[nagdu] Accessible Europe

Ginger Kutsch GingerKutsch at yahoo.com
Fri Jun 10 15:01:11 UTC 2011


Hi Cheryl,

The current requirements for entering Hawaii with a guide dog are very
different from what is posted on the NAGDU Web site -- hopefully the info on
the site can be updated soon. Things change so often that it is difficult to
keep up with it all!  

Anyway, some of the more substantial changes in the current requirements
include: 

*The Hawaii Department of Agriculture no longer requires 2 OIE-FAVN blood
tests prior to departure, now they only require one.  
*There is no longer a 120-day waiting period from the date of a successful
blood test. You are now free to bring your dog to Hawaii as soon as you get
the test results back from the Kansas State Rabies Lab.
*The Hawaii Department of Agriculture no longer requires one final OIE-FAVN
blood sample upon arrival in Hawaii.
*The standard health certificate must show that your vet treated your dog
with a tick preventative within 14 days of your arrival.

There's more but the best thing to do is to work directly with the Hawaiian
Department of Agriculture  if you plan to bring your guide dog to the
island. I have found them to be most helpful. And, if you send your records
ahead of time, it really speeds things up when you go thru inspection. 

Their contact info is:
 
Telephone (808) 483-7151
FAX (808) 483-7161
E-mail:  rabiesfree at hawaii.gov

HTH,

Ginger 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of cheryl echevarria
Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2011 10:53 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Accessible Europe

Ginger that is the exact information that I had posted.

But thank you again.

Leading the Way in Independent Travel!

Cheryl Echevarria
http://www.echevarriatravel.com<http://www.echevarriatravel.com/>
631-456-5394
reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com>

Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel CST-1018299-10

Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Absolute Cruise & Travel, Inc.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ginger Kutsch<mailto:GingerKutsch at yahoo.com> 
  To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog
Users'<mailto:nagdu at nfbnet.org> 
  Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2011 10:31 AM
  Subject: Re: [nagdu] Accessible Europe


  Dear Cheryl:

  The guidelines posted below for Hawaii are *very outdated. The current
  guidelines can be found at:

 
http://hawaii.gov/hdoa/ai/aqs/guide-service-dogs-entering-hawai-i<http://haw
aii.gov/hdoa/ai/aqs/guide-service-dogs-entering-hawai-i> 

  Best,

  Ginger

  Original Message-----
  From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org>
[mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
  Of cheryl echevarria
  Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2011 8:50 AM
  To: cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com<mailto:cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
  Subject: [nagdu] Accessible Europe

  Many people have been asking me about traveling to Europe for accessible
  travel.

  Well as many of us know the only thing wrong with us blind people is that
we
  are blind, most of our other parts work like our ears and our legs. Some
  might need wheelchair accessibility.

  This article is primarily for those. Also if you are on dialysis and
  traveling, you have to plan way earlier then those who do not need it,
just
  to find dialysis locations.

  As well as if you are traveling with your guide dog.  Some Countries do
not
  need much, just a certified USDA Veterinarian letter that has his stamp on
  it with all the recent vaccinations on them, some still have quarantine
such
  as Australia. Also, I just recently found out Barbados in the Caribbean.

  For me to help those that are traveling anywhere, I am still learning
myself
  what the accessibility in that country is for you.

  Let us remember especially traveling abroad to countries and cities and
  landmarks that were created during the biblical times, like the Pyramids
of
  Giza, you will not find elevators or other assistance to enter them, but
the
  Egyptian Museum you can.

  I will be giving some advice below so whenever you call in the future we
can
  arrange alternatives for you to do in that country, but mostly this has to
  do with wheelchair accessibility and guide dog users, for those who use a
  cane and are well enough to travel, there will be some information as
well.

  Let us start off with the guide dogs.

  Many people have asked me, which country allows guide dogs and which ones
  don't, big question. I generally answer, are you planning on traveling and
  to where and we can discuss that place you are going to and what is needed
  to bring the dog. 

  For places within the United States realm including Puerto Rico and
Hawaii.
  Follow the accessible laws

  Pertaining to Hawaii, and I am going by the NAGDU (National Association of
  Guide Dog Users website) and if this has changed I will be asking at the
  National Convention of the National Federation of the Blind in July. 

