If You Have to Go Into Quarantine in Hawaii

Animal Land ships many pets to Hawaii under the direct release program and we are experts in ensuring that all veterinary work is in order to ensure you can pick up your pet several hours after his arrival into Honolulu. However, because the process must be started well in advance of transport, some clients who must move quickly find it necessary to ship their pets prior to their eligibility date for release, where they must remain in quarantine.

I have recently had the pleasure of working with a terrific client, Andrea, in the transport of her adorable dog, Sebastian to Hawaii. Andrea is an "on the go" businesswoman and she wanted Sebastian to arrive into Hawaii before his 120 day wait period was over so that she could be close to him and be able to visit. Sebastian is spending 28 days at the main quarantine station in Hawaii. Andrea has been kind enough to provide this great picture of her and Sebastian after he was all settled in to his quarters at the main dispensary last week. This is where your pet will reside awaiting his eligibility date for release if he must be transported early. Andrea has also been kind enough to provide her assessment of her experience with the quarantine station after her first visitation to the facility.

Andrea also made sure Sebastian had a special Lei to welcome him to the islands. I just love their matching outfits! Thanks Andrea - we couldn't have asked for better models!

It was a pleasure having you help get my big baby to Hawaii. I will take some video footage and more pictures of the facility and send them to you.

The kennels are outdoors ( I didn't expect that at first, but it seemed to be okay). They are on a big slab of concrete, with a bed lifted off of the ground (the bed is made of ply wood and most people put blankets on the plywood. The dog has plenty of space to move around. The area is cleaned out daily with a hose.

They have a bench inside of the cage so the owner can sit and visit with their dog.

They feed the dogs 3 times a day, unless the owner instructs otherwise. The workers were giving some baths that needed them. The people working at the quarantine were very friendly. I believe they must play with the dogs, because the dogs seem to like the people (always a good sign).

You can bring your pet treats, dog beds, and toys (toys can't have rawhide). They have a vet on staff that inspects your dog when he arrives to Hawaii. My dog has a bad leg and they left a note on his cage to tell me to come talk to the vet. The vet was just checking to make sure he didn't get injured in his travels. I appreciated them checking.

Thanks again for all of your help,

Andrea

How To Teach Kids To Interact with Dogs

We have all experienced the "awwwwww" moment of seeing a cute dog and wanting to go up and grab it around the neck. If you are a parent, you have probably also experienced the anxiety of having your child run up to a strange dog and wondering if the dog was friendly.

Teaching a child how to safely approach and pet a dog is incredibly important for parent and child alike. The Victor Valley Daily Press has a great article with valuable tips:

Some experts suggest having the child putting out a closed fist or a hand with palm upraised, others say just stand there. But all agree: let the dog decide whether to approach the child. Don’t hold a dog still in your lap for petting, and respect the dog’s decision if it turns away or moves behind the owner.

If the dog does approach, observe the body language. Don’t concentrate on the tail, it can be hard to read. Pelar says, “I tell people that if they’re looking at the tail, they’re watching the wrong end of the dog.”

Instead, the mouth can give a lot of clues. A dog that’s licking lips, panting excessively, or yawning, is showing that he’s not comfortable. These are oral self-soothing behaviors much like sucking your thumb, says Pelar. In contrast - opposite of the common maternal fear of the teeth showing - if the dog’s mouth is open, that’s a sign that it’s relaxed.

International Pet Travel - Taking Pets to Mexico

Mexico City with its 23 million people is the largest city in the western hemisphere by population and second largest in the world!

Needless to say, we send a pet or two there. The good news is that it is really easy to get there. The one caveat is that we highly recommend using an agent to clear customs. We have had clients who have had difficulties doing it on their own. Of course we can help set this up for you.


The requirements are as follows:

1) Rabies shot between 30 days and a year old with the original rabies certificate;
2) All pets must be fully vaccinated.
Dogs: Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvo, Leptospirosis, (DHLPP);
Cats: Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia (FVRCP)
3) International Health Certificate - Most Vets carry the APHIS Form 7001. If not, we can instruct them on where to get it. It must be issued within 10 days of arrival.

There is no requirement that the health certificate be endorsed by the USDA. Let us know if you have any questions. Ole!

A Healthy Pet Travels Better

By Valerie Marshall, Animal Land's Director of Marketing

Diet is always the first line of defense and is the foundation of health. A pet of sound mind and body will deal with the stress of traveling easier.

If your companion is consuming highly processed food that provides only minimal nutrition and includes any number of toxins such as chemical preservatives, food dyes, additives and fillers, his immune system is being depleted daily just to cope with his diet. Fresh food is the first step in building a strong immune system. Many people wait until their animal has a serious or chronic illness such as cancer, kidney disease or allergies (to name a few), to finally change the diet. Prevention is so much kinder and immeasurably more effective. Feeding a varied diet that includes as much fresh food as possible does take a bit more effort than scooping kibble out of a bag, but it is truly worth the effort in the long run.

