Sailing Caribbean with Dog

[tikinme]

Has anyone sailed the Caribbean with a dog? I got an import permit for the Bahamas and sent it in. I know I can't go to the British Virgin Islands, and other islands want to know where I will be before I get there or when am coming has anyone done this??

[killarney_sailor]

We had friends who cruised with their dog and they found it to be real problem and quite costly - I think for the winter they spent close to $3000 for various fees, vets visits, etc. Some islands just take advantage of the situation to take even more money from cruisers. On may island (Antigua?) they paid $150 for a vet 'exam' which consisted of the vet petting the dock for 30 seconds, saying what a nice dog he was and then leaving.

[TQA]

There are two groups cruising with dogs aboard.

The first who pay large sums and skip islands like St Vincent

"Pets from the US must be quarantined in the UK for six months prior to entry. Animals must be inspected by the Veterinary Officer and are not allowed ashore until permission given. Pets to be microchipped and current Health Certificate and Rabies Vaccination Certificate required. Further information from Government Veterinary Officer - Tel: 784 457 2452 or email animalhealthsvg@hotmail.com or tourism@caribsurf.com or www.svgtourism.com"

with their draconian regs.

and a second group who lie about having pets aboard and keep a low profile.

[Yorksailor]

Rabies is virtually 100% lethal in its clinical form, in humans, and those Islands without the disease are not going to let it in via your dog. We left our with friends back in the US.

Keeping foreign dogs out is not bureaucracy but good public health.

If you cheat and get caught the dog might very well be euthanized.

[LandLocked66c]

I'm mixed on cruising with your pets. To me cruising should be a very freeing experience. Not having to rush back to the boat to "let" the dog out or feed it. Or "have" to take it everywhere because you can't leave it alone on the boat. We had two dogs and are down to one and are looking forward to being dogless. Love em to death, but no way will I ever clean up dog feces on my boat. Good luck with it, I know alot of people do it. Too much work for me!

[ArcherBowman]

You know - you have a point there. I can't count the number of evenings and excursions that have been cut short because my dog people friends had to get home to let the dog out or feed it.

Originally Posted by LandLocked66c

I'm mixed on cruising with your pets. To me cruising should be a very freeing experience. Not having to rush back to the boat to "let" the dog out or feed it. Or "have" to take it everywhere because you can't leave it alone on the boat. We had two dogs and are down to one and are looking forward to being dogless. Love em to death, but no way will I ever clean up dog feces on my boat. Good luck with it, I know alot of people do it. Too much work for me!

[LandLocked66c]

I will admit that having dogs are great when you "need" to leave a very boring commitment, be it, inlaws, parents, etc.... LOL

[hellosailor]

"Keeping foreign dogs out is not bureaucracy but good public health."
I think you've got your cart before your horse.

How many dogs pass on a disease like rabies, when the dogs are from a country likr the US where rabies shots are normal and required? Not too many.

Now, how many of those visiting sailors and tourists are going to pass on HIV and other fatal diseases directly to humans? And, unlike a dog with a rabies tag, your average tourist does not come with an HIV-certification. Much less one for measels or mumps.

That just means the rabies ban is an economic issue, not a public health one. Extort all the money you can out of those who can afford to pay it, and don't let anyone in unless they can drop gobs of money. Since dogs are generally known to spend very little while on vacation alone, they're not welcome, with or without tags.

"Over the last 100 years, rabies in the United States has changed dramatically. More than 90% of all animal cases reported annually to CDC now occur in wildlife; before 1960 the majority were in domestic animals. The principal rabies hosts today are wild carnivores and bats.

The number of rabies-related human deaths in the United States has declined from more than 100 annually at the turn of the century to one or two per year in the 1990's. Modern day prophylaxis has proven nearly 100% successful."

That puts the odds of some small island acquiring rabies from a vaccinated US canine at something on the order of one in a billion or higher. They're more likely to be wiped out by a volcano, or thunderbolts from Olympus.

[Marcvet]

The problem with importing dogs into countries that don't have rabies is not from the US but from other countries. It is possible now to have a rabies titre done on your dog that SHOULD be all they need to enter a country that has no rabies. Unfortunately this is not the case. Countries are worried about an animal with rabies infecting their wildlife, making it almost impossible to eradicate. I am all for keeping foreign diseases out of countries but do realize that $$ are an issue. Look at all the money Australia would lose if they had no quarantine for dogs and cats.

As far as the Vet charging to "stroke the dock".......
Marcvet
s/v Gantman
lord Nelson 35

[sck5]

They put their rules in place to rid their islands of rabies. It worked. Now you want them to change the rules for you? Why should they go through the hassle and expense to allow pets they dont need?