Cruising With A Service Dog....everything You Ever Wanted To Know!

[Caribbean Chris]

Yes from what I understand it's a $15 fee.

 

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You would not need to pay a fee for a service dog on the Bahamas permit. Include a copy of the dogs ID from the training organization or other such documentation with a simple notation requesting that the fee be waived.

[Caribbean Chris]

Today we flew back from the US Virgin Islands. The good news is that both St. Croix and Miami have small dog relief parks right outside the airport entrance.

 

Security people didn't know quite what to make of a service dog when we were leaving St. Croix, for some reason, but we finally got through after two trips for both of us separately through the security machine, a pat-down for her, and a hand-swab for me. Raylene was so good at waiting in a sit by herself for my commands to stay and then come through it to me. One TSA man was very pleasant but clueless - later he very helpfully suggested next time I could remove her jacket, harness (and collar?) ahead of time so the metal wouldn't set off the machine. Right!..um, no.

 

Miami had quite a nice service dog relief room with AstroTurf and a flush system but Raylene refused to use it in favor of just sniffing. She liked the picket-fenced park, though, with real grass, outside of baggage claim. A uniformed Customs beagle came along and barked at us until we vacated "his" park, much to the handler's mortification. She smiled and apologized but I smiled too, and said we both know that's how it is to roll with a dog partner.

[rpclmc]

I had to undress Halo at the Boise airport. My trainer told me if I didn't want to, I could refuse, but it might be easier. My daughter and I just decided to and we breezed right through.

 

Linda and Halo

[DUTRAVEL]

Miami had quite a nice service dog relief room with AstroTurf and a flush system but Raylene refused to use it in favor of just sniffing. She liked the picket-fenced park, though, with real grass, outside of baggage claim. A uniformed Customs beagle came along and barked at us until we vacated "his" park, much to the handler's mortification. She smiled and apologized but I smiled too, and said we both know that's how it is to roll with a dog partner.

 

That's interesting about the indoor relief area. It makes sense that it might be confusing for them. I will get a chance to see if Henri will use the indoor area at Seatac next month.

 

Dianne

[Algebralovr]

Scooter has refused the indoor areas at both St Louis and Atlanta. Las Vegas didn't have one in December

 

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[DUTRAVEL]

After my complaining that most airports are not complying with the rules requiring a relief area inside security, it would be ironic if Henri refuses to use it!

 

Dianne

[Caribbean Chris]

Raylene didn't like the one in Dallas last year, and refused it, so I went outside security and back in. I think it's an overwhelming combo of cleaning chemicals, unfamiliar surface, and too many past dog scents.

[Caribbean Chris]

I had to undress Halo at the Boise airport. My trainer told me if I didn't want to, I could refuse, but it might be easier. My daughter and I just decided to and we breezed right through.

Linda and Halo

 

Here's what TSA says on the subject:

"Service dog collars, harnesses, leashes, backpacks, vests and other items are subject to screening. Items that are necessary to maintain control of the service dog or indicate that the service dog is on duty do not require removal to be screened."

[wizard-of-roz]

I do encourage everyone to start training their dogs to go potty "everywhere!" Inside, outside, on gravel, on rocks, on sand, on astro-turf and even grass [of all things!] I will ask Horton to "hurry" in ice plants, in flower boxes, on shiny glass stones, etc., etc. I don't want him to relieve himself in displays of art, or someone's flower garden but once, in an airport, there was no where to go and he was giving me the eye-roll warning that he really had to go potty. I asked a TSA agent if we could go out the glass doors, which were clearly marked "no entrance or exit allowed!" I explained our situation and he asked me to follow him.....as he unlocked the glass doors and directed me to the only place in sight......there were planters [made of concrete, large and filled with ice plants], I asked Horton to "jump" [and, into the planter he went], I gave him the command and he went potty. I picked it up with a bag out of his vest and dumped it into a receptacle nearby. I must say, the agent was very impressed at Horton's reaction to my commands and even more impressed at how careful I was to pick up every morsel of it!!!!

I will walk Horton over an area over and over and over again encouraging him to go potty and when he goes, I throw him a party!!!!! My life needs to be made easier by the partnership of my dog, not more difficult!!!!

Once, I was caught off-guard and did follow the commands of a TSA agent who asked me to send Brenda ahead of me, dragging her leash beneath and behind her. NEVER AGAIN! I tell them that my dog and I are NEVER to be disconnected from one another [putting her/him in harms way] and I NEVER remove his vest while out in public. I pass through the detector, with my dog right beside me, I set off the alarm and are patted down as is my dog and his vest. It has two zipper pouches on each side and I encourage the agent to open and inspect them, if need be. They are welcome to inspect any and all dog paraphernalia but they are NOT allowed to remove my dog from me or separate us in any way!