One of the benefits of a healthy diet is a healthy gastrointestinal tract. If the digestive tract is weakened by inflammation from allergies or inflammatory bowel disease or other digestive disorders, even the nutrients in a healthy diet are harder to process and absorb. Healing and maintaining the digestive tract is vital to overall health and immunity. Digestive enzymes, probiotics and essential fatty acids all play a role in gastrointestinal health and proper digestion.

Exercise must also be mentioned for its role in helping build and maintain a strong immune system. Moderate exercise has been shown to improve immune factors in humans and animals. Weight control is also key – overweight animals are much more susceptible to chronic and acute diseases and infections. Proper diet AND exercise are needed to help with weight control.

Keep your pet's health in mind during the preparation of your move. It is just as important as acclimating your pet to his new travel crate. Make the commitment and the whole family will enjoy the venture more.

Happy travels,

Valerie Marshall

Handling Heat Embargoes During The Summer

Summer is upon us and many airlines have placed their annual embargoes on pets traveling as checked baggage or even as air cargo on specific routes. Different airlines have different rules once the temperature reaches 85 degrees and not being properly informed can be a huge inconvenience. Also, be aware that customer service personnel for passenger flights are most likely NOT well versed in the policy for pets. You should always contact the cargo desks for the most up to date policies.

Please remember these embargoes are in place for a very good reason, the safety and comfort of your pet. There are already numerous aspects of travel which create stress for your pet so there is no need to take needless chances with the heat. So is it possible to work with these restrictions and allow for safe pet travel during the summer?

The answer is a resounding YES. At Animal Land Pet Movers we work with airlines which have specific pet programs programs that allow your pet to travel comfortably and safely during the summer. All pets are kept in a climate-controlled area of the airline’s cargo offices before and after their flights. They are kept in this environment until it is time for them to board, so they are never left out on the tarmac where they can suffer the effects of inclement weather. We also monitor ever flight so in case of delays, we are able to notify the appropriate personnel to make arrangements.

Also, because of our status as professional shippers, there are some instances where we are able to accomplish certain moves when the general public could not.

How To Move 4 Dogs over Ten Thousand Miles!

Some pet relocations are easier than others. We are pleased to report Animal Land Pet Movers successfully completed one of the more involved relocations. Where there is a will, there is a way!

The challenge: Get 4 dogs from Mauritius to Freeport, Grand Bahamas, a distance of over 10 Thousand miles. Seemingly impossible, but Elvis, Carlos, Suki and Jimi are now relaxing by the shore.

We enlisted the help of our good friends at Move-A-Pet in South Africa and arranged the flight from Mauritius to South Africa along with all the necessary import and export permits. Next it was on to Amsterdam and then Atlanta. Next, all of the paperwork for The Bahamas had to be completed in Atlanta and because there are limited flights for pets into the Islands, we arranged for a friend with a plane to get them to Freeport.

We landed and hand delivered the paperwork through customs to unite the guys (and girls) with their relieved owners. In all, this pack traveled over 10 thousand miles during the span of six days and were troupers throughout! Thanks again to all who made this possible.

Pet Travel - Taking Your Pets to South Africa

We send quite a few pets to South Africa as it is a gorgeous country and many expats return.

Johannesburg is the source of a large-scale gold and diamond trade, due to its location on the mineral-rich Witwatersrand range of hills. Johannesburg is served by O.R. Tambo International Airport, the largest and busiest airport in Africa and a gateway for international air travel to and from the rest of southern Africa.

Cape Town is famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Although I have never been, it is supposed to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world with a climate that puts San Diego to shame.

The requirements for dogs are quite detailed and they are not done properly, the South African authorities will send the pet back at the owner's expense. We get calls!

Luckily Animal Land Pet Movers have Igna Traube as a International Personal Move Counselor. She is from South Africa and with Afrikaans as her native language, we are able to navigate the waters for our clients. The basic requirements are as follows:

1. Microchip: Each pet will need to be microchipped prior to departure.

2. Rabies Vaccination: Each pet will need a rabies vaccination between 30 days and a year old.

3. Blood Tests (For Dogs Only): Dogs must have the following blood tests within 30 days of arrival :

• Brucella Canis
• Trypanosoma evansi
• Babesia Gibsoni
• Dirofilaria immitis
• Leishmania

Your Personal Move Counselor will give you and your vet a check list of exactly how to accomplish the above as specific methods of testing are required in order for the results to be valid .

4. Import Permit: We will arrange this for you.

5. South African Health Certificate: South Africa has its own Health Certificate which needs to be issued and endorsed by the USDA within 10 days of arrival. We will fill out the form and email it to your vet to sign. We will also instruct you on where to send the document for endorsement.

6. International Health Certificate (Aphis Form 7001): Most vets carry this standard form.

7. Six Months of Heartworm Medication: This must accompany each pet.

You and your pets are now ready for Safari!