Getting Your Cat Home From Egypt A Guide for Canadians COMM 1007 Cheryl Sy
Table of Contents INTRODUCTION...3 PART 1: SHIPPING VS. PET ESCORTING...4 Option A: Shipping...4 Option B: Pet Escorting...4 PART 2: PREPARING YOUR HOME...6 "Cat-proofing"...6 Supplies...6 PART 3: PREPARING YOUR CAT FOR THE JOURNEY...7 Paperwork...7 Vaccinations...8 Spay or Neuter...8 PART 4: WELCOMING YOUR CAT HOME...9 Your Cat's Arrival in Canada...9 Enjoy...10 APPENDIX: SUMMARY OF COSTS...11 Adoption Process...11 Costs of Cat Care...12 page 2 of 12
Introduction Congratulations! You have chosen a cat to adopt or perhaps you think that it s more accurate to say that your cat chose you. Thank you for improving the life of this beautiful cat. We know adopting a cat from overseas can seem complicated, so we have written this guide to make the process easier for you. Your tasks are listed at the beginning of each section in a purple box. Please flip through this guide to read the purple boxes first so that you know what to expect from the process. Now, let s get this cat home to you so that you can both start enjoying your new friendship. Sincerely, Egyptian Mau Rescue Organization (EMRO) IS THIS GUIDE FOR YOU? Do you live in Canada? Do you want to adopt a cat from EMRO? Have you chosen a cat to adopt? Have you discussed your choice of cat with an EMRO adoption manager to assess the suitability of this cat for you? If you answered no to any of the above questions, this guide will give you an idea of what to expect later in the adoption process. But first we need to choose the right cat for you. Please e-mail us at adopt@emaurescue.org to start. page 3 of 12
Part 1: Shipping vs. Pet Escorting How do you want your cat to travel to you? Depending on the option you choose, the process could take as short as 10 days, or up to several months. Your Tasks: Choose whether to have your cat shipped to you or pet escorted. Advise your adoption manager of your choice. If pet escorting, spread the word to family and friends that you re looking for a volunteer flying from Cairo to your city soon. Option A: Shipping If you choose to ship your cat, it will be crated and placed in the cargo hold of an airplane. Shipping gets your cat to you most easily and quickly (often in 2 3 weeks), but also costs more than having your cat travel with a pet escort. Due to heat embargos, this is often not an option in the summer (generally May September). Option B: Pet Escorting Pet escorts are travellers volunteering to accompany your cat from Cairo to your city. Adopters often choose to use a pet escort to minimize the time that the cat spends unsupervised. It is also less expensive than shipping the cat. page 4 of 12
Depending on various restrictions, bringing your cat into the plane's cabin may be an option for the pet escort. Once a pet escort has been found, you can discuss with your adoption manager whether or not this option is available. Your pet escort will be asked not to open your cat's crate at any time during travel, to prevent the cat from running away. We will also give you the contact information of your pet escort so that you can make arrangements of where to pick up your cat, usually the airport where they arrive. FINDING A PET ESCORT To help you find a pet escort, we advertise through various media, and contact previous escorts. However, EMRO does not guarantee that we will be able to find a pet escort for you. We recommend you also ask your friends and family if they are travelling from Cairo soon. Your travel agent may be another good resource for people who may be willing to help. Please tell us if you are willing to travel to another city to pick up your cat, as this information will help our search for your pet escort. Finding the pet escort is the longest part of the process, usually taking about 2 4 months. After 6 months, if no pet escort has been found we generally recommend that your cat be shipped to you instead. page 5 of 12
Part 2: Preparing Your Home Now that you ve chosen your cat s travelling method, it s time to start preparing your home. Your Tasks: "Cat-proof" your home. Prepare the supplies your cat needs to eat, groom, play, etc. "Cat-proofing" Cats love to watch the world from high places and they will climb and jump to get there. They can also be curious and touch or lick things that are not good for them. Decide which rooms in your home the cat will be allowed to enter, and make those rooms safe for your new friend. Read http://catnet.stanford.edu/articles/prepare.html for tips on how to "cat-proof" your home. Supplies You will also need several items to maintain your cat's physical and mental health, including: food (canned or dry), litter box, brush, scratching post and toys. The above webpage also has more details. WHAT DOES EMRO USE AT THE SHELTER? We use Purina cat products generously donated by our corporate sponsors. page 6 of 12
