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For some countries, there's really no way that you can comply. The islands that are currently rabies-free wish to keep it that way, and impose very strict requirements.
It took us about three months elapsed time to go through the hoops necessary to be able to clear our cat into Nevis when we moved here. We had to have proof of up-to-date rabies shots, but more of an issue, Nevis required two rabies "titre tests", taken a month or so apart. These blood tests could only be processed at the University of Kansas, so the samples had to be FedExed to them. Finally, we were required to go in person to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and obtain a certificate that the pet was healthy, and this had to be done the day before departure from the U.S. to Nevis. Clearly impossible if you are cruising.
There are islands with no restrictions--the ones that have rabies present. Martinique, for example.
When we were cruising the eastern Caribbean, our cat stayed onboard at all times. When clearing in, we would note that fact on the clearance form, and we never had any problems. Of note: we were at anchor in Admiralty Bay, Bequia, and a cruiser dinghying by with his dog stopped to chat. He told us that he had just been ashore with his dog for a "potty stop", and a Customs officer had come upon them. The officer told him to take the dog back to the boat immediately, and that if he found him ashore with the dog again, the dog would be shot on the spot!
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