Police dogs @ miami port

[Winning]

Are there really police sniffing dogs in the Miami port, our friends are traveling with us and the wife has a phobia to dogs. They are considering cancelling there trip because of this. Can someone please help...

[nytonowhere]

Are there really police sniffing dogs in the Miami port, our friends are traveling with us and the wife has a phobia to dogs. They are considering cancelling there trip because of this. Can someone please help...

 

have they ever gone anywhere? what cruise are you going on, when we got off in cozumel..or costa maya there were drug sniffing dogs on the pier.

[Redsfan]

only been out of Miami once, no dogs in site at all...

[sparkscruiser]

Sometimes there are dogs at the ports and sometimes there are none. Most times they do not come near passengers, just sniffing luggage.

[Winning]

They never been on a cruise or a vacation for that matter. I'm just going to tell them no and hope she doesn't go running back to the plane.

[mzloolue]

I've seen the dogs in New Orleans and Mobile.

 

When I have seen them in the terminal they have been standing over to the side on a leash and not all that close to the passengers.

Not even all that noticable.

 

I have not seen them smell anyone.

 

And I have only seen them at disembarkation.

 

I saw one in Mobile over to the side of the parking structure checking out some luggage and I would not have seen him if I had not been waiting for someone and looking around wasting time.

[klfrodo]

Not only in cruise terminals. I've seen them in airports and seen them in ports of call.

[Winning]

Were is the luggage compared to the passengers. Have people been banned from there if they find something.

[Winning]

Maybe we can just blind fold her and get her on the plane and the ship with not a panic.

[firefly333]

I think every third month or some such they do a full customs and bring the dogs onto the ship to inspect it.

[nol4am]

We just got off the Triumph in New Orleans from the Mardi Gras cruise. We were woke up on debarkation day for the dog to enter our room to search. We were asked to leave the room immediately and stand outside. I felt violated and although I understsand their reasoning for doing the searches, we gave them no reason to suspect anything from us unlike rooms on the other end of the hall, where there was an obvious odor of weed. Let alone not allow us to get dressed.

[AndrewD65]

aww my poor dog..

[Winning]

We wont have to worry about that, just the dogs. How do people get away with that. Did they go to every cabin and do that. I bet those people were peeing there pants.

[Parkay]

We just got off the Triumph in New Orleans from the Mardi Gras cruise. We were woke up on debarkation day for the dog to enter our room to search. We were asked to leave the room immediately and stand outside. I felt violated and although I understsand their reasoning for doing the searches, we gave them no reason to suspect anything from us unlike rooms on the other end of the hall, where there was an obvious odor of weed. Let alone not allow us to get dressed.

 

Same thing happened to us. We weren't even allowed to get dressed and had to stand out in the hall. Needless to say, they found nothing. But they did bring a drug sniffing dog in our room. They told us that someone smelled weed near our room during the cruise so they were searching rooms. Funny it was us they searched, because I can't even stand the smell of weed, let alone any other drugs.

[skylock]

Are there really police sniffing dogs in the Miami port, our friends are traveling with us and the wife has a phobia to dogs. They are considering cancelling there trip because of this. Can someone please help...

 

I am going to be straight up serious with you. I think you need to think long and hard if you really want these friends to join you. This is coming from someone who has traveled for many years with all kinds of family and friends.

 

To even consider cancelling a trip because there may be dogs is a clear warning sign. I am willing to bet that is just the tip of the ice berg. You never really know people until you travel.

 

Tell them you are going and you would like them to join you. If you have to lie to them or anything else to get them to go, there is a good chance you will be sorry in the end.

 

Yes, there may be dogs in the US port or any of the ports you will be going to. They can also be dogs in the airports. Some you see, some you don't.

[matj2000]

Same thing happened to us. We weren't even allowed to get dressed and had to stand out in the hall. Needless to say, they found nothing. But they did bring a drug sniffing dog in our room. They told us that someone smelled weed near our room during the cruise so they were searching rooms. Funny it was us they searched, because I can't even stand the smell of weed, let alone any other drugs.

 

They really care that much about finding someones personal stash? Guess they(Gov) don't have much else to do..

[alreadypacked]

Are there really police sniffing dogs in the Miami port, our friends are traveling with us and the wife has a phobia to dogs. They are considering cancelling there trip because of this. Can someone please help...

