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Posted By: COZMO QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/09/04 05:37 PM
I'm trying to get a FAX # or phone # or E-mail Address for the BELIZE CENTRAL LAB... to get Import Permit for bringing a dog to the Island (Ambergris Caye, Belize, CA) I am travelling back in Late Jauary for 3 months and plan to bring my beloved pet. Love San Pedro Town, can't wait to get back.
Posted By: Anonymous Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/10/04 04:08 AM
Cozmo,
Good luck trying to get thru to them, and even if you do, the chances of them actually processing and sending the paperwork to International is slim.
My baby travels to BZ 6 times a year, and I have found it's just easier to show up without a permit and pay the "fine". 4 times out of 6 last year, the paperwork never made it, after fees were paid. And they don't care if you have a receipt.
Good luck!
Posted By: sassnfun Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/10/04 05:59 AM
Ibanole, Are you speaking of Air or Land? I wonder how that would go over if I showed up with my 3 BIG (250 pounds) of dogs? would this work going thru Mexico and Belize and what is the fine? Sometimes it is easier to recieve Forgiveness then Permission... :rolleyes:
Posted By: Pilgrim Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/10/04 08:17 AM
ibanole...if you have all of the required vet/shot papers for your pet but no papers from International, what are the fines whether by land or air to bring them in?
Posted By: Anonymous Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/10/04 02:43 PM
The fine is for not getting the import permit. I think it's 100 BZ. And that is for Air--- sorry, never tried the land thing.
All I know is that I've been told NOT to argue with the customs officers, don't try to convince them you are right, just pay the amount and head to San Pedro.
Posted By: COZMO Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/10/04 02:46 PM
Thanks for your replies... I have found the correct information... so if anyone else needs it...
Request application form from:
Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA)
Belmopan Showgrounds
Belmopan City
Tel # 822-0197 or 822-0818
Fax # 822-3084
email: [email protected]

COST: AFTER COMPLETING THE APPLICATION... 12.50 USD TO BE PAID AT POINT OF ENTRY (ENTRY FEE)
AND 12.50 USD FAX FEE

PERSONS THAT FORGO THE APPLICATION PROCESS WILL BE SUBJECT TO 100.00 USD VIOLATION FINE AS WELL AS THE 12.50 USD ENTRY FEE.

THIS INFO IS POSTED ON THE WEBSITE OF THE BELIZE TOURISM BOARD

I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET THE CORRECT APPLICATION AND THEN HOW LONG IT TAKES AFTER THE APPLICATION IS SENT IN... ASSUMING THAT I GET A RESPONSE... I'LL KEEP YOU INFORMED.
Posted By: Cass Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/10/04 05:44 PM
You might want to contact Belize City vet Michael DeShield. He now holds some government position, but I also think he still practices in Belize City. His wife and office manager, Miriam, can help you with getting the paperwork.
Posted By: jvid Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/11/04 06:32 AM
You need the correct papers to get your pets in,no big deal,They must have all required shots and a permission-slip from a Vet.in the Country.We brought 2 dogs into the country from Michigan,and had no problem,the correct paperwork and signatures that state the dates of required shots is all you need.We had no problem with customs,just had to pay for 2 seats on Tropic Air for the size of the crate,my other dog got thru,but we paid extra for her seats on all airfair.One word of warning,look out for the dog-packs that roam this island,kill they will and have..minus one I brought here,she was killed by a pack of 5 white dogs.Complain???We did.Results??Nada.
Posted By: sassnfun Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/11/04 06:43 AM
JVID I am sorry to hear of your Loss.. frown

Was your dog a small dog?? fenced yard or out on the street? that is so sad,a lady here in Florida just killed a Rotweiler that was coming after her shitzu she grabbed him by the collar and strangled him,charges are pending.The Rots owner said he just wanted to play......
Posted By: jvid Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/11/04 05:54 PM
Thanks for caring.Yes,she was a 6lb Min-pin mix,I live on the beach on the North-end,and had complained about these dogs for 4 monthes,they had already attacked my German-shepard,the owners lived right across from us and everyone knew this.I found her in their yard and the dogs were circling her little body.The dogs were killed,but not by any authority here.Matters fell into all that knew my Nina.Alot has been said about this and I do not even like speaking about it,but its true and she did not deserve to be chased from her own yard and murdered.Enough said.
Posted By: sassnfun Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/11/04 08:14 PM
http://rainbowsbridge.com

JVID..I can't seem to link this to the poem (its down by the "ENTER" at bottom of page..

