Moving to the USA with my guinea pig?

User avatar
AnnetteH

Post   » Mon Aug 07, 2006 7:08 am


Hi, I have been a member of Guinea Lynx for a couple of years but I haven't been posting. I'm hoping there are people here who can help me with my problem.
I have one 3 1/2 year old male guinea pig. I will be moving to the USA and need information on flying with a guinea pig and going through customs and immigration in the USA. I have been doing some research on the internet for the past two years and I have called the Department of Health, the Fish and Wildlife Service, CDC, and others that I can't remember now. They all say, "There are no restrictions or requirements if brought in as pets." Does this mean that I can be 100% sure they will let me in with him when I reach the port of entry?
I am having trouble finding out if an airline will let me take him in the cabin with me. Does anyone have experience with this?

Sincerely,
Annette & Rodney the Guinea Pig

User avatar
Serena
It started with Louie...

Post   » Mon Aug 07, 2006 8:59 am


Good question. I hope someone will come along with answers for you. I wish you a good move and hope everything goes smoothly.

jackie158

Post   » Mon Aug 07, 2006 9:28 am


I am not sure because I never had to do this before, but you may want to try and contact customs and ask them what you need to do. I think you may have to have a health certificate for your pet. Also, when you call customs make sure you find out who you are talking to and I would advise getting the person’s ID number to whom you spoke to, just in case you need to use it as a reference. Oh yeah you may want to call the airline and find out their requirements are with pets also. I would get a name and ID number from the person you speak with there as well. I think some airlines have restrictions on flying pets certain times of years because of the hot weather. You may want to ask about this as well. Good luck.

User avatar
WindeSpirit
Sewing for a Cause

Post   » Mon Aug 07, 2006 9:34 am


Lynx did put a thread on this in the Placement, did you by chance follow that link?

From what I've understood in my readings over time is you are indeed correct on all. Typically you are allowed two bags to carry on the plane with you, one being a purse or laptop and the other of a specific size (I forget this so you'd have to check it). But this second 'bag' would be the guineas.

Just double check by calling the airlines to find out if the carrier has to be a hard shell or soft shell. I've read there has been controversies about the types because of kids getting out of seats and putting fingers through bars.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Aug 07, 2006 11:01 am


Yes, this thread:
https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=28820

It deals with transport to and from Canada but may give you some ideas for where to look.

The individual airlines have their own rules about animal transport. You'll have to find out what your options are regarding those available to you.

I see you're in Japan. You should have lots to choose from.

Good luck!!!

Tracis
Let Sleeping Pigs Lie

Post   » Mon Aug 07, 2006 2:57 pm


Consumer Reports magazine just published an article about flying with pets in their September issue.

According to the article, most of the major airlines (Alaska, American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, and US Airways) allow one pet carry-on kennel per person, and it must fit underneath the seat. The quoted charges range from $75 to $80 per kennel.

They also suggest booking early and choosing a nonstop flight.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Aug 07, 2006 10:25 pm


Make sure a guinea pig is on the list of acceptable pets.

User avatar
AnnetteH

Post   » Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:26 am


I have been doing a ton of research. It looks like the only way to get him in the cabin with me is if I can get a shrink to certify that I am emotionally disturbed and need a guinea pig as an emotional support animal.
Now I am trying to figure out how to make his kennel as safe and healthy as possible. The trip will be 24 hours door to door. It will take 4or 5 hours just to get to the airport.
Here are some of the things I have read:
"Reduce the quantity of food the day before but give enough water."
"Fit your pet with a collar that can't get caught in the carrier doors"
"Do not feed your pet for four to six hours prior to air travel."
"Put ice cubes inside of your pet's kennel."
"Carry a current photograph of your pet. If your pet is lost during the trip, a photograph will make it much easier for employees to search."
"Write Live Animal on top of and at least one side of the crate. Use arrows to indicate the upright position of the carte."
"Tape a small pouch of dried food outside the crate so airline personnel will be able to feed your pet in case he gets hungry on long-distance flights."
“The water dish must be accessible from the outside.”

