Wyndham Wisdom
Have Pet - Will Travel
By Charyn Pfeuffer
Last January, I adopted a puppy from the rural highlands of Guatemala. Her name was "Manchas" (we now call her "Mimi") and the blue-spotted puppy had been brought into the animal rescue center where I was volunteering after abuse and threat of poisoning.
Forever the optimist, I adhere to a "Where there's a will, there's a way" mentality. So I didn't put much thought into how exactly I was going to get the four-month old emaciated, mange-ridden beast back to the United States.
I scrambled to get Mimi vaccinated, file necessary documents with the U.S. Embassy in Antigua, find a TSA-approved crate, finagle a hostel to allow a four-legged guest, and hire a driver to take us from Sumpango to Guatemala City.
Had I had access to reliable internet (it was an hour-and-a-half and two chicken busses o the closest internet café), these pet travel logistics would've been much easier. Yet somehow, I managed to make it all happen - in less than 72 hours.
This whirlwind experience made me think about pets and travel, beyond my usual scope of don't leave the dog in a too-hot car in the grocery store parking lot and stop for regular potty and water breaks on long road trips. I'm sure I'm not the only bleeding heart who's wanted to bring home a street animal from their travels. Let me enable you - it was far easier than I expected and many international animal rescue centers and shelters will ship cats and dogs to the states for far less than it costs to buy a purebred animal.
Whether you're headed for a weekend getaway, embarking on a long road trip, or want to take your sidekick in fur someplace that requires air travel, here are a few quick resources to help get ready.
• If you want to bring a cat, dog or bird into the United States, visit www.cbp.gov for specific requirements.
• If you want to take Fido on your next getaway, visit www.bringfido.com for pet-friendly hotels. Before you hit the highway (or the skyway), visit www.pettravel.com, which has resources for air, car, train and ferry travel with your pet. Dogfriendly.com also offers comprehensive travel guides covering destinations across the United States.
