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Vaccinations
Flying
Food
Vets
Walking
Safety |
***The CATIE pet policy has changed: Pets are no
longer allowed in the apartments or dorms!***
If you want to bring a pet with you, you might have to live off campus in
Turrialba.
Vaccinations: Your
pets should be vaccinated for the following diseases if applicable to their
species. Make sure your pet was vaccinated for rabies between 30 days
and 1 year from your travel date!
- Rabies
- Distemper
- Parvovirus
- Hepatitis
- Leptospirosis
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Flying:
It's pretty easy to travel with your pet from the US to Costa Rica IF you
get the paper work, planning, and reservations done ahead of time.
As Checked Luggage:
If you plan to travel in the spring or fall, you can check your
pet as "luggage" on most airlines for around $50-100 (American
is one of the cheapest, other airlines include
Delta,
Continental). The maximum weight varies per airline, but it is
around 60-100 pounds for the animal and kennel. If possible, try
to get either a non-stop flight or a flight with a layover in the US
to decrease the likelihood that you lose your pet. You will need to
make a pet reservation at the same time you make your reservation, but you
don't
pay the pet fee until you are at the desk to check in for your flight.
Most airlines will NOT let you take your pet as
"checked luggage" during the summer (May 15- September 15) because it could
get too hot for them during transfers. There are also winter cold
weather restrictions, but they are issued on a daily basis. You may
check your animal in the winter if the weather that day is acceptable.
If you need to travel during the summer, your
alternative is to ship your pet as "cargo", but you cannot make a
reservation until 7 days before your flight and you cannot confirm the
reservation until the day before their flight (American
Cargo,
Delta Cargo). They are usually able to ship your pet during
the time of day that complies with the climate restrictions if the midday
weather is too hot (85º F and 70º F for pug-nosed animals) or too old (20º F).
This may mean that your pet will need to stay the night somewhere, and you
will have to pay an additional kenneling fee. Be aware that this can
be considerably more expensive and more hassle than taking them as "luggage"
(about $200-$400 depending on weight and size plus possible kenneling fees).
If you ship your pet as either luggage or
cargo, you will need to show them the appropriate health certifications (see
paperwork below), and you should provide a signed statement that your animal has been
offered food and water within four hours of the time that you present it to
the airline. Feeding and watering instructions should be attached to the
kennel or container along with an adequate amount of packaged food. If
feeding and watering is not required, written instructions from your
accredited veterinarian to not feed or water the animal must be attached to
the kennel.
As Carry On:
Most airlines will NOT let you carry your pet on the plane to Latin America
because the flights can be long;
Continental is the exception and will let you take smaller animals on
the plane with you. You need to make a pet reservation when you make
your own reservation. They charge around $60-$80 which you pay when
you check in for your flight. Also when you check in, you will have to
show the appropriate health certifications (see paperwork below) You need to
have an approved bag that is big enough for your pet and that fits under the
seat in front of you. When you get to the security check point at the
airport, you will have to take your pet out of the pet carrier and take them
through the metal detector with you. Other than that, it's just like
taking a small carry on bag - very easy.
Paperwork to Costa Rica: Double check the regulations
with your airline, the USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS),
and the
Costa Rican Embassy before making reservations. If you call APHIS,
they can fax you the current official agreement between the US and Costa
Rica for dogs and cats.
You will need to get a Health Certificate no more than
2 weeks before your flight (less than 10 days might be required by the
airline):
- Find an APHIS accredited veterinarian
- Get a small animal health certificate from the vet:
State or Federal US Interstate certificate (the normal one needed to fly
in the US) or the 7001 International Small Animals Form from APHIS.
The form should state the the animal is found to be healthy and free of
any clinical signs of infectious disease, and vaccinated against
distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, and rabies (if applicable
to your pet)
- Get the original rabies vaccination certificate
which states that your pet was vaccinated no more than one year prior to
exportation, and no less than 30 days prior to arrival in Costa Rica.
- Dogs need to have a fecal exam certificate showing
they do not have tapeworms
- Either send or take the health certificate and the
copy of the rabies vaccination to an
APHIS office where you will have to pay $23 for them to register your
pet and give you approval to travel. If you plan to go to the
office, it's best to call ahead of time and make an appointment as they
are busy. The Idaho Office is located at:
USDA, APHIS, VS
9158 West Black Eagle Drive
Boise, ID 83709
(208) 378-5631
Fax (208) 378-5637
- You do NOT need to have the health certificate
signed by the consulate or notarized.
- When you get to
the airport, you will need to show them the health certificate, the rabies
vaccination, the tapeworm certificate (dogs), and the APHIS approval
before they will accept your pet on the flight.
- When you get to Costa Rica
customs, you might have to show them all of the paperwork again, but
saying that you are staying at CATIE might help you avoid all of the
hassle.
Paperwork to the US:
The number to call to check on importing animals into the US is at the CDC's
Quarintine department at: (404) 639-3311. All that is needed to enter the US
is a current rabies certificate and health certificate by a licensed vet. To
exit Costa Rica you need both these plus the deportation papers from San
Jose. The vet does that paper work for you. You should also check on
the airline requirements.
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Food:
Costa Ricans take pretty good care of their pets, so it is easy to find most
everything that you want (except for cat treats and good kitty litter).
There are several veterinary supply and pet stores in Turrialba where
you can get the basics. If you need something special, you can either
ask them to order it for you or you can get it in San José. Science
Diet and Eukanuba are popular pet food brands and can be found most
anywhere.
- 4lb bag of Science Diet cat food costs about $11
- 44lb
bag of Eukanuba dog food costs about $40
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Vets: The best vet in Turrialba is located 200m from
BanCredito and across the street from ICE. Dr. Alejandro Macarty is at the
Veterinaria Sta. Monica 556-0507. They are open from 9:30-12:00 and
3:00-7:00pm.
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Walking:
CATIE has many trails and roads where you can take your pet for a walk.
It is best to keep them on a leash as many Latinos get nervous when a loose
dog runs up to greet them. As you would in the US, carry a baggie with
you to pick up after your pet because a lot of people walk around campus.
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Safety:
Be careful if you choose to let your pets outside. There are many snakes
on campus; be especially careful at night when you can't see them in the
grass.
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