Crossing the Border with a Dog

Kathryn Klos

squirrel whisperer
It's a while until Assembly, but it pays to plan ahead when crossing the border between the U.S. and Canada.

Our puppy, Bert Morris Klos Kallery, will be about nine months old by July, and I don't want to leave him behind. I'll look for dog-friendly motel situations, and will share that information when found-- but first, here's what they say about crossing the border:

1. The animal must appear to be healthy.
2. Written certification from a veterinarian must be on hand verifying that the animal is free of diseases communicable to humans and has been vaccinated for rabies. The rabies vaccination certificate must have an expiration date of 36 months or less; otherwise, the certificate must show that the animal was vaccinated within the preceding 12 months. Kittens and puppies younger than 3 months of age are not required to be vaccinated.
 
What? They don't require that the dog have a passport with photograph? How do they know you're not smuggling in an impostor????? :D
 
Kathy --

Are the rules and requirements the same in both directions, for getting back into the States as for getting into Canada? Over the years, when I have travelled to and from Canada, the few times I have had issues come up was when re-entering the States.
 
I've seen pictures of the afore mentioned puppy - sure looks like a terrorist to me! :D We have to stand united against terrier invasion.
 
I've taken my E. setter across several times in the last five years through SSM (MI-ON border) and all I've offered is the vaccination certificate. Most times, I've had to tell them that I have a dog on board and if they would like to see any paperwork. Everytime the customs officer has declined to see them -- in either direction.
 
Crossing the border

My most memorable border crossing was re-entering the states. Always wondered if that's why someone coined the phrase "You can never go home."
 
Mike,
Now that you have mentioned the possibility of terrier invasion, you can expect a visit from the folks Gnomeland Security.
 

Attachments

  • thumbGNOME.jpg
    thumbGNOME.jpg
    8.9 KB · Views: 548
Speaking of the Assy,

what is folks thought on passports,
get one or not and take the risk of possible problems getting back?

Thinking/planning on going this year,
Dan
 
Passport

For business travel, they require a passport; I believe leisure travel is the same. Fortunately, or maybe otherwise, the company paid for mine. They haven't required me to use it again, and I'm not about to remind them that they paid for it, either...
 
passports

We need only 2 pieces of ID but one needs to be a Birth Certificate for Canadians going to the States.Flying you need a Passport to enter the States.
Driving or boating not until 2009.That is how it stands currently.
As to entering Canada.No fruit,Bugs(we have our own),or firearms.
We try to be relativly civilized.
John
 
I'd say get a passport - it's only gonna get worse. Besides, "you may have already won and all expense paid trip to Tahiti!"
 
Mug Shot

Denis took this picture of Bert, admiring the puppy in the mirror. I'd use this as his passport picture, if dogs needed passports-- but will simply take along his shot record and proof that we bought him in Michigan. The regulations I posted above are supposed to be all we need to go either direction across the border... but I figure it doesn't hurt to be overly-prepared: Once, when re-entering the U.S., it seemed that every third car had to resolve some problem. Usually, we are waved-through without having to do more than state why we were in Canada, how long we were there, and that we were returning home to Marquette.

This year, I sprang for a passport. Travelling East to pick up canoes is becoming fairly routine for Denis and me, and the shorter route from the Upper Peninsula involves crossing into the mysterious land to the north... where French fries are topped with cheese and gravy.

Growing up in Minnesota, I was accustomed to using Canadian coinage. Even back when the American dollar had more value than the Canadian, we could use Canadian coins to pay for things. A few years ago, while visiting a friend in San Francisco, I was taken to task by the clerk in a shop for trying to pay for something with "foreign money"... a Canadian dime had been in my pocket change. It never occurred to me that accepting Canadian coins was a custom of the states bordering Canada and not the universal rule.

~~Bert's Mom
 

Attachments

  • a handsome fellow.jpg
    a handsome fellow.jpg
    22.9 KB · Views: 540
Passport

According to the Assembly page on this site:

"A note to United States Citizens: At this time, the U.S. government will require all U.S. Citizens to show a passport when re-entering the United States. You won't need a passport to attend assembly, but you will need one if you want to go home. It is not too early to apply for your passport!"

Don't know where you'd get a more authoritative answer than that!
 
Passport

I think it'd be easier to get a passport, than wade through all that gobbledy-gook? Especially knowing that regs can change. :rolleyes:
 
bob goeckel said:
dan, i think i read that the deadline for passports had been extended until 2009.

Maybe. One of the sites I posted indicates the passport requirement for land-based travel has been postponed until further notice. There's a lot of "I thinks" being tossed around - the point is that those planning to attend the Assembly from the US should do their homework and decide for themselves whether or not they require a passport. I have mine already, so I'm not inclined to spend a lot of time researching this.

And besides, I can think of a lot of things worse than being stuck in Canada... :D
 
passport

"I can think of a lot of things worse than being stuck in Canada... "

Makes me wonder if I should maybe leave the passport at home, accidentally on purpose...?
 
Back
Top