[nagdu] [Travelandtourism] Service dog?

Tue Jan 15 14:01:38 UTC 2013

Good morning all this question came in on Travel & Tourism and I am sharing my response all on NAGDU, since it is in reference to guide dogs.
Good morning Mike:
Cheryl Echevarria here I will be glad to answer these questions for you, knowing most of the answers being with NAGDU and also owning my own travel agency and answering and getting giving information to my clients when traveling and also telling them when they need certain things from there vets.
First question you asked:  
Does anyone know if the US Justice Department has change the rules regarding the following:
1. The only thing you can be asked is what service or task does the dog do for you.
Answer: Yes that is correctThey are not allowed to ask for ID unless it is in an airline:  
Answer: In the airports and on the Airlines it is the Air Carrier Act and not the ADA that this falls under. If you are traveling as far as I know, now they are not allowed. That being said if you are traveling and you are stopped by a TSA Agent that I did in Orlando after the 2010 National Convention, please ask to speak to a supervisor, because they tried and NAGDU actually had that year the TSA Manager of the Orlando Airport speaking at the meeting, I got the persons name that was giving me a hard time. I contacted President Marion Gwizdala of NAGDU and he gave me the phone number of the TSA Agent.
No you do not have to sign a form stating you understand there service animal rules.
A service animal does not have to be in hardware in our case a harness from the guide dog school and some guide dog users use there own harnesses as well.  What they must be is tethered to you in some way: Example: On a leash - The Guide Dog School that I graduated from is the Guide Dog Foundation here in Long Island, NY where I am from, and they teach leash guiding should the harness break on you, which mine did and I had to get another one, or when I am walking around my block etc. I don't put the harness on, I leash guide him.
But short answer Mike is the dog must be on a leash and not run around free.
Now when cruising and you posted Carnival in this case.
When cruising anywhere you need a USDA Health Certificate, which you must ask the vet you see if the do them, some do not, but if they don't they will know one who is.  Depending on the country you are cruising to and not all countries will allow service animals into there country from the US. Such countries are Jamaica, Barbados, FIJI as of right now, those are the ones I am aware of.  This doesn't if you are going to these countries that you can leave your dog in the room, the cruise lines have become very strict with this, so think before you cruise.  You could be asked to leave the cruise and find your own way home from that destination.  They have done it to people who refused to take the Muster Drills (Life Boat Drills). 
But you also need this document when you are flying outside the country and also to Hawaii, they used to have a quarantine policy but they still require the USDA Health Certificate. 
So when cruising, you must either let you travel agent know or let the cruise line know you are bringing your dog, that way they have a nice box for the dog to go there business in, and also they need prior to sailing a fax copy of the USDA Health Certificate.  You must also carry this with you prior to boarding when you show your ID as well, they will make a copy of it and give it to you, and also when you are at your destination. Example: We travel to the Bahamas a lot on cruising from NY, and Maxx has been there at least 3 times and each time a customs officer has asked to see our paperwork.
In Bermuda though, when I went in October and I will be going again in April with the NFB of New Jersey, that the customs officers come on the ship before they let anyone off the ship, to bring your dog to see it and bring a copy of the forms. Also people who are not from the US sailing on the ship must go to the meet and greet just to show that they are on the cruise.
Carnival is wrong about a lot of stuff. Again, Carnival is the Cruise line they may only need a copy of the shot records, but not for the country of entry.
I am going to say also some countries need permits to enter as well in the case of Bermuda and Bahamas you need to contact the Department of Agriculture of the countries you are visiting and go through the husbandry department and see if there country needs it, 9 out of 10 yes you will. Most countries will state how long in advance you need to see the vet, some say anytime since the Health Certificate is good for 1 year, but some may say, we need it 10 days prior to entry into that country, this does not mean 10 days prior to cruising.  If your cruise leaves on the 13th of the month and you will not be in the Bahamas until the 16, it is then 10 days prior to the 16th and not the 13th.
I also want to let all know who are reading this.  I do a monthly internet radio show on the thruoureyes.org WTOE Radio Network, a program run by the Northeast Chapter of the NFB of New Jersey. called the Echevarria Travel Show, it is the 1st Wednesday of the month at 8PM Eastern, I also have past shows on my website www.echevarriatravel.com, I have had the different cruise lines on the shows, and I always ask about guide dogs, and in March since we will be in Washington, D.C. the first week of February, I will be having my friend who does tours of Israel on my show, he specializes in tours for people with special needs and has done many tours with the blind.
So stayed turned for that. I will post when we get closer to the date.
I hope this as answered most of your questions if not, please ask or post again.
Thank you.
Cheryl Echevarria, PresidentNFB Travel & Tourism Division
Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY State
Leading the Way in Independent Travel!SNG Certified - Accessible Travel Advocate!Cheryl Echevarria, Ownerhttp://www.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations@echevarriatravel.comhttp://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com2012 Norwegian Cruise Line University Advisory Board Member.
Affiliated as an independent contractor with Montrose TravelCST - #1018299-10Echevarria Travel and proud member of the National Federation of the Blind will be holding a year round fundraiser for the http://www.NFBNY.org after Hurricane Sandy and other resources. Any vacation package booked between November 6 2012-November 6, 2013 and vacation must be traveled no later than 12/30/2014 a percentage of my earnings will go to the affiliate.  Also is you book a Sandals for couples or Beaches for families and friends resorts vacation, $100.00 per booking will go to the affiliate as well.  You do not need to be a member of the NFB.org, just book through us.