Moving Our Dog to Ecuador

Dear Carl,

I have never heard of anybody paying $8,000 to move a single pet to Ecuador.

Contact your airline or prospective airline for assistance.

Another source of information is the USA Agriculture Department's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS):

  www.aphis.usda.gov

Please tell us what you find out.

cccmedia

Here is what the Ecuadorian government says about importing pets
http://www.agrocalidad.gob.ec/ingreso-d … portacion/

lebowski888 wrote:

Here is what the Ecuadorian government says about importing pets
http://www.agrocalidad.gob.ec/ingreso-d … portacion/

Even if some readers don't understand enough español to benefit from info on the Agrocalidad site that Lebowski linked us to, it's worth clicking on the link just to see the welcome page and the site's mascot -- a doggie on his motorcycle wearing a helmet, goggles and a scarf blowing in the wind.

Did OP Carl get bad advice .. leading him to believe it would cost him $8,000 to bring a pooch to Ecuador?

What's closer to the correct number -- $1000 .. $2000 .. $8000 .. or something else?

cccmedia

I think there was some bad advice given.  The government of Ecuador makes it easy to import a dog or cat, which are the only animals they consider as pets.  There is no mention anywhere of an entry tax, only a small fee for the animal's inspection.

The government is not the one with any big charges.

Here are all the steps needed, just three, no mention of any entry tax, only mentioned is the fee for the animal's inspection:
INGRESO AL ECUADOR DE PERROS Y GATOS.
Puntos a cumplir:

1. El Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación para su perro y/o gato otorgado por el Servicio Veterinario Oficial del país de procedencia en español, detallando el cumpliendo de los requisitos sanitarios exigidos por Ecuador.

Requisitos para perros y gatos procedentes de Europa, Asia, África y Oceanía. DESCARGAR
Requisitos perros y gatos procedentes América. DESCARGAR
Requisitos perros y gatos procedentes de Australia. DESCARGAR
2. Cuando el animal arribará por carga el comprobante de depósito por $26,17 dólares por la inspección de cada animal para la emisión del Permiso Zoosanitario de Importación.
3. Inspección clínica del perro y/o gato, por parte de un técnico de AGROCALIDAD.

That's all!  The above steps are from
http://www.agrocalidad.gob.ec/ingreso-d … portacion/

This short 4:21 YouTube video in Spanish first explains the steps for importing a dog or cat, and the whole explanation takes less than a minute and a half.  The rest is for exporting an animal, and also how to fill out an on-line form for import/export (the on-line form is not required, but presented for convenience):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU6Z8V3hpZY

This PDF explains all the steps in a document.  The only cost they specify is $24 for the Permiso Zoosanitario de Importación - the import permit issued by Agrocalidad.  Another document (as written above in step 2) says the cost is now $26.17.
http://www.agrocalidad.gob.ec/wp-conten … 2.2012.pdf

Here is a PDF that lists all the vaccinations necessary:
http://www.agrocalidad.gob.ec/wp-conten … 2.2014.pdf

If the dog or cat comes with you in the cabin of an airplane (and not as cargo), or if you enter Ecuador by a land point of entry, there is no need to get the Permiso Zoosanitario de Importación - but you must have the country of origin's  Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación, an official document from a veterinarian certifying the animal is fit for exportation and complies with Ecuador's requirements:

"NOTAS:

Cuando el perro o gato arribe al país en la cabina del avión junto al pasajero o por un paso fronterizo terrestre, no necesitará obtener el permiso zoosanitario de importación, pero obligatoriamente deberá presentar el Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación."

The above is from
http://www.agrocalidad.gob.ec/ingreso-d … portacion/

So what are the costs?  The governmental costs are minimal - under $30.  The only costs are what an airline wants to charge.   If it were me, I'd consider buying the dog a ticket and having it in the cabin with me, that way you don't need a  Permiso Zoosanitario de Importación form.  But even that is less than $30.

I would also get in touch with the nearest Ecuadorian consulate or the embassy in the United States to see if they can clarify things - but don't be too surprised if they can't:
https://embassy-finder.com/ecuador_in_usa

Thank you all! Would appreciate hearing from anyone with actual experience moving a dog to Ecuador.

Carl, although I do not have actual experience moving a pet to Ecuador - we adopted all our pets in-country there - if your pet transport company cannot answer the questions that you have posed, you should not even consider doing business with them - that should be a big red flag for you...it sounds bogus to me especially in light of the simple and clear requirements and procedures that the government of Ecuador has posted in numerous official documents.

bringing my dog into Ecuador was incredibly easy for me, I have a disability and my support dog is small enough to lie at my feet in the cabin and well behaved enough that the cabin crew didn't even remember that she was there.  The Miami airport even had a place for her to relieve herself between flights.  All I needed was a doctor's certificate on file with the airline and the export document mentioned above, filled out and signed by an American vet certified to do USDA inspections. 

Your labrador may be more of a problem  due to size restrictions.  Your best bet is to call all of the airlines and collect a list of their requirements for shipping, including fees.  I have read reports of people being charged thousnds for transporting their pet, but the charge  was levied by the airline, not the government.  That airline's rules classified the animal as cargo rather than baggage. 

Ecuador's rule is simple; one passenger, one pet dog, one or two official certificates with minimal cost, no quarantine.  It's the shipper that's the complication.  If you want another opinion from another Ecuadorian shipper who has a good reputation for handling pets,  message me.

Joey

There was an article today in El Comercio (Ecuadorian Newspaper) about this very matter. The only payment is $26.20 for the inspection of the pet at the airport. The inspection takes about 15 minutes. 

They recommend giving the veterinary (agrocalidad) a 72 hour notice. This is in your best interest to ascertain that the vet will be ready.

Source: El Comercio

Thank you everyone for the very useful information! There seems to be a lot of misinformation out there, and I am grateful to those who have responded.

Carl, I just returned from Canada in July with my dog and had no problems in Ecuador.  As long as you have the proper paperwork for your country of origin and the required documents in Ecuador then you should be fine.

There is no quarantine, there was no entry tax or even a viewing by a Ecuadorian vet.  This is the second dog that I have brought here and neither time did I have an issue.  The only costs I had were those in Canada for vet visits and vaccinations, even the Canadian government paperwork was a minimal cost.  If you have any more specific questions feel free to ask.  I don't spend alot of time here on the forum, this is my first time here since returning to the country as it has been a whirlwind of activity for me but I won't get in to that here.

Chris

I did not run in to this issue on either of the times I brought a dog in to Ecuador.

That's insane. I moved here last year with my 100lb lab mix and it didn't cost me a penny. You have to file the appropriate paperwork and there will be someone to meet you at the airport to check your dogs vaccination records and that all your paperwork is order. Someone approached me after I left baggage claim and had me step to a table, asked for paperwork and I was out the door in 2 minutes. the only issue I had was my dog is uncrateable because of anxiety so I had him registered as an emotional support animal but that process was very easy with Delta. If you do that you should fly 1st class because you need the leg room for that big boy. I flew business class and it was not enough room and the pilot actually came back and got snotty with me because Sam couldn't fit on the floor at my feet. An unbelievably genourous person traded his first class seat with me and wouldn't let me give him any money On the 2nd long leg of the flight I approached the flight crew before take off to tell them what had happened on the first leg of the flight and they let me trade my business class for an empty row of coach.

Dear Godofpie,

Welcome to the forums of expat.com....

That's a wonderful story.  Among other things, it demonstrates how many South Americans will go out of their way to assist new arrivals when a situation arises.

cccmedia