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Why is Hawaii so strict about it anyway?
It came as a bit of a surprise when I found out that if your pet was born in Hawaii, rabies vaccinations are not required for the simple reason is that rabies doesn't exist here and you can believe that Hawaii is determined to keep it that way.
That doesn't mean Hawaii State department of Agriculture is without a heart though. The Animal Industry Division has made vast improvements in the process of getting our furry friends to their new island home comfortably.
In 2007, the Department of Agriculture approved a new program, “Direct Release”, allowing pets to fly directly to their destination islands where they could be inspected and immediately released to their owners (if all the protocols and permits are followed).
DIRECT AIRPORT RELEASE PROGRAM:
Hawaii's Direct Release quarantine program (aka Direct Airport Release or DAR) allows your dog or cat to fly into Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii (HNL) and be released from the airport on the same day as arrival. Your pet will be examined by the Animal Quarantine Station upon arrival (or within a few hours of arrival) and will not be quarantined overnight. In order to qualify for the Direct Release quarantine program, you must ensure your airplane's arrival time is within the Animal Quarantine Station daytime office hours.
Arrange for your pet to arrive at the Airport Animal Holding Facility (AAQHF) at HNL -Honolulu International Airport during normal inspection hours between 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. It may take up to one hour for the airlines to transport a pet to AAQHF [Phone: (808) 837-8092]. Animals not delivered to the facility during normal inspection hours will not be released when they arrive."
It is recommend that you and your dog arrive at HNL airport no later than 3 PM to ensure there is enough time for your dog to be transferred to the Animal Quarantine Holding Facility upon arrival and inspected before the facility closes.
Do you have a connecting flight from Honolulu to another Hawaiian island? If so, the Animal Quarantine Facility suggests allowing at least 4-5 hours between flights.
the Direct Release quarantine program is technically part of the 5 Day or Less quarantine program so naturally, the same rules apply.
From what I can tell, it's just a convenience for animals that don't arrive here during normal business hours or on the rare occasion your pet arrives ahead of you.
Fees:
As of March 2021, Hawaii's Direct Release quarantine program costs $185 per pet. The 5 Day Or Less quarantine program costs $244 per pet. Pet owners are required to pay the fee prior to arrival.
note about the fees:
If you or your pet show up later than 3:00 there may not be enough time to process you that day and you will be charged the higher amount of $244.
Also, If your paperwork didn't show up in time or you are carrying it with you, you will most likely get same day service but you will be charged the higher fee of $244.
Guide dogs for the blind and certified service dogs do not have to pay this fee. Active duty U.S. military members may also qualify for fee reimbursement from the U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Microchip identification:
All dogs and cats arriving in Hawaii must be microchipped for identification, and microchip implantation has to happen before your pet is tested for rabies antibodies. It is very important to verify your pet's microchip works before traveling to Hawaii. If for some reason Hawaii officials cannot find your pet's microchip, he or she will disqualify for 5 Day or Less and Direct Release quarantines and be forced into the 120 day quarantine program.
2. Rabies vaccination requirements:
Dogs and cats must have received at least two rabies vaccinations in his or her lifetime. The second rabies vaccination cannot be administered within 30 days of the first vaccination, and it cannot be expired upon your arrival in Hawaii. Your pet's most recent vaccination must have been administered no less than 30 days, and no more than 12 months prior to arrival in Hawaii for 12-month licensed vaccines and no less than 30 days and no more than 36 months prior to arrival in Hawaii for 3-year licensed vaccines.
What is the 30 day waiting period? If your dog or cat needs a rabies vaccination before your trip, you must wait 30 days after administering the vaccination before entering Hawaii. If you do not wait 30 days, your dog or cat will be quarantined until the 30 day period has lapsed.
3. Rabies antibody test:
Hawaii requires that all dogs and cats receive a Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization (FAVN) rabies antibody test. This blood test confirms if your pet's rabies immunization level is high enough. Sufficient immunity means your pet's blood test will show a reading of at least 0.5 IU/ml.
Tests must be done at an approved lab . The lab must receive your pet's blood sample no more than 36 months and no less than 30 days before your arrival in Hawaii.
4. Waiting period:
Assuming your pet passes the FAVN rabies antibody test, you now need to wait 30 days before arriving in Hawaii. If you travel to Hawaii before this 30 day window closes, your pet will be quarantined until the 30 days have passed.
5. Tick treatment:
Dogs and cats must be treated for ticks within 14 days of arrival in Hawaii. Treatment must be recorded in your pet's health certificate.
6. Completed documentation:
As we mentioned above, all completed documents must be mailed to the Animal Quarantine Station at least 10 days before your arrival. The documents needed are:
WHAT IF OUR FINAL DESTINATION IS KAUAI, MAUI, OR ANOTHER HAWAII ISLAND?
Owners can fly with their pet directly to Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA), Kahului Airport (OGG) or Lihue Airport (LIH), but certain requirements must first be completed. In addition to completing requirements #1-5 outlined above pet owners must:
Ali’i Veterinary Hospital, (808) 329-8999
Keauhou Veterinary Hospital (808) 322-2988
At Home Animal Hospital & Mobile Veterinary Services (808) 873-0102
Central Maui Animal Clinic (808) 893-2380
Kahului Animal Hospital (808) 871-7387
Kihei Veterinary Clinic (808) 879-5777
Makawao Veterinary Clinic (808) 572-9003
Maui Humane Society (808) 877- 3680
South Shore Veterinary Care (808) 874-3422
West Maui Animal Clinic (808) 662-0099
Kauai Humane Society (808) 632-0610
Kauai North Shore Animal Clinic (808) 755-8728
These contractors will send a confirmation to the Animal Quarantine Station that they have agreed to perform the inspection and release procedure. Owners are responsible for the additional fees to the contractor for this service.
With a quick google search I found two airline that allows in-cabin pet travel to Hawaii: Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines.
What about Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)?
Most domestic airlines including United Airline, American Airlines, JetBlue, Frontier, Alaska, even our eloved Southwest Airlines have decided to take advantage of the new rule put out by the U.S. Department of Transportation and stop accepting ESAs in the airline cabin.
Many people have heard that the reason airlines have stopped accepting emotional support animals is because people were largely abusing ESAs as a service and bringing on peacocks and miniature horses as emotional support animals.
Our information leads us to believe that airlines have chosen to stop accepting emotional support animals for another reason entirely. Specifically, emotional support animals are an opportunity to increase airline profits because now you are required to pay a pet fee in order to bring your emotional support animals into the cabin with you. This includes dogs and cats as well as other pets
As always, service animals are governed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and are allowed by law to be able to accompany their owners in commercial airplane cabins for no fee.
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