| We did not forget those of you who have pets. There are
procedures for bringing your pets into the country that require
very little except patience, some paperwork and a small fee.
Dogs and cats entering Costa Rica must have a health certificate
issued by a licensed veterinarian. The examination for the
certificate must be conducted within the two weeks prior to
travel to Costa Rica.
A registered veterinarian from your hometown must certify
that your pets are free of internal and external parasites.
It is necessary that your pet have up-to-date vaccinations
against rabies (the rabies vaccination must not be older than
one year), distemper, leptospirosis, hepatitis and parvovirus
within the last three years. Remember, all of these required
documents are indispensable and must be certified by the Costa
Rican consulate nearest your hometown. These papers are only
good for 30 days. If you do not renew them within this period
of time, you will have to make another trip to the vet's office
and the airline will not accept your animal. If you are bringing
an exotic animal to Costa Rica parakeet, macaw or other you
will need special permits from the Convention of International
Species in Danger of Extinction and the Costa Rican Natural
Resources Ministry.
If all of this paperwork is too much for you, the Association
of Residents of Costa Rica (ARCR) can take care of everything,
including airport pick up, for about $100. If you have no
place to keep your pet, they offer boarding at $20 a day.
If you fail to comply with these regulations and do not provide
the required documents, your pet(s) can be refused entry,
placed in quarantine or even put to sleep. But don't worry,
if worse comes to worst, there is a 30-day grace period to
straighten things out.
If the animal is traveling with you as part of your luggage,
the average rate is $50 from one destination to the next (i.e.
Los Angeles Miami San José). If your pet
travels alone, depending on size and weight, the average rate
is $100 to $200. Please consult your airline for the actual
price. Call the 800 toll-free cargo section of American Airlines
and they will tell you the cost.
Whether your pet is traveling with you or separately, be
aware that the weather can delay your animals arrival in Costa
Rica. U.S.D.A. Department of Agriculture regulations on flying
animals say that you may not fly a pet as baggage or cargo
if during any part of the trip the temperature will rise above
80 degrees or below 40 degrees at either your point of departure
or a layover. Some airlines, such as Delta, will not fly any
pets from May 15 to September 15. We know of several people
who have arrived at the airport only to find out their animals
could not travel due to a change in the weather. Call your
airline the day you intend to ship your animal and again an
hour or two before departure to see if your animal will be
allowed to travel. This way you can avoid unpleasant surprises.
Also, make sure your dog or cat has an airline-approved portable
kennel. These rules are very strict and the kennel must be
the appropriate size for your animal or it will not be allowed
to travel. Some airlines rent kennels. Make sure your kennel
has a small tray so your pet can have food and water during
the journey. Two to eight hours is a long time to go without
food or water.
If there is a layover involved, the baggage handlers will
give water to your pet. The operator at American Airlines
told us about a special service that will walk your dog for
an extra charge at some airports. Some people suggest tranquilizing
dogs and cats when shipping them by plane. We talked to our
vet when we were going to ship our large Siberian husky, and
he did not seem to think it was a good idea. We also asked
a friend who ships show dogs all over the United States and
he said to use our own judgment since tranquilizers can make
an animal ill.
Some airlines allow small pets to travel in kennels in the
passenger cabin. You can bring one per passenger on the plane
and often the airlines will only allow one pet per cabin,
so reserve early. They must fit in these tiny little carriers.
A few airlines have restrictions on certain breeds of dogs,
including Doberman pinschers, rottweilers and pit bulls. Be
sure to check with the airline if you have one of these breeds.
One foreigner shared the following story about when he brought
his pet: I used US Air when I brought my small dog here last
month. It was a good experience and he was with me on the
plane the entire trip. The price was $100 and other than the
USDA vet's certification and shot record (which must not be
more than two weeks old), the pet must be cleared for import
by a vet here in Costa Rica.
Another expat and animal lover hired a charter to bring her
many pets to Costa Rica: After doing major research on this,
I realized that the cost of my 12 pets in cargo, renting a
vehicle that could transport them, us and 20 odd pieces of
luggage, driving for almost three hours to get to the airport
and waiting at the airport for many, I found it wasn't going
to be a whole lot less expensive than doing a private charter.
There are also pet transport services such as http://www.airanimal.com
and http://www.pettransporter.com, which have contracts with
the airlines allowing them to make things easier for you.
If you want to take your pet out of Costa Rica, you will
need a special permit, a certificate from a local veterinarian,
and proof that all vaccinations are up-to-date. When you obtain
these documents, take them to the Ministry of Health and your
pet is free to leave the country. The day you leave, plan
on being at the airport at least two and a half hours early,
since all your pet's papers must be stamped before departure.
Do not for get to make sure that your papers comply with the
rules and regulations of your home country or destination.
These requirements and additional information are available
from the Agriculture Ministry's Animal Sanitation Department
(260-9046).
Veterinarians
Dr. Federico Patiño (Rohrmoser) ..................................
231-5276
Clínica Echandi .............................................................
223-3111
Dr. Adrián Molina .........................................................
228-1909
Dr. Federico Piza ...........................................................
248-7166
Dr. Douglas Lutz...........................................................
225-6784
Dr. L. Starkey ...............................................................
253-7142
Tecnología Veterinaria (clinic, pharmacy, and boarding).
228-9347
Dr. Lorena Guerra (makes house calls, also boarding).... 228-9887
If you have to travel, the Clínica Echandi will care
for your dog, cat or other pet. They charge about $7 per day
for this boarding service. For additional veterinarians, look
under the heading Veterinaria in the yellow pages.
See http://www.costarica-embassy.org/consular/travel/pets.
htm or http://www.puppytravel.com.
If you would like to adopt a pet contact the AHPPA refuge
in Heredia (267-7158) where you can adopt a pet.
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