[Travelandtourism] Service dog?

Mon Feb 4 00:01:28 UTC 2013

I am totally shocked was it the ship that let you off. That is different from customs allowing you in. In fact I was at the Jamaica tourism board dinner last week here in NY and they have not changed there policy

cheryl echevarria <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com> wrote:

FYI good for you dogs are not to be left alone that is nagdu and NFB stand on it I am surprised that they let you off the ship but then again they are carnival

mrmikie273 at gmail.com wrote:

Update on Jamaica I just got back from a cruise on  Carnival & to my
surprise they let me get off in Jamaica with my dog. I just had to show 7001
form & rabies paper & guide dog ID. Also Carnival is giving a nice door
hanger you can put on your door that says Guide dog at rest. My owner is out
to play. Also I talked to the hotel manger on the boat & he stated that
service dogs can be left for short times in rooms aloang.So I did do this
while I went to Dunn falls like I have done many trips before & no problems.
If your dog does damage you are responsible & we should be.
Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: Travelandtourism [mailto:travelandtourism-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of cheryl echevarria
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 9:02 AM
To: travelandtourism; nagdu
Subject: Re: [Travelandtourism] Service dog?

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@echevarriatrave
l.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.

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