Fleeing (Japan) with your Fuzz

Wonderful news!
...in an odd and possibly inappropriate way.
Perhaps it would be better said as reassuring news.

We got word back from my regular pet transport company about fleeing Japan with my ferret.

In response to my most basic question of "are you even able to move pets out of Japan right now?" I received the following answer.

We have but it has been, as you can imagine, very hectic and agents are at or nearly at capacity.

Far better than nothing given the devastation visited upon the shipping ports and airports.

In response to the possibility of a quick exit, the answer was not surprisingly, not so concrete.

Although possible, it will be hit or miss on short notice.

So, yes, it is possible. It can be done!

But before you leave, you can't just LEAVE.
Not if you plan to take your fuzzy with you.
There are several USA based pet transport companies, regardless of which one you choose, the official documents for entry into the USA will not be different. The official entry documents are decided by the USA government. For ferrets, as of this point in time, there are only two documents required for entry from Japan to the USA.

Papers needed previous to departure with a ferret.
1) International health certificate endorsed by AQS, Animal Quarantine Service. (Usually, a regular "local" vet signs a specific health document. This health document is then sent to a "larger area" vet who is part of AQS. This signature is the one that is necessary for export/import. AQS officials are usually assigned to manage certain areas only so your AQS may be different than the one covering my area.)
2) A current rabies certificate

The health certificate needs to be within 10 days of departure.
Rabies vaccinations need to be over 30 days and less than 1 year.
Please note the date stamps required.

Customs is extremely strict about the dating of official papers. There is no such thing as "close enough" or "one day over? sure you're fine". Your fuzzy will be sitting in customs-limbo for an unprecedented amount of time. Possibly even shipped back to Japan? Or in the case of an expired Rabies vaccine, put down on the table!?

I am not saying that is official customs procedure. I myself am not sure as I am obsessively careful with dating my papers. What I am saying is do not underestimate customs - they are an official office of government and will follow whatever rule is in their book regardless of how outdated or ruthless it might be.

If you are smart and staying informed, you know these earthquakes are not over yet. It's not too late to look for a vet that can give you the rabies shot and sign the necessary documents.

Here is a general summary of what needs to be done now, what can be done now if you are considering completely leaving Japan with your ferret in the case of an emergency.

＊Locate the nearest airport you might be able to depart from.
＊Figure out how you will get there with your ferret.
＊Be direct and ask your current vet if they know what an International Health Certificate is and are they licensed to officially sign one. (This is not likely.) If not, ask how you can get this done.
＊Assemble the documents necessary for export ready.
＊Have the documents on hand in with your ferret evac kit.
＊Check the dates! Keep the documents updated regularly.


Please note all the information provided here is only in regards to ferrets leaving Japan and entering America. Importing your fuzz into a different country will require different papers as designated by that country's animal import/export regulations.

Cheers and stay safe, Stay Informed!
More updates and rewrites on this topic in the near future.

All translations copyrighted and owned by myself.All copyrights of their respective owners. No part of this web site may be produced, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner.
Thank you for helping us out!

DELTA strikes again

I'm getting pretty damn disgusted with the rampant airline abuses.

If DELTA had a human face, they'd be listed as a repeat offender and thrown behind bars where they belong!

Have you guessed already?
Yep, just to show they're not friends of cat-people either, DELTA KILLS another pet.

For lost Paco (probably dead) the family was offered a whopping $200.
So maybe DELTA is more of a dog-person?

Oh, no wait, here's a few more pets DELTA killed with their gross negligence.

And although our nightmare story had a happy ending, it almost didn't.
Again, THANKS TO DELTA.

Whether you're flying alone or with your pet, please don't fly DELTA.
BOYCOTT DELTA.


Cheers and see you again! (^_-)-♪

All translations copyrighted and owned by myself.All copyrights of their respective owners. No part of this web site may be produced, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner.

Planes, Trains, FERRETS!

UPDATES on Ferret Food Recalls
Responses from Whole/Natural Prey Suppliers

It seems, looking back, that I have not shared with you my Korean pet transport nightmare.
And I was using a pet transport company in going from Korea to America!!!!

But it is the whole reason that regardless of cost I completely advocate employing a professional transport company. I can not imagine what would have happened if they were not there to oversee, redirect, and basically just pick up after everyone else along the way who was dropping the ball.

Problems occurred on both sides - Korea and America. They started the day of pickup and just kept going.
Much like a rock rolling down the hill.
Or like a snowball - one that keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger.

On the Korea side, the native contact was supposed to hire another company to pick up Ranmaru and deliver him to the domestic airport so he could then hop to Seoul (Incheon) and board the international flight from that airport.
The pick-up company arrived promptly.
On a MOPED.
Keep in mind, I speak more Korean now having left that country than I did while there. So in my state of shock and horror (I could just see them weaving and swerving in and out of traffic, Ranmaru being thrown around in back, whacked against the walls, drenched in his water and likely scared piddle.) all I could do was mime talking on the phone and repeat, "NO. NO. CALL "SUN"!! "
He called the native contact, "Sun" and she called me, terribly apologetic. She had requested they send a van for pickup, but the just-out-of-High-School kid that showed up probably didn't bother to read that part of the order.
So naturally, as we were waiting for the proper vehicle to show up, Ranmaru missed his flight to Seoul meaning "Sun" had to try and find him another domestic flight somewhere that day soon so he could still board his international flight on time.