Do you think I could sneak my herd over the borders??? LMAO!Sasha(brown one) Blue,and Kaycee

[Linked Image]
Posted By: sassnfun Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/12/04 02:28 AM
JVID I had tried to e-mail you the link but it is not a valid acct.so I posted it in here.hope no ones minds,it is a very popular site.
Posted By: ckocian Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/12/04 03:14 AM
Life can be pretty dicey for "city dogs" that come to live in the tropics. When we take our minpin down, he is never allowed off his leash when we escort him outside to take care of business. We always clean up after him and then he is returned indoors for the balance of the time we're down. The house is large with floor to ceiling windows so there's no lack of stimulating sights of people/dogs passing by from the safety of inside. He's a pretty good couch potato and he doesn't mind being inside with us but people with visions of having a home with a fenced yard where their dog can run around unaccompanied outside the house are taking lots of chances that something will happen to the animal(s).
Posted By: sassnfun Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/12/04 03:25 AM
ckocian,If your dog is in a fenced yard and are Country Dogs is it any different? mine have 8 acres here in Florida to romp on and we are definitely in the Country on a canal with alligators..I wasn't planning on bringing mine right away anyway, but am curious to know..
Posted By: dbdoberman Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/12/04 12:04 PM
jvid, horrible way to lose your dog, I was really sorry to read of it. Frustrating that nothing was done. I stayed in the Del Rio area, and was befriended by a big baby of a dog who was also the target of a group of dogs. Looked like he had been sewed up a time or two. His owner had a fenced yard, and tried to contain him, but he was very good at escaping. He finally had to be imprisoned on his own porch, or in the house for his safety, and like I said, he was a big guy. Some of those dog packs can be very vicious to other dogs, small or large.

Sass, ckocian said that their dog is always accompanied when outside, so I guess that means no running free in the fenced yard. We have read tragic tales on this board about pet loses like jvid's. Some concerning other dogs, others about crocs, it would be a huge decision to bring a beloved pet there, IMHO.
Posted By: ckocian Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/12/04 04:42 PM
That's right, dob, he's never alone when outside. It's a pain to have to walk him on a leash instead of just letting him out in a fenced area but I wouldn't do it any other way. Dogs like to roll in disgusting stuff, too, which can expose them to disease. It's almost like being in an apartment in NYC where everyone who has dogs has to walk them.
Posted By: sassnfun Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/12/04 10:01 PM
Well my furrballs are ok with being in a fenced yard if the other option is staying inside the house. Do the pack dogs climb the fence and get in, or is the problem with the animals not staying contained in their own yards.
Posted By: collyk Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/13/04 08:44 AM
Can you swim your dogs on the beach?
Posted By: jvid Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/14/04 03:45 PM
My dogs lived on 2acres before they arrived here and nina was never out of our sight when she was outside here,I happened to be on the back porch checking my cistern and she was gone within 5 mins.I had everyone looking for her,there are only a few houses where I live,If I hadn't complained so much and still nothing was done,maybe I wouldn't be so upset about this.
I still have to look at the house where I found her everyday.Yes,my other dogs swim everyday on our beach here.The packs come over to look for food,the issue was and still is,we knew who they belonged too and I went to that house later just to be sure and all 5 came out from under the house,along with the owner.Like I stated before,wait until it happens to a human-child.
Posted By: kerry Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/25/04 03:53 AM
brought my cat down from the states and thought we had everything together, but 2 days before our departure, i was informed by my vet that u have to have approved paperwork from the USDA in order to get your pet out of the US and then to bring back...had to overnite mail all this info and have the proper forms delivered back to me...your vet should know how to contact them...
the form i have is called:
U.S. Department Of Agriculture
Animal & Plant Health Inspection Services
United States Interstate & International Certificate Of Health Examination
if i did not have this form, they would not have let my cat on the plane.....good luck...kerry
Posted By: Anonymous Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/25/04 05:24 AM
that's not true-- for dogs anyway. i have taken deeogee back and forth 8 times in the last 12 months. i did get a usda form, and they never once asked to look at it, and when i told them i had it, they said you didn't need it for domestic's.
Posted By: kerry Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/25/04 06:38 AM
don't know where you are from, but in new orleans they required it....they specifically asked for the paperwork and when i arrived in belize, they asked for that paperwork too...maybe different for dogs, but that's what they required for my cat....this was on may 23rd of this year...also i was told that i need the copies to bring him back into the states....
Posted By: indygal Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/26/04 04:05 AM
We also had to have our USDA papers to get into Belize and then again to get our dog back into the US. We got them from the Vet when we got her shots before living the US.

We also went through all the calling and emailing trying to get the correct papers and when we got to BZE international they were not there. I did have one email from Belize stating the papers would be waiting for me at international. All that got us was no fine-still had to wait to get them done-the beginning of Belize time. Enjoy!!!
Posted By: kerry Re: QUERY RE: IMPORTING DOMESTIC (PET) - 12/26/04 04:17 AM
and thanx to u indygal...u were the one who told me about this...i was unaware of it, and with the knowledge u gave to me, it saved me from lots of problems....the rules change here quite frequently....best advice to cozmo is to check with your vet & the usda....and not a bad idea to check again with the airlines....have a great time!! kerry
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