 

No offense, but what does she do about encountering a dog in every day life? It seems to me that she would have more chance of having a dog encounter at home (in her neighborhood, going to the store, park, work etc.), but she is worried about a trained police police dog--probably the safest dog to be around if you haven't broken any laws because at least it is trained, and not some out-of-control pooch the owners can't handle.

 

I understand fear of dogs--my own sister is afraid of dogs (mostly because of encounters with the untrained variety aforementioned). But I have to say, a trained working dog has never been a cause of concern for her.

[Winning]

She was severely attacked by a dog and has a hard time with being around any dogs. She has tried many of things to overcome this, with no success. Her next step is shock therapy if that doesn't work then who knows.

[Havingfun2010]

If you would not get on a ship, and go back to the plane because of a dog? But the ship will not have a dog on it so it would be safe to run to the ship! But the airport, might have another dog? So what would be better, the ship, or the airport. I think escaping to the ship would be better.

 

So the real question is??????

[Winning]

If you would not get on a ship, and go back to the plane because of a dog? But the ship will not have a dog on it so it would be safe to run to the ship! But the airport, might have another dog? So what would be better, the ship, or the airport. I think escaping to the ship would be better.

 

So the real question is??????

My post was a simple question, why do some of you have to look so deep into it?

[cccer]

I don't see how anyone can be scared of a dog on a leash. If the dog comes by, walk away. I agree with other poster that you cannot go outside without coming in contact with a dog once in a while.

[kristikae]

I traveled with some friends who do smoke pot but didn't take it with them on the cruise. They were stopped getting off the ship because the dogs indicated it. They were honest and told the cops they smoke at home but didn't have any with them. They were told that the dogs probably smelled it on their luggage. After a thorough search of their luggage they were sent on their way.

[alreadypacked]

I traveled with some friends who do smoke pot but didn't take it with them on the cruise. They were stopped getting off the ship because the dogs indicated it. They were honest and told the cops they smoke at home but didn't have any with them. They were told that the dogs probably smelled it on their luggage. After a thorough search of their luggage they were sent on their way.

 

I can see how the smell could linger in luggage kept in the home just as regular cigaratte smoke lingers in furniture, draperies, clothing etc. Your friends obviously did the right thing by being honest.:)

[rockwood84]

When we cruised out of Mobile, every car was stopped at the entrance to the parking garage. A dog sniffed all around the car before it was allowed to enter the garage. As others have said, this was a trained dog, kept on a leash. We talked with one of the security guys while the dog was smelling the car in front of us - he told us that this was the dog's last day on the job - he (the dog) was retiring! We asked if there was a party planned (kidding, of course) but the answer was yes.

 

I seem to remember seeing dogs in the terminal when we debarked in New Orleans, but I'm not 100% sure.

 

I can tell you this - your friend should not ever fly into the US from another country. There was a dog in the customs area in Orlando when we flew in from Jamaica. This dog sniffed every single person and every bag. Also, there was a dog in the baggage claim area in Chicago when I returned from London. This one didn't go to every person, but it was allowed to sniff whoever and whatever it wanted.

 

Whether anyone feels that this is out of line, appropriate, going too far, or an infringement on privacy is an entirely different discussion. What you asked is - will there be dogs. The answer is - there is a good chance that one or several dogs will be around at some point.

 

I do agree with others - they are trained, and all of the ones that I have seen were very calm. The one in Orlando "found" something in the bag of the person in front of us in line. (They had bought some of those palm frond bowls and hats.) When he smelled the bag, he stopped, looked up at his handler, and stayed in one spot. She opened the bag, confiscated the items, and gave the dog his reward. They then moved on to the next person in line.

[jorapp]

Ok...the mom in me just can't take it any more.:rolleyes:

 

You children need to play nice. From what OP has posted, this is not an unfounded phobia, but rather a post-trauma response to a real threat. You ever been mauled by a dog? Do you suppose you might view them differently if you had? Show a little understanding here!

 

OP, the one time I sailed out of Miami I did not see sniffer dogs. I did see a very small working dog on one cruise. It evidently predicted seizures for the owner.

 

If you do see working dogs, they will be on leash/harness. Unfortunately there is no way to predict if/when you may encounter them...either in Miami or at any port or airport. All the times I have seen them during my travels, they have been focused on the luggage rather than the passengers.

 

I wish your friend well and hope you have a great cruise.