ISDF is saddened and outraged at how many Customs Officials are treating dogs arriving from other countries into the US. It is an increasing trend of dogs flying from other countries being held and money extorted from Rescue Groups to get the dogs out despite having all the required paperwork to allow them entry into the US. It is an outrage and this trend is growing around the US. These rescuers who are going to extreme lengths to help these dogs are being extorted and treated poorly. ISDF is looking for a lawyer who would be willing to volunteer their time for counsel and assistance.
We also need volunteers to start a Change.Org campaign and enlist local media to raise awareness on this injustice. Any ability to get on News and Radio stations would be a tremendous help. The officials need to hear our voices on this matter and they will start to listen.
It is simply NOT RIGHT for these dogs and rescuers to be held at the whim of Customs officials with no good reason to hold them except possibly rescue groups are easy targets to bully and extort money from.
Even if there is an issue the Customs Agents should handle with humanity, compassion and common sense. Sending a puppy back to Kuwait where they will probably die is not a common sense answer. If there is a concern of health or age there are many other ways this could be handled. For example, release the dog to a qualified shelter facility where they can quarantine for 10 days to clear any concerns.
Here is the fundraiser to help with the mounting costs of the Kuwait dogs being held at JFK.
Dawn Trimmel of ISDF will be sitting for the Customs Broker Exam next month in an effort to facilitate rescue dogs arriving into O’Hare in the future but we also need legal assistance to navigate these increasingly rough waters.
15 Responses
Liz
We would love to assist.
Please contact liz@artforyourcause.com
Dawn
Hi Liz,
Thank you for the offer of help. I would love to chat with you. Can I please call you?
Best,
Dawn Trimmel
414-426-4148
Liz London
We would love to assist.
Please contact liz@artforyourcause.com
Dawn
Liz,
Thanks for the comment. I would love to chat with you. Can I please call you? My number is 414-426-4148.
Best,
Dawn Trimmel
Diane Graham
Please release the dogs to their rescue groups
Jenee Schutz
This is appalling.
Lauren
It’s not just dogs from Kuwait. They’re doing it for a lot of foreign dogs coming in I personally volunteer for a rescue that brings dogs in from Turkey and we have stopped all flight into JFK because of the drama and problems that are being caused by the custom agents!!
Liz Kincheloe
Wait. What?! I want to help and could likely make some connections to media and social media. Please contact me
Dawn
Hi Liz. It’s Dawn From ISDF. Can I please call you?
Dawn
Hi Liz,
I would love to chat with you. My number is 414-426-4148. We need social media to shed a light on this matter to help raise awareness and educate and hold accountable Customs Agents who are not treating animals and rescuers humanely.
Best,
Dawn
Meredith M Festa
Unfortunately some of the dogs that recently landed were underage and were not old enough to enter the USA. I tried to help them sort the situation out when it happened. The puppies being returned are to young to have a rabies vaccine.
The dogs were also missing the import permits from Aphis. That issue was given a pass for now, aphis did not fine them.
Under the Animal Welfare Act dogs must have a permit and be 6 months of age.
It is a newer law that not all rescues understand.
These are the rules for dogs to enter USA simply put, combining all rules and regulations for all federal government agencies. Your individual states also have seperate requirements.
1. Must by 6 months of age.
2. Must be accompanied with an import permit issued by USDA/Aphis/live dog team.
3. Must have a Certificate of Veterinary inspection with specific wording on vaccines given.
4. Must have a Certification of Rabies vaccine (that can be either on the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection or on a separate document)
5. Must have Export paperwork required by county of origin
For questions on the Animal welfare act you can contact:
USDA APHIS Animal Care
Importation of Live Dogs Team
Phone: (816) 737-4223
ac.dogimport.mailbox@aphis.usda.gov
I’m currently working on getting a clear set of rules from each agency so these situations can be avoided in the future.
These issues happen because different agencies have different requirements.
The minimum age for CDC is 4 months, but under the new law it is 6 months on a federal level. Thus the confusion.
That being said, the puppies sent back were not even 3 months old so they were denied entry. I couldn’t do anything to help with those 2.
Henrikje denecke-lempke
Release the dogs!
Dawn
Hi Meredith,
Thank you very much for your response. Raising awareness and educating is key to avoiding this issue in the future. We also need a network to help with dogs having issues and being held by customs so we don’t have rescues being shipped back to home country again.
It is true the regulations are confusing and even the Customs Agents will give misinformation. Cases are definitely being handled differently depending on the agent admitting the dogs. Rescuers and flight volunteers are at times interrogated and treated poorly and sometimes unjustly.
Can I please contact you to discuss further?
Thank you for what you are doing to help the dogs. Your organization is very similar to mine and it looks like you are doing amazing work. I would love to chat with you sometime.
Warmest Regards,
Dawn Trimmel
Kim
so is it a fact that only the OWNER of the dog can in fact bring the dog through customs?? if the flight buddy is not the owner of the dog being rescued is there a problem? This is what I am struggling with? We want to save dogs and find them homes in the US using flight volunteers bu are unclear if it is ok to use a flight volunteer to bring a healthy, of age, vaccinated dog, from an approved country to the US with appropriate paper work to a legit rescue then relinquish to an adopter non-profit. can anyone answer me this?
Dawn
Hi Kim,
You are right if the owner of the dogs is flying with them as personal pets then the pet parent can bring the dog (s) through customs without a Broker or Import Permit.
Feel free to give me a call and I can walk you through the regulations. 414-426-4148.
Best,
Dawn Trimmel
414-426-4148