COnsidering a move to Bahia

Hello Camilla123 and welcome to https://www.expat.com.

This is to inform you that a new topic has been created using your post on the Ecuador Forum to increase the visiiblity of your research hence allowing members to assist you easily.

Best of luck.

Regards,

Sarvesh

Camilla,

I took my dog to Ecuador last fall in preparation for my move this summer.  I flew from Canada and to be honest it was pretty damn easy.  Make sure you have a recent travel clearance letter and that all your pups vaccinations are up to date and you should be good to go. 

Make sure you have a suitable carrier.  The problem I had is that my dog is a Boston Terrier and they are listed as having breathing problems and are unable to fly in the cargo hold so she had to be in the cabin. Dogs in the cabin are only allowed to be less than 22 lbs if I remember right.  Also depending on the airline there are restrictions so be sure you know what each airlines restriction are before you book your flight.  If you have any questions post here or PM me and I will do my best to answer.  Good luck with your move, we are also planning on relocating to the central coast area.  Currently my wife and daughter are in the area of Valle de los Chillos but we are wanting to move and head to the coast.

An article by El Comercio was published today which depicted a grim picture of Bahía de Caráquez, a picture that all but described it as abandoned. It seems that residents who remained have moved south to Leonidas Plaza, which they're calling the "New Bahía de Caráquez."

It continues to rebuild after the devastating April 16, 2016 earthquake.

Bahía de Caráquez, Abandoned (El Comercio)

That is unfortunate to hear.  Last year I invited a friend of mine to join me in Ecuador.  We had planned a trip to the coast the day after he arrived in Quito, sadly this was the day before the quake hit.  We were set to start our travels in Pedernales and then head south from there, obviously this didn't happen.

It is more than a travel clearance letter.  There is an official international heath-vaccination form.  After you get the veterinarian to health check your animal and ensure that all vaccinations are up to date, you have a 10 day window only, before you get on the plane, in which to get the form processed by a different bureaucracy.  Make sure that you do it within the 10 days.    Your vet office can likely direct you to the online form to download.  You need to make an appointment with the proper bureaucracy later for processing.
HelenP

HelenPivoine wrote:

It is more than a travel clearance letter.  There is an official international heath-vaccination form.  After you get the veterinarian to health check your animal and ensure that all vaccinations are up to date, you have a 10 day window only, before you get on the plane, in which to get the form processed by a different bureaucracy.  Make sure that you do it within the 10 days.    Your vet office can likely direct you to the online form to download.  You need to make an appointment with the proper bureaucracy later for processing.
HelenP

By saying travel clearance letter I should have been more clear and said Vet Travel clearance letter with health and vaccine information.  When I got in to Ecuador the border agent just asked if I had my paper work for the dog and took it, he didn't even look at it.  Everyone's experiences are different however.  This was the second time I took my dog down, this time she will stay no matter what.  We actually had much more problems from the Ecuadorian border agents taking her out of the country if you can believe that. first time I brought my dog down was from Florida as I had driven down there in prep of shipping my car over.  Bringing the animal from the USA is a whole other can of worms and I do not recommend doing what I did to anyone, you actually have to get a form which was from the Department of Agriculture and if I remember right it was an export permit.

That is what I was talking about, the Dept of Ag form, I just could not remember the name of the Dept.  My cat took the 3 planes, in-cabin, and then a 12 hour ride from Quito in stride, and she is a skittish formerly feral cat.  She is now very happy and goes on the mountain every day, this is our third and final move within a small area near Vilcabamba.  I have an Ecuadorian kitten now too.
HelenP