[wizard-of-roz]

To our Hawaiian friends or anyone who has brought their Service Dog into Hawaii recently, via cruise ship, can you tell me what the most recent requirements are and have they changed since 2003?

I know that Hawaii has some of the most stringent regulations for transporting dogs via airplane onto any of the islands from the mainland because of their lack of incidence of the rabies virus but how does this pertain now to traveling by cruise ship.

My daughter and I will be going in December on a 15 day cruise and I'm coming to this board before I even ask my Vet or inquire from the tourist bureau for Hawaii.

What are you thoughts and knowledge?

[DUTRAVEL]

To our Hawaiian friends or anyone who has brought their Service Dog into Hawaii recently, via cruise ship, can you tell me what the most recent requirements are and have they changed since 2003?

 

The requirements for bringing a service dog to Hawaii are found here:

 

http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/ai/aqs/animal-quarantine-information-page/guide-service-dogs-entering-hawaii/

 

The regulations require that your service dog be inspected at the Honolulu airport (however, your dog may be flown into one of the other island airports and inspected by pre-approved Veterinarians if you apply for a Neighbor Island Inspection Permit). We are flying into Honolulu and so I have not researched arriving by cruise ship. I would think you would be able to arrange to have one of the approved Veterinarians inspect Horton at your port of entry. Hopefully, if you call or e-mail they can answer this question.

 

Hawaii Department of Agriculture

Animal Quarantine Station

99-951 Halawa Valley Street

Aiea, Hawaii 96701-5602

Telephone (808) 483-7151 (Due to the heavy volume of calls, e-mail questions to the office for faster response)

FAX (808) 483-7161

E-mail: rabiesfree@hawaii.gov

 

Dianne

[wizard-of-roz]

The requirements for bringing a service dog to Hawaii are found here:

 

http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/ai/aqs/animal-quarantine-information-page/guide-service-dogs-entering-hawaii/

 

The regulations require that your service dog be inspected at the Honolulu airport (however, your dog may be flown into one of the other island airports and inspected by pre-approved Veterinarians if you apply for a Neighbor Island Inspection Permit). We are flying into Honolulu and so I have not researched arriving by cruise ship. I would think you would be able to arrange to have one of the approved Veterinarians inspect Horton at your port of entry. Hopefully, if you call or e-mail they can answer this question.

 

Hawaii Department of Agriculture

Animal Quarantine Station

99-951 Halawa Valley Street

Aiea, Hawaii 96701-5602

Telephone (808) 483-7151 (Due to the heavy volume of calls, e-mail questions to the office for faster response)

FAX (808) 483-7161

E-mail: rabiesfree@hawaii.gov

 

Dianne

 

Dianne, this was very helpful, thank you. I will email them and see what they require for Service Dogs entering via cruise ship. I'll let you all know what I find out.

[thephantomsgirl]

Anyone on here with a SD with quite large feet? I had bought two sets of Healers Urban Walkers in Medium/Large. (they sell in sets of two, not four) Although Jagger's feet look huge, he's really a medium. I bought them too long ago for me to return them. I can put them on eBay, but I wanted to check here first. If anyone is interested, please email me, rather than on here. My email address is (close up spaces) hollysumner .ff @ gmail. com Would rather see them go to someone on here who needs them for a much lower price than go on eBay.

 

I'll delete this if not appropriate.

[wizard-of-roz]

Anyone on here with a SD with quite large feet? I had bought two sets of Healers Urban Walkers in Medium/Large. (they sell in sets of two, not four) Although Jagger's feet look huge, he's really a medium. I bought them too long ago for me to return them. I can put them on eBay, but I wanted to check here first. If anyone is interested, please email me, rather than on here. My email address is (close up spaces) hollysumner .ff @ gmail. com Would rather see them go to someone on here who needs them for a much lower price than go on eBay.

 

I'll delete this if not appropriate.

 

Holly, thank you for the offer. I hope someone can use them. Horton won't wear them!!!!

[wizard-of-roz]

Well, it looks like Horton will have to have the blood draw [that I was so adamantly against!] The requirements for entering Hawaii are strict coming in on a cruise ship or by airplane.

 

Everything must be done in a timely fashion [i can't imagine how folks who do last minute cruising would handle this.]

You need your Health Form to state the following:

1. Microchip [AVID, Home Again, or Bayer ResQ] If your dog doesn't have one of these you have to check with their Animal Quarantine Dept. to see if his chip will be accepted by their system.

