Coming across state line with a cat/fruit, etc. - Will this be a problem?

[mauigir1]

[url=http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/pe/Exterior.html]Exterior Exclusion Program[/url]

Just so you know.

Dogs need a rabies cert, too.

[url]http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/Animal_Health/Cats_Dogs.html[/url]

And, of course, leaving Hawaii. Nothing with seeds.

[NC_newcomer]

edited to add: Duh....just realized I'm answering a thread that is waaaaaaaaaay old!

Here's the scoop:

California has agricultural inspection at major highways: traveller pulls into a lane, like a toll booth on an expressway. The bored attendent asks, "Do you have any plants, fruits, vegetables or animals?" and traveller says, "Yes, I have my dogs Fido and Fifi, and apples that I bought at Safeway in Reno" and is waved on.

If, on the other hand, the traveller says "I have my pet goat, Capricorn, and peaches from my Uncle Willy's pesticide-free organic farm in Cougar, Oregon" she will probably be asked for Capricorn's health certificate, and may need to toss the peaches.

They're looking for anything that might harm California's agricultural industry. There are occasions, for example, when, due to mayfly infestations, ALL apples are banned from importation.

Border Patrol inspections are totally different. They don't care about fruit and pets.

It's always good to carry a copy of your dog's rabies certificate, as well as copies of receipts for kennel cough, DAL2PP, etc. Some state and county parks, in states where rabies is a problem, require that pets have proof of rabies vaccination.

Finally, FYI, Dawg and I drive between Raleigh and Austin regularly: 1,350-ish miles. Fastest route, if you can avoid hitting Atlanta at rush hour, is on 79 from Round Rock/Taylor to Shreveport, then across I-20 to Atlanta, then up I-85. If you are likely to hit Atlanta at rush hour, hook north on I-59 at Birmingham to Chattanooga and then up to I-40. This is about 50 miles longer, but may be faster.

Meridian, MS is about the halfway point (650 miles from Austin, 700 miles to RDU.) La Quinta and Motel 6 (exit 253 on Hwy 20) accept pets.

[nursenessie]

Interesting question, as I was wondering the same thing when we move next year to Raleigh.

I too live in the SW with border stops (lived in AZ, now in NM...BTW, Arizona does NOT border Texas, NM is in between), and have been stopped about plants, fruit, and illegal aliens at checkpoints MANY times across NM, TX, AZ, and CA.

Getting back to your pets...My thought is to make sure you have a copy of your health certificates (vaccinations, etc.) in the car with you for your pets. I am always worried that something would happen (like an accident), the animal would be taken to the pound for quarantine or something and "accidentally" get euthanized. We have a copy of their health certificates and emergency information for our pets in the car (ie - if something were to happen, like an accident, here is who you contact regarding our pets, here is what medication they need, etc.). Only one of our pets is microchipped right now, but I think we are going to have that done to the rest before we move next year. Just in case one of our cats might try to sneak out of the car....

[mm34b]

The only inspection I've heard of in NC are commercial truckers bringing certain types of cargo, such as sod & nursery stock, into some regions of the state. They're looking for red imported fire ant infestation. Some areas of the state are still fire ant free.

[Sunshiner40]

Interesting reading the responses about crossing state lines with Fruit! I just learned that it is ILLEGAL TO CARRY CITRUS FRUIT OUT OF FLORIDA!!!! Hard to beleive ,but juice those oranges just in case.

[jenn02674]

There probably are a lot more laws that many of us realize. I have never heard of health certificates for pets but you are required to have them for horses and other livestock although I have never, ever been check. There are certain states that are stricter like Florida and California. You are only suppposed to bring certified weed free hay into those states but again, most normal small trailers are not checked. I have never, ever heard of a car being inspected although I imagine it is possible.

I can actually understand it. Many states are really trying to stop invasive species of plants and animals from being introduced inadvertantly. States like Florida and California with moderate climates are probably the most vulnerable.