[nagdu] Report on my travels to Mexico with Loyal

[cheryl echevarria]

Ioana:
Nice Story, if I had known you were going to Mexico, I would have been glad to help with your search, I send many people who are guide dog users to Mexico, and I think this information is also listed on the NAGDU website.
You have to also remember in Mexico and other countries what you expect to be there, like paved side walks and trees every place or bushes where dogs go busy, may not be what you are used to.
In fact at GDF, our dogs are trained to go on cement and then we clean it up or in the streets.  I don't know if all schools are like this.
First it is easier to clean up, and second you (meaning people that live there or possible a garden in the area) where they don't want dogs to go and do there business.
In Mexico, they may be nervous and scared, because dogs run wild in Mexico, some are homeless, some are mean and viscous.  But, again Mexico doesn't have the same access laws as the US.
We all must remember this when we are traveling outside our own country, what if any are the laws.
FYI, most paperwork for importing pets, meaning guide dogs as well, is under the department of agriculture of that country.
Hopes this helps in the way of others going to Mexico or outside the US.
 

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Cheryl Echevarria
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> From: sparklylicious at gmail.com
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:14:51 -0700
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Report on my travels to Mexico with Loyal
> 
> Ioana,
> Great to hear about your fantastic and successful trip with your dog!
> All the best, Hannah and Princess
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Ioana Gandrabur
> Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 3:44 PM
> To: NFBnet NAGDU NFBnet NAGDU Mailing List
> Subject: [nagdu] Report on my travels to Mexico with Loyal
> 
> Hello everyone,
> 
> Hope my message finds you well and spring is giving you a nice energy boost.
> Some time ago I received valuable insight from the list about traveling to
> Mexico with my guide dog and I thought I would give you an update on how it
> went.
> I found after some searching the official website of the Mexican embassy
> about importing pets. Meeting all their requirements made the control at the
> airport very smooth. Took about 20 minutes. 
> Here is the link for anyone interested:
> http://embamex.sre.gob.mx/canada_eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=artic
> le&id=3938&Itemid=41
> My biggest concern was that they officially do not allow you to bring your
> own food. I found out about stores that carry Loyal<s food but brought mine
> anyway and they made an exception. BUt they recommend that you bring the
> food in original packaging for even better chances of success.
> Now about the trip itself, I stayed in 3 hotels and went to many restaurants
> and never had an access issue. This might have something to do with the fact
> that I was traveling with an official team of the music festival organizers.
> I have to say that most room service people were scared of Loyal and very
> hesitant to come in the room when we were there, even when he was on leash.
> Loyal was incredible! Stayed through hours of judging an international
> competition pretty much without a sound. Best news for me was that he stayed
> backstage without wining when I performed my concerts. I hope it will stay
> that way and not that he was too tired to care. I think that the fact that I
> brought his mat everywhere I performed might have helped to make him feel
> safe.
> It is in any case good to know that he can deal with long days of teaching
> judging in competitions and ending with concerts where he has to be quiet
> and after concert late dinners. Poor dog did not get much walking but I made
> sure we played a bit but he was too tired even to play too much at the end
> of a long day.
> Guiding was outstanding on almost non-existent sidewalks at time. No
> relieving issues either although often there was just cement available. In
> time the other participants of the festival learned to trust his guiding and
> stopped freaking out at any potential difficulty like over-heads or stairs. 
> He ended up being the mascot of the festival and got quite some publicity
> even on tv. 
> 
> Flying went ok but given that I had 7 hours wait time I made sure I could
> relieve him twice and actually fed him since the trip took 20 hours.
> Well, hope this helps someone and thanks for following my story about our
> adventures.
> 
> Take care,
> 
> Ioana
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