2. A passing OIE-FAVN blood test, and a current rabies vaccination. These have to be completed before arrival, MUST be in their system and must be faxed in. There's NO WAITING PERIOD for guide or service dogs qualified under their program. And, a passing test result is valid for three [3] years. This can be done by your Vet within the 30 day window.

3. Your travel itinerary MUST be faxed In, again, a few days before arrival.

4. Have an attached letter stating what task the dog has been trained to perform.

5. The dog must be traveling with the disabled user on arrival to Hawaii.

 

There's more information for folks who are flying into Honolulu.

 

**The emotional support, well-being, comfort or companionship dog does NOT qualify under Hawaii's guidelines as a "Service Dog." They do recognize the Psychiatric and Neurological Support Dog as Service Dogs**.

 

Remember: The dog must have a standard Health Certificate [Aphis 7001] issued NOT MORE than 30 days prior to arrival to Hawaii......The Health Certificate must attest that the dog was treated within 14 days of arrival with a product containing Fipronil or an equivalent long-acting product labeled to kill ticks.

 

Send a copy of ALL OF THE ABOVE via fax to: Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture - Animal Quarantine Station - [808] 483-7151. Remember, this MUST be done within a few weeks of arrival.

 

Since my first port upon arrival to Hawaii is Kahului, Maui and not Honolulu.......I may have to arrange to have a Vet meet the ship to inspect Horton or I'll see if it's something the HDOA actually schedules with the ship.

 

For those of you who have traveled via cruise ship with your dog, you know what that dreaded phone call early in the morning means ["please come down to Vista Lounge, with your dog, to meet with the authorities!"] And, this phone call is around 6:00am, you're so bleary-eyed and not wanting to leave and go anywhere. In Costa Rica a ship official came and got Horton for his port inspection, I was too tired.

[Algebralovr]

Anyone on here with a SD with quite large feet? I had bought two sets of Healers Urban Walkers in Medium/Large. (they sell in sets of two, not four) Although Jagger's feet look huge, he's really a medium. I bought them too long ago for me to return them. I can put them on eBay, but I wanted to check here first. If anyone is interested, please email me, rather than on here. My email address is (close up spaces) hollysumner .ff @ gmail. com Would rather see them go to someone on here who needs them for a much lower price than go on eBay.

 

I'll delete this if not appropriate.

 

Thanks for posting this, Holly.

 

I need to measure Scooter's feet. He wore the soft rubber booties all winter, whenever we had salt on the ground. He has a pair of hard boots, but they didn't seem as comfortable. I think part of the issue is length of toenails. We are now working on getting those cut back. I actually had to stop going to the groomer. She was insisting that they could not be cut. The vet's office did them last week. Cost a little more, but they did them.

 

Scooter HATES having his toenails cut. Working alone, I can usually only cut one nail before he decides we are DONE

Next task is to get some sandpaper blocks that are about 40 grit and try sanding them every day. He hates the sound of the electric sander, but didn't mind when I took an emery board to his nails. Silly pup.

[wizard-of-roz]

Thanks for posting this, Holly.

 

I need to measure Scooter's feet. He wore the soft rubber booties all winter, whenever we had salt on the ground. He has a pair of hard boots, but they didn't seem as comfortable. I think part of the issue is length of toenails. We are now working on getting those cut back. I actually had to stop going to the groomer. She was insisting that they could not be cut. The vet's office did them last week. Cost a little more, but they did them.

 

Scooter HATES having his toenails cut. Working alone, I can usually only cut one nail before he decides we are DONE

Next task is to get some sandpaper blocks that are about 40 grit and try sanding them every day. He hates the sound of the electric sander, but didn't mind when I took an emery board to his nails. Silly pup.

 

I got so lucky with my CCI dogs. Brenda was such a good girl about having her nails clipped, fur and teeth brushed and ears checked. Horton is the same. CCI does such a great job at teaching our dogs to be handled every day. They encourage us to touch, inspect and handle our dogs as much as we can.

I take Horton to Petco for in between [when he's not at the groomer] nail cutting.

[Algebralovr]

I got so lucky with my CCI dogs. Brenda was such a good girl about having her nails clipped, fur and teeth brushed and ears checked. Horton is the same. CCI does such a great job at teaching our dogs to be handled every day. They encourage us to touch, inspect and handle our dogs as much as we can.

 

I take Horton to Petco for in between [when he's not at the groomer] nail cutting.

 

Nails are really our only hang up. The only issue with brushing is him wanting to eat the fur. I handle him daily, and he is good with ears. He isn't terrible about teeth. He doesn't like the flavor of the tooth wipes I started with, and I just got new tooth paste to try.

