How did your dog take the flight/move?

Thanks so much for your kind words, Calle - - - I am contemplating coming over to get her if I can get the time off work so soon after I start. maybe my new supervisor will be a dog lover!

Oh, Cheryl I hope you can get the time off to help her over! I think most supervisors could understand?

Id be moving over sooner if I didnt have to wait this stupid six months.  But there is no way I will leave my doggie with anyone.  Shes to sensitive and would freak out.  Im staying put, getting ready for this huge move until she leaves with me in January.  Not to mention Rich has to find us a new place to live that will allow for a dog.  But I still hate the thought of her, alone, in a crate, on a loud plane.  BUG. 

Add me to the list of stressed out dog owners who is checking and rechecking everything that needs to be done to bring my dog over.  I'm flying back to Houston in September (I'm in Scotland now), spending a week getting all of her paperwork together, then flying to London with my poochie.  I can't bear the thought of sticking her back in her crate again even for the short flight to Aberdeen, so we're driving from London to Aberdeen. 

I had no idea about the USDA requirement until I saw it on this website, so THANK YOU to those of you who posted the information!!!  How long did it take to get the USDA endorsement when it was done via mail? 

If by any chance I can be of any help when I go back to the US in September to get my dog, let me know.  Like if your dog is in Houston or surrounding area and his/her 6 months is up around the same time, I can bring both yours and my dog over together since I have to deal with all of the paperwork and hassle anyway for my baby. 

I don't know what to do about the USDA requirement. I emailed USDA and DEFRA. This is so incredibly frustrating. I leave in a month and was planning to come back in November to get my pets (at least my dog)  but can only be here a few days so things MUST go smoothly. Maybe I should spend lots of $$$$$ and  hire one of those agencies that takes care of the process. My tummy hurts whenever I think about this whole thing. Cheryl

you just need to get your paper work stamped and signed by the usda vet in your state (there should only be one office for this), call and set up an appointment.  then you have 4 months to leave the country from the date it was signed or you have to get it signed again.

The problem is that the USDA office is about 100 miles from me and I don't know when I can drive down and get my paperwork stamped before I leave. Plus I am not sure if the 6 month waiting period needs to be completed before getting the stamp of approval. Cheryl

I'm in the same boat - the only USDA office in Texas is in Austin, and I'm going to be in Houston.  I sent an email to the USDA asking if they can do endorsements via fax, I'll let you know what they reply with (if they reply!). 

Here is the email reply I got from USDA. My next email will be to the
Area Office.

You can check with your veterinarian and see if they are APHIS accredited.
If they are not you may contact the area office and they will be able to
provide you with the names of accredited veterinians in your area.  (I have
supplies the site along with some other helpful pet export information)

The following sites will be able to assist you. Go to this site
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ac/pettravel.html

Go to international requirements for animal imported by country.  Go to the
country you are having your pet exported to and it will bring up a list of
their guidelines

I have also provided some other useful pet travel sites

                  http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/petravel.html
      http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/fsheet_faq_notice/fs_awpetravel.html
                  http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ncie/exp-pets.html
                  http://www.aphis.usda.gov/travel/

If you need the list of area offices I have supplied that also (they can
supply the names of USDA accredited veterinarians if you need one to sign
the forms)
                  http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/area_offices.htm


Thank you for contacting USDA/APHIS/VS
Have a nice day

So~~~~~~~~~~~ I still feel like I am going in circles. Cheryl

So, being in Florida, it looks like I have to go to Gainesville to get the offficial form signed off? ugh- this is all driving me crazy. I'm so scared I'll leave something out. I have; got micro chip then following week rabies jab, then 2 weeks later blood work to lab which came back with an ok titer level.   NOW... I must get the official certificate and get signed by APHIS approved vet in Gainesville?? then someone mentioned a health check ten days prior to leaving?? then I know I must get the de worm and de flea jab 24 to 48 hours before boarding... right??? and I'm leaving here 1 nov. and I think once the form is signed off it is good for four months right??
How confusing it all is! But thanks for those links Cheryl.

Good news - I contacted the USDA/APHIS/VS area office in my State (by email) and they responded very quickly. I found out that I do NOT have to 100 miles to their office for the certification. I just had to have a vet who is accredited - fortunately both of the vets I see are.

Wonderful news, thanks for posting this information. So as long as your vet is accredited he's ok to sign even though he's not on the list for the APHIS site?? Would my vet know if he's accredited or should I contact them to find out? (just to make sure).

Okay, now I'm hitting a roadblock.  I'm trying to get a "Third country official veterinary certificate" which involves having a vet fill out a form called "“Veterinary certificate for domestic dogs, cats and ferrets entering the European Community for non-commercial movements (Regulation (EC) No 998/2003)."  I just called my vet and they said I need to provide the paperwork for them to fill out.  Did this happen to you guys?  Where do I get a copy of this form?  I'm doing an internet search, but not coming up with anything.  Every site says that the vet is supposed to issue it. 

Funny, I remember printing my off the computer, but can not seem to find the site.  On defra it says you have to apply at the vet.  http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/procedures/support-info/docqa.htm#2   
However, my vet actually had the wrong (old) form and I had to give him the new one.  It says "Official Journal of the European Union" on it and I printed from a PDF format. I wish I could help more - if I find it I will repost it.

FOUND IT:  I think this is it.   If this is NOT what other people have used PLEASE let me know! 
http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2004/l_065/l_06520040303en00130019.pdf

Cheryl and all... Just to give a different perspective-

I phoned our state's USDA office in hope of clearing up the confusion, and they said that they did have to sign the form. They said we could mail them in and they turn them around the same day basically. They said this is even if our vet is USDA accredited. They said it could be any time after the titer comes back, but that their form/signature is only good for four months.

It's so cool that the various agencies and governments can't get their stories straight, ain't it? 

-Baylor