Animal Control at my door...

dilly

So the other day I was a little surprised when I answered the door and there was an animal control officer there. At first I thought I was being fined for not registering the dogs with the city yet.

But as it turns out they came over to make sure I was sticking with the CDC's quarantine of Ungud (aka Toshi), and reminded me he can't go for walks and no dog park, since he came from a country that is not rabies free. Then she asked for his shots record, which I have but at the time I couldn't remember where I put it. She was okay with me just calling the vet and telling her when his rabies expire. The officer was very nice and professional, I just wasn't expecting animal control to come to my house. She said on the 30th someone else will be out to check on Toshi and then at that time we'd get the okay from animal control to take him for walks.

Has anyone else who has imported a dog from overseas had this happen? I mean, when I picked him up, I went to customs and agreed to the quarantine.

Kenshi

Hey didn't you get your Hokkaido from Japan?

yukidomari

What? I'm almost positive the US doesn't have home quarantine and certainly no dog can leave the cargo area of a flight if it didn't already have appropriate import paperwork with it. You mentioned the CDC so I assume you are in the US. If the dog is indeed from Japan, Japan IS a rabies-free country. .. confused!

EDIT: OH, wait. I forgot about state laws ;)

sujewel

If I recall correctly, Justin's pup came from Poland.

the_november_rain

Toshi is from Poland.

BradA1878

We never had this issue importing from Poland.... oh, but you got her at 8 weeks, right? Fuji was 3 months before she came to the US.

We had to wait till Huna was 4 months before he could leave France.

I'm sure that was unsettling, but it's awesome you were able to give them all the info on the spot!

----

dilly

He came from Poland, since he flew out of Germany they had down he was from Germany. He had the appropriate paperwork when I picked him up, just not his rabies shots yet because he was too young. If I hadn't driven to LA we would still be waiting for him, as it's too hot in the summer in Las Vegas to have an animal flown here.

I'm just glad she didn't need to see the paperwork (it would have taken me an hour to remember where I put it) and didn't fine me for not having Kaia registered with the city, she did give me the form for it. It's like $15 per year for a fixed animal and $25 for an intact animal, but the fine is around $500 I think.

At first I thought it was because he was howling in the back yard the first few days while he was playing.

ShikokuSpirit

lol, that's weird.

I've never have any issues with my Shikoku. Infact, it was leaving Japan where all the paperwork had to be done and going through quarantine there. When I came to California (via LAX) they'd always inquire about dog food <--- which isn't allowed and would have to be confiscated. Not always, but sometimes they'll check the crate for any illegalities...there was no concern about the dog, just maybe a general curiousity.

Nevada must have their own laws concerning imports.

Well, what a relief, huh -smiles-?

I know I always get nervous too sometimes, more so when Lynx decides to bark loudly and crazily at 3am in the morning because <i>Oh my gosh, the CAT MOVED! (lol). My dogs are allowed to bark as much as they like during the day not exceeding 15 mins in length & something about it being inconsistent for every 30 mins is okay. However, between 10pm at night to 6am in the morning...I make sure they stay quiet. And for the most part they just sleep...but every once in awhile...

How old is your boy again?

Kenshi

Right but Japan is a rabies-free country. However that works.

Mylo

I think it's pretty cool that Animal Control showed up. As much as it's an inconvenience and all, it's cool that they're out there doing checks like that. I was thinking for a while (based on people's lack of response from animal control lately) that they don't really do much. But it's really interesting to know that they're going around and verifying these things. If they're doing it for you, they're likely doing it for others, and that keeps everyone's pets healthy and safe =0)

yukidomari

For anyone wondering what "rabies free country" means, (They are all islands, btw, including the UK, Taiwan, Jpn, Hawai'i, Barbados, Guam, Ireland, and Mauritius), it means:

– no case of indigenously acquired infection by a lyssavirus has been confirmed
in humans or any animal species, including bats, at any time during the
previous 2 years; and

– an adequate surveillance system is in operation. The system should include or
be able to have easy access to one rabies laboratory using WHO recommended
techniques for rabies diagnosis.

– an effective import policy is implemented, i.e. measures to prevent the
importation of rabies in place (permenant ID before rabies vaccs, rabies vaccs given at specific times, titers, wait period, etc).
Additional measures may also be in place, such as vaccination of dogs and other
pets, and animal population management activities.

So there you go! Traveling with pets into any rabies-free country/territory is much harder than traveling into countries like the US (where all you really need to enter is a health certificate stating that the animal is well).