The websites don’t even seem to think about animals other than dogs and cats. There is no way Rodney could go 30 hours without food and water! I think the not feeding them is so that they won’t get sick, but guinea pigs don’t throw up and poos/wets aren’t an issue like with a dog.
My plan was to have an absorbent mat in the bottom of the kennel. There is a food dish attached to the door. I was going to put pellets in it, but they will probably fall out. He has a water bottle attached to the back/inside of the kennel. I don’t know if it will leak in the airplane. It doesn’t on car rides. One of my family members wants to put a water bottle in each corner of the kennel. :P Maybe you can weigh in on our “discussion” about it. I was going to pack him in with a lot of timothy hay. He can hide in it or eat through it. I was going to take vegetables to feed him until I have to give him up at the airline.
What do you all think? Any suggestions?

User avatar
WindeSpirit
Sewing for a Cause

Post   » Wed Aug 09, 2006 11:59 am


"Give him up at the airline", is he not going on board with you?
This is not a cat or dog but a small animal which needs a consistant degree of things. Get your vet, if need be, to write a note that this pet needs constant suppervision as stress can cause a multitude of problems, including death.

You could probably just do away with the pellets for the trip. Rarely do I give any on a 14+ hour and they do fine. Just keep the veggies and hay.

Water bottle, just one should be sufficent. If you have a spring loaded one, I'd suggest to use that one as it will leak the least. Do have a bottle of water that you can refill his bottle with should you need to.

Guinea pigs generally don't eat as much during trips, I'd probably fill two lunch box size brown bags with hay to replace a third you will put in the carrier with him when it needs changed. This will provide a house and contain the hay a bit.

About the only ones I think that would be good to do is carry the photo as they suggest and writing Live Animal with arrows for upright.
I'd also place and information tag as to what is allowed, like "hay and water only" or if you have some veggies add that on. You never know what someone could try to give them.

mags
Glad to Support

Post   » Wed Aug 09, 2006 1:01 pm


I hope things go smoothly for getting your piggie here. This reminds me of my piggie Peanuts when I was a little girl. I brought him from Hawaii to California by plane. The airline officials told my father in advance that it would be ok for me to hold him in my lap in a carrier. But on the day of the flight at the airport, they said no pets allowed, period. Of course, I was a puddle of tears, so the airline booked Peanuts on a later flight than the rest of us. After arriving and spending the day in California, we had to go back to the airport to pick him up. They couldn't find him, though, and it turned into a bit of an ordeal. Finally, they located him and all was well. The problem was that the ticket had dangled into Peanuts' cage and he ate it!! There were only teeth marks on the shred of it left around the string. ha! So he wasn't in the system anywhere.

So moral of the story is, make sure he has an identifying label STICKER somewhere on the carrier in case you can't carry him with you.

User avatar
CienDragon

Post   » Wed Aug 09, 2006 1:06 pm


Winde- She said he could only go on board with her if she could certify she needed him as a support animal.


Annette- Have you booked your flight yet? If so, what one are you flying on? If not, I'm sure someone here can help you try to find one that will allow you to bring your guinea pig on the cabin with you. The flight from Japan to the east coast of the US is ~12 hours usually(at least from Narita to Atlanta and Narita to Newarkm NJ...its less to the west coast) so I assume you're doing quite a bit of traveling to get to the airport and then after the flight too? Is it only the international flight that you are flying or are you going to have to be flying domestically(either in Japan or the US) too?


According to Delta's website they'll let you bring pets on in the cabin with you but it also seems to only be for domestic flight and international flights to specific countries(Canada, Mexico, and a few others). It seems to assume that you're flying from the US so I don't know if it makes a difference that you're flying to the US instead. I tried looking on JAL and ANA's websites and couldn't find anything about it.

User avatar
WindeSpirit
Sewing for a Cause

Post   » Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:18 pm


CienD- she said it "looks like" that will be the only way. We don't know if she's verified it by actually calling the airline.

Then again, could always go and get that "certifiable nut case" paper if your piggie is not within your hands reach.
If ya hate to fly as much as I do, wouldn't be to hard to convice anyone!

Post Reply