Pets to Ecuador! - corrected version I guess we need a new header for PETS!The answer to your question is yes! Yes you can bring pets and it is very easy. Just get organized. I brought my 85 pound German Shepherd! If your pet weighs more then 100 pounds sitting in the cage it will have to go by cargo! That is a pain and hard on the pet. They will weigh your animal at the counter and then weigh the kennel. Important! Read this and believe it..."your kennel can not exceed a model 500". The 600 will not go via baggage. I found this out the hard way and almost missed my flight. I had to go to Wally World in Miami and get a new 500 kennel. I had to leave the $120 model 600 kennel at the counter and the girl was thrilled to have it for her GSD. Also, from the terminal in MIA to Wally World it cost me $100 bucks (to hurry)...glad the cops were sleeping or at the doughnut shack. The kennel was tight (acceptable) for my GSD but LAN Air cooperated. Some aircraft such as the commuter jets can not take your pet. The cage will not fit through the cargo door. Ask before you pay for your tickets. A 737 and MD80 will carry the model 500 kennel. The airline must limit the weight due to restrictions with the insurance, company & unions for lifting the kennel! That is really the only reason. It can not weigh more the 100 pounds in the cage or a total of 100 pounds combined. Do not ask them for a "break today". You will miss your flight or leave your pet at the counter. A tip...you can usually bypass the long line if you have a pet because the airlines have a separate counter for pets and extra cargo. And you can also check in for your seat when you process the pet. Contact the Ecuador Consulate for the correct information. But it is very simple to get the certificate. Do not accept false statements from your vet in your country. Shots > There are about 5 or 6 vaccinations. Get documents from your vet. And if you are unsure, get the vaccination again. I had all of my pets vaccinations repeated if they were a yr from expiring. No big deal and cheap! Basically it is > rabies shot 30 days prior to your flight date. The certificate within 10 days to your flight. And correct me if I am wrong! Things change! But this was it when I left. Keep in mind you just get the rabies certificate and health certificate apostatized by your secretary of state (notary office). So you must overnight the certificate to the consulate for his seal too! It's easy! When you get your pet on the airline they will give you a note or tag that indicates your pet was put aboard the flight. Do not let them put the animal on a different fight...get off! When your pet arrives in country it will come right down the baggage que with everything else. Surprise! It will be thirsty so have a little water and do not over water. The baggage compartment is very warm and sometimes hot for the dogs. Don't complain! Just water the animal and get going. Complaints about the dog being hot and needing water do not go past the gate. Go through customs as usual. The guys will ask you for the "original" certificate of health. So you had better have made copies! And it is a good idea to have had the copies notarized. Two copies is recommended. Do not put a copy of your passport on the kennel! Some websites state this is they way to do it but don't. In fact, the airline will tell you what they need. If you put a copy of your ID on that kennel it can be abused by a criminal somewhere down the line. LAN Airlines will demand that the ID be removed. So just put the pets ID and a copy of the certificate. Something to keep in mind. If your flight has a layover you are putting the pet in jeopardy. Do not leave your pet at the facility and go to a hotel for the night. Find a hotel that allows pets! If your flight has a few hours layover sometimes you can get to see it. Ask for transportation to the area where it is kept. And remember, you need that tag that says your pet was put aboard the continuing flight. Wire the kennel shut. Do not rely on those little plastic nuts and bolts, buy some steel ones. Put wire on the pets door but make sure it can be removed by the airline staff without cutting. If you don't know how to put the wire on the nuts and bolts, ask someone that does...such as an aircraft mechanic! Google "safety wiring bolts" and look at the pictures but keep in mind you do not need a little hole in the bolt to wire it. You can purchase simple little washers with the holes. Or don't use them and wrap the wire below the head of the bolt near the top of the bolt, seat it in the provided spot and stretch it to the bottom and put the nut on and wrap the wire around the bolt below the nut. Anything is better then nothing. But I would drill little holes in the sides of the kennel near the bolts. Remember to wire the door but it must be opened without the need to cut the wire. The wire must loop around the top of the bolt and then around the bottom. Or it must loop through the top portion of the kennel and through the bottom. If you must, drill holes! If you do not understand this, read the article about American Airlines and the girl that lost her cat. The cat eventually died because the cage came apart. Questions. Ask the consulate! And keep in mind that some pets can ride in the compartment on your lap if they do not weight too much. Check with the airline first. Also, there is an airline that carries pets only. It travels between about 8 cities in the states. petairways can be googled. Don't be intimidated by those that say your pet will be held for weeks! Don't believe that you must get all of those silly inspections in customs for mites, bugs, tick, aliens, etc. Just make sure the dog is in good health and have the certificate from the vet and stamped by the USDA. You might be told to "notarize" that USDA certificate. Don't. Just take it to the USDA and get the stamp. Then send it to get the apostatize and then to the EC Consulate for their stamp on the back of the document. Make copies of the front and back to to get the whole seal. Oh, the seal from the secretary of state can not be inked. It must be a raised seal (embossed). Those little ink stamps do not work for the consulate. You do not need a animal customs agent! You do not need those rip-offs that tell you how to ship your pet. These brokers and agents take your money for nothing. Their fee is $500 to $5, 000.00. I know someone in Cuenca that paid $1, 250.00 to a broker for their 30 pound dog! They had to go to cargo to get it and pay another $200.00. The dog could have gone aboard the airplane as baggage and been fine. That is where it traveled anyway! Cost is about $500 from MIA or IAH. And I think that was R/T. Did I miss something? If I missed something let me know and this post will be corrected. | 
