[NAGDU] Adding a service dog to an international trip

Mon Feb 27 00:27:54 UTC 2023

Melissa, thanks for your input. I just traveled back from Hawaii. The 
Dept. of Ag (Rabies Quarantine) is pretty straight forward, but there is 
more paperwork involved. Where I have run into issues is with the 
airlines as they are a little gun shy. They have been so loose in 
letting animals fly to Hawaii in the past and then passengers finds out 
about Quarantine. It makes for a very uncomfortable situation. I'm sure 
the airlines get fined and they have to deal with the passenger and the 
pet (either quarantine them or send pet and passenger back).  That is 
the key word "Pet". Guide Dogs have their own rules and Rabies 
Quarantine is great as long as you get paperwork in prior. I usually 
start the process 2 -3 months (Titer test)  before I travel. Submit 
paperwork 1 month early and then get Health Certificate not more than 2 
weeks prior to flight. Two weeks ago, it was a 1 minute check in with 
Rabies Quarantine and then on to getting my shorts on and a beverage 
with funny umbrellas stuck in them! Like I mentioned, Guide dogs are 
treated very different. It's the airlines that do not know the 
difference and make it confusing.

On 2/26/2023 12:14 PM, Melissa Allman via NAGDU wrote:
> Hi everybody. I just wanted to jump in and clarify a couple of things. If you're going to visit one EU country for a 10-day trip for example, you need the USDA EU health certificate, not the EU pet passport. The passport is for specific circumstances like if you are an EU resident or perhaps are going to be traveling around the EU for a while. Here is some information from the USDA about the EU passport.
> https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel/by-country/eu/pet_travel-european_union_pet_passports#:~:text=The%20purpose%20of%20the%20EU%20Pet%20Passport%20is,before%20or%20after%20the%20owner%20or%20designated%20person%2A%29.
>
> We did observe a glitch once with United where the option to add a service animal did not appear there and a call to the accessibility desk was needed. For international travel though, there is more at play. If you're traveling to a rabies free country and you're trying to add the service animal, United may want proof of the USDA certificate before they add the dog. I can definitely understand it would be nerve-racking if you haven't received your USDA certificate within the 48 hours in advance of flight required for submitting the DOT form. I would think if that timing gets tight, asking for a reasonable accommodation either from the accessibility desk or at the airport (worst case) would be in order and asking for a CRO if the airline does not work with you.
>
> United's site does indeed say you have to call the accessibility desk to add your dog for international travel which I realize is a pain. It says, "For international flights and flights to or from Hawaii and Guam: We require the U.S. Department of Transportation Air Transportation Service Animal Training and Behavior Attestation Form and, if applicable, the Relief Form to be completed and carried with you when you travel. Contact the United Accessibility desk at 1-800-228-2744 in advance of your travel date to add your service dog to your trip."
> https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/special-needs/disabilities/assistance-animals.html
>
> I'd be curious if anyone has had to navigate that timing issue when adding a service animal and traveling to a rabies free country, or anywhere else for that matter. I'd also love to know if you flew United and traveled internationally and had no issues because the dog was part of your frequent flier profile already.
>
> Thanks everybody.
>
> Melissa
>
> Melissa Allman
> Senior Specialist, Advocacy and Government Relations
> The Seeing Eye
> P.O. Box 375, Morristown, NJ 07963-0375 (mail)
> 1 Seeing Eye Way, Morristown, NJ 07960-3378 (deliveries)
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>
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>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione via NAGDU
> Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2023 1:31 PM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users' <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net>
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Adding a service dog to an international trip
>
