New Law for Importing Pets?

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  • #169766
    costaricafinca
    Participant

    [b]FYI[/b], This was just copied/pasted from another forum, [b]”… I just got a call from Continental Airlines informing me that there is a new law that went into effect today(22 Mar’10) regarding the importation of animals. They said that there is an import tax of at least 20 USD and that I am required to hire a broker for the process. The broker will range from 120 USD – 200 USD.”[/b]+

    [i]Good business for brokers…[/i]

    #169767
    GreciaBound
    Member

    Not sure about the new constraint. I saw an 800 number posted for Continental “Live Animal Desk” and the number is 800-575-3335. Maybe call to confirm if this is true.

    #169768
    costaricafinca
    Participant

    There has been more discussion, with someone posting from within Costa Rica, that is returning to the USA, also received a call yesterday from Continental, and was told [i]”…to contact the US Embassy to get the permit and the information about the broker”. [/i]
    I do know that, earlier, when one used a service to transport pets, one had to pay ‘duty’ on the imported pet…

    #169769
    maravilla
    Member

    i just got off the phone with continental who assured me that these provisions are in fact in effect, and it also includes getting approval from the consulate. i asked him if this applied to service animals and he said it did, although typically those animals are out of the domain of rules that applies to regular pets. what the hell kind of crazy rule is this now? he said the entire set of rules would not be posted for several days since it just was handed down in the last day or so. please post it if you see if before i do. thankfully, my two perros are already here but i guess they won’t be going back any time soon.

    #169770
    Larrythehat
    Member

    I am planning on returning to Costa Rica with my 2 dogs in the next month. When I saw this post I wasn’t sure how it was going to effect my trip. I called the Costa Rican consulate and spoke to a lady who told me it was not true and the only information I should believe is what is on their website. http://www.costarica-embassy.org. For what it’s worth.

    #169771
    maravilla
    Member

    i also spoke to the USDA and they didn’t know anything about this NEW law, but even according to Continental, it is so new nobody knows about it yet, but i find it a little unbelievable that we have to hire a broker to get our pets through customs.

    #169772
    GreciaBound
    Member

    Should be interesting to find our if this is a HOAX.

    #169773
    maravilla
    Member

    continental didn’t think it was a hoax.

    #169774
    DavidCMurray
    Participant

    Can someone please summarize what this is all about? I’ve read all the foregoing and am confuseder than ever.

    Are we talking about new rules for importing pets to Costa Rica? Or are we talking about importing pets to the U.S.? If the former, why would one consult the USDA? If the latter, why would one consult “the consulate”? And which consulate is that?

    And what is a “broker”? Is that someone in the business of transporting live animals internationally or something else?

    #169775
    maravilla
    Member

    it’s about importing pets to CR. having a broker bring the dog through customs. paying the CR consulate for stamps that were never needed before. the CDC is in charge of pets coming FROM costa rica into the US. they apparently don’t insist on any kind of paperwork except prooof of rabies, but you must check with the state you are flying into to see what their requirements are. you have always needed a broker if you were shipping animals through cargo on a different flight than yours. plus the vet here, blah blah blha. i guess we will just have to wait and see how it all settles because if this is the case, it is going to be a great big fat hassle to travel with pets, whether they are in the cabin or not. and i don’t see what the heck the Embassy has to do with any of it.

    #169776
    Larrythehat
    Member

    [quote=”maravilla”]it’s about importing pets to CR. having a broker bring the dog through customs. paying the CR consulate for stamps that were never needed before. the CDC is in charge of pets coming FROM costa rica into the US. they apparently don’t insist on any kind of paperwork except prooof of rabies, but you must check with the state you are flying into to see what their requirements are. you have always needed a broker if you were shipping animals through cargo on a different flight than yours. plus the vet here, blah blah blha. i guess we will just have to wait and see how it all settles because if this is the case, it is going to be a great big fat hassle to travel with pets, whether they are in the cabin or not. and i don’t see what the heck the Embassy has to do with any of it.[/quote]
    Well I hadn’t planned on getting into a pissing contest with all the full time geniuses on this forum who seem to be experts on every topic. But if Costa Rica passed a new law regarding travel to Costa Rica, don’t you think the Costa Rican Embassy would know about it?

    #169777
    GreciaBound
    Member

    Good luck with that. Not everything is logical, and CR is no exception.

    #169778
    maravilla
    Member

    well, guess what, larrythehat, the CR embassy DOESN’T know anything about it because first i looked on their website and then i called them in DC. they are clueless.

    #169779
    costaricafinca
    Participant

    If you are flying from Costa Rica one must contact the US Embassy for info on a broker. So, [i]I would presume[/i], that if one was flying to Canada, one would contact the Canadian Embassy…

    #169780
    maravilla
    Member

    this all seems totally ridiculous to me. i can’t believe i am going to need a broker to bring in my dogs who are “certified support dogs.” but hey, i’ve been wrong before. this must just be some money-making gimmick.

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