  HAWAII

  THE HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS THE PORT OF ENTRY FOR ALL DOGS AND
  CATS ENTERING HAWAII. THIS INCLUDES GUIDE DOGS AND SERVICE DOGS.

  GUIDE DOGS AND SERVICE DOGS THAT MEET THE FOLLOWING DEFINITIONS CAN COME
  INTO HAWAII WITHOUT QUARANTINE PROVIDED THEY FOLLOW THE STEPS OUTLINED
  BELOW. "Guide dog" means any dog individually trained by a licensed guide
  dog trainer for guiding a blind person by means of a harness attached to
the
  dog and a rigid handle grasped by the person. "Service dog" means any dog
  that is individually and professionally trained to: alert a person with
  impaired hearing to the presence of people or sounds; assist a person with
  disabilities involving mobility by pulling a wheelchair, retrieving
dropped
  items, or otherwise aiding the user in accomplishing a variety of tasks;
  alert a person with a seizure disorder to the onset of a seizure or to
alert
  another person or organization at a remote location to the seizure; or
alert
  a person to an impending life-threatening medical crisis and assist in
  mitigating the consequences of such a crisis; and that belongs to a
citizen
  of the United States with a disability that substantially limits a major
  life activity.

  KEY POINTS FOR QUALIFYING AS A SERVICE DOG OR AN EXEMPTED GUIDE DOG
  - The dog must have current rabies vaccination. (Documentation of the
  vaccination must include the product name, the lot or serial number, and
the
  expiration date of the lot.)
  - The dog must have a microchip implanted that can be read with an Avid
  scanner (Avid or Home Again chip).
  - Prior to arrival the dog must have passed two OIE-FAVN tests with a
level
  of 0.51.U. rabies antibody or greater. The time interval between the tests
  must have been at least 30 days. The laboratory will not perform the tests
  unless the microchip number accompanies the test request form.
  - The dog must have a standard health certificate issued not more than 14
  days prior to arrival in Hawaii.
  - For a service dog, there must be a physician's statement which certifies
  as to the disability, and that the service dog provides assistance having
to
  do with that disability.
  - The Animal Quarantine Branch must receive notification at least 24 hours
  in advance of arrival information and location where the dog will be
  staying. Information can be faxed to 808-483-7161 or telephoned to
  808-837-8092.
  - On arrival in Hawaii, the dog must be brought by the airline to the
  Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility for verification of compliance
  with the above requirements, the dog examined for external parasites, and
a
  final OIE-FAVN sample taken.
  - If all is in order, the dog will be released at that point.

  Puerto Rico to my knowledge follows all ADA of allowance of guide dogs, I
  have taken my dog to Puerto Rico with no problems whatsoever, since also
  dear husband is also from Puerto Rico.

  But we are talking Europe

  All depends on the country, most allow dogs period anywhere with them in
  stores, restaurants, etc. If we are talking middle east and I mean Muslim
  countries, I wouldn't take them.

  My ex-husband is from Egypt and they are very modern, have dogs, but not
in
  the house, kept outside, but love dogs.

  But in general not allowed access to anything. That is there religion and
we
  should respect that, that being said our country in the US, is full of all
  races and religions, and the law should be observed here and any country
  that you visit.

  Accessibility is all that you make of it, myself I go on the regular tours
  whether or not I take my dog. I have been to Puerto Rico, The Bahamas, St.
  Thomas, St. Maarten, Canada. I will be going this year to Cancun, we are
  planning group trips to Egypt in 2013, 2012 we are planning various
cruises
  groups.  So I hope you will take advantage of traveling with others first
it
  is enjoyable meeting others, and second there will be others like you who
  may have never been on a trip like this.

  If you want to go on your own that is wonderful as well.

  More will be coming in the future. Send questions and I can post to an
  e-mail with a reply to it.

  Take care, and keep cool 
  Leading the Way in Independent Travel!

  Cheryl Echevarria
 
http://www.echevarriatravel.com<http://www.echevarriatravel.com/<http://www.
echevarriatravel.com%3chttp//www.echevarriatravel.com/>>
  631-456-5394
 
reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com<m
ailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com%3Cmailto:reservations at echevarriatrav
el.com>>

  Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel
CST-1018299-10

  Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Absolute Cruise & Travel,
Inc.
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