Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 13-09-2012, 09:25   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Cruising
Boat: Home Built 42'
Posts: 10
Cruising with Pets

We will be leaving Texas in October, headed to Bogas del Toro, Panama by way of Florida, over to Cuba, etc. Has anyone entered Panama with their pets? What are the requirements, etc?
river rose is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-09-2012, 10:21   #2
Registered User
 
courageous cat's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: michigan
Boat: g-cat 5. m
Posts: 156
Images: 1
Re: Cruising with Pets

Hola, and welcome aboard
pets need shots and all the paper work that gos along with traveling with pets. Lot of information in the archives here
What kind of pets?
courageous cat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-09-2012, 10:26   #3
Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Heathsville, VA
Boat: Gemini 105Mc 34'
Posts: 1,457
Re: Cruising with Pets

Welcome aboard! We haven't, but there's a nice section in the forum covering pets in most countries, including Panama. Have a great adventure!
Waterway Guide is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-09-2012, 10:35   #4
Registered User
 
GaryMayo's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Branched Oak Yacht Club, Wife is an Admiral in the Nebraska Navy
Boat: Clipper Marine 32 CC Aft Cabin Ketch
Posts: 1,211
Re: Cruising with Pets

Can one sail from Florida to Cuba?
GaryMayo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-09-2012, 11:13   #5
Registered User
 
Astrid's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Northern British Columbia, part of the time in Prince Rupert and part of the time on Moresby Island.
Boat: 50-ft steel Ketch
Posts: 1,884
Send a message via MSN to Astrid Send a message via Yahoo to Astrid
Re: Cruising with Pets

Quote:
Can one sail from Florida to Cuba?
Noonsite: Cuba

Noonsite: Cuba

The first link is cruising to Cuba in general, the second is sailing there with pets.
__________________
'Tis evening on the moorland free,The starlit wave is still: Home is the sailor from the sea, The hunter from the hill.
Astrid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-09-2012, 11:27   #6
Registered User
 
Sailmonkey's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Houston
Boat: ‘01 Catana 401
Posts: 9,626
Re: Cruising with Pets

We never did enter Panama, but did find that having enough paperwork for the dog to make all of the agricultural inspectors heads swim was good. In mexico, the first time, the agricultural inspector looked at the dog, then at the stack of paper I was trying to hand him, shook his head and said Ok.
Belize the agricultural inspector took one cursory glance at the pile of paperwork for the dog, then pulled out her phone and took a picture of the fuzzy little schnauzer to show her daughter (I had even gone through the trouble of properly importing the dog as livestock ahead of time to the country).
In Guatemala, the officials all just laughed at the stack of papers for the dog when compared to the two humans and the boat.

I think if you get every vaccination record and vet visit on paper, check with the countries agricultural authority, and fill out any needed pre-arrival paperwork there should be no problem.
Sailmonkey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-09-2012, 11:53   #7
Moderator... short for Cat Wrangler
 
sarafina's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: San Francisco
Boat: Cal 28 Flush Deck
Posts: 5,559
Images: 56
Re: Cruising with Pets

When we moved there it was a routine of shots, certificates, and then a strict 30 day quarantine. I was astounded that a counrty know as sort of a pest house of disease and bugs was so worried about what could come in country. Seemed as if everything was already THERE! ; -)

Now you can do the quarantine 'in house' but still have to do the vet certificate, time the shots correctly and fill out reams of paper work.

This is from a Panamanian site outlining the current drill.

