Taking Pet back to Germany (EU)

[jimdepalermo]

Regarding pets in cabin, I wasn't aware that any airlines still permit them on flights to/from the Northern Hemisphere. Most airlines adopted a rule that prohibits in-cabin animals, except for service animals, on flights longer than 8 hours. If I planned to take an animal on-board, I would check the airline's web site, and then print and carry the information before flying. And/or call to verify, and document the name of the agent you spoke with, date and time of call, and a paraphrase of what you were told.

Regarding service animals, a friend had his US doctor sign a statement saying that he suffers an emotional disability and becomes dangerously anxious traveling without his dog. Based on this, he brought his Shetland Sheepdog in the cabin as a service animal, from the US to Argentina.
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I have no idea if this "scam" (sorry, Steve!) would work in reverse, flying from Argentina to the US. If you don't want to try it, I recommend you first scan the SENASA page regarding authorization to ship animals out of Argentina: http://www.senasa.gov.ar/contenido.php?to=n&in=739&io=5190. It doesn't say all that much for pets going to countries without special requirements, such as the US, although there are separate pages with detailed requirements for shipments to the EU, Australia, Peru, New Zealand, Switzerland, Uruguay, South Africa, and Japan.

At least American Airlines requires a SENASA-issued export certificate before they will accept an animal to fly. (Based on an incident I describe in step 4 below, I believe Ezeiza procedures require it regardless of the airline.)

The export certificates are issued at SENASA's "Lazareto Capital" quarantine center in a remote corner of Puerto Madero. The number there, 4362–5755, is sometimes answered, and their email address (from which I've never received a reply) is [email protected].

The steps for pets going to the US and other countries not listed above as having special requirements are

1. Visit a matriculated, registered Vet to obtain a health certificate. If the vet is not the one that last vaccinated your pet, bring the current vaccination certificate(s). If your Vet isn't registered, check others in the neighborhood or call the Consejo Profesional de Médicos Veterinarios at 4322-2494.
2. Take the Vet's health certificate, the current vaccination certificate(s), your DNI and/or passport, and something documenting your travel itinerary to SENASA in the Puerto. Hours vary, but when I last checked, they were open mornings and part of the afternoon on business days. You do not need to take the pet if you're flying to the US. I believe the lead time is within 5 days of your outbound flight.
   Note that the SENASA Lazareto center is hard to find, and few taxistas know it. Enter the Puerto by the southernmost entry, on Avda. Elvira Rawson de Dellapiane. About 500 m past the floating casino, there are some open-air parrillas on the right. Between these parrillas is an unpaved road that leads to the SENASA gate, about 50 m off Avda Rawson de Dellapiane. There are signs at the gate, but they're partly hidden by the parrillas. If you drive there, the guards will let you enter and park. They'll show you the entrance to the building where you request the certificate.
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3. Explain where you're travelling, when, and the type of pet you're taking. Complete the forms they'll give you, and request expedited service. (Normal service takes a day, and the cost savings doesn't warrant a second trip down there.) They will give you a ticket, which you pay in another building. When you return with the receipt, they'll give you the export certificate.
4. Arrive VERY early at the airport. The airline staff don't seem to check-in pets often enough to know the procedures, so you're likely to waste a good deal of time. After they check and copy all the documents, you'll have to go to the airline's ticket-purchase desk to buy the pet ticket, and then return to complete check-in.
   They may tell you to take the pet documents and tickets to the SENASA office in the airport, which is usually not attended. If you bug the police near the office, they'll let you enter the exit area of customs, where there's always a SENASA rep on duty. Once there, the SENASA agent has always told me that SENASA has no responsibility other than issuing the certificate that you're showing him. On one occasion, a SENASA supervisor returned to the check-in counter with me to yell at the airline staff. I now start by yelling at the check-in agent when they send me to SENASA. Worst case, you'll have to bring an agent to the check-in desk to resolve the mess.
   
   Expect anything at Ezeiza. Another time, at the hand-luggage inspection just before boarding, an AA agent paged me to say the police wouldn't allow my dog to board because they, AA, hadn't copied and presented all the documentation. (This was remedied at the last second, and the dog and I both boarded successfully.)
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5. Before landing in the US, make sure you check YES to the question on your Customs Declaration form "Are you carrying meats, animals, or animal/wildlife products?" This will route you to the USDA agent in Customs.
6. In my experience, the USDA types are more interested in the vaccination certificates than in any forms issued by foreign governments. Sometimes they look at them and sometimes they don't. Best to have all available documentation at hand when you arrive, including any expired US forms. I carry the entire pet health portfolio.

Best of luck!

ps - If you're returning with your pet, US procedures are even more arcane than Argentina's, but that's another topic.

 

[mini]

Regarding pets in cabin, I wasn't aware that any airlines still permit them on flights to/from the Northern Hemisphere. Most airlines adopted a rule that prohibits in-cabin animals, except for service animals, on flights longer than 8 hours.

Both Delta & United allow pets in cabin from Buenos Aires to Boston. I flew Delta with the dog in the cabin with me. My husband will also fly Delta with the other dog in cabin with him. United doesn't allow dogs in business class from Buenos Aires only because of the configuration of the seats on the type of airplane that flies from BA. (I know this only because I was thinking of flying United & upgrading with my miles. )