Clearing Pets in the Caribbean

[Starstream]

Thanks to all for the comments on clearing animals into the Caribbean.

As Hud 3 comments, rabies is serious and the authorities do all they can to make certain those islands without it, stay that way.

In the BVI we had no problems at all with the exception on one over zealous immigration officer at the west end. The Chief Vet Officer is very accomodating, even getting the above referenced on the phone (my cell no less) to let him know that my two dogs were cleared. It does take some effort but not extraordinary. The titre test for rabies and current health certificates were the big ones. We had our dogs seen by a vet in the USVI just prior to submitting our request for import clearance. That helped as well as our previous health certificate was from Florida which caused the BVI Chief Vet some reserve.

There are numerous vaccines recommended for other islands. I would recommend that you have a "Lymne diease" certificate as well.

As we have gone further "down island" the authorities are much more serious about the dogs. We were asked literally every time the dogs were off the boat if we had the proper paperwork, we did so there was not a problem. St Lucia is very strict with their enforcement of the import requirements. I witnessed one case where the owners were told to get their dog out of the country or it would be put down. This dog NEVER left the boat but did not have the approvals or the titre test to even apply for the approvals.

The biggest problem I have run into is getting the proper forms to even apply for the import. It has been a real challenge and expense to search for the forms, file them via fax and wait for the responses. I filed the forms for Trinidad 5 months ago and still have not received a response.

Lisa
S/V Starstream

[peregrins2]

Thanks for the answer, I had forgotten I'd posted!

Starstream, what you wrote about the BVI's: this will apply to Antigua then, yes? I have one cat so it's hard for you to relate because you have dogs that go ashore BUT she NEVER gets off our boat (we are extremely careful with her as she's 15, in renal failure, and is declawed in front, of course spayed).

We reentered the EU in February but we don't have official reentry stamp until March because where we came back in the officials didn't feel like doing paperwork so they just waved us away, "No problem!". In some respects this was great but not for the whole pet thing. We plan on crossing the Atlantic in November or December but from what I am reading that meant the cat needed to have her first titer drawn in June...and it's July. We won't be able to have any titers drawn until August (and that's IF I can find a place in Sicily Italy that will do it!).

I have no issues with complying with the law, I just want to know HOW. All the Defra page talks about is "Importing". I'm not moving to Antigua, I'm just visiting. It's very hard to understand.

Thanks!

[Hud3]

Bill and Diane,

If your pet is a cat that never goes ashore, you don't have to worry about any red tape at all in the eastern Caribbean.

No need for shots, papers, RF chips or anything. We cruised to all of the eastern Caribbean islands from Vieques to Grenada, except for three (Barbados, Montserrat and Anquilla), and always "declared" our cat when the entry form asked if we had animals on board. The customs/immigration officials never showed the least bit of interest after we wrote, "1 pet cat, always remains on board". That includes Antigua.

When we moved to Nevis, it was a different story, because we were "importing" our cat. Do do that, she had the normal rabies and feline leukemia shots, a registered RFID chip inserted in her shoulder, two sequential rabies titer tests from the University of Kansas, a vet's certificate detailing shot records and health exam, and an endorsement from the US Department of Agriculture, all according to strict timing requirements. Then we were met at the airport by the Nevis government vet, who examined the cat and scanned the RFID chip to verify her identity. Finally, we had to keep her quarantined inside our house for six weeks, with weekly visits from the government vet. Whew! It was much harder to import the cat than it was for us and all our worldly possessions!

[Beverly Stayart]

Portuguese Water Dogs are known for their tremendous swimming ability!

[Jad]

A Portuguese Water Dog is a pretty energetic animal. No way to keep him locked on board all the time.[/QUOTE]

Scuba, our Portuguese Water Dog is now 2 years old and lives on board with us, for the last 6 months. She is a fantastic companion and she behaves very well on board. While sailing, she is very quiet, never sick and does not bother with 35 knots wind or thunderstorms...As we sail in the Med, the longest distance without stop over has been 200 NM. When she needs to... she advices you! Obviously when we reach land she <explodes> and will run a lot.
By the way to have a dog on board is like having a public relation officer on board, it increases you contacts with the locals... and since Mr. Obama has got a dog of that breed, Scuba is often the center of the attentions.
Bernie, a friend we met in Majorca, who sails since years with his Portuguese waterdog is fanatic about the breed and if you need any counsel I am sure he will be pleased to help you ( berniekreten@yahoo.com).

[peregrins2]

Hi Hud3 and thanks for the info!

I contacted Antigua because it is a Brit colony/independent. They informed me that a visiting pet even if never off the boat still counts as an IMPORTATION. Now, maybe the health officials think that and maybe the port police/immigration people just don´t care. We´ve run into that a lot!!

However, it was not difficult to get all of Mac´s papers together, she only needed one titre and I´ve bought her PETS now. She´s had the chip for a while, and all her meds are updated plus I am carrying one dose supply on board so if we´re at sea for more than 20 days, I can administer the meds myself. Also in case I can´t find a Vet in the Cape Verde Islands, which is our last planned stop before crossing to Antigua.

So if someone DOES decide to take our visit all the way at least I´m in compliance and have saved the emails. The dept. was extremely nice in sending me all the details and answering my emails promptly.

They also informed me that no animal under the age of 3 months and without at least the first Rabies shot would be allowed in under any circumstances.

Frequently, like everything else we cruisers seem subject to, it seems it´s just the whim of the guy you get that´s behind the desk that day and whether or not he´s having a bad day....