PANAMA IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS FOR PETS
CATS & DOGS To Panama
1. Vaccination Certificate provided by your veterinarian showing the pet has no rabies. Last shot must be at least 30 days and not more than 12 months before entering Panama;
2. Health Certificate also provided by your veterinarian showing the pet is disease free which must be issued within 10 days before leaving;
3. Health and Vaccination certificates must be certified by the USDA who have offices all over the U.S.;
4. These Vet & USDA Certificates must then be authenticated by the nearest Panamanian embassy or consulate, or apostiled by the U.S. government or Secretary of State. You can send them to the nearest Panama consulate or embassy by courier with return envelope and a money order for $30 for their fee.
5. Certificate of Origin showing where the pet was born;
6. Completed Import Form (you can get one at the Panama airport Health or Quarantine Departments);
7. Panama Airport Health Department reviews papers and inspects the pet. There is a $16 fee for pet entry. The vets are in the airport on weekdays only from 9am to 3pm and from 7pm to 10pm. If your flight arrives on the weekend or during hours when there is no vet scheduled, you can make arrangements to have a vet come meet your flight. You must make these arrangements through either the Panama Ministry of Health or the Panama Agriculture Ministry. You will be expected to pay an extra fee to have the vet come meet you after hours. If you don’t make arrangements to have the vet meet you a head of time, your pet will have to stay at the airport until a vet is on shift.
8. $10 per day fee must be paid if your pet is quarantined by the Panama Health Department for 40 days;
9. Panama Home Quarantine option is available for a $130 fee where you promise to keep your pet inside your home for the required 40 days. This request must be made to the Panama Ministry of Health at least 14 days before arrival. The request must include arrival date, flight number, time, pet information and name & passport number of adult, and length of time pet will remain in Panama.
10. The $146 fee must be paid for quarantine expenses to the Panama National Bank, located on the first floor of Tocumen International Airport, from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
11. Present the bank’s receipt and all the other documentation to the veterinarian of the Panama Quarantine Department of Panama Tocumen International Airport, in order to get the pet
__________________
Sara

ain't what ya do, it's the way that ya do it...
sarafina is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-09-2012, 04:46   #8
Registered User
 
Jimbo485's Avatar

Join Date: May 2010
Location: some ocean down under
Boat: Kelsall Suncat 40
Posts: 1,248
Re: Cruising with Pets

Our policy throughout the Caribbean and the Pacific was to truthfully answer the authorities' questions, truthfully fill in their forms and never provide additional information that wasn't requested.

This meant that in many countries our dog was not declared because they simply didn't ask us verbally or in their paperwork.

So we spent 5 months in Panama with our dog. He ran ashore on the mainland, the San Blas and around Shelter Bay marina and it was never a problem. The authorities didn't know about him and didn't want to know about him. Of course we have all the shots, titer tests, paperwork, etc, but it simply wasn't necessary.

If they don't ask, don't tell 'em! (And in Panama, they don't ask.)
Jimbo485 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-09-2012, 06:33   #9
Registered User
 
sarkastic's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Liveaboard, Constant Cruiser
Boat: Pearson Freedom 44
Posts: 14
Re: Cruising with Pets

I picked up a Beagle puppy recently and plan on buying a sailboat in the next 6 to 9 months to begin cruising the GoM and Caribbean sea. My worries now are that a Beagle is not a seagoing dog and that the expenses for visiting other countries is going to be prohibitive at best. From what I am reading here on CF and noonsite it is a rough process on the dog for all the shots. Might keep me in the states for a few years until I find out more first hand information on traveling by sea.
sarkastic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17-01-2013, 05:48   #10
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Water Island, USVI
Boat: Allied Seawind 30'
Posts: 15
Images: 1
Re: Cruising with Pets

I have read the noonsite information on bringing a pet into Cuba via boat, however is this permit from the health authority obtained after arrival? Or do I need to contact them somehow before I head there? Has anyone ever brought a dog into cuban waters aboard their boat?
SeawindGirl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17-01-2013, 07:14   #11
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: W Carib
Boat: Wildcat 35, Hobie 33
Posts: 13,480
Re: Cruising with Pets

Quote:
Originally Posted by SeawindGirl View Post
I have read the noonsite information on bringing a pet into Cuba via boat, however is this permit from the health authority obtained after arrival? Or do I need to contact them somehow before I head there? Has anyone ever brought a dog into cuban waters aboard their boat?
Health certifications (whether for Cuba or not) are issued by a vet prior to entering the waters of another country. Most countries expect the health certificates to have been issued within a certain period of time (like 90 days for example). I suppose you could get one done in-country, but that would really screw up any likelihood of a smooth entry.

Years ago, I entered Cuba with cats, current health certificates issued in USA, zero problems.

The requirements of each country are different, so check them before you head that way. Also, I've found that the official letter of the law typically differs from practice.
belizesailor is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
cruising, pets

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 11:29.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.