> Right, I've been there before.  But I read it again just now, and it seems to say that some yahoo at the "accessibility" desk has to add my animal.  I have gone to the trip details and tried to add him myself, but there's no option to do so. I gather you have not had these issues.  They want me to feel special.
>
> I spoke to Melisa Allman, the advocacy person at TSE, and, along with other advice, she told me that sometimes that link just doesn't show up, and someone has to argue with United until they add the dog.  But I guess I have to wait until I have my passport until they might even think of doing that, though, as I've said before, I get different answers from different agents.
> The very least the airlines could do is train people is this nonsense.
> Tracy
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bryan Gearry via NAGDU
> Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2023 12:33 PM
> To: Tracy Carcione via NAGDU
> Cc: Bryan Gearry
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Adding a service dog to an international trip
>
> I just went on United's web site. There is a link to attach the DOT forms. As a precaution, I always carry a hard copy of these forms....just in case. Here is the link to the page which has the forms and tells you how to attach them to your ticket:
> https://us-west-2.protection.sophos.com?d=united.com&u=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudW5pdGVkLmNvbS91YWwvZW4vdXMvZmx5L3RyYXZlbC9zcGVjaWFsLW5lZWRzL2Rpc2FiaWxpdGllcy9hc3Npcw==&i=NjI1ZDgxMTcwOTJkZmIxMTY4Yjg5YmVj&t=TjBtZjdGdjVmZ3NNTXdSZTZOR0U0ZkdNdVIvNmlWNlZHc3czaGtURUJrQT0=&h=db20c508590140549181876c6cc45431&s=AVNPUEhUT0NFTkNSWVBUSVbhg2ccKTTmDzPWPipY7ki5gHWxWWA-XVK0a7HioI1KmA
> tance-animals.html
>
> On 2/26/2023 8:17 AM, Tracy Carcione via NAGDU wrote:
>> Thanks Bryan.
>> No, we're not going into Northern Ireland, which makes things less
> complicated.  But Ireland requires the pet passport.
>> I filled out the DOT forms, but United has no way for me to add a
>> service
> animal to my trip and upload the forms.  One person at their disability desk said I'd be able to do that after I show them I have the passport.  Another said to just show up with the forms at the airport, which would be my very last choice.
>> When were you able to upload your DOT forms to your Netherlands trip?
> Maybe it's different for you, since you previously took a US trip, so they already have the forms?
>> I'm sorry to hear going to Hawaii is more complicated than going to
>> the
> EU.  We'd like to go some time.
>> It's nice to hear another international traveler's experience.
>> Tracy
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bryan
>> Gearry
> via NAGDU
>> Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2023 11:54 AM
>> To: Tracy Carcione via NAGDU
>> Cc: Bryan Gearry
>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Adding a service dog to an international trip
>>
>> Tracy, next week I'm traveling to the Netherlands from Alaska with my
>> Guide Dog. The big question is....are you staying in Ireland or
>> visiting Norther Ireland (UK)?  Big difference. You probably can't go
>> to Norther Ireland (UK) as it is a non EU country. I have never needed
>> a pet passport for any of my Guide Dogs. I think that has something to
>> do with import/export issues. You do have to have a USDA (federal) vet sign off.
>> There are requirements for that.. As far as DOT, there are 2 forms.
>> One that the dog is identified ,make sure the chip is for
>> international and the other form says the animal will behave on the
>> plane, no barking,biting, peeing, and pooping. United might have their
>> own travel documents however. United should have a link on their web
>> site that takes you to those forms. I just came back from Hawaii and
>> it is much more complicated to travel there than the EU. Good luck.
>> Have a great trip.  Bryan
>>
>> On 2/24/2023 9:41 AM, Tracy Carcione via NAGDU wrote:
>>> I got some help from TSE about how to add my dog to my trip with
>>> United
> to
>>> Ireland.  I followed all the steps, but there is no option to add an
> animal,
>>> at least not yet.  I have spoken to United disability services, who
>>> have given me 2 answers about adding my dog, both of which seemed to
>>> say that,
> at
>>> best, I can't add Igloo until I get his passport, which may or may
>>> not be within the 2-day window for adding a service dog to a trip.
>>>
>>> So far as I'm concerned, the passport and the DOT forms have no
>>> relationship, but United imagines they do.
>>>
>>> This is a problem that didn't exist before these stupid DOT forms.
>>>
>>> Tracy
>>>
>>>     
>>>
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