About 2 hours later the van finally showed up with a new destination - an airport one hour south of us. (Incidentally, in the completely opposite direction from Seoul.) Then and there I decided I was traveling with him to make sure Ranmaru got on the plane whether the driver liked it or not.
I myself was leaving the country in less than 12 hours.
I wasn't taking any chances with this company.

The ride down was fine and Ranmaru managed to board his plane. "Sun" and I spoke again about current plans through the driver's cell phone in the airport. Now I was stuck on getting back to my hotel and luggage.
But not really. One great thing (only?) about Korea is the bus transportation system. So I was all set to hop a bus back when the pick-up company driver waved me back (with a drink in hand) and motioned me to get back in the van.
The verbal exchange was something like
"Pohang?" *drink extended*
"Nee, Pohang." (Yes, Pohang.) *drink accepted*

That sounds all cozy until he contacted "Sun" or his boss again and then "Sun" spoke to me saying it would cost me $45 for the trip back.
HELL NO. Stop the van. I'll take a bus, thank you!!
(As I explained vehemently to "Sun", He was going back anyway so why am I paying? And frankly, I wouldn't even be here if his company did their job right in the first place.)

There was even a bus stop right around the airport. Apparently, however, it was invisible as he was completely unable to find it and kept driving around and around and around all over this freaking unknown city. And the whole time all that kept going around my mind was *I* don't have *time!* for this!

He was back and forth with his boss on the cell for awhile and then "Sun" asked to speak with me again. Turns out he would take me halfway and drop me off 'near' another bus station.
Fine, whatever! timetimetime.

We arrived in the area and from my drop-off, I could just make out the bus station over and across the bridge, x-number of blocks away. But whatever, fine, at least I could get on a bus that was definitely going in the right direction with no spontaneous side-trips. (And considerably cheaper.)

BUT! Yes, but, as I was exiting the van his boss came walking up, jumped in, and motioned me back in. (ahhh, the magic of sign language.)
Yeah.... OK.
But I didn't close the door until he assured me in reasonable English there was "no pay".
Between having hardly any sleep the night before, the current pickup disaster, and the whole nightmare plane trip looming in front of me in less than 8 hours, of course I got in.

The rest of Ranmaru's trip from the Korea side went smoothly with "Sun"sending me pictures of his arrival at her office and then another one before he boarded his Delta flight to the US.

Yes, Delta.
Remember Delta?
The same company that lost a family's dog to certain starvation at some international changeover?
Well, they certainly didn't let us down with any show of competence this time either.

After I arrived safely in America, I checked my email the following morning to see about picking up Ranmaru per our pre-takeoff plans. At once, I found several emails (never a good sign) from my US-side contact. Turns out Delta put Ranmaru on the wrong flight.
In other words, much like Paco the dog, Ranmaru was supposed to arrive with me but did not because he was not put on his pre-scheduled flight for some unknown reason. However the pet transport company had been following this the whole time and when I finally got the emails in the morning after my late night arrival, I was told one of their agents had been taking care of Ranmaru in the meantime since his early, unexpected arrival.

Again, I can't stress this enough, if the transport company had not been there to clean up after all these people, Ranmaru would have been sitting on some cargo bay with no care or anything for 12 hours or more.
Or worse.
It's just as perfectly likely that Delta might have shipped him not just on the wrong flight, but to the wrong place. And in that case, as a lone, unimportant consumer, could I or anyone naively expected Delta to have gone all out to locate him?
Or would they merely have tried to throw a $200 compensation at me like in Paco's case?

No.
Hire a Professional Pet Transport company, please.
You will pay in blood, but it is soooo worth it as no amount of monetary compensation is ever enough to cover the life of a loved one.


Cheers and see you again! (^_-)-♪

All translations copyrighted and owned by myself.All copyrights of their respective owners. No part of this web site may be produced, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner.

Thank you for helping us out!

International Traveling with Ferrets

The best advice is DON'T DO IT!

Here's an example of why you don't want to:
Barbaric conditions in the airline industry, by a shelter mom.

DOMESTIC
If you are forced to, if it is inescapable that you must travel with you animal companion, one of the very important things to remember is don't assume any thing. Many airplanes these days will not accept animal companions. The ones that do, accept only certain types. Also, if you are able to have your companion ride with you in the passenger cabin, you must make sure that your carryons fit that plane. All airplanes are not the same. Check with your specific the airline for regulations on animal companions and dimensions of the carryons for transport especially cabin transport.

INTERNATIONAL
International travel is a whole other nightmare.
Very, VERY risky.
First off, most airlines do not allow animals in the passenger cabin. They get thrown in the hold with the baggage. On each and every airline site, you will find a statement like this:

"Pets As Checked Baggage"

Do you really want to take that chance seeing as how your luggage is treated??

Another major problem is that frequently the information and policies that you need about the receiving country (the country you're flying into), are not available or WORSE, not up to date in your home country. I ran into that problem with Japan. Not only could I not get the info I needed from the US side, their official Japanese site didn't have it either.
I played it safe and turned out to be right in not trying to transport them with me.

Yet another problem with international travel is the QUARANTINE procedures--there's papers you need from licensed vets and a quarantine stay that requires additional fees. It can be a quite a lengthy stay, too.

Sites Specializing in Traveling with Animal Companions:
Pets On The Go: lots of information. Basic but MINIMAL fee to join. Well worth the cost.
Animal Airlines: company specifically geared to transporting your loved ones safely.

Direct Links to the Most Common American Airlines:
Delta
United
NWA
Continental

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