Travelling with a
guide dog both home and abroad
Whether
you are travelling locally, nationally or internationally with
your guide dog, it is important to always plan ahead and
communicate.
Travelling with your
guide dog within New Zealand
Day trips or overnight
trips
Whether going
out for the day, going on an overnight stay, or heading off
inter province on holiday, you will need to carry certain
things to keep your pet refreshed. On day trips you will need
items such as a foldable water bowl, water (if you are not
going to be near a tap) and plastic bags for toileting
purposes. On longer extended trips, you will also need to
consider taking items such as a dog blanket, grooming brush,
dog food and their favourite toy. Plan ahead and find out what
facilities are available where you are going, and communicate
your needs to the people there.
Domestic flights
within NZ
As with any form of travel or accommodation,
(either domestic or international), always advise others that
you are visually impaired or blind and travelling with a guide
dog. You will need to do this at the time of booking.
Regardless of how you get to the airport, once you arrive at
the airport the first stop is the check in counter. The
staff will go through the process of checking you in and then
let the correct people know which flight you will be boarding.
If a person travelling with you is sighted, they may take you
through to the waiting lounge. If in the case of travelling
alone and ordering VIP assistance, always let the staff know
where you are sitting, so when the flight goes to board, it
will make it easier for them to find you. Alternatively,
in bigger airports, the staff may call you over the microphone
and you will need to make your way to the counter/gate. If you
have booked in for VIP assistance, you will be taken onto the
plane earlier (usually about 5 to 10 minutes beforehand) and
seated in the correct seat. If it was stated on your
ticket (when booked) about forward seating, this will be for
the guide dog. This usually means the flight is full and
the guide dog will have to be slid under the seat in front of
you. If you are lucky and there are some spare seats,
you may get a space for them to lie on the ground in front of
the seat next to you (not in the aisle). They will
usually have a bit of foam to lie down on (which is just in
case anything happens). This is to protect the floor if
the guide dog has a mishap - just in case there is a release
of fluids (that could result if the dog gets scared). If
possible, gently talk to and stroke your pet during take off
and landing to calm them.
Once the plane has landed, you will be the last to be taken
off.
If you are flying from say New Plymouth to Auckland, then the
steward will assist you off the plane and arrange for someone
to take you through to collect your baggage, then to whatever
mode of transport you are catching next. This may be the taxi
stand, bus stop, or to the shuttle bus etcetera. Remember to
have written contact details with you (for example the name of
the hotel you are staying at) so that airport staff can point
you in the right direction.
If you are flying purely within NZ, you will not need any
paperwork for your guide dog other than its guide dog passport
in case of general enquiries.
Domestic flights
within NZ connecting to international flights
If however you are changing off a domestic
flight onto an international one, you will need to read the
information below about obtaining export certificates and any
appropriate paperwork before you leave home. It makes it much
easier if you get any export certificates and checkups
etcetera done locally before you board your first flight.
These will normally need to be done so many days beforehand,
but your local vet will be able to give you the correct
contact details and the most up to date information at the
time of your enquiry. Remember, MAF export certificates are
only required if you and your guide dog are leaving New
Zealand. If changing from a domestic flight onto an
international one, staff can assist you from your place of
arrival, to the next counter at the international airport. If
travelling with a friend, you may wish to walk or take the
shuttle there. Sometimes your luggage will be transferred
automatically (for example if flying with the same airline all
the way), and other times you will need to collect your
luggage and check it in again (for example if flying with
different airlines). MAF inspectors and / or other airline
staff may wish to sight your guide dogs paperwork at various
stages throughout your journey. Ensure you keep this paperwork
handy at all times.
Exporting your guide
dog from New Zealand to Australia
The following
information will cover the import and export of guide dogs to
and from Australia and New Zealand. It is essential that you
follow the correct procedures and get the correct paperwork
before you leave, to avoid any more serious problems
occurring. Failing to be prepared and / or provide the correct
paperwork may mean not only delays, but more seriously, your
guide dog may be refused entry onto the flight.
Scenario: Booking an 18 day holiday from NZ
to Australia
When travelling
overseas (and depending on whether you are travelling by
yourself, with someone or maybe with a guide dog), the process
may differ slightly. For the following example, we will
assume that the trip will be with a guide dog and a friend for
a stay of 18 days. Once you have determined which
location you are going to visit (for example Sydney
Australia), the following process will need to happen.
When you go to book your tickets with the airline (either
online or through a travel agent), they will need to know the
following information. You will need to advise them that
you are visually impaired and that you will also have a guide
dog on your journey. They will need to have the details
entered for your trip, so the right people can meet you at
each stage of your trip. This may include places where
you are staying. If the place knows that you have a
guide dog it may determine where they put you (for example a
room on the bottom floor of a hotel with a grassy patch
nearby).
