Pets & returning to Israel

dandelion

Fri, Aug 10 2012, 5:01 am

We're not olim chadashim. We were, then we returned to the States after 7 years. We've been out of the country for 15 years. After several years of agonizing, debating and finally deciding it's for sure time to return home, we have nearly completed all the necessary preparations and are in process of making reservations with El Al.

I'm exhausted from packing...but it's almost done. We are driving out to visit with family and friends and in a few weeks, hope to be flying to Tel Aviv after that. As with so many things to do with the famed Israeli bureaucracy, things can get hair-raisingly complicated. Questions are often not answered in a timely fashion or completely...or we think they have been answered completely, only to find out later, not so much.

I had mentioned to the Consulate that we wanted to bring our cat back with us. The children are attached to her and I thought allowing them to keep her might help them with the transition. Imagine my shock when I found out, not through the Consulate, but through a friend who has been my own personal Nefesh b'Nefesh, helping me think through all that is needed to keep things on track -- that our cat has to not only have rabies shots -- of course she does -- but then we have to wait at least 30 days, then have her blood titer tested.

Apparently, I should have been all over this 4 months ago. I just read that at the NbN site. Well, I wasn't and now I don't know what to do. We are leaving this coming Sunday, the kids have been told, after not initially being sure, that we can indeed, bring the cat. And now...what exactly?

So, here's my question: Has anyone had or does anyone know someone who has had recent experiences with the this sort of thing? Are the authorities at Ben Gurion going to ride us on this, or do they tend to wave off the typical American family with the household cat? In other words, are those draconion regulations (they weren't there the first time around...you just needed a record of the rabies shot and you were good) enforced faithfully or, are they easy-going about it all? I mean, they reserve the right to destroy the cat. Methinks that might be harder on the kids than leaving her with friends. Still, if we're likely to find an understanding ear at the airport, or if they just ignore us, I'd like to salvage the situation and bring the cat. She's a really, really nice cat.

Any thoughts??

dandelion

Fri, Aug 10 2012, 1:44 pm

Thanks for the welcome home first of all. We are very excited. Exhausted too. I'm still not quite finished with packing!! We're getting help from friends for this last sprint to the finish line.

"Impossible to know what will happen with the cat at the airport. Sometimes it just depends on what kind of mood the clerk is in that day."

That gives me a glimmer of hope. Sounds like things haven't changed much, and that we could possibly slip under the wire with her.

"How far away are you from the 30 day limit? If you do the shots today and have the cat test right before you go (how long does it take to get results?) will you be anywhere close to the 30 day limit? That might (or might not) make a difference."

We just had her rabies vaccination yesterday. So, 30 days from yesterday is the earliest the relatively new regulations allow for the titer test. And we fly out that day. I was thinking, if we get a hard time, I can show the clerk at the airport the proof of rabies shot, and we can then maybe then arrange for the blood test for immunity in Israel. The Misrad HaKlaut is in charge of the whole thing. The information on it at Nefesh b'Nefesh said that for pets like cats & dogs, most of the time they are approved.

Anyway, I emailed my Consulate agent, who is very prompt and helpful. We'll see what she days. I just needed to know what the general efficiency rate, shall I put it that way?? -- is at BG airport. Sounds like the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Hatzlacha.