 

It is just the nails.He lets me inspect his feet and handle them. He just doesn't like it when I try to cut them. The first time was fine. The second time he revolted.

I think it was the clipper I was using. I bought a different one, and we have been working on it - pretty much nightly. He will let me hold his foot, and touch it with the clipper. He will even touch the clipper itself! I just need to get him to let me actually clip the nails. We got 2 nails done on Monday night.

 

Like I said, I'm thinking sandpaper. We walk quite a bit, and with the weather changing and getting warmer, should be walking more. If I can walk him on concrete more, plus sand them down, I should be able to get them down to the length I want them.

[wizard-of-roz]

Nails are really our only hang up. The only issue with brushing is him wanting to eat the fur. I handle him daily, and he is good with ears. He isn't terrible about teeth. He doesn't like the flavor of the tooth wipes I started with, and I just got new tooth paste to try.

 

It is just the nails.He lets me inspect his feet and handle them. He just doesn't like it when I try to cut them. The first time was fine. The second time he revolted.

I think it was the clipper I was using. I bought a different one, and we have been working on it - pretty much nightly. He will let me hold his foot, and touch it with the clipper. He will even touch the clipper itself! I just need to get him to let me actually clip the nails. We got 2 nails done on Monday night.

 

Like I said, I'm thinking sandpaper. We walk quite a bit, and with the weather changing and getting warmer, should be walking more. If I can walk him on concrete more, plus sand them down, I should be able to get them down to the length I want them.

 

Barb, promise not to laugh........I would take Brenda to the local tennis courts to run her [because she was so ball obsessed and I was so scared to make her nails bleed] the tennis court seemed like a safe place to let her run her nails short!!!!!;p

[Algebralovr]

Barb, promise not to laugh........I would take Brenda to the local tennis courts to run her [because she was so ball obsessed and I was so scared to make her nails bleed] the tennis court seemed like a safe place to let her run her nails short!!!!!;p

 

Roz - That is awesome! I wish we had one where I could do that! Small town Missouri just doesn't offer it. On the other hand, he has been welcomed all over town. We had to appear at the city council meeting and no one batted an eye. As the city administrator said to me, "this is a dog town". We still have a lot of people raising cattle, chickens, hay, you name it. Many of them haul their dogs around just about everywhere.

[wizard-of-roz]

Roz - That is awesome! I wish we had one where I could do that! Small town Missouri just doesn't offer it. On the other hand, he has been welcomed all over town. We had to appear at the city council meeting and no one batted an eye. As the city administrator said to me, "this is a dog town". We still have a lot of people raising cattle, chickens, hay, you name it. Many of them haul their dogs around just about everywhere.

 

OMG, you live in a Nicolas Sparks book! So lovely!

[DUTRAVEL]

Well, it looks like Horton will have to have the blood draw [that I was so adamantly against!] The requirements for entering Hawaii are strict coming in on a cruise ship or by airplane.

 

Let us know what they say about arriving by cruise ship.

 

If arriving by air, be sure to schedule a morning flight as they perform the inspections between 8:00am and 4:00pm (otherwise your service dog might have to go to the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility).

 

When we were in Costa Rica, they told us that Henri did not need to be inspected. When we headed off the ship our seapass sounded an alarm and we had to go back to have her inspected. They looked at her from across the room and said you can go (I think they must have just been checking to make sure she wasn't a breed that was banned).

 

Dianne

[DUTRAVEL]

Scooter HATES having his toenails cut. Working alone, I can usually only cut one nail before he decides we are DONE

Next task is to get some sandpaper blocks that are about 40 grit and try sanding them every day. He hates the sound of the electric sander, but didn't mind when I took an emery board to his nails. Silly pup.

 

We use a pet dremel on Henri's nails; it's not very loud. I don't have the hand strength to use nail clippers and the dremel works pretty well (we do her nails once a week).

 

Dianne

[Algebralovr]

I tried that, although it was an Oster rather than Dremel brand. I actually do better with the clippers. It seemed under powered.

 

I'm actually going to get some 40 grit and 80 grit sanding blocks and give that a try

 

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[wizard-of-roz]

Happy, healthy, peaceful weekend everyone!

 

Horton goes to CCI, Oceanside for testing tomorrow. Today he's at the groomer getting " man-dog-scaped!" :hearteyes:

 

He has one huge, long gray whisker on the right side of his nose and if your hand or cheek runs into it, I swear you can get an abrasion from it!!!! :p If nothing else, he'll pass on just his handsomness!!!!

God forbid someone drops his leash.......BYEEEEEE HORTON!!!!!:confused: