Category Archives: Pets
Can I Travel with my Small Dog to Mexico?
From Trip Savvy –
Many people travel with their pets to Mexico. If you would like to take your dog or cat with you on your Mexican vacation, there are a few steps you should take in advance. Note that for Mexican regulations only dogs and cats are classified as pets: other animals may be imported but the regulations are different. Mexican regulations allow travelers to enter the country with up to two dogs or cats, but if traveling by air, airlines will only allow one pet per person. If you will be traveling to Mexico with more animals, you should contact the Mexican consulate or embassy nearest you for more information.
You should have your pet examined by a veterinarian and your pet’s immunizations must be up to date. Carry the following documents when entering Mexico with your pet:
- Either APHIS Form 7001 (pdf) Vet Health Certificate OR a certificate of good health issued by a veterinarian and printed on letterhead (handwritten documents are not accepted) in English and Spanish with the vet’s professional license number or a photocopy of the license, and the vet’s signature. Take the original and a simple copy.
- Proof of rabies vaccine administered at least 15 days before the pet’s arrival in Mexico. The vaccination certificate should state when the vaccine was administered and how long it is valid, as well as the product name and lot number.
- Within 6 months of entering Mexico, your dog or cat must have be treated against internal and external parasites by a licensed veterinarian and the products used must be reflected on the health certificate. Cats and dogs must have treatments for ticks shortly prior to entering the country. Tick-borne infections such as ehrlichiosis are not unusual in the country, so it is wise to protect your pet.
When you arrive in Mexico with your pet, SAGARPA-SENASICA (Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries, and Food) personnel will conduct a brief physical inspection and verify that your pet is in compliance with the above requirements.
Travel by Air
If you are traveling by air you will need to check with your airline well in advance about their rules and extra charges for transporting pets. The airline has the final say on whether or not they will carry your pet (and each airline may have different rules), so be sure to check all the requirements with them prior to purchasing your ticket. Some airlines do not transport animals at all. Most airlines will allow small pets to travel in the cabin with you, but the pet will need to be in an airline-certified travel crate that fits beneath the airplane seat.
PET-FRIENDLY Monterey County California
WELCOME, FIDO! CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS IN PET-FRIENDLY MONTEREY COUNTY
Traveling With Your Four-Legged Family Member is a Breeze
Monterey County has outdone itself this holiday season to ensure that furry family members feel at home on the magical California Central Coast region. According to a national survey of pet owners, nearly 40 percent of pet owners take their dog on vacation. Although the numbers have steadily increased over the last ten years, Monterey County has been leading the industry and consistently perfecting their red carpet treatment with an ever-growing number of pet-friendly hotels, businesses and activities like whale watching or cruising the stunning 17-Mile drive.
First things first, you need to find a welcoming home for your pet while on vacation or family visit to Monterey County. Many hotels offer special treats, grooming, pet sitting and comfy beds to make your four-legged friend feel cozy. Fido is always welcome at Doris Day’s Cypress Inn, an elegant pet-friendly boutique inn located in the heart of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The long-time landmark property supplies dog blankets, bowls, to-go bowls and treats and is close to several Yappy Hours, 35 acres of trails at Mission Trail Park and the fabulous Carmel Wine Walk by-the-Sea.
At Sanctuary Beach Resort in Marina, now through December 31, 2016, pets stay for no extra charge. The property offers several activities in the area such as a relaxing walk along the beach, dining at a pet-friendly restaurant like Domenico’s On The Wharf (they offer a pet menu) or watching the sunset from the balcony of beachfront guestrooms.
In Monterey, Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa offers complimentary amenities including bowls, dog or cat beds, crates, scratching poles, clean up bags, leads and leashes. With an eye and heart on community, a portion of the pet friendly package is donated to the Monterey County SPCA.
Portola Hotel & Spa offers a complete guide of pet activities on the Monterey Peninsula. There are also pet dining areas including Peter B’s Brewpub and Jacks Restaurant & Lounge’s heated patios and a dog biscuit made from the left over mash of the onsite Peter B’s brewery.
The Hideaway’s pet package comes with a plush dog bed, doggie treats, bowls for food and water, ID tags, and complimentary doggie bags for cleaning up. This location is conveniently located next to the dog-friendly Carmel Beach where the no leash law allows pups of every size and breed to run free through sugar-sand and splash in the water. As the sun sets, you can enjoy a campfire permitted on the beach south of 10th Avenue.
Pet owners will delight in full-service pet spas, doggy daycare, pet walking and sitting services throughout Monterey County. Holidays are meant to be spent with your loved ones. Dogs and cats enjoy the adventures too, so don’t leave home without them this holiday season.
