[Dailydrool] Kudos to Dawn Smith

[Valerie via Dailydrool]

I want to publicly praise Dawn Smith of Daphneyland for all the exceptional work she has done to get a rescue basset to us here in Hawaii, land of bureaucracy. Miss Mariah arrives August 21 and I can hardly wait.

From time to time, Droolers ask me what the requirements are to bring a dog from the mainland USA to Hawaii, so I thought I'd spell out an abbreviated summary. It is a real headache that only the devoted do.

1. dog is first microchipped.
2. Dog must have two rabies shots, 30 days at least apart, and original inked documents for both must be provided. (One month has passed now).
3. Two weeks? Later dog must have FAVN test sent to Kansas U. (Now six weeks past start). this test is for rabies antibodies.
4. Now dog must wait four more months. this is the official quarantine time to see if dog will develop rabies. (Time is now five and a half months since start).
5. Notarized import forms plus rabies certificates plus cashier's check ($145) must be sent to Department of Agriculture.
6. flight must be booked at least one month in advance and an authorized Hawaiian vet scheduled to inspect dog on arrival ($150-$250).  A form must go the the Ag Dept. to confirm this and a return form must be received. (Now we are at about six months since start of process)
7. ten days before flight vet must examine pet and fill out a health certificate and provide documentation of flea treatment..
8. finally, the dog may board an airplane (but only certain airlines, certain times of the year, certain times of day, and certain breeds). Smush-nose dogs like pugs and bulldogs are not accepted at all on most airlines. crate must be regulation with a number of specific requirements, including water bottle (frozen) and food, padding, etc.

All in all, it takes six to eight months of preparation before the dog can reach Hawaii for direct release at the airport.  Since puppies can't have their first rabies vaccination until three or four months old, the youngest a dog coming from the mainland can be when it arrives in Hawaii is about nine or ten months old. (Australia and New Zealand are rabies-free, so puppies may be imported from these countries and bypass quarantine). There are no longer any basset breeders in Hawaii, so bassets are now quite rare here. there might be one in need of rehoming every two or three years now. 

dogs that don't do all of the mainland prep are impounded at the state quarantine station kennel for the whole quarantine time (which is very hard on dogs as there is not much human contact, though the runs and inside spaces are adequate, and owners can only visit for a few hours a day. The station is very hot, though, and although there is shade and ventilation, some dogs die there each year from heat, so the direct release program is a blessing).

So, anyway, Dawn has being doing all of this for us in California, for months and months, while Bill and I have anxiously nagged her, and this has been lots of work for Dawn.  We are so grateful. thank you, Dawn. Val of Hawaii, with Mila the longterm naval houseguest basset, and Mariah coming this month.