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A last post on this subject: From [url=http://www.worldpettravel.com/]Angie[/url]a pet relocation specialist.
“There is not a new law. This is an old law that the government is now enforcing on pets coming in on their own ticket or airway bill. The customs officials at the airport were not aware that Continental pets were not coming in as excess baggage until a very important woman (wife of someone high up in the government)threw her weight around on the 18th of April and flashed her airway bill at the customs officials demanding her pets.
This upset the customs officials and brought to their attention the fact that Continental was allowing pets to come through the passenger terminal with an airway bill when they should go directly to the cargo facility like all other pets arriving as manifest cargo with their own tickets.
Several meetings took place over the following days and the result of these meetings were that for now, only Continental would be affected by this ruling since all of the other airlines were already following this protocol. All pets arriving on Continental as quickpak on their own ticket (airway bill) will go directly to the cargo facility rather than be released in the passenger terminal as previously allowed.
Now you must acquire an import permit prior to arrival in order for your pet to be released when you arrive. This should be applied for at least 4 days prior to your arrival in Costa Rica through a broker so that your pet does not sit in the customs warehouse for many unnecessary hours unattended.
There will be taxes and customs duties charged as well as fees charged now that were never charged before as a result of the pets coming in through the cargo warehouse. The tax rate is 24.30% of the adjusted value. Pets are automatically insured at $50.00 above the amount shown on the AWB. Value is set at $50-$60 above the amount shown on the AWB and the taxes and costs are based on this amount.
You still must have a current rabies under one year and vaccinations (for a cat FVRCP, for a dog DHLPP) current within one year. Tick and tapeworm treatment prior to arrival as well. All of this must be documented on the APHIS 7001 International Health Certificate and it must be endorsed by the USDA within 10 days of arrival in Costa Rica.
I hope this information helps clear up some of the confusion that is out there about what is now necessary to bring your dog or cat into Costa Rica”.
sheesh. that’s the way it has always been, which is why i’ve never recommended that someone send their pet as cargo. what a hassle. as far as i know, cargo dogs were always sent to the warehouse; only pets traveling with a passenger were available at luggage pick-up. what a big brouhaha for nothing.,
Here are my results from bringing in two cats this week:
We booked our flight for April 1st with Delta from LAX through Atlanta and then on to SJO. We checked two cats as “checked baggage” and they flew in the same planes as us in the cargo hold. We did the typical paperwork only as specified on the CR Consulate website (shots, letter, USDA stuff etc.). The pets arrived shortly after we had grabbed our luggage at 12 noon CR time with no problem and we paid a porter $20 to help us with our luggage and cats through customs and to our driver.
The customs official looked at all the cat paperwork and there was no problem other then him not understanding what a “domestic short hair” cat was. 😀 We explained as best we could and he just said ok and stamped the papers.
All said and done the arrival was painless and took less then 60 minutes from disembarking the plane to loading the van and on to our new home. (Of course, it helps that we were ushered to the special needs immigration line due to our happy and smiling baby.)
Anyway, off to play in the jungle!
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