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My husband and I will be moving with 4 cats & 2 dogs across the country relatively soon. They're all relatively young 1.5-5 years old, and all very healthy.
I have a few questions about everyone's experiences...
1) We know we will have to go through multiple immigration checkpoints on our way out of Southern California headed East... Has anyone been asked to see all of the animals vaccine documentation by authorities?
(We don't have much time, or money (military move), to procure the paperwork and the 100s of dollars of vet visits. We haven't had any luck with "cheap" vets out here)
2) did practicing driving the cats around before you move really work? Or did people have the experience of nonstop meowing even after you prepared?
We think we're prepared about the rest (hotels, carriers, harness/leash, etc), I just keep seeing about how all of the pets are required to have proof of paperwork...
One of my cats wailed non-stop for about 4 hrs then was quiet for the next 3 days. No practice runs. Didn't go thru California so can't answer about that.
I made that exact move in 2006, CA to IN. I had a moving truck and a friend drove my car, one dog rode within in the truck and the cat and the other dog in the car with my friend. We did not go through any inspection stations and had no interactions with police so we weren't asked for immunization records. Having said that I just made sure I had the most recent records with me just in case and for the new vet when I got there.
The only time you need health certificates is if you are transporting for rescue and if you get caught without those it's a ten thousand dollar fine. Not something you want to pay.
Thanks for the info guys! Sounds like we have a rescue right?!? haha.
I guess we can bring their current info, to prove they're ours at least!
Lewis24: what route did you take? I know it's been 7 years... We're doing it next month so we won't go through Utah and CO, etc... We're specifically coming from San Diego. They say there are inspections in AZ, NM, and TX (Border Patrol)...
Off topic but...wow, checkpoints to go from one place to another in the US? I had no idea. I had to reread the OP to make sure it wasn't a foreigner not familiar with the United States. I guess it's me who's not familiar with some parts of the US anymore. How long has this been going on?
Thanks for the info guys! Sounds like we have a rescue right?!? haha.
I guess we can bring their current info, to prove they're ours at least!
Lewis24: what route did you take? I know it's been 7 years... We're doing it next month so we won't go through Utah and CO, etc... We're specifically coming from San Diego. They say there are inspections in AZ, NM, and TX (Border Patrol)...
I drove I-40 all the way because I didn't want to travel over the Rockies in a rental truck, if wa going to be just me and the pets I would have loved to drive over them again.
My husband and I will be moving with 4 cats & 2 dogs across the country relatively soon. They're all relatively young 1.5-5 years old, and all very healthy.
I have a few questions about everyone's experiences...
1) We know we will have to go through multiple immigration checkpoints on our way out of Southern California headed East... Has anyone been asked to see all of the animals vaccine documentation by authorities?
(We don't have much time, or money (military move), to procure the paperwork and the 100s of dollars of vet visits. We haven't had any luck with "cheap" vets out here)
2) did practicing driving the cats around before you move really work? Or did people have the experience of nonstop meowing even after you prepared?
We think we're prepared about the rest (hotels, carriers, harness/leash, etc), I just keep seeing about how all of the pets are required to have proof of paperwork...
Thanks in advanced!
Can't answer the first question. I always got checked going in to CA, not coming out. In fact, when I moved from WA state across the country in 2003, I drove down to CA first (there was a reason). On my way out, I did not get checked or stopped anywhere. In fact, the only stop I made on my way out was a one last time/farewell to In n Out Burgers. I was in a car with a dog, a cat, and some rats.
The second question, even if your cats do that non stop meow, they will eventually stop. It may take several hours, (and it will either wear on your patience, or you will start laughing because after the third hour of it, you think you might have snapped and are now stark raving mad), but they will eventually stop. No amount of "prep" makes a difference.
One thing, before you open a single car door, make sure that cats are in their carriers, closed, and make sure that the dogs have their leashes on. You will need to put them on inside the car, if it's possible. If a dog gets out and runs off, he will have no idea where he is, and will not know how to get back. Keep that in mind.
Off topic but...wow, checkpoints to go from one place to another in the US? I had no idea. I had to reread the OP to make sure it wasn't a foreigner not familiar with the United States. I guess it's me who's not familiar with some parts of the US anymore. How long has this been going on?
They've had checkpoints in CA since I was a little kid, probably much longer than that. How long has it been going on? A long time.
After we moved from CA, we would always go back to visit relatives. We would get stopped and the vehicle would be inspected. Mostly they were looking for certain types of fruits, and would confiscate those fruits. They were trying to keep out some kind of insect/pest. I don't remember, I was a kid.
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haha. 
How long has this been going on?
