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I will be traveling with a medical alert service dog…first time internationally. We have the USDA health certificate
(within 10 days) and 30 days current rabies shot and all accompanying paperwork.
My service dog always travels under the seat in front of me.
He has the proper ID and paperwork for a service animal.
Just wondering if anyone has any concrete info concerning
traveling with a service animal, specifically to CR.
Also, I’ve been told by another contact that there would be
NO rooms available if travel with a dog. (Excuse me???????
we are medically connected…)
Any info, experiences &/or suggesstions are very much appreciated. Thank you.We have a zillion posts on bringing dogs into Costa Rica which is probably why nobody is jumping in to help you here…
Please use the search facility in the Discussion Forum and search for information about bringing dogs into Costa Rica.
I don’t know if Costa Rica recognizes a “service dog” and understands that you are “medically connected” – probably not – but as long as the airline is OK with it, you should be fine.
There are plenty of B&B’s and other places that allow animals but this tends to be smaller establishments.
Scott
there is a law about service animals in costa rica, but good luck getting it enforced. you’re fine with the airlines; we travel with a legitimate service dog and never had a problem with any of the airlines — Delta, America, or Continental. my hsuband did have problems getting the dog into restaurants here, but when he pitched a fit they would acquiesce. but they didn’t like it. forget big hotels. they won’t let the dog in. smaller b and b’s are more amenable. this is NOT the States and they don’t have much regard for animals in general here, forget the concept of a medical alert dog. they will just think you are daft and what a silly thing to have.
I traveled with a service dog last year and I did not have any problems. I did not stay at any hotels but the taxi that took us to the bus station had no problem with the dog. They were hesitant at the bus station even though she was wearing a service vest and a picture ID tag. They asked for some assurance that she was really a service dog or proof of her training. I took out a color copy of my certicate showing that we had completed and passed the training for Access and that made them happy. The funny thing is that it was in English and I am sure the ticket seller could not read a word on there. It looked official because it was in color and I had it in a plastic protector sheet. On the return trip back to San Jose I simply asked for the seats on the bus that had the wheelchair space in front of them so that the dog would have space “because I had a service dog”. The ticket seller never questioned it. As a back-up I also had a signed note from my physician that I needed to have a service dog with me at all times but no one ever asked for it. It seems that if it looks like to them that you know exactly where to go and what to do with a service dog, they are more likely to comply. As they see more and more service dogs they will become more accustomed to their presense and there will be less resistence. I flew on Sprit Airlines with no problem. My dog is an Australian Shepherd and she was in the cabin under the seat in front of me. In Costa Rica, I traveled on the local buses with my dog with no problems. She always wore her service vest and her picture ID tag.
I did not know Costa Rica had a law about service animals. If this is so, carrying a copy of it would work wonders in the case of resistance. If anyone has a copy of this, I would appreciate a copy of it.
I
Ithe next time i see that sign that references the law number, i will write it down. it’s usually posted on signs in restaurants that say “no masctoas” — good to know about taking the dog on buses. we’ve never done that. . . yet.
many thanks for your kind and informative replies. I so appreciate your time and I will let you know of my adventures after we experience them.
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