travel to US with pet updates?

[Jcyordenana]

I've been combing the various threads for info on bringing my two elderly cats back to the US with me in August. The Petsafe program that used to be part of Continental's service, what we came down here with, is still available on MOST United and Continental flights, but not all, so you need to double check when you make your reservation. (I had already bought tickets so had no choice as far as airline. ) A limited number of animals can go in the cabin, but again, there's a limit, so make the reservation when you buy you ticket if that's what you want. Also, only one animal per passenger can go in the cabin.

I don't have that option (already at the limit) so they have to go as cargo. I originally chose Continental for their Petsafe program, where the pets fly in a temperature controlled, pressurized compartment, and had no complaints about the service on the trip here (only the four hour hell of getting them out of the EZE airport--welcome to Argentina).

Worldwide Dogs, mentioned on this forum, will take care of everything--all the paperwork needed, pet transport to the airport, dealing with the whole process--for a little over $1500 US. You have to pay in cash or with a bank transfer, $95 extra for a nonlocal bank.

I so wish I could afford that, since it's what I am dreading the most about out return to the US, but I can't, so.....

Going through the Petsafe program again, the estimated cost is $458 US (they get weighed when I actually bring them to the airport), plus dealing with the paperwork and getting them to the airport and dealing with all the numerous and inevitable hassles sure to arise there.


So that's what I've found out. What I understand is that I have to get the health certificate and rabies shot within five days of the flight, take that certificate to SENASA in Puerto Madero, get the International Certificate from them, then somehow sort out the whole process at the airport, which I don't know yet and am super anxious about. I saw a post that it had changed from five days to three days, but the SENASA website still says five days--anyone know about that?

I have the number for United Cargo here, so I'll try to get that sorted out, in terms of the order in which I will have to go to numerous different windows located completely inconveniently and nonsensically to one another and pay numerous unexplained additional fees and pray that it all works out. Our flight is at 9:30 PM and I was advised to get to the airport with the cats by 2 PM if I plan to do it myself. Given the experience coming, I would guess that to be about right. I'll post an update with what I find out from United Cargo and then after we actually fly.

Any advice / tips / updates welcome!

 

[jeff1234]

I can give you an update on Continental's Petsafe program.
6 weeks ago I used it to ship my 75lb boxer puppy from Ft Lauderdale to Eze with a 3 hour stopover in Houston.
I'm entirely satisfied with their service. My dog arrive healthy and happy.
Initially I was very concerned because shortnosed dogs like boxers are easily affected by the heat. But they kept him in air conditioned buildings until the last minute both in Ft. L. and Houston.
They also took him out of his crate and walked him and gave him fresh water in Houston.
When I dropped him at Ft Lauderdale they told me that they ship as many as 16 animals as cargo on a saturday from that one airport. So I assumed that they must have experience and a good reputation.
The only problem I had was in making reservations. Because Continental and United were merging, the computer dropped my reservation several times.
Other than that they did very well.

Continental encouraged me to hire a customs broker at EZE. It would have cost $800. My girlfriend made 2 trips in advance, to EZE, to research what would be necessary to get him through Senasa and customs and taxes. When he arrived she was able to get everything done fairly quickly without assistance.

 

[g_c]

i think you've got the rabies shot/health certificate timing confused with the international certificate timing.

we took our boxer to uruguay a couple of months ago and had to go through the international certificate process. first get the health certificate and rabies shots then go to SENASA for the int. certificate. you had that part correct. i'm not sure of the time frame that the rabies shot had to be given before the date of travel but it was definitely more than 5 days. within 5 days of travel was the requirement for the international health certificate.

do you have a vet here? they should know and would be the authority signing the normal health certificate. if not i can recommend someone who makes house calls. he can do the senasa process for you too if you'd prefer.

i found the senasa in puerto madero portion to be a fairly easy process though.

 

[Hop]

I was given the blue Certificado Naional de Salud from my regular vet as well as my libreta with all my cat's vaccination records, including rabies shots. I've just returned from getting him microchipped at another vet's office and the vet there told me that unless the blue heath certificate actually has on it one of the green Senasa stickers that comes on each rabies shot bottle, it's useless. In other words, the libreta with his records doesn't count has proof of rabies vaccination. He told me i should just take the green Senasa sticker from the libreta and put it on the blue certificate myself! Is that really necessary? Does the blue cert HAVE to have the green sticker? Or will the libreta suffice?

Everyone assures me the Senasa part is pretty straightforward, and I'm sure it is, but I like to complicate things and worry unnecessarily...

 

[zug]

Look into "emotional support animals". Basically, you get a doctor's note and you can take the animals with you, onboard, for free.

 

[Hop]

In case anyone was wondering about the five day thing, I was searching for an answer on the Senasa website and confirmed that both the health certificate from your pet's vet and the Senasa international certificate have to be obtained within five days of flight. The site gives this example: Por ejemplo: al Certificado de Salud extendido por el Profesional Veterinario Privado en fecha 10 de diciembre, el Senasa lo canjeará por el Certificado Veterinario Internacional que tendrá validez para que el animal salga del País hasta el 14 de diciembre del mismo año.

In other words, the health certificate and rabies vaccination certificate given by your vet on December 10 can be "exchanged" for the Senasa certificate and will be valid for the animal to travel until December 14.

Link to Senasa site with info on exporting pets to the US

So I went back to the vet to get the new health certificate and specifically asked about the rabies vaccination certificate. I was given a new blue health certificate and another separate certificate (also blue) with the green Senasa sticker on it for the rabies vaccination. I guess I initially assumed that the vet would understand that I'd need all documents required for international travel, including the rabies certificate, when I told him I was going to the US with my cat.