Part 3: Preparing Your Cat for the Journey You re ready for you cat. Is your cat ready to travel home? Your Tasks: E-mail the completed Adoption Agreement form to your adoption manager. Pay the adoption invoice by Western Union at least one week before your cat travels. Paperwork Before you even chose your cat, your adoption manager e-mailed you an Adoption Agreement form. If you haven't already done so, please read, sign and e-mail it back. Your adoption manager will also, at this point, e-mail you an adoption invoice please pay by Western Union at least seven days before your cat travels. Western Union instructions can be found at http://www.emaurescue.org/help_donate_methods.php. EMRO will coordinate with other parties to ensure we have all the required paperwork, including: approval from Agriculture Egypt to allow your cat to exit the country veterinarian records of vaccinations and spaying or neutering authorization from the airline to bring the cat on board page 7 of 12
Vaccinations We all want to make sure your cat arrives to you as safely as possible. Our EMRO veterinarian will vaccinate your cat at least 30 days before travel. Rabies shots are mandatory for entry into Canada. The Cat-Combo vaccine is routinely administered to protect the cat in shelter conditions. Spay or Neuter In Egypt, most cats are spayed or neutered by 6-8 months of age. Unless your cat is too young, we will spay or neuter your cat at least one week before travel. For kittens 6 months or younger, we will require you to sign a contract agreeing to spay or neuter your kitten with a veterinarian once old enough. page 8 of 12
Part 4: Welcoming Your Cat Home Your cat has now travelled halfway around the world. Now let's get it home. Your Tasks: Pick up your cat and pay the Agricultural Canada fee. Notify your adoption manager of your pet s safe arrival. Take your cat to the veterinarian for a check-up. Enjoy each other! Your Cat's Arrival in Canada If your cat is shipped, go to the Cargo section of the airport to pick up your cat. If your cat is escorted, go to the Arrivals section instead and remember to thank your pet escort. E-mail your adoption manager when you receive your cat. (We d love to see your smiling faces on arrival photos if you have them.) For a mandatory fee of about C$35, Agricultural Canada will check that your cat was vaccinated for rabies at least 30 days ago, and will also check to see that your cat looks generally healthy. If there any concerns, or the paperwork looks questionable, the cat may be held in quarantine at the airport for up to 30 days. Take your cat to the veterinarian for the first check-up as soon as you can, and before introducing to other pets in the home. A general check-up and deworming is always recommended. Please keep in mind that travelling is very stressful for most cats it can take a few hours to a few days for some cats to become themselves again after the journey. The cat may page 9 of 12
have diarrhea at first from the change in water or food, but this should improve quickly. If not, follow up with your veterinarian. Enjoy Thank you for rescuing a beautiful Egyptian Mau from streets of Cairo. It is our pleasure to have helped you with the process. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us again at adopt@emaurescue.org. Enjoy having the new addition to your family. page 10 of 12
Appendix: Summary of Costs Adoption Process Figures below are estimates. We will give you an invoice listing all actual costs to you, which may include additional expenses specific to you and your cat. Unless otherwise stated, costs listed below are all in US dollars. EMRO deposit This is payable upon choosing your cat. It will be credited towards the items listed below. If you cancel the adoption, you forfeit this deposit. EMRO adoption fee Vaccinations Spay or neuter Pet escorted Airline fee Tip for pet escort Shipped Airline fee Broker fee $50 $100 included included $150 $300 $50 $150 $300 $300 $400 Agricultural Egypt clearance $50 Transportation costs This covers fares from the shelter to the veterinarian and back, and from the shelter to the airport. ~$50 TOTAL IF ESCORTED $450 $600 TOTAL IF SHIPPED $700 $950 Agricultural Canada clearance This is paid by you when you pick up your cat from the airport. It will not be included in your EMRO invoice Cdn $35 page 11 of 12
Costs of Cat Care Caring for your cat s physical and mental health also requires other costs. Initial one-time costs include things like food dishes, water dishes and a scratching post. Ongoing expenses include things like food, litter and veterinary care. We have not included a breakdown as costs vary greatly depending on your location and preferences. Visit your local pet store or veterinarian to help your research. page 12 of 12