BTJ

Hi all,

Wife and I are planning a day trip to Letchworth State Park in New York from Toronto on August 1st. We're in Canada on work permits and are both British citizens. We're planning on heading into the U.S. via the Peace Bridge nice and early in the morning fully acknowledging we'll need to be sent to secondary for US VISIT processing and I-94 issuing.

One thing we're unsure about is what will happen with the dog whilst we're in secondary, will she be allowed in with us? If not do they have kennels? I know they do at Blaine, WA POE. Just worried about leaving her in a hot car while we undergo processing for an unknown period of time. What has happened to anyone else at the Peace Bridge (or Rainbow or Lewiston)?

Got her rabies vaccine listed on her EU Pet Passport, so she's ok from a paperwork perspective.

dbd33

We left the dog(s) in the car at the Peace Bridge and at Lewiston. At Port Huron the dog set off the geiger counter so he had to go for secondary inspection.

Oakvillian

The secondary inspection at Peace Bridge has half of its parking under a little portico thingy, so if you're lucky the car will at least be in the shade. I can't imagine they'd allow the dog in the hall (unless it's radioactive like dbd's, of course), but the security guys on the door are normally pretty friendly and, unless anything untoward is going on, will likely be happy for you to step out to see to the dog if there's a long wait time.

Enjoy Letchworth - we spent some time there a couple of summers ago, it's a little gem of a state park. Their strapline of "Grand Canyon of the East" is maybe overcooking it a little bit, but it's a lovely place for a decent hike.

dbd33

I never tried taking a dog inside, I doubt that would go well, (the beeping dog was inspected on the tarmac) but I did ask the officer at the Peace Bridge to let me go outside to fuss and that wasn't a problem. It's not often that I've had to wait long enough for this to be an issue anyway.

BTJ

Thanks both, certainly looking forward to the visit, the reviews online certainly make it sound like a worthwhile place to see.

As I understand it we could visit the U.S. in the next couple of weeks get issued I-94s and we wouldn't routinely get sent to secondary on a 2nd visit before those 90 days are up, is that right?

If so, we may head to Niagara Falls and make the trip across to the U.S. side sans dog so that I don't need to worry about it for our trip in August.

Jerseygirl

If you're worried...why can't one of you stay with the dog...then go in when the other gets back to the car?

BTJ

I assumed that wasn't allowed, but it could be a solution.

Jerseygirl

I can't see why not...the I-94 is given out individually...not one per family. Any problem...I would explain the reason why.

bc2015

At Pacific Crossing they had kennels to put the dog in while we were inside. We were just going to leave her in the car (with the windows down) but there was a dog working in the area at the time so we had to bring her to the kennels.

BTJ

So we ended up heading to Niagara Falls yesterday without the dog, which given the high temperatures this weekend, it was nice to spend the day in an air conditioned car!

The parking at Rainbow Bridge is uncovered, so the car was boiling hot by the time we got back - so glad we hadn't taken the dog. Secondary was pretty quick, only took about 10 minutes, but at primary they take your passports and call you both to secondary at the same time, so not sure splitting up would have worked. Either way, we're good to enter the US until October now hopefully without secondary screening.

Thanks for the help guys.

dbd33

You send them a picture of your dog?