Pet Scheme For Dummies Part 2

Ugh, I thought I had this all figured out, but now it seems more complicated than I thought!  I did not check to see whether my usual vet is accredited.  Am I right in thinking that the vet who does the microchipping, sends in the blood sample, and fills out any rabies vaccine certificates has to be accredited?  My usual vet did all that and I don't know if she is or not.  Or is it just that the person who actually fills out the 2 required forms must be accredited?

The final form has to be approved and stamped after the tick/tapeworm treatment?  Or is before okay?  We are in Baltimore, but we are going to be going to NY to stay with my parents for a few days before flying out from there.  I know I'll have to do the tick/tapeworm treatment in NY.  But will I have to have a NY USDA vet fill out the form?  Or is the MD one okay?

This PETS thing is one of the most complicated procedures I have been through!

Ugh, I thought I had this all figured out, but now it seems more complicated than I thought!  I did not check to see whether my usual vet is accredited.  Am I right in thinking that the vet who does the microchipping, sends in the blood sample, and fills out any rabies vaccine certificates has to be accredited?  My usual vet did all that and I don't know if she is or not.  Or is it just that the person who actually fills out the 2 required forms must be accredited?

The final form has to be approved and stamped after the tick/tapeworm treatment?  Or is before okay?  We are in Baltimore, but we are going to be going to NY to stay with my parents for a few days before flying out from there.  I know I'll have to do the tick/tapeworm treatment in NY.  But will I have to have a NY USDA vet fill out the form?  Or is the MD one okay?

This PETS thing is one of the most complicated procedures I have been through!

The vet that does the blood test and fills out the two forms must be accredited.  The good news is that 80% of vets are.  Call tomorrow and ask the USDA vet's office.  They will know.

The EC 998/2003 form will need to be endorsed most likely before the tick and tapeworm treatment, as it must be given no less than 24 and no more than 48 hours before you leave.  The USDA vet endorsed my papers before my vet gave my dog the treatment...I believe most do.

Em...I don't know how it will work to have a vet from MD endorse the forms when you'll be leaving from NY.  And, if your accredited vet is in MD, I don't know if a NY USDA vet will endorse them.  You'll have to ask the MD and/or NY USDA vet's office. 

And so the ducks in a row process continues..................blood test this week!

So there I am in my vet's waiting room in Reston, VA, and I ask the receptionist if they are USDA authorized, if not where is the nearest USDA vet.  I thought it was in Richmond, VA.  She says the nearest is in Annapolis, Maryland and I can go there or go to Richmond to get my EC 998/2003 authorized, stamped and sealed with blood, sweat and tears.   Does anyone know if this is true?  Can the EC 998/2003 authorizing vet be out of state?  I thought they had to be in the state where you live.  Don't know why I thought that but I did.



Thanks
Wm

And so the ducks in a row process continues..................blood test this week!

So there I am in my vet's waiting room in Reston, VA, and I ask the receptionist if they are USDA authorized, if not where is the nearest USDA vet.  I thought it was in Richmond, VA.  She says the nearest is in Annapolis, Maryland and I can go there or go to Richmond to get my EC 998/2003 authorized, stamped and sealed with blood, sweat and tears.   Does anyone know if this is true?  Can the EC 998/2003 authorizing vet be out of state?  I thought they had to be in the state where you live.  Don't know why I thought that but I did.

I don't believe it matters... We started the process in CA and our cat is in WA.  Since the form is only valid for 4 months after endorsement by the USDA (this is the trickiest thing for me - you have a 6 month quarantine but the form is only valid for 4 months!!) and our cat is staying with my parents in WA during quarantine, we'll have the WA vet sign off.  Most USDA offices will allow you to mail the form if that's more convenient.

I don't believe it matters... We started the process in CA and our cat is in WA.  Since the form is only valid for 4 months after endorsement by the USDA (this is the trickiest thing for me - you have a 6 month quarantine but the form is only valid for 4 months!!) and our cat is staying with my parents in WA during quarantine, we'll have the WA vet sign off.  Most USDA offices will allow you to mail the form if that's more convenient.

Just to clarify - "quarantine" is served on UK soil in a UK certified kennel. If your pet is in the US waiting out their 6 months they are not in quarantine - they are waiting the 6 months required by the PETS scheme in order to avoid quarantine. Just wanted to point that out in order to avoid confusion. Good luck to everyone pursuing the PETS Scheme - it's worth every hassle to avoid quarantine. I know because my girls had to do partial quarantine in the UK  .

We did ours in two provinces in Canada, it was no problem.  We started the process with our vet in Ontario and then when we moved, the cat went to live with my brother in Alberta for two months.  He finished all the paperwork there. 

I read a thread here that dealt with not being able to fly a pet because of the heat.  I have just started the process which will put my approx departure date in June.  We will be flying out of Atlanta.  Are there regulations dealing with this and if so, where might i view these?
Thanks!

The official regulations regarding heat are set by the individual airlines, so you'll need to call the airline cargo company to check what they might require.  I seem to remember that most airlines won't fly animals if the temperature at either end is above 85 degrees.  You're flying BA, aren't you, if you're flying PETS from Atlanta?  That's where I flew from with my two cats, and I moved my departure date from September 1st to October 3rd in part because we was worried that it'd be above 85 on the day of my flight.  If September might have been a problem, then June almost certainly will.   I'd definitely recommend calling the airline, and DEFRA if necessary, to double-check what they'll allow - even if they don't have any restrictions, you might not want to subject your pet to summer-in-Atlanta temps on the tarmac and in the hold before the plane takes off.