Bringing a chinchilla home (USA) from Canada?

chinluver · 03-03-2005, 01:34 AM

Hello,
I was just wondering how it works when bringing a chinchilla from Canada. I might be getting one from Canada right near the border. Not sure whether I will be crossing the border and getting her or if the owner will be crossing the border to the U.S. I was wondering what is needed and how you go about bringing a chinchilla in from Canada.
Thanks,
Corina

hawaiianchinnielover · 03-03-2005, 11:44 AM

You need a health certificate, that can cost anywhere from between $40 up to $60.

velvetrabbit · 03-03-2005, 11:52 AM

If you were bringing a chinchilla from the US to canada, I could help you. You don't need health certs for Chinchillas coming from US to Canada. You should check on line though for more information. I found this site : http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ncie/pet-info.html
Scroll to the bottom, it mentions chinchillas

kingsborochins · 03-03-2005, 12:05 PM

Since chins are rodents, technically you don't need them to cross from Canada to the US, although it totally depends on what customs agent you get. Some airlines demand them, some don't. Some customs officials demand them, some dont'. The best thing to do is decide which route you are going, call the customs officials you are going to be dealing with, get all the specifics and get them to put what they need on paper and have them sign it and fax/send this to you. You always have backup then when someone else tells you something different.

velvetrabbit · 03-03-2005, 12:17 PM

That's true, it does depend on how you're getting them... When we brought the chins up, we printed the page from the Canada Food and Safety site that specifically said that no health certificates were required for crossing back in, so when the customs officer hesitated and said he'd have to go look them up, I passed him all the info from the site, and he read it....

chinluver · 03-03-2005, 12:46 PM

What if I were bringing a chin to Canada, and then coming back to the U.S. with it?
Kingsborochins--is that for if it's being shipped? I am picking the chin up...not shipping her...
Thanks to everyone that replied!

velvetrabbit · 03-03-2005, 07:34 PM

When you cross the border, you will still have to go through Customs (either direction). You MUST declare any purchases you made while in the other country. In Canada, if you BUY a chin in the US, you are expected to pay duty on the amount that you paid. I'm not sure how it works in the US, I have never lived there

.

Are there other breeders in your area who have ever bought from Canada? Perhaps you can ask them for advice....

chinluver · 03-03-2005, 07:52 PM

Thanks, no, there's no breeders that brought chins from Canada (near me).

kingsborochins · 03-04-2005, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chinluver

Kingsborochins--is that for if it's being shipped? I am picking the chin up...not shipping her...

Same difference. Like Velvetrabbit said, you deal with customs regardles -there is a customs office at every airport or border crossing. You will have to pay duty either way, and if you are entering the chin from the US to Canada, you have to pay GST on the converted Canadian amount.

Cinnamon · 03-05-2005, 02:52 AM

Like I mentioned in your other thread, Corina, I have shipped chinchillas from Canada to the US. We used the border crossing in Surrey (BC) which is obviously not the one you'll be using, but still ...

The purchaser needed a health certificate for the chinchilla and had to pay duty on him. I can't remember how much she had to pay, but it was around $20 USD, I believe.

So, she paid $60 CAD (cost of chinchilla) + $40 CAD (health certificate) + $20 USD (duty fees) which is approximately $125 CAD (or $110 USD) for a standard grey. This was about 2 years ago, so costs may have increased.