Newspapers in Costa Rica
AM Costa Rica is one of the English newspapers here in Costa Rica. You can find them online at www.amcostarica.com. They are a daily newspaper that is at this time only offered online. It is a great source for finding what is going on throughout the country.
Today Mr. Jay Brodell (the editor) wrote an article about our business and highlighted on the pet service that we offer. Here it is….Pets can travel, too, with the right kind of transport aid
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Those who seek a special dog or cat — or even a kangaroo — from elsewhere in the world can bring it here as long as they are prepared to pay the price.
A recent classified in A.M. Costa Rica presented an example of what not to do. The classified was a scam by cyberthieves who just want money.
Costa Rica’s only member of a pet transportation organization, said that bringing any kind of pet can be much more complicated and far more frustrating than people think. But by using experienced individuals, the discomfort can be minimized, she said.
The expert is Angela Passman of Escazú, a relocation specialist and operator of Guardian Angels CR. She has been relocating families for three years. But she also is a member of the Independent Pet and Animal Transportation Association.
Ms Passman said that any kind of pet, except birds, can be imported into Costa Rica. Her job is to get the pet through customs, frequently within a few hours.
Although she may be the only member of her association in Costa Rica, other members are all over the world ready to help get an animal started on its trip. Ms Passman said that for routine shipments, a Stateside pet owner can save a lot of money doing the preparation work him or herself.
The former Tennessee resident said that air flights have a tendency to calm down pets, and they usually arrive in a tranquil state.
“This month I shipped two dogs to England, two to Singapore, and I am preparing to send one to Germany
next month,” said Ms Passman. “Also we have several dogs coming in from South Africa, Spain, Australia, Venezuela and the U.S.”
She also has helped animals in transit, including kangaroos from Spain going to a Guatemala zoo where there was no direct flight. Ms Passman said she checked on the animals at the airport and verified all documents were in order.
Typically, a dog being imported from the United States needs proof of a rabies shot at least 30 days old. That requirement is for dogs over 4 months of age. But. Ms. Passman notes that dogs should not be removed from their month until they are at least 90 days old.
In addition to proof of a rabies shot, the dog will need a certification by a veterinarian that it is healthy. Then there is a required certificate from the the U.S. Department of Agriculture that the vet usually can arrange.
On the Costa Rican end there is additional paperwork, including a customs charge of 33 percent of the shipping costs. If someone does not speak Spanish, trying to get the animal out of customs can be a nightmare, said Ms. Passman. Some folks talk as long as three days, she said.
But because of the avian flu scare, importing birds is a big no no, and she has customers with parrots in the States awaiting shipment here.
But don’t try to ship parrots or any other Costa Rican creature out of the country. That’s against the law, she warned.
Her organization also had a Web page with some tips to animals lovers who might be faced with a potential cyberthief.