Permits required from your NZ vet, and
contacting MAF (and AQIS) to export (and import)
your guide dog
In terms of your guide dog's paperwork
requirements, currently Australia has two short term stay
permits. One is for stays of less than 10 days, and the other
is for stays of up to three weeks. For this example (that is
for a stay of 18 days), your local government accredited vet
will need the form for visits of up to three weeks. They will
also need an export certificate form. They will help you by
filling in these forms once performing the vet checks and
treatments necessary for export. Once your vet has prepared
your short stay certificate and your export certificate, it
helps to forward copies of these onto AQIS in Australia to
speed up your arrival interview when arriving overseas. The
link that follows is a list of government accredited places
that you can contact for this procedure. http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/exports/animals/dog-cat-oz.htm
Two days before departure from NZ, you will need to have your
guide dog treated for fleas, ticks and worms. Once arriving in
Australia, the government accredited vet over there will check
your dog 2 days after arrival. A second visit to an Australian
accredited vet will verify (14 days after the initial
application) that the flea and tick treatment is still
working. A third and final visit to the Australian accredited
vet will be undertaken 2 days before flying back out of
Australia, where the export certificate will be issued upon
clearance of the animal. The reason for such hefty checks is
because of an Australian tick that can paralyse dogs. New
Zealand certainly does not want this tick entering its
borders.
Please note that the only difference between a guide dog and
any other dog being exported is that you do not have to pay
the cost of the export certificate, and that on agreement with
the airline, your dog can travel with you in the cabin of the
aircraft. Cats and dogs must have been continuously
resident in New Zealand for 90 days immediately prior to
export, or
since direct importation from Australia or since birth to be
eligible to enter Australia.
Remember, get all the paperwork done that you need to have
before you leave home.
From the airport terminal ... to boarding
your flight
Once you have arrived at the international
airport and booked in your luggage you will need to go through
customs to leave the country. It is wise to have your correct
documents handy and ready to show them when required. Once
they are happy with your paperwork you will then need to put
your items into a box so they can be x-rayed. This may
even include a cane, if one is being carried with you.
The next step will be that you will need to go through a
scanner yourself. You can not just walk through with
your guide dog. They may want to hold onto the lead of
the dog while you go through the machine. They may lead
you up to the scanner or point you in the direction of it. Be
careful not to touch the walls of the scanner as you go
through. If it beeps, you may have to be searched by a
hand held metal detector. Then your guide dog will be able to
come through. The dogs harness may set off the alarms as
well. Once you are through and have gathered your items,
you will be off to the waiting lounge where you will be
boarded later on. When your flight is called, they will
ask for people who need special assistance to go up to the
counter first. You will be checked by the airline, as
well as MAF, to make sure you have the correct paperwork for
both you and your guide dog to leave the country. If it
is not correct for your guide dog, you may not be able to
leave the country with it. Make sure that all of the
correct procedures have been met, so that the guide dog can
fly as well. Again, you will be taken on early before
the rest of the people are allowed to load onto the
plane. If you are travelling with a guide dog, in most
cases if not all, you will be upgraded to either business
class or first class for the leg room. Here again, they
will give you a mat for your guide dog to lay down on for the
journey. There will usually be a spare seat beside you
for the guide dog to lay down on the ground.
Asking for VIP assistance
When the airline stewards / stewardesses
come around, tell them if you need assistance. Let them know
when they are serving food that you are visually impaired (in
case they don't see the guide dog first). It makes it a
lot easier to get them to tell you what is on your plate
rather than guess and taste it first. The staff should
have had training beforehand on how to deal with blind and
visually impaired people. Assistance needed may also
include information about buttons on the remote control, and
other general information such as arrival time etcetera.
When you are in the air, an arrival form will have to be
filled out. If someone is with you, they will usually
help you fill out the form for customs. If not, ask one
of the staff to help you fill it in, and you just sign your
name.
Arrival
at Sydney terminal
Once the plane has landed, again you will be
the last to get off the plane. You will usually be met at the
door of the plane. From here, you will be taken towards
the baggage area to collect your bags. When travelling,
it is a lot easier to find your bag amongst the rest of the
luggage if either you have a bag locator (which beeps when a
button is pressed on the remote you may be carrying), or some
identifying marker. This could be a coloured ribbon,
fluoro tape on your bag and so on. After this, you will
need to go to customs. Usually, if you have VIP assistance,
you will go through another gate which is a lot quicker.
