edited May 21, 2010 by rangeley

[DisneyKidsDad]

I never understood the concept of letting your cat be an outside cat.

You pay for food and vet bills but you don't have the cat inside with

you to enjoy. Here's an idea...send that money to me instead. :D

[wizard-of-roz]

I never understood the concept of letting your cat be an outside cat.

You pay for food and vet bills but you don't have the cat inside with

you to enjoy. Here's an idea...send that money to me instead. :D

 

Okay, I do believe you've reached your quota for making me laugh-out-loud within a 48 hour period.

 

I adore all animals....that being said....the outdoor-run-the-neighborhood-cat, is my least favorite.

Folks who allow them to do so really don't have much respect for the animal. I'm sorry for them [the cat, not the human.] :p