I need help in the worst way

[Qanisqineq]

I am pulling my hair out here. I am going crazy. AAUUGGHH! :argh: Does anyone have experience moving pets internationally?

Ok, I am moving to South Korea next month (February). I have a number of pets (I am beginning to think too many) to move:
3 cats
1 red-eared slider (turtle)
1 parakeet/budgerigar (not moving until late May - if he can go at all)
:loveya: My babies!

What the heck do I need? I know I need a rabies vaccination certificate for the cats, health certificates for all, but a $20 bird needs 100 forms and is going to cost $1,000 to move (that may be exaggerating, but it sure doesn't seem like it)?? :grr:

I have been told to call the Korean consulate and been given two different numbers. One number isn't in service, at the other number everything is in Hongul! :mad: My husband is already in Korea and has asked the vet's office on the army base (he's military). They know next to nothing - how can that be? Lots of people bring pets there. I have visited websites for the USDA, U.S. Fish & Wildlife site, APHIS, CITES, the U.S. Army veterinary command (or whatever), pet moving services, breeders' sites, and numerous others. I have 50 to 100 pages of junk printed out and it all contradicts each other. I have called the USDA, I have called my vet, I have called the veterinary office on the army base I live on here in the U.S., and I called one other government place that I don't even remember what it was. Every one contradicts the other!

At first I thought I'd leave the turtle (more like give her away since no one I know will babysit) -- but besides the airlines only flying her in rather expensive cargo (not baggage, CARGO), she only needs a health certificate. Other than that, she is by far the easiest, especially getting back into the U.S.

The cats need rabies and health certificates. They are going NO MATTER WHAT. Well, I've been told that both these certificates (& the turtle's) need to be stamped by my state's USDA vet. And I've been told they don't. And I've been told they don't need this if given by an army vet. And I've been told that isn't true. I've been told there is a 10 day quarantine in Korea. And I've been told that is BS. I'm going to have the USDA stamp all these things just in case even though it will cost me $24 each which is ($24 x 3 rabies certificates = $72) + ($24 x 4 health certificates = $96) = $168 (at least the way I understand it). :shrug:

So it comes to my little bird (he's so cute, he blows kisses!). I took him to my parents house at Christmas and he will be there until May when I come back for my sister's graduation. They aren't really willing to babysit for 2.5 years and I don't want to go without him that long :cry:. However, I've been told that the whole Avian flu thing isn't a problem for getting him back to the U.S. and I've been told it is a problem, I've read that I need to set up an appointment with the Fish & Wildlife Service at a port before he leaves the U.S. and that he doesn't. I've read that he has to go through 30 days of quarantine upon returning (at about $130) and see a USDA vet at the airport (for a whopping $257 PLUS the lab work and the form fees). :wow: But then, I've been told that none of this applies or little of it applies because of the species of bird and because he is a pet. But that is not what I've read. I've seen countless different forms that I may or may not have to fill out before leaving - some that supposedly have to be submitted up to 4 months in advance. However, that one is a health certificate which is only good for 10 days before leaving :wtf:

Does anyone have the slightest freaking clue about going to ANY country? I can call some office and it depends on the day and who picks up the phone for what they will say. :banghead: My husband works with a guy that brought some cats and a PARAKEET/BUDGIE to Korea AND HE AND HIS WIFE SEEM TO HAVE NO FREAKING CLUE. His wife even works/worked at the veterinary office on post there!

Why doesn't anyone that is supposed to be "in the know" know?

[RebelOne]

1. I haven't a clue either, but I sure wish you luck.

At least you have a few months to sort it all out.

[demnan]

2. If the friend who brought the pets in "doesn't know"

then he didn't do what was officially required anyway. I'm thinking you'll get by if you half-ass follow the rules, at least that's a hunch. But I really don't know. Sorry.

[NV Whino]

3. Red tape... and lots of it.

You have my sympathy and the only advice I can give you is to get EVERYTHING in writing. Somebody says okay, get it in writing and signed. Waving official looking papers around will go a long way toward getting you what you want.

[demgoddess]

4. I took my beasts to Korea in 2001

I never post but I do have direct experience with Korea. I took a job with the Air Force at Osan in late 2001. I brought my two (then) 11 year old cats with me. I got the health certificates from my US vet and proof of all their shots. I flew commercial, bought two seats so the cats could be in the cabin with me. My flight was San Francisco to Tokyo, a four hour layover, then onto Seoul. The Japanese didn't blink when I came through security with the cats. The ladies working x-ray even petted them. When I got to Seoul, it was the last flight of the night & the customs/immigration guys hustled me through. My cats were in Sherpa bags which do not look like pet carriers. I basically smuggled my cats in. I am pretty certain (from my experience leaving Korea) that they were supposed to be examined by the Korean quarantine vet who is in the airport. When I left, United wouldn't let them on the flight without quarantine certificates. The Korean vet is located in the bowels of the airport. All she did was look at the cats in their cages, look at their paperwork and charge me 20,000 won for certificates. Such a scam, I only had $20 U.S. Of course, the office had no change! I believe you will have to go see the quarantine vet and they keep bankers' hours.

I don't know about birds but I think it is much more difficult. And then, the temporary housing I was booked into wouyldn't take my cats so my co-workers were kind enough to catsit until I got an apartment off base.

[Qanisqineq]

6. Thanks for the info

My flight is United to Tokyo to Seoul and the cats are flying as checked baggage. They wouldn't do it any other way but they reassured me that they would be looked in on every hour (crossing my fingers). We have an apartment off base so we don't have to worry about the any of the base's rules and restrictions.

I did find a piece of info yesterday that says the US Fish and Wildlife Service has to inspect the turtle at LAX. What the heck for? For a $55 fee plus $30/hour with a 2 hour minimum charge. :wtf: If I have a health certificate and everything Korea asks for, my turtle is not listed under CITES, what does it matter? If only I could figure out how to get her to Korea without having to worry about that. ;)

[demgoddess]

5. more info from Osan's website

I looked up the Osan web page because I remember that my co-workers had sent some info on shipping pets. I believe it is still good....

Check this... www.osan.af.mil/Public/BaseGuide/petinfo.html

I'm sorry, I don't know how to post a link. As I said, always a lurker (since January 2001), rarely a poster! Good luck moving your menagerie.

[Eurobabe]

7. Takes alot of time trolling on country's website

to see what the entry requirements are for animals, etc. We are moving back to Germany in summer, so I have a leg up (harhar!!) on what to do with my cats. Each country is different, as you already know. Our cats now have International Green Cross 'passports' with all their vaccinations and visits entered in...then you have to deal with the airline rules, they are worse than the damn country entry regs!!

I guess I need to review what shots they'll need to get back into Deutschland, thanks for the reminder, sorry you are having so many problems. Best of luck, hang in their -- it adds to your character. (j/k) -48