littleneedle

Hello!

My partner has recently got a job offer in Regina and we're halfway through our SINP application now. SO excited I can't even explain. But I do have a couple of questions for you guys that have already done The Big Move!

Firstly I know we at some point have to have a medical to make sure we aren't harbouring any terminal illnesses, which is totally fine and I've googled it to death - however! - all the things I've read explain that you have a chest xray, blood tests etc, and a 'general physical'. What exactly does a general physical entail? They won't want to put anything... up us, will they!?

Also regarding pets, we'll be taking over my little chihuahua. I've read that Air Canada allow you to take dogs up to 10kg as hand luggage (mine is 4kg), has anyone else done this? And if it isn't possible, have any of you taken a dog over in other ways? I live in fear of going to collect him in Canada and getting a dead dog in a box.

I also have tramadol and diazepam (prescribed!) that I'll need to take with me, can I just put that in my suitcase or will that end up with me being on Border Force: Canada? Similarly I have quite a collection of roe deer skulls and cat skulls (I'm not weird I promise) that I'd like to bring to decorate our house... I don't suppose any of you have done something similar and could help me out re what needs declaring etc?

That's about it for questions at the moment! I realise they're not the standard things usually asked on here. I've read the wiki and that's answered 90% of the things I needed to know

Thanks so much!

Geordie Lass

I can answer some of this. Re the medical - - no they won't put anything up you ... they take height, weight and BP and ask about medical history.

Not sure re hand luggage and a dog. I'd be surprised if that was the case tho.

We brought our lab over with Skymaster (based at Manchester airport) and they were fab. She wasn't stressed at all when she got here.

No - you won't end up on Border Force Canada lol with 2 different drugs.

Re your ornaments - just put them in boxes like everything else (I think - someone will tell you different if I am wrong).

HTH

M_S2013

Hi
My wife and I moved to regina in May and brought over our Border Collie. I entered the country a couple of weeks before my wife to give me time to set things up over here. I drove and met my wife at Calgary Airport where we had no problems with baggage or the dog.
As long as you have the pet passport and get the rabies shot everything will be fine. Do NOT go through a company they will charge an arm and a leg to get your dog over here, ring your airline and buy a IATA crate (if your dog is too big).
The weathers turning now and its between 10 and -3, i hear its still nice back home so good luck!

Please feel free to message us if you would like any more advice or help if we can answer it we will.

Novocastrian

Why is it that the idea of a chihuahua in Regina makes me snigger?

caretaker

1st guess is bent old man......

littleneedle

He has a parka and a scarf! Sorted

littleneedle

Fab fab fab fab news! I wasn't happy at the prospect of a probing when they aren't even buying me dinner first.

I have read that Air Canada let you take a dog on in a carry box if they're under 10kg and you pay £100, and only on X type of aeroplane and X type of ticket, but the ticket I was looking at getting is on the appropriate plane etc anyway which is lovely. I'll have to sedate him for the flight though as he's a noisy rascal and would spend the whole time shouting at strangers.


Oh that's lovely! He does have the pet passport etc. On our first jaunt to one of those expos we spoke to a pet transfer company, by god they are daylight robbery aren't they!? "It's £1000+ for a normal sized dog but yours could go as a cat for £500" Oh IS THAT ALL?! I'm alright thanks.

We're totally alright with the cold temperatures and I think it's good we'll be getting where when it's the coldest, so summer will be a nice surprise for us when it comes around. The pup has a better winter wardrobe than I do and he hates being outside at the best of times.

I'll probably be rinsing you for information over the next few weeks, sorry in advance, haha! I do have one question for you though - when you moved over before your wife, did you have accomodation already waiting for you or did you spend a week or so in a hotel/hostel/something before you found somewhere? My partner will be going a month earlier than myself and will find us somewhere to rent while he's there (if it isn't wonderful I will kill him) but he's in a bit of a flap as to what to do for the first few weeks!

ann m

I'm pretty sure that dogs can only go in the main cabin on internal flights.

For transatlantic flights, you'll have to follow a set of procedures...

littleneedle

I panicked and double checked, but:

Flights from the U.K.:
Pets are accepted for travel both in the cabin and in the baggage compartment.
Air Canada was the first North American carrier to participate in the United Kingdom's Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) which permits pet dogs and cats to enter the U.K as cargo without the usual 6 months quarantine as long as certain conditions are met.

That looks right for taking him in a carry thing right? Or am I being particularly dumb?

Geordie Lass

I really would not advise to sedate a pet to put on a flight.

You know all the guidelines about reducing their meals the week before and then no food for 12 hours before the flight yes?

Meds on top of that is not a good idea. Sorry - just my opinion.

CFAmovingsoon

W/regards to your own meds: bring a prescription in your name and preferably a note from your PG stating you need these meds because. Just to be on the safe side. And the prescription and letter would/could help you at your new health care provider.

It's prescribed so you're probably not allowed to import it unless it's for you, so bring the original boxes with your name on it too. (did a quick wiki search: Diazepam's a Schedule VI drug in Canada it seems, with consequences if you sell/export/etc it - I found this on the CBSA website, it states you can't bring more than a 90 day supply: Benzodiazepines and Other Targeted Substances Regulations I looked up diazepam using the generic Benzodiazepines where Diazepam is classed under, you could do the same for Tramadol)

This is from personal experience. I travel with meds regularly, because of a chronic illness, always have my prescriptions, letter from my specialist and boxes with my name on the pharmacy's sticker on it. I was questioned about it twice, so you most probably won't be asked, but better to be safe than sorry.

Congrats and have fun in SK!

littleneedle

I was iffy about it myself but it's been advised by my vet as the pup gets super stressed and we don't want him to hurt himself. He won't be full on knocked out, just calmed down to the point of being normal rather than driving a plane full of people completely nuts for 6 and a half hours. I'm petrified of something going wrong with him in the baggage hold or him freezing/boiling to death with nobody around, otherwise I'd go that route.

This is incredibly helpful, thank you so much! I only tend to get 8 Diazepam a time and it lasts ages as I only take it when my pain is really getting ridiculous, but the Tramadol I take twice or thrice a day so I can see myself needing a backpack full, haha. Getting a doctor's note is a great idea, I'll definitely do that

Lorna_D

My son just landed in Calgary with his cat last Sunday, it had to go in the hold 14lbs in weight.
I've never known a vet that says sedate an animal I was informed that they become naturally sedated in the hold.

We had to get our dog into Canada by Oct 31st as they stop internal flights with animals in hold. That was with Westjet and 7 years ago so things change.

Welcome to Regina.

Howefamily

We brought our cat in the hold on an AC flight in March 3 years ago. He was too big for the cabin. If I recall rightly he wasnt allowed any sedation as per the airline rules, so I would recommend you research that thoroughly.

They treated him well at LHR and he arrived perfectly fine.

Good luck with your move, enjoy SK!

Jericho79

Wait, what? You mean it's not a routine part of the exam? It's not what they told me...