After the Airport:
a. Bus, Taxi and train:
Ask a taxi dispatcher for the approximate fare to the destination to guard against overcharging.
You could also estimate the fare using your GPS. If you have a dog guide, you might obscure your dog in the crowd, then get in the middle of the group, and walk on before the bus driver can complain. Hiding your dog guide sometimes helps with getting taxis too.
If there is a hotel nearby, ask the doorman to get you a taxi. Taxis often are lined up at hotels, and usually won’t refuse a ride.
Large train stations can be a major wayfinding challenge. Request assistance ahead of time or at the train station if you aren’t familiar with the station or if you have minimal time to find your own way. It can be tricky to hear or understand announcements, particularly if they are not in your native language.
It can also be difficult to hear the stop announcements. A GPS can be extremely helpful in knowing what stop you are near and how far you are from your destination. If you don’t have a GPS or if you are traveling underground, obtain a stop list for your route from the Internet or customer service agent.
b. Hotels:
When entering the hotel lobby, listen for word cues. For example, in a hotel listen for “Do you have a reservation?” or “Welcome to the xxx Hotel” to indicate the probable location of the front desk.
If you don’t like having a giant bathroom, let the check in person know a “handicapped” room is not desired. They also like to put a blind person in a room near an elevator which can be a noisy location.
If the hotel uses key cards, ask that the check-in person place a piece of scotch tape on the upper right corner, and show you which way the card will fit into the reader on your door. If you forget, the first time you use your card, try all four possibilities. When you get it correct, just bend the upper left corner over a bit. Now the card has a tactile mark for the rest of your stay.
The elevators are usually behind or near the check-in counter. Listen for the ding of opening doors. Remember two dings for a down elevator and one ding for up.
Ask the check-in person what floor the restaurant is on. Restaurants are usually on the first floor, but not always. Once you find the correct floor, the restaurant (and bar) often is easy to find at mealtimes from the noise.
When asking for directions, ask the person to close their eyes. Often they’ll try to imagine the route, rather than seeing it, and will give better directions.
Ask the desk clerk if there is Braille or raised lettering for the room numbers. You can always take guidance to your room but if you want an adventure, most hotels these days have some sort of raised numbering. Worst case, call the hotel phone number and ring the room you are looking for. Let it keep ringing until you hear the room. The same locator device you use for luggage can double for a door finder. Place it on the inside of the door knob.
Remember to ask where the fire stairs are in case of emergency.
If you do accept assistance, find out how to operate the temperature controls and ask about the TV remote.
If you are a coffee drinker, find out which bag is decaf and which is regular.
Be sure to put the “do not disturb” sign on your hotel room door if you leave your dog unattended. This reduces the possibility of a surprise for the housekeeping staff and may prevent your dog from accidentally getting loose.
If you are exploring the area around your hotel and do not have a GPS, ask the hotel staff to describe the front of the building to you before you leave. Then, if you need to ask for assistance in finding your way back to the hotel, you can describe what it looks like.
c. Finding restaurants and your way around town:
No point eating in the hotel restaurant if you are going to truly have an international experience. Use your GPS to research restaurants and to plan a walking route. Call ahead to get a sense of the restaurant. There are two theories about bringing a dog into a restaurant where there aren’t access laws. Sometimes it is best to call several restaurants and find one that permits you to bring the dog. Other times, you may have more success dealing with the proprietor in person. Most people not familiar with dog guides will automatically refuse on the phone. When they see you in person, they understand even if you don’t speak the local language. In any event, know what the rules are so you know how to respond if you are refused.
There are many countries which don’t allow dogs of any status into restaurants. It is still possible to sweet talk your way into these establishments. It may take significant patience and persistence. Make sure you are talking to the manager or owner. Once the proprietor sees that the dog is well behaved for a period of time and that other patrons are not complaining, they may allow you into the restaurant. It is important to give the proprietor a means of saving face. Maybe you agree to sit in another room or at an outside table. Work with the particular culture and situation to find a solution.
Dog Guide Specifics
Regulations and procedures for international travel with a dog guide:
Carefully check the regulations of the air carrier you plan to fly. In-cabin rules for dog guides may vary with different airlines. If flying on a code-share flight, call the airline providing service to ensure they were notified that you are bringing a dog guide. Some countries require advance notification that a dog is being transported, and the airline may refuse boarding if not notified in advance.
There can be misinformation on foreign travel requirements for dog guides. Search online for a country’s quarantine site. Often this site has the most up-to-date information. Alternatively, try calling the foreign embassy and your state’s USDA APHIS veterinarian for information. Don’t trust sites for foreign travel with pets because there may be special rules for dog guides not noted on these sites.
It can be helpful to make a contact at a guide dog school in foreign countries to learn about access laws. These contacts also may offer to talk with proprietors if you run into access problems, and may be able to give you a card or paper with the access laws in the foreign language that you can show anyone who refuses access. In some quarantine situations, the dog may be taken away from you for a short period of time. Make sure that folding cane is handy.
Look into Rabies Vaccination records being up-to-date and RNATT being matched up as this will be required for "Rabies-free" countries or territories. Take particular notice of the 6 month waiting period from the time of the Titer shot until your dog is cleared to travel.
