Here is a bit of information the documentation you need to bring your dog with you - see the complete thread here:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50626&page=2
Question by JerryYukon
How difficult is it to bring your dog along ?
Answer by RMP&0
Yes I can help you...I don't think it is that big of a hassle but that depends on your point of view.
You need to get a USDA-APHIS form from the USDA in your state. Have it sent to your vet. Your vet then fils it out and sends it back to the USDA to approve and stamp with their seal. It is best to fax it to the USDA first to make sure it is filled out how they want. Otherwise you will be sending it back and forth via snail mail.
The next thing that is required is a certificate of rabies vac. This is can be simply a short letter prepared by your vet on their letter head showing what the vac is and when it was given to the dog. This also needs to be sent to the USDA along witht he APHIS form and stamped by the USDA.
Both these forms are required to take your dog down south. Others have done it without these docs but I do not recommend doing that. Also the forms need to be filed out and dated as close to the leave date of your trip as possible.
Not required but highly reccomended is getting the USDA-APHIS form endorsed by the consul for the country of your final destination. For me that is Panama. I take my USDA-APHIS form to the consul and they attach an official document to the USDA form and stamp it.
Aslo recommended is a complete list/record of your dogs history with your vet. This is just like a line chart that shows all the vacs and so forth your dog has gotten from your vet during its life. Your vet should have this on file.
Next that I recommend is a letter from your vet, on their letter head again that simply states the dog is owned by you.
Have your vet stamp everything with their stamp. My vet stamp is simply their name and address but that works just fine.
Latino officials love seeing stamps so the more stamps you have the better!
I give the AG department at each border all the forms, my opinion being the more forms you give them the better. Yet, only the rabbies certificate and the USDA-APHIS forms are required.
I have often been asked by military and police when stopped to see my docs on my dog. So I do not recommend you skip out on this!
Last bit of info for you....Mexico doesn't care about dogs and has not asked me for anything on my dog. A cop in Mexico asked to see my papers for my dog (he was obviously just trying to find a reason to bribe me) but since I had the docs he was SOL on using that to bribe me! Guatemala also doesn't care about dogs. Even when I have asked neither country wanted me to do anything as far as docs or clearing my dog through the AG department. The rest of the countries in Central America do want to see the docs and do require them. Honduras is particularly stiff about this. In fact they are the only country that actualy made me bring my dog in and then they had their guy inspect him.
That is about it...sounds like a lot but it is not really! I like having all the docs because then there is no reason for any cops or officials to try and bribe you over your dog. And that is what they look for, you lacking something which then gives them a reason to get a bribe out of you.
Almost forgot.....it is pretty important that the documents have an accurate description of your dog. Breed, color, size and so forth.
Hope this all helps but if you like I can even go one step farther and scan my docs from last years trip so you can see them with all the stamps from all the countries as well as how they are prepared.