ABOUT MONTEREY COUNTY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
The Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau (MCCVB) is a 501c6 organization that drives tourism
for Monterey County and in recent years has led the destination to record levels of growth. Tourism is the largest industry on the Monterey Peninsula and the second largest in the County. The MCCVB is a partnership of the hospitality community and local governments that aims to drive business growth through compelling marketing and sales initiatives that maximize the benefits of tourism to our guests, members and the community. Travel spending in Monterey County was more than $2.7 billion in 2015, representing a 4.5 percent increase from 2014, and per person/per day spending rose to $333. Visitors in 2015 also generated $109 million in local tax receipts, a 7.4 percent increase and supported 24,390 jobs.
Can You Travel with Your Dog?
Support Animals, Service Animals and Therapy Animals?
and therapy animals have to do with training. With emotional support animals
(ESA), the dogs are there to bring comfort as well as companionship. The
animals do not have to get any specialized training and skills for this, except
perhaps basic obedience and social skills, in the case of dogs or cats. It’s
enough that the animal is there and its owner draws comfort from its presence.
their emotional support animals. To some degree, emotional support animals are
still considered pets. But unlike pets, they serve another purpose as they are
relied upon by those with mental health issues (ie. Depression, PTSD, Anxiety, etc.).
housing or airline rules. The “no pets policy” does not apply in this
case, but the person with an ESA has to have a letter
signed and written by a licensed mental health professional.
been highly trained to master specific skills. These dogs have to perform tasks
for their handlers who are unable to do a variety of things because of a
physical or mental disability.
need the help of a service dog in walking in public, so the dog should be
trained to guide and keep his handler safe. Someone who experiences seizures
will need a service dog who is trained to notice the triggers, as well as alert
people concerned in order to save the life of his handler. Because of their
vital role, service dogs can accompany their handlers wherever they need to be,
even in public facilities (ie. Restaurants, stores, work places, etc.).
are similar to service animals in that they are required to be trained to
perform certain tasks. The difference is that therapy dogs are also socially
trained and well-adjusted around people. Hence, you see therapy dogs in various
hospital facilities, rehab centers, schools and establishments or sites where
the primary concern is psychological or emotional healing. Therapy animals are
not entitled access to public places, airlines, or no pets housing situations.
Travel with Your Emotional Support Dog
A therapy dog is trained to provide comfort and affection to people. Therapy dogs are widely used at hospitals, retirement and nursing homes, hospices, schools and even disaster areas. People who have learning disabilities also use therapy dogs as a means of building their self confidence for learning.
Research has found that therapy dogs help make people feel better. Interacting with therapy dogs is said to ‘temporarily affect the release of some of the brain’s neurotransmitters, including dopamine and oxytocin, while cortisol levels decrease.’
Therapy dogs are either therapeutic visitation dogs, animal-assisted therapy dogs and facility therapy dogs. However, they also work alongside people who need a companion beside them at all times.
Therapy dogs are typically well tempered dog breeds and don’t shed excessively, which allows most people to interact with the dog. They’re also well socialized with various environments and people. That lets the dog feel comfortable with traveling around and being exposed to different people and environments. In this article, we’re going to examine what people should know when flying with therapy dogs.
Flying with therapy dogs in the United States
People are allowed to go flying with therapy dogs in the United States. There are, however, rules and regulations they must follow before boarding a plane with their companion.
In order to fly with a therapy dog in the United States, the dog’s owner must have appropriate documentation.
This documentation needs to be reported at least 48 hours before the person’s scheduled flight departure time. Regulations concerning that matter require that requests to go flying with a therapy dog are reported during that time frame, allowing the airline to verify the documentation with the owner’s doctor. In other words, the airline won’t allow therapy dog owners who haven’t previously contacted the airline in advance to board their flight with their dog in tow.
The therapy dog documentation letter needs to be drafted from the dog owner’s mental health doctor and possess a professional letterhead. It also must not be more than a year old. The dog owner also needs to have a mental health disability, meaning their mental illness must physically and mentally impair them from regularly living their life. Other documentation to bring includes the dog’s certification records, health certificates and vaccine records.
People who want to go flying with therapy dogs must take care of getting their pet cleared for flight before even boarding the plane. This allows both owner and pet to be prepared for the flight well in advance.
Black Flamingo Seen Twice
This black flamingo is one in several million—and perhaps, the only one in the world.
On April 8, it was spotted during a flamingo count along a salt lake at the Akrotiri environmental center on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. This same flamingo may have also been seen in Israel in 2014, when a 70-year-old man captured what could be the world’s “the one and only black flamingo” on camera, the photographer told the Monterey Herald. Read more @ Audubon
Airplane Travel and Flying with Service Dogs
Flying with Service Dogs
Flying with a service dog requires you to prepare in advance. Most airlines have specific rules and requirements for trips that depart from and connect through regions of extreme temperatures. Check your airline before you consider booking your flight; or you can opt to travel early in the day when you are certain that temperatures are cooler for your service dog. When flying with your dog, know that your dog will fly in a pressurized, heated and cooled section. Temperatures as well as pressures will be the same as they are in the passenger cabin.
Packing for your dog
• Ensure that you have your dog’s leash, collar or harness along with identification tags. You are advised not to take off your service dog’s identification tag while traveling. You never know, your dog can get lost and ID tags will make certain that he will find his way back to you.
• Make an effort of carrying motion sickness remedies. You need to consult your vet concerning medication or natural remedies that can alleviate motion sickness for your service dog, and the symptoms to look out for.
• Carrying along full paperwork for you service dog. This should include: license paperwork, proof of rabies vaccine, vaccination records, along with any other paperwork that you may need when boarding airplanes and crossing borders.
Important considerations you
need to make in advance
Most airlines may expect you to make at least forty eight hours notification, in advance.
Documentation is usually demanded when you do not provide credible assurance as far as your service dog is concerned. When making reservations, you are advised to request for a convenient seat. Inquire if they can have the seat next to you blocked, in the event that your service dog is large. This is usually not recommended, but chances are that they can block a seat for you if the flight doesn’t sell out.
Security checkpoints at the airport may present some challenges. First and foremost, make sure that your service dog does not wear any tags when going through metal detectors. This is to avoid any unnecessary search for you and your dog. You can also opt to go through the metal detectors first and then your dog; this way, the security guards will be certain that you and your dog are no threat, despite the fact that your dog may be wearing a tag.
It is advisable to make sure that your service dog is well fed and exercised before your departure. In addition, ensure that your dog drinks as well as poops in advance. It is quite inappropriate to feed your dog a few moments before take-off, he or she might get sick. Good exercise is essential for a service dog before take-off, since it helps the dog calm down. You are also advised not to sedate your dog, higher altitude pressures may make your dog vulnerable to cardiovascular and respiratory issues when sedated.
For your service dog to be allowed in the cabin you need to:
- Provide proof of your disability, and the manner in which your service dog proves helpful in easing the effect of your disability.
- Provide appropriate documentation confirming that your service dog has received an acceptable level of training that makes him a fit assisting companion for you.
- Provide confirmation that your dog is registered to serve as a service dog when booking your flight.
- Present a valid service dog identification card or equivalent documentation when you are checking in the flight.
- Ensure that your service dog can fit on your lap or alternatively in front of your seat.
As stated previously, not all airlines may allow you to fly with your service dog. Therefore, it is advisable to make early reservations to ascertain that your dog will be flying with you. In addition to different air travel rules, you may also find that some airlines charge extra fees when one is traveling with a service dog.
For more information visit Service Dogs Certification
Birds Nest Gets A Free Flight to Australia
HOW CRAZY IS THIS??
“The
engineers did the right thing. The materials had potential to carry
plant and avian diseases that could have threatened our wildlife and
primary industries.”
The plane was transported to
Auckland from Arizona to be dismantled, after having been stored in the
Mojave Desert for some time.
A New Way to Locate Dog Sitters in your City!
This is pretty cool! I know a lot of people board their dogs at these Doggy Daycares and Dog Hotels – but I did that once, and my little yorkie came back stressed out. She really needs to be with people 24/7.
You can search by city now and find dog watchers in your area!
Cage Free
Most dog owners love their dog too much to
keep them crated for hours on end, so why should that change when you
are out of town? Dog Vacay allows you to find a home environment for
your puppy, where they can get individual attention and roam freely
Perfect Fit For Fido
Pick the perfect host and
environment for your dog. Whether you need an affordable apartment for
your chihuahua or a luxury ranch for your champion show dog, Dog Vacay
has an option for you
Affordable
Our prices start at $15 per night. Travel with ease without breaking the budget
Convenience
Browse hundreds of profiles to find the perfect host. Schedule and book online with just a few clicks
Quality
There’s a big difference between watching 3 dogs
and several hundred. In a home environment your dog receives more care
and personalized attention from a true dog lover. It’s like dropping
them off at your favorite aunt’s house.
DOG VACAY.com
Amtrak Dealing With WiFi Gay Issues This week
Despite opposition from anti-gay groups such a the Family Research
Institute, in recent years, Amtrak has been very active in marketing to
the LGBT communities.
While they are not painting the cars rainbow colors anytime soon, they are a member of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association; and they operate a website design specifically for LGBT travelers, Amtrakridewithpride.com; and has been a sponsors of many gay events.
Last week Amtrak confirmed that it is conducting a soft launch of free WiFi service on its
Northeast Regional trains, which include those serving Washington, DC.
WiFi is already available on its Acela trains, some regional trains on
the west coast and at select stations. Amtrak is expect to provide a
formal update next week about its expansion efforts.
Of course they are trying to block porn on the train. But some LGBT news sites were also blocked. Christina Leeds, a media representative for Amrak, also acknowledged
reports that some websites, such as the one for the Seattle Gay News,
were being blocked by the third-party automated system that is employed
by the organization to filter inappropriate content.
They still DO NOT allow dogs to travel – which I wish they would do something about that.
