Yeah!! USDA Stamp Taken Care Of!!

So.. if you are familiar with my other posts I have not had the best of luck when it comes to the help from my vet... But... With that said...

DH and I drove to Austin on Friday 6/27, we had with us the correctly filled out 998 forms (three of them, one of each cat), Rabies Certificates for each and Titre results for each.

Our appointment was at 1:00pm and we arrived at 12:30.  They took my paperwork and about an hour later it was all approved.. signed and stamped!!  Woo Hoo   

I then got back home, scanned the 998 forms, Rabies Certificates and the Titre results and E-Mailed them all over to Pets on Jets in Manchester (they had said previously that they would be happy to review them all once the USDA had signed off).  They wrote back and said said it all looked great!! I am SO excited.

Since we are not flying out until September 30th we have a while to wait but it is such a load off that it is done.  Everything is currently locked away in my fire/water proof safe!  Everybody at work says I am being bit obsessed with it all but they should know from all of my moaning at work that this has been a l..o..n..g nine months in the waiting!

Next step is for the Tick and Tapeworm which will be performed by a vet in Springfield IL.  Since we are driving from Fort Worth to Chicago we are stopping for a night in Springfield so that they can do the Tick/Tapeworm treatment and so that we can get the APHIS 7001 form.  I have already spoke with the vet's office where I made the appointment and they are SO friendly.  They have sent me the full details of the treatments they will use and Pets on Jets have told me that they are exactly what we should use.  Here is our time line (don't laugh  )

Sept 28th - Drive from Fort Worth, TX to Springfield, IL
                 Spend the night in Springfield

Sept 29th - 9:30am Appointment w/ vet -- Tick/Tapeworm Treatment & APHIS 7001
                11:00am Appointment w/ USDA in Springfield IL to get APHIS 7001 stamped
                Drive from Springfield to Chicago
                Spend the night in Chicago

Sept 30th - 1:30pm Cats Check-In
                 6:30pm Our flight Chicago-Manchester (BMI)

Oct 01 - Arrive in Manchester!!!

I think we will be tired but doing it this way is saving us over $1000 as the only option from Fort Worth to Manchester is Continental and their prices are crazy high!   

I also think it will be helpful for the cats as they are pretty used to their carriers already (we have them out in our bedroom and they already freely go in and out on their own) and being in the car before they are on the plane I think will help them as it is not straight from the house to the plane! 

Anyway I have bored you all enough I just wanted to let everybody know that the USDA appointment went well and we are well on our way..   

Hurrah!! 

Yeah!!   

congrats!

Hmm, I was under the impression that the USDA cert had to be issued within 10 days of flying? Is that no longer true? Grats on getting it all taken care of - I'm working on getting my cat over there, as well. =)

The USDA stamp for the 998 forms is good for 4 months or the expire date of the Rabies Injection whichever comes first.  In my case their Rabies Injections were on October 6th so my form will expire on that date and I must enter the UK before then, which we will as our flight lands on October 1st.

However the USDA stamp for the APHIS 7001 form must be within 10 days of travel as this form/stamp is showing the pet has been checked and is okay to fly.

At least that is my understanding.   

At least that is my understanding.   

Right you are!

I'll be flying Thomsonfly with my two dogs and in talking to Defra, TFA Logistics (Sanford, FL) and Pets on Jets (Manchester) all that is required is the 998 form, they do not require the Aphis 7001, which greatly reduces the stress level with the 10 day time line. You may want to check it out.

Pets on Jets does only require the 998 form but the airline themselves are the one that either require or do not require the Aphis 7001/Health Certificate to fly.  I was told by BMI customer service that a Health Certificate was not required.  It was not until I contacted the Cargo Company in Chicago (who work with BMI) and asked to speak to a supervisor.. They then stated that BMI does require some kind of health certificate signed by a vet within 10 days of air travel.  This certificate has nothing to do with the PETS Scheme itself.

I will get mine sorted the day before we go when they do the tick/tapeworm.

If I were you also I would get one 'just in case' as again Defra/Pets on Jets are going to tell you this is not required because it is not required to enter the UK but may and is probably required to get the animal on the airplane in the first place.

I've talked to Thompsonfly and the cargo people at this end also and everyone has said I do not need the Aphis 7001, just have the vet sign a letter stating my dogs where healthy and able to fly when I get the tick/tapeworm treatment. It saves money and stress and makes sense. The 998 takes care of everything else.

Yeah!! That's is exciting...  I'm glad yours is easy..

To be fair BMI has told me that I need the actual APHIS 7001 form but it does not have to be stamped by the USDA.. but seeing as how it took them like two weeks to get me a correct answer in the first place and as the vet's office is two blocks from the USDA Office I have no problem just playing it safe and running over there to get it stamped after it's filled out. 

I will be so glad when we have all made it to the UK safe and sound.   

Yes, it will be a relief to have it all over and done with. Why they don't make it mandatory that all airlines follow the same procedures I'll never no, Oh yes I do, it would be too easy. I have found the Aphis 7001 (to have, or not to have)very confusing and a pain in the bottom. Good luck and have a safe trip.

that's awesome! congrats...nearly done!