russellcurly

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Hey, hoping someone with experience shipping reptiles can help me out here!

I currently live in Canada and at the end of this year I am going to move back to Ireland. My partner who I met here is coming with, and they have 2 red-foot tortoises and a bearded dragon. So far shipping of our beardie doesn't seem to be an issue and she won't require any CITES forms.

However, the red-foots do and I'm feeling a little lost and very overwhelmed lol. Does anyone know a company that would be able to ship them for me? I reached out to a few, but with COVID and Brexit a lot of them aren't even giving quotes right now ?

If not, I am able to ship them with Air Canada Cargo. If we go with this route, we have to sort everything out ourselves and that's where I'm getting overwhelmed. I have been in touch with CITES Canada, CITES Ireland, Department of Agriculture in Ireland, as well as the airline that we'll be flying with. So far I've been given the shipping requirements for the animals, been told I'll need a CITES Import and Export permit form filled out and sent to each respective country, will need a health certificate signed off by a vet, etc.

Is there any other information I will need to know? These guys are like our babies and I am seriously stressed that something is going to go wrong! If I could avoid the trip altogether I would, but unfortunately my Visa is expiring at the end of this year. Any advice would be so very appreciated ?
 

KarenSoCal

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Hi, and welcome to the forum!

We do have some members from Canada, but offhand I can't think of any that are breeders, and I would think the laws of the USA aren't necessarily the same as Canada's.

One of our members has a Facebook group that is even more international than we are. I think you might have a better chance of an answer from that group.


But don't leave us! :D I could be very wrong and somebody might know what you need!
 

SJTort

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This is likely a dumb question (since I don't know anything about shipping torts), but would it be possible to carry them on the plane with you? Maybe as an emotional support animal?
 

TeamZissou

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This is likely a dumb question (since I don't know anything about shipping torts), but would it be possible to carry them on the plane with you? Maybe as an emotional support animal?

Most airlines have a no reptile policy for the cabin. People on TFO have posted that they have done it, so the airlines may not check or possibly the crew were just ignorant of the tortoise on board. If it were me, I wouldn't count on being able to do that.
 

lightningrob

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I believe I read that airlines are going to limit emotional support animals to dogs and cats only.

I think it was a pot belly pig that was the final straw.
I think that's true, but I assumed it was only for loose animals. If a reptile is completely enclosed during the flight, is it still forbidden?
 

KarenSoCal

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I think that's true, but I assumed it was only for loose animals. If a reptile is completely enclosed during the flight, is it still forbidden?
As I remember, no reptiles in the cabin at all. But that's my memory, which has occasionally been faulty in the past. ?
 

zovick

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I think that's true, but I assumed it was only for loose animals. If a reptile is completely enclosed during the flight, is it still forbidden?
The last I knew, NO COLD BLOODED ANIMALS were allowed in the passenger compartments of planes in the US, whether boxed, bagged, or in crates, etc..

I am not sure how the Canadian airlines would react, but I believe that trying to carry one onto a plane in the US could very likely result in its being confiscated or the owner missing the flight in order to stay with the animal.
 

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