For Hawaii go to http://www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/ai_aqs_guidedog.htm
The regulations are similar to the UK with some small differences.
For Australia email animalimp@aqis.gov.au
Note for Australia it is almost more trouble to leave than to come in. You must visit a vet the day of departure and then go to the animal inspection center and then to your flight. Plan on the better part of a day to accomplish this.
Contact the New Zealand office mulqueenk@maf.govt.nz
When visiting the U.K. or E.U., apply for a "pet passport" as this will help in future travels into and among those countries.
Getting to know the quarantine department and personnel in charge of dog guide requirements will be extremely helpful if you need to travel regularly to those countries.
Knowing which countries are "rabies-free" is helpful. Travelling to Uncontrolled rabies countries means that the dog guide will not be allowed into countries that have the rabies-free status within six months of any trip to uncontrolled countries. Travelling to uncontrolled countries is a lot easier in terms of "paper and medical" requirements. Make it a rule to have the rabies vaccination if travelling to uncontrolled rabies countries!
When transiting in another country, you must also know their quarantine requirements - E.g. you must pre-apply for a "transit permit" even just passing through. You will also have to pay for this transit-permit. This must be organized at least two weeks ahead as you have to mail the paper forms back to Hong Kong or other countries with payment in order for the permit to be issued, and they will mail you the paper permit which the airlines must see prior to boarding. Without such papers, you will not be allowed to board at your departure airport!
Such an application is also required for transiting through Singapore, and this can be applied for online and paid via credit card. It takes two working days. The turn-around time is actually three days from time of application to issue (so even public holidays may lengthen the time required. Saturdays and Sundays must be accounted for). You can then download and print the permit from your computer. This permit costs around 35USD.
China is unfortunately a country with uncontrolled rabies. Entering into China is very easy as long as the handler brings the rabies vaccination certificate and shows it at the China Quarantine after clearing China Immigration and Customs Prior to baggage claim. The process is very quick if there is no crowd, just around 15 to 20 minutes for the forms to be completed, and a small admin fee. The handler must have at least 20USD worth of China cash for this document application fee.
Leaving China back to the country of origin is straight forward if the necessary papers for the country of origin are done prior to travel. Returning to the U.S. or Canada is very easy as they do not check for your papers for the country you are returning to. However, the original import document issued at point of arrival into Beijing must be handy for inspection if asked.
If you wish to travel to Hong Kong from China, the usual papers must be obtained for Hong Kong Quarantine. They are not as strict on entry to Hong Kong from China but the application must still be made prior to arrival. It costs less for permit fees from China to Hong Kong than from any overseas country.
If anyone wishes to visit Taiwan, it is better to visit Taiwan first since Taiwan is a rabies free "territory".
Some airlines require the dog to stay on an absorbent mat during the flight. This is true for Qantas and Singapore Airlines.
Qantas requires the seat next to a person with a dog guide to be free or they will not allow you on a fully booked flight. Therefore, it is important to let them know you have a dog guide. This is also true for domestic carriers in Australia.
Some airlines require your dog to be muzzled during flight. At least muzzle your dog for boarding if this is a requirement. Qantas and Singapore Airlines do not.
Airport dog relief:
Most airports do not have a designated relief area. It may be necessary to go outside the airport building to find a relief area. It is worth asking a gate agent or supervisor to relieve your dog if you and your dog are comfortable doing that. Do not expect this solution however.
It can be difficult to find dirt or grass near an airport. It would be wise to make sure your dog will relieve on cement where long flights and connections are involved.
The most difficult time may be right after arriving from an overseas flight and you still have to spend 30 minutes clearing customs. Ask if there is a place to relieve right after you get off the plane. Otherwise, take the most expeditious means of clearing customs so you can get outside.
A listing of some airport pet relief areas can be found at the following URL
There is also an app, which lists Service Dog relief areas.
At the San Francisco airport, there is a designated dog relief area at the United Domestic terminal 3 and another at the International terminal. Outside baggage claim, you can find some dirt in the “Courtyard areas.”
At the Denver Airport, United has an official pet relief area at the fire station. An SD (service director) can take you to the fire station by van without passing through security. There's also an official pet relief area on the baggage claim level, but you need to take the train to the main terminal and go out of the security area, which will take a while.
At the JFK airport T7, there is a section with plants between the terminal and the airport train.
There is a pet relief room inside Washington DC’s Dulles Airport near Gate D1.
There is also a relief area inside Washington State’s SeaTac Airport.
At the Frankfort Airport, there is a Sheraton hotel connected to the terminal. There is a small strip of plants beneath the Sheraton beyond their parking lot.
There is an (open-air garden) in the "smoker's lounge" in all three terminals in Singapore, and dog guides are allowed to relieve there during transits, upon arrival, or prior to boarding. This means the dog gets to relieve half an hour prior to lift-off.
In Tokyo (Narita), Terminal 1, if your airline asks ahead of your arrival for transit, you can relieve the dog at the "remote bus-gate" at gate 28 which is on the ground floor after clearing security.
Search :www.senderogroup.com/wayfinding/5T.doc
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