Cat to Canada

RE: Cat to Canada

Edward Jones — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 16:14:25 GMT

Having been burnt before I must admit I don't engage with exports much anymore. From a selfish point of view, they're not likely to be a client worth much.

I take the view that yes, I can apply the necessary treatments and sign the necessary forms, but you need to employ the services of a dedicated company to manage your export.

RE: Cat to Canada

Chris Milligan — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 15:25:43 GMT

[quote user="Thomas Johnson"]My assumption has always been that they've already got all the disease we've got here![/quote]

that was my assumption too but actually there's a fair few things the UK has that Canada doesn't (and vice versa). Lepto is virtually unheard of but because of all the damp and rotting trees that BC is basically made of Cryptococcus infections are very common.

RE: Cat to Canada

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 09:44:11 GMT

[quote user="Thomas Johnson"]My assumption has always been that they've already got all the disease we've got here![/quote]+1. But then China which probably has even more diseases has some of the most draconian import requirements.

RE: Cat to Canada

Thomas Johnson — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 09:25:22 GMT

[quote user="Julie Innes"]Thanks Chris, it does seem like Canada is particularly lax, quite hard for me to get my head round, especially when I have spent the last few months laboriously making my way through checklists for clients taking their animals to Australia and NZ, total headache! [/quote]

My assumption has always been that they've already got all the disease we've got here!

RE: Cat to Canada

Julie Innes — Sat, 28 Oct 2017 17:49:35 GMT

Thanks Chris, it does seem like Canada is particularly lax, quite hard for me to get my head round, especially when I have spent the last few months laboriously making my way through checklists for clients taking their animals to Australia and NZ, total headache!

I'm much happier now I have spoken to the sister. I don't think the lady travelling has ever taken her cat anywhere before, and her mental health doesn't seem great, but her sister seems to be quite clued up and is taking charge of everything, so I'm happy to do the fit-to-fly letter and rabies shot.

RE: Cat to Canada

Chris Milligan — Sat, 28 Oct 2017 06:43:29 GMT

Being a vet in Canada and having shipped my own cats this way several years ago...

Canada has a particularly lax and inconsistent protocol on shipping animals of all sorts but especially cats. The only requirement in reality is whether or not they've had a rabies vaccination - even the other vaccines are not important. Fit to fly certificates are advised by DEFRA for travel to Canada but the authorities at the airports don't bother checking anything and your client may have realised this if she's traveled in before. Cats are permitted as hand luggage on most flights to Canada.

If you're not comfortable with shipping animals my default is to refer them to another vet experienced in pet travel in any circumstance as you don't want the blowback. Truth be told she will probably just turn up, board the flight and everything will be fine without any veterinary paperwork. Canadian pet immigration is endlessly frustrating - our emergency clinic is close to Vancouver airport and the 3am arrivals from the Philippines with weird neurological symptoms and no rabies vaccines are a real treat I can tell you.

RE: Cat to Canada

Rob Loxley — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 19:33:22 GMT

[quote user="Julie Innes"]it seems it's as easy for cats to get to Canada as it is young veterinary graduates!![/quote]

and all the mice taste of maple syrup!

RE: Cat to Canada

Julie Innes — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 18:58:34 GMT

This was exactly my worry, Martin! I explained to the lady that I really didn't want her early-onset dementia sister getting to the airport with her cat and being told there was a problem- I couldn't see her handling that well at all. In this case it seems I produce a fit-to-fly letter (although given that the cat isn't microchipped and apparently that makes no difference, I would consider the fit-to-fly pretty worthless, but that's not my problem! I will describe the cat to the best of my abilities!) and jab the cat and let them get on with it. The sister has taken full responsibility for any problems, and it seems like there are no authorities involved at all- it seems it's as easy for cats to get to Canada as it is young veterinary graduates!!

RE: Cat to Canada

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 17:10:02 GMT

[quote user="Julie Innes"]I have agreed to produce a fit-to-fly letter and give the cat a rabies shot, and she has agreed that I am in no way taking any responsibility for the ultimate export of the cat! Feel a lot happier about it having spoken to someone rational![/quote]Just be careful all the i's are dotted and the t's crossed. I had a call from APHA this morning saying I shouldn't have signed the export certificate because it was not issued directly to me. I should have called them first and they probably would have given authorisation so in the end it would have made no difference but this has made me even more determined not to assist in these situations if I'm not 100% happy even if everything is apparently above board.

At least your fitness to travel is easier and it is not your responsibility if the client is not complying with import regulations regarding the rabies vaccine.

RE: Cat to Canada

Julie Innes — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 14:57:30 GMT

All sorted! Sister in Canada called me this morning and we had a chat. She had sent me the wrong form (which I couldn't certify) and has explained the transport arrangements for the cat are all taken care of re carriers/ flight etc. So I have agreed to produce a fit-to-fly letter and give the cat a rabies shot, and she has agreed that I am in no way taking any responsibility for the ultimate export of the cat! Feel a lot happier about it having spoken to someone rational!

