Dog care vs quarantine

[klmno]

Does this sound reasonable? I'm thinking if this job in HI works out that instead of paying a fortune for the two small dogs to be quarantined in the state kennel, if I could find someone here to take care of them for the 3 extra months, then put them on a plane to HI, it would be cheaper and much less stressful for them. Of course, I would need to find someone trustworthy to make sure they weren't sold/dumped, neglected, etc, but I'm thinking I could ask the vet, animal shelters, friends, etc, for some ideas of people. I was thinking of maybe offering to pay $400 per month for care and food, etc, but I would pay any vet bills and airline cost on top of that. Does that sound reasonable? I would get the necessary stuff that HI requires (microchip, blood test, etc) done before I leave so the only thing left is waiting the period after the blood test is done.

They are in-house dogs and need to either be leash-walked or have a fenced yard. They are in good health but are spoiled. I told difficult child to ask his biology teacher at Department of Juvenile Justice if the class could adopt them for 3 mos but somehow I doubt they will view this the same as the class snake, turtle, and mouse. LOL!

 

[witzend]

Too bad you're not in Oregon, I'd be a total sucker for that job!

 

[tiredmommy]

Hmmm... flying the dogs to Oregon and then on to Hawaii in a few months may be less expensive than flying them out directly from the east coast.

 

[Hound dog]

A vet kennel sounds much better than quarentine. Although honestly, I think it's about the same.

My sister and her husband gave their much loved and older cockapoo to a family member instead of putting her thru the stress of quarentine when he got stationed in Germany. They missed her so horribly that later when he got stationed to HI they took her with them. Didn't seem to bother her at all. lol

 

[klmno]

LOL, TM! If I could time it right, I could bring fly the dogs out with difficult child when I come to get him. Timing would have to be VERY good though so the dogs could get straight airport release. I worry more about finding sdomeone around here that wouldn't get frustrated and get rid of the dogs somehow.

 

[Fran]

My sister does pet sitting. A friend of mine was returning to her home in the UK and knew that quarantined dogs in the UK don't seem to fair well. My sister kept the dog for 6 months and then shipped him to the family. He is alive and well and still doing great 8yrs later.

If your puppies are used to being kenneled/boarded then that seems to be ok but if they have never been to a kennel or don't know the people who will care for them they may be traumatized. I would go about introducing them to whoever will be responsible for them so that they have some sort of comfort with caretakers. An old t shirt that you have slept in that has your scent would be good for them in the early days to ease the transition.

I, personally, would go for a caretaker who will keep the pups in a similar environment as they live now. Fortunately, I have been sending the two younger ones to a doggie day camp one day a week to burn off some steam and for me to get the kitchen floor scrubbed. The staff love them and are so attached that I don't have any problem with boarding them there for a few days. I would not have them kenneled for 3 months. I know it's done but it would have to be a very special kennel.

Good luck in HI and hopefully your fur kids will do just fine. You might try the vet's office to see if any of the staff is interested. I know my vet's office has staff that dog sit on their free time. You got to figure that they like animals and would treat them well.

 

[Marcie Mac]

My best friend moved back after living in Hawaii for a year - she took her two cats - have asked her about time and cost in quarantine and will let you know. I seem to recall there was nothing she could have done to skip them doing that.

Marcie

 

[klmno]

I got the stuff faxed out and they should receive college transcripts tomorrow or Wednesday- much to my surprise! (The people about the job- not about the dogs.)

As far as quarantine requirements- I checked online last week and HI requires a microchip be placed, then AFTER the microchip the dog has to have a blood test and that has to be sent to HI. They won't accept the dog on the island until 120 days after they receive that blood test. This is assuming all shots have been kept up to date for the past couple of years- which they have. I figure I can get the microchip put in within a couple of days after confirming the job (if it gets to that point) and it will take approximately 1 month to actually get myself to HI. So, that would leave about 3 mos before the dogs could be accepted there but it allows me a little time to find someone here to take care of them and transition them a little at a time, over the course of a week or two. The choice would be quarantining in HI's state kennel (that's all they allow) and that costs a fortune, the dog is kept in a kennel- it isn't like day care where they can walk and socialize some- versus me finding someone to take care of them here until the end of that 120 days. I can't afford 3 months of kenneling them here even if I thought that was better than quarantining them. The only plus about the quarantine is that the owner can visit the dogs. But again, it would cost over $3000 for me to go that route and I think it would be tramautizing for them. This is just according to the info I found online but it was an official HI web site.

If a person knows all this early enough on, they can prepare for it and avoid the quarantine so I guess that's how your friend managed it, MM.