This is usually the one the pilots go through. Then, you
will be checked by customs again to make sure you have the
correct paperwork for the guide dog to enter the
country. This process may vary from country to country
(as to what their requirements are) for you to enter and leave
with a guide dog. Ensure you find out what the
requirements are for the country you wish to import your guide
dog into / or export your guide dog out of before you travel.
Failing to look into this first may mean having to leave your
beloved pet behind, and pay a huge boarding bill while you are
away. I had even heard of a man who worked for customs
Australia, saying that should people not have the correct
paperwork that their guide dog may have to be put down. It
would definitely pay to get this correct before travelling.
Once the foreign officials are happy with your paperwork, they
will let you and your guide dog into the country. You will
need to get your dog vet checked again 2 days after arriving
in Australia.
Below is a detailed page on MAF's Export Requirements for
exporting dogs and cats to Australia
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/exports/animals/omars/domaniec.aus.htm
Below is a link to MAF's general information about exporting
cats and dogs to Australia
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/exports/animals/dog-cat-oz.htm
We highly recommend that you use the services of a registered
pet export company as they are familiar with the protocols and
procedures necessary to export pets overseas. A pet exporter
will be able to help you out with an indication of costs. The
following link (found on the Biosecurity New Zealand website)
is a list of registered pet exporters within New Zealand
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/exports/animals/registered-pet-exporters.htm
Please
be advised that if you are planning on returning to New
Zealand with your pets in the future, you will need to
contact the imports group at MAF to obtain up to date
information on importing pets back into New Zealand.
We strongly suggest that this is done before your pet is
exported from New Zealand (as you may not be able to import
your pet back into New Zealand). The imports group can be
contacted by phone: 04 894 0304 or email:
animalimports@maf.govt.nz
Importing
your Guide Dog (when returning from Australia) back
into New Zealand
Export permit from Australia to NZ
In most cases, when people go over to
Australia for a holiday, it is usually for 2 to 3 weeks - so a
blood test is not needed. If the period of stay is for
longer than 1 month, on your return journey (if over this
period of time), you will need to see the Government vet. This
will be 30 days before you fly. Here, they will need to do a
blood test (which will be sent off to be tested). Your
dog will also be given a special wash, which will kill off any
fleas, ticks and so on. You will need to check with the
vet what sort of costs there will be. For guide dogs,
the importer must provide official documentation from a member
school of the International Federation of Guide Dog Schools
which states that the guide dog has been in the service of its
handler at and/or under the supervision of the school for at
least the six months prior to the scheduled date of
importation.
Below is the process that a person would need to follow to
export a guide dog back into New Zealand. The only difference
in exporting a guide dog (as opposed to a pet dog etcetera) is
that there is no charge to export guide dogs, providing
documentation is provided showing the dog is a service
dog. All live animals exported from Australia are
required to meet the importing country's health requirements
and obtain an export permit and, where specified, a health
certificate prior to departure. Details on the process
you need to follow and the information you need to provide to
AQIS can be found on our website at http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/export/live-animals/companion.
Some information on the importing country’s requirements is
also available at: http://www.daff.gov.au/micor/live-animals/new_zealand/dog
Note: protocols are a guideline only and it is your
responsibility to contact the relevant Government authority in
that country to confirm that you are complying with the
importing country’s requirements at the time of export.
Important
points to remember:
- Contact
an AQIS Accredited Veterinarian (AAV) to assist
in the preparation of your pet(s) for export. These can be
found at: http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/export/live-animals/vets.
- Complete
a ‘Notice of
Intention to Export Live Animals’
(NOI) application form and submit it to the nearest
AQIS regional office at least 10 working days prior to the intended
departure date.
- If an import permit is required provide
a copy, in English, along with the Notice Of Intention...
If you require an import
permit it must be obtained prior to submitting
your Notice Of Intention application form to
AQIS. If the import permit is not in
English you will need to provide a certified translated
copy. Upon receipt of your Notice Of Intention...