RE: Cat to Canada

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 10:36:42 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]Cannot think of much worse than having a yapping dog in the cabin for hours but then I have never flown with a budget airline![/quote]A screaming child? I doubt budget airlines would allow pets in the cabin anyway so you're more likely to get them on a mainstream carrier.

Sorry, I know this is hijacking the thread but I've never found budget airlines cheaper anyway when I'm taking luggage especially with skis after they've added all the extras they are usually more. SWISS take skis + boots for free, you get amazing service and free Swiss choccy!!

RE: Cat to Canada

Bob Russell — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 10:21:47 GMT

As a bit of an aside, there are carriers (airlines) in Europe that do allow certain pets to fly in the cabin.

Small dogs/cats can travel on Air France for example but as far as I am aware this is not acceptable for those flying into or out of the UK.

I am not sure that it is allowed on transatlantic routes.

Cannot think of much worse than having a yapping dog in the cabin for hours but then I have never flown with a budget airline!

RE: Cat to Canada

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 09:57:53 GMT

[quote user="Julie Innes"]my worry is that I don't feel that this client is particularly capable of making sure she has everything in place- for example, is she aware about any specifications for the cat-carrier, and I'm not to deal directly with her at all, according to the sister's instructions.[/quote]Once again its not your problem so don't worry about it life is too short it is all the client's responsibility. Thomas is right about the certificate of fitness to travel and that is all you need to do but this is more about dealing with an unreasonable client only with a big trap for you if you do anything that is not seen to be completely above board.

The Chinese client who I mentioned in my previous post rocked up with 6 pups on one appointment and I was about to tell him this was not possible when it turned out there was only one puppy that required an export certificate, all the other's already had one but its still took over half an hour to sort it out. It was all a bit fishy from the start, and that included the puppys' smell, but so long as the piece of paper I signed was in order its not my problem if they're doing dodgy business and it all goes tits up for them.

I may go out of my way to help a regular client but these are not the sort of people who are likely to listen to reasonable advice and in my case there was a huge language barrier as well. I had to write out the declaration the pup was born in the UK for him and get him to sign it as he didn't even know he had to have one as he couldn't/didn't read to requirements.

RE: Cat to Canada

Julie Innes — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 09:18:44 GMT

[quote user="Thomas Johnson"]You are being completely reasonable in turning this down if you don't feel the client is going to do things properly. However for a straightforward export there may be no need to involve APHA or a pet trransporter, I have done several exports to the USA where all I have done is provide a fit to fly certificate for the owner, and the owner has bought a suitable carrier and booked directly with the airline. If you've any questions about the requirements then call the APHA office at Carlisle as they deal with all exports.[/quote]

Thanks, Thomas. I did look, and was quite surprised how few requirements there were (I have another client at the moment who is exporting 2 dogs to Australia, and another exporting a dog and a cat to NZ, nightmare!), but my worry is that I don't feel that this client is particularly capable of making sure she has everything in place- for example, is she aware about any specifications for the cat-carrier, and I'm not to deal directly with her at all, according to the sister's instructions. I helped a client export 3 dogs and a cat to Canada last year, but she was very well organised, and I felt happy that she understood her responsibilities regarding the process. I'm really not sure this client does.

RE: Cat to Canada

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 09:04:20 GMT

[quote user="Julie Innes"]Am I being unreasonable in turning down this client's request/ directing her elsewhere?[/quote]Absolutely not, I would have nothing to to do with them, I cannot see how in any way it can be your fault unless you sign something which is not valid which you're correctly not prepared to do so what repercussions can there be? Just record all of this in the clinical notes.

We had a client turn up yesterday with a runty French Bulldog being exported to Tawain the same day. The microchip number didn't match the one on the export certificate (which incidentally had not been issued directly to me). He then said its got two chips and on a second scan I found the one that matched the certificate. He wanted me to change the number on the certificate which I refused to do but agreed to endorse the back of the passport to say it had 2 chips and recorded the number of the second.

RE: Cat to Canada

Thomas Johnson — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 09:03:07 GMT

[quote user="Julie Innes"]

I have e-mailed the client's sister back stating that I am unwilling to assist in this export/ import, as I'm unfamiliar with the way they are doing it (I usually communicate with the pet transporter, the client and DEFRA. I've looked at guidelines, and it does appear that the only requirements for entering Canada are a fit-to-fly certificate and a rabies vacc/ rabies free letter. My worry is that this lady will just turn up for her flight with the cat in tow waving a piece of paper, and I have the feeling that if anything goes wrong with this scenario it will quickly be my fault...

Am I being unreasonable in turning down this client's request/ directing her elsewhere?

[/quote]

You are being completely reasonable in turning this down if you don't feel the client is going to do things properly. However for a straightforward export there may be no need to involve APHA or a pet trransporter, I have done several exports to the USA where all I have done is provide a fit to fly certificate for the owner, and the owner has bought a suitable carrier and booked directly with the airline. If you've any questions about the requirements then call the APHA office at Carlisle as they deal with all exports.