I stopped at the small pet store near me that specializes in reptiles and was looking at what torts and turtles they had while waiting for my feeder fish and crickets. I ended up talking to a customer who was looking at a sulcata hatchling and also juvenile russians they had for sale. I politely asked if she was aware how large the tiny sulcata would become and she assured me she was and had knowledge of torts.
Anyway the point of this thread.
She said she went to Turkey on a trip and bought 3 WC Mediterranean spurred torts. She paid about $10 each. She got the export permits from Turkey and the import permits for the US, bringing her total to about $50 per tort. She said when she returned home she had to change planes in London. Customs in London held her and requested her CITES paperwork. She said no matter how much she argued she was only changing planes and not remaining in England, it got her no where. She was held at customs until the proper authorities could come and confiscate the torts. She missed her flight and was told she could apply for the proper papers and claim them. She also told if she had changed planes in Rome, no additional paperwork would have been needed.
This made me wonder a few things:
1. What happened to those poor tortoises? She was shopping for torts because she has no intention of returning to that part of the world anytime soon to claim them.
2. Is it reasonable for England to require additional paperwork when she was never even leaving airport security?
I guess a lesson learned. Check every point on your itinerary for the laws and rules if you are shopping for anything that requires import/export permits internationally.
Dawna
Anyway the point of this thread.
She said she went to Turkey on a trip and bought 3 WC Mediterranean spurred torts. She paid about $10 each. She got the export permits from Turkey and the import permits for the US, bringing her total to about $50 per tort. She said when she returned home she had to change planes in London. Customs in London held her and requested her CITES paperwork. She said no matter how much she argued she was only changing planes and not remaining in England, it got her no where. She was held at customs until the proper authorities could come and confiscate the torts. She missed her flight and was told she could apply for the proper papers and claim them. She also told if she had changed planes in Rome, no additional paperwork would have been needed.
This made me wonder a few things:
1. What happened to those poor tortoises? She was shopping for torts because she has no intention of returning to that part of the world anytime soon to claim them.
2. Is it reasonable for England to require additional paperwork when she was never even leaving airport security?
I guess a lesson learned. Check every point on your itinerary for the laws and rules if you are shopping for anything that requires import/export permits internationally.
Dawna