application form, the AQIS office will contact you to
arrange a suitable appointment time for the issuing of the
export permit and health
certificate. You will need to bring along
all the documentation provided to you by the AAV detailing
the treatments, vaccinations and inspections undertaken to
prepare your animal(s)
- A fee
for service will apply to the processing of your
application and the issuing of the export permit and
health certificate per quarter hour or
part thereof, which will be charged at the time of
service. As a guide, an AQIS appointment will take a
minimum of 30 minutes. Payment can be made by credit
card or cheque. Some AQIS offices are able to accept
cash payments, please check with the individual office
when arranging your appointment. For further information
regarding fees and charges, please visit the AQIS website
at: http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/export/live-animals/fees-charges/exports
- If
there is any likelihood that your pet will be returning
to Australia, it is imperative that you discuss this
with AQIS as early as possible. Animals cannot be
imported (or returned) directly to Australia from some
countries, so appropriate advice is essential before your
animal leaves Australia. If you wish to re-import your pet
within six months of export, preparations must be made
prior to leaving Australia. For more information please
call the Live Animal Imports (LAI) Program on (02) 6272
4454 or visit the LAI website at: http://www.daff.gov.au/biosecurity/cat-dogs
Most government vets will have a branch in each city (for
example Rosebery in Sydney). The quickest way to locate
your nearest government vet, is to contact a local vet who can
put you in touch with them.
Contact details for your nearest city of departure are
available from: http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/export/live-animals/companion.
Contact details for DAFF in Sydney
Live Animal Exports DAFF Biosecurity - Animal Division
Phone +61 2 6272 4581 Fax +61 2 6272 5423
Contact details for DAFF (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries
and Forestry) in Canberra
7 London Circuit, Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
www.daff.gov.au
What the Australian accredited vet will do
before your departure from Australia
Once arriving in Australia, the government
accredited vet over there will check your dog 2 days after arrival. A
second visit to an Australian accredited vet will verify (14 days after the initial
application) that the flea and tick treatment is
still working. A third and final visit to the Australian
accredited vet will be undertaken 2 days before departure from Australia, where
the export certificate will be issued upon clearance of the
animal. Here again, they will be fully checked out to make
sure that all of the boxes have been ticked allowing you to
export your guide dog back to New Zealand. Once they are
happy with everything, you will be given an export certificate
for you to carry with you when leaving the country. If
you do not have this certificate your guide dog may not be
able to leave the country with you. The reason for such hefty
checks is because of an Australian tick that can paralyse
dogs. New Zealand certainly does not want this tick entering
its borders.
If you are flying to a country other than Australia, please
check with that country what their requirements are for
importing and exporting a guide dog to and from that country;
and what sort of costs will be involved. You will also
need to check with the airline as to where the guide dog may
be put in the plane. This will either be with you, or in
the cargo hold.
Keeping your paperwork on
you and safe; and MAF clearance times for
Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland
On the day you go to fly out, make sure you
have all the required paperwork (for both you and your guide
dog). Having it easy to access means you will not be holding
up the line looking for the required documentation. The whole
process of going through customs etcetera will be done all
over again to export your guide dog back into New Zealand with
the airline. Please be advised that if you are planning
on returning to New Zealand with your pets in the future, to
contact the imports group at MAF to obtain information on
importing pets back into New Zealand. Please refer to the web
link below for importing a dog from Australia. Please
also be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page for
specific information on importing an assistance dog. http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/enter/personal/pets
Until further notice, the restricted clearance times for cats
and dogs from Australia to Christchurch, Wellington and
Auckland are between 5.30 am and 6.30 pm on weekdays. MAF
Biosecurity New Zealand must be notified at least 72 hours
before the expected time of arrival of any animal. Guide dogs
can only currently be examined by a MAF inspector in Auckland,
Wellington and Christchurch airports. MAF needs 72 hours
advanced notice of arrival.
Contact details for MAF:
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Pastoral House 25 The
Terrace
PO Box 2526 Wellington New Zealand
Telephone: 64-4-894 0100 Facsimile: 64-4-894 0733 Web: www.maf.govt.nz
Contact details for biosecurity:
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Pastoral House 25
The Terrace
PO Box 2526 Wellington New Zealand
Telephone: 64-4-894 0443 Facsimile:
64-4-894 0733 Web: www.biosecurity.govt.nz
Summary:
Plan ahead and keep up to date with current protocols as these
are subject to change without notice. Knowing what your dog
needs to have done, and keeping the paperwork in a safe place
and easily accessible can make your trip much more enjoyable
in the long run. It is up to you as to whether you take your
guide dog with you on holiday or not. There are some great
puppy walkers who may be able to house your dog if you do need
to go away and can't take it with you. If you do decide to
take your guide dog overseas with you, ensure you have
researched all procedures and paperwork thoroughly before
going. Phoning, faxing and emailing ahead to both MAF and AQIS
can help make your trip so much easier. If travelling to
countries other than Australia, please ensure that you do your
homework first.
With some airlines, you can pay for economy class and get
upgraded to business class (or first class) for the leg room
for both you and your guide dog.
This section on "travelling with a guide dog both home and
abroad" is intended only as a guide (for those who wish to
travel with their guide dog). People must take
responsibility for their own travel plans.