Service Dog on Fanning Island

[AmbianceTC]

Hello, one of the members in my group on the NCL Wind is legally blind and has a licensed service dog who she will be traveling with. The question I have asked to NCL at least a dozen times is this: Will the dog be allowed off the ship at Fanning Island? Every time I ask they give me the same answer: "I'm not sure". Has anyone else had experience with bringing a service dog to Fanning Island? I have tried to contact the Consulate of the Republic of Kiribati with no success. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

-Ambiance is everything

[sologrip]

Hello, one of the members in my group on the NCL Wind is legally blind and has a licensed service dog who she will be traveling with. The question I have asked to NCL at least a dozen times is this: Will the dog be allowed off the ship at Fanning Island? Every time I ask they give me the same answer: "I'm not sure". Has anyone else had experience with bringing a service dog to Fanning Island? I have tried to contact the Consulate of the Republic of Kiribati with no success. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

-Ambiance is everything

 

Perhaps she could try to contact the following:

 

Kiraren T Tebetanga

Tourism Development Officer

Tourism Office

Ministry of Communication, Transport and Tourism Development

Ronton, Kiritimati

E-mail: tourismxmas@tskl.net.ki

 

 

And, on another note, in the U.S. Service dogs are not certified or licensed, a distinction that causes no end of trouble when those of us who know the law have to try and educate those who try to keep us out of businesses because they heard that Service Dogs have to have a certain license or certification.

[LuAnn]

I'm not really an expert here...but I did meet a lady with a service dog on our Celebrity cruise to Hawaii over T-day...she said that she had to provide a lot of documention re: the dogs shots (even down to the vial #) etc. ...as I said I don't really know much but it sounded like it was a big deal for her to "clear the dog"! LuAnn

[Coral]

My mom has a Seeing Eye dog from The Seeing Eye and she was issued an ID card from the Seeing Eye. I assumed all schools issue these.....

 

The only people who can tell you about getting into Fanning Island would be those governmental authorities at Fanning Island. You may want to try the Department of Agriculture there if you are not getting any luck with the consulate.

 

-----

 

As far as clearing the dog - we have cruised with my mom's dog about 10x and it is pretty complicated in some areas.

[etoile]

There is no standard documentation or licensing for service animals - a friend of mine works for DOJ at the ADA Helpline and she gets this question all the time. Cruise lines are able to demand anything they want, of course, but there is no standard for service animals although many schools probably do issue some form of "proof" even though none is needed in U.S. business establishments.

[Queenie2]

I found this on the internet. Perhaps it will help you. It never hurts to have another number to call -- sooner or later, ask enough people and you will get an answer.

 

Oh and yes, although certification of service animals is not required in the US, but many agencies do "certify" their animals (give them a card, etc) so it's kind of a catch 22.

 

 

"There is no Embassy of Kiribati in the United States. For information on entry requirements, please contact the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Kiribati, Suite 503, 850 Richards Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, telephone (808) 529-7703; fax (808)521-8304.

 

Strict quarantine laws govern the import of any part of plants, fruits, vegetables, soil, as well as animals and animal products."

 

Candy

[sologrip]

A business may not ask for certification, I.D., or other documentation for a Service Dog. A business may legally ask the following questions:

1. Are you disabled?

2. Is this your service animal?

3. What does he do for you?

 

Period.

[Splinter]

That applies only in the USA. Fanning Island is not part of the USA, so they will have their own regulations, and as with many 3rd World countries, may not recognize an assistance animal at all as being any different than a pet. Your only way to resolve this is to talk to someone on Fanning before you go. Be prepared to not be allowed ashore with your assistance animal.

[TrentS]

I've been to Fanning Island twice but can't help you with the guide dog there. HOWEVER, before you get to Fanning Island you have to first get to Hawai'i... Are you aware of the requirements to bring a service dog into the Hawaiian Islands?

 

You may wish to read this and make sure they comply with all of the requirements to avoid the dog being quarantined upon arrival in Honolulu... http://www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/ai_aqs_guidedog.htm

[sologrip]

I've been to Fanning Island twice but can't help you with the guide dog there. HOWEVER, before you get to Fanning Island you have to first get to Hawai'i... Are you aware of the requirements to bring a service dog into the Hawaiian Islands?

 

You may wish to read this and make sure they comply with all of the requirements to avoid the dog being quarantined upon arrival in Honolulu... http://www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/ai_aqs_guidedog.htm

 

 

Yes, two years ago I was informed that Hawaii only recognized guide dogs as true service dogs and unless the non-guide service dog was from a recognized training program it would not be exempt from the quarantine rules. As I was preparing to participate in a half-marathon in Kona, Hawaii sponsored by the American Stroke Association, the officials were extremely surprised that Hawaii, supposedly one of the states of this country, would have such a blatantly illegal policy on Service Dogs. Shortly after I was to leave for the trip, but too late for me to join my teammates, the Hawaiian legislature changed the quarantine policy somewhat. Because rabies is nonexistant in Hawaii and other area island nations they tend to go WAY overboard when it comes to imported canines. That is why you will find the best information located at the island's local Agricultural Quarantine office.

[hugosmom]

A business may not ask for certification, I.D., or other documentation for a Service Dog. A business may legally ask the following questions:

1. Are you disabled?

2. Is this your service animal?

3. What does he do for you?

 

Period.

 

That last question isn't allowed, because the answer to it might reveal the nature of the disability. In other words, if I had a seizure alert dog and was asked to answer that last question "He tells me that I'm about to have a seizure" that would be revealing the nature of the disability. All that can really be asked is: Do you have a disability, and does this animal mitigate the effects? You do not have to tell what the animal does for you.

 

My husband has a Seeing Eye dog, and while they aren't "certified" he does have an ID card. There are lots of hoops to be jumped through, but it was worth it for us. We traveled on Mercury in September and had a wonderful time, but we didn't go ashore except in US and Canada. Travel to any island country is much more complicated, as others above have said.

[Queenie2]

The business (assuming it is in the US) may legally ask all three of those questions. They can ask what task (or tasks) the service animal performs for you, however they CAN NOT ask you (or the service animal) to demonstrate those tasks.

 

Airlines are another matter entirely. If you claim it is a mental health animal, they are allowed to require documentation from the mental health professional that is treating you. If not a mental health animal, they can't ask for certification, but they can ask what tasks the animal performs for you. That is under the ACAA, which covers air travel and predates the ADA.

 

and yes, I know we are not discussing air travel here, but some folks fly to get to their cruise. So I'm just posting that for future readers.

 

 

Candy