We HATE AVA

We can't help hating AVA for their incompetence that has never improved over the years. We are not the only dog owners who feel this way I believe.

BM had their health checkup done this morning and we thought that was one item we can check off our list but NO!! AVA requires an internal parasite treatment for our dogs 4 days prior to export BUT on the form that the vet needs to fill up, it says the vet is signing to verify that he has seen and inspected the dogs and certify them fit to travel 7 days prior to export.

How can a vet sign saying he saw them 7 days before but parasite treatment to be administered 4 days prior export???

I had lots of trouble figuring out how to fill up the application for import permit as well. In one part, I was asked to fill up details of my dog/s. I was asked for the "Number of heads" which I assumed meant the number of dogs we have with us. I entered "2". But nowhere else on the same page was I able to include details of my second dog!

Did I have to fill up another form for a second dogs? What did they mean by asking about number of heads then? How many people get to keep a dog with 2 heads?

And I was supposed to indicate CITES I/II/III but there was no icon that I could click on to bring me somewhere to find out what is CITES I/II/III. I was totally clueless!!

Not to forget, Maen had been in Tucson for 5 months in Sept 2008 but my brother received a letter warning us to pay for her license renewal or face penalities. What?? We cancelled their license in March 08 before we came over! When Mr Liow called in, the staff rudely accused him of not informing them! Huh?? Do they not communicate internally within departments? We exported our dogs and licenses were cancelled and it was still our responsibility to call everyone in AVA to inform???? Not to forget the rudeness.

Thank God the lady in charge of our import this time is prompt and helpful, and knows her stuff well.

Just that existing AVA forms and procedures seriously need scrutinizing.

We are now stuck with the health cert.

We have to drive 2 hrs to Phoenix to get USDA to chop and approve the export but prior to that, the vet has to sign. But vet cannot sign because he did not administer the medications for internal parasites 4 days before BM leaves.

And we will be out of Tucson 4 days before flying back to Sgp. Moreover, the vet is supposed to sign acknowledging he saw them 7 days before export. What exactly does AVA want??

4 days??? How to get that to happen in 4 days??

And stupid AVA CLOSES ON WEEKENDS. We barely have time to ask exactly how it's supposed to be, bring them back to vet on Monday, speed all the way to Phoenix and hope BM do not get denied at the airport on 15th June.

Oh, WE have to inform the airport that our dogs will be arriving. AVA will not do it for us. And we have to pay $50 fo the import licEnse that showed less information than I spent hours trying to fill up. Only 2 sentences on their letterhead, to be precise.

Ridiculous.

And because the requirement for import exceeds a million words in AVA's guidelines that states a hundred things pet owners need to do to import their pets, BM were given additional rabies shots that was totally unneccessary, just so they do not have to be quarantined for 30 days.

We are not allowed to bring them to quarantine centre ourselves and are forced to pay domestic flight prices per dog to have them transported there. And after all those rabies shot taken here and blood tests done to ensure the rabies vaccine they took well remained in their bodies, they still need another rabies vaccine done when they reach.

Oh, putting 2 dogs together in one same room during quarantine cost the same as placing them in separate rooms. If not for the fact that they are inseparable, we'd rather make the money well spent by separating them so each gets more space.

Sigh...

Hate AVA. I hope we get to speak to someone tomorrow night which should b Monday morning in Sgp, just to see if we can give the pills for internal parasites on Monday instead of 10th June so that vet can endorse in time for us to bring to USDA Phoenix.

What do we pay AVA to do? Cull every homeless dog they see on the street. What is this coming to?? I hope BM never runs away from home else we will be the ones paying AVA to kill them if they meet on the streets one day without us around.

Can someone speak up for AVA so that we can understand them better?