What carriers would you suggest using for taking a puppy from Connecticut to Hawaii? Puppy would be traveling in the cabin with a person. Should they make the trip all at once or maybe have a day on the West Coast before completing the trip? Thanks for your help!

I just sent a puppy to Hawaii. Are you familiar with the Rabies protocol? Feel free to contact me if you'd like to hear about my experience.

Puppies must sit in quaranteen for 6 months in Hawaii. Would you really let a pup go unsocialized sitting in a concrete run for 6 months. When they clean those runs they dont even take the dogs out, just hose down the runs with the dogs in there. Ive been asked to ship pups there and wont put a pup thru that.

Please get your facts right:

http://hawaii.gov/hdoa/ai/aqs/info

Some misinformation in the last post. If anyone is interested, you can go to the following link.

http://hawaii.gov/hdoa/ai/aqs/aqs-checklist-5.pdf

Having experience with Hawaii rules, quarantine in Hawaii can be completely avoided with planning and knowledge of the rules. The process is simple but lengthy. If you follow the rules, get a blood draw sent to K State along with microchip from Dept of Agriculture ( Hawaii ), they will provide a date for airport release. To avoid quarantine in Hawaii, the process takes about 120 days stateside. Puppies cannot avoid quarantine as 2 rabies shots are needed

So what is the minimum time a puppy needs to stay stateside before sending to Hawaii (and avoid quarantine)?

I thought it was about 10 months old.

Toni

It is all there. Read the checklist.

http://hawaii.gov/hdoa/ai/aqs/aqs-checklist-5.pdf

From the time blood is evaluated at K State and then sent to Hawaii, the time period is 120 days - so instead of doing a quaranine in Hawaii in a kennel, the 'quarantine' is done stateside in your home on the couch

I have sent 2 dogs to Hawaii in the past 2 years. The process is not easy but it is straighforward.

First off - there is absolutly NO taking a dog as carry on to Hawaii. Period.

Second - if sending a puppy it must remain with you an additional 6 months. If sending an adult an additional 4 months.

Here is the process:
First rabies shot
Wait 30 days and do blood draw for rabies titer. Test can only be ran at Kansas state.
You must wait a minimum of 90 days from the first rabies and then do a second rabies shot
Then 90 days after the second rabies they can go into Hawaii and avoid quarantine

If sending an adult you can plan on 120 days minimum starting from the day that Kansas state receives the blood to test for rabies titer.

Just before they are sent they should be treated with something for fleas as if they find a single flea the dog will be placed in quarantine!

Paperwork sent in advance and taken care of at the quarantine office will expidite the process on the day the dog arrives. Rabies certificates MUST have the vets signature on them. The quarantine office has set hours and the dog's flight needs to arrive at least 2 hours before they close or it will stay over one night in quarantine.

Continental is the only airline that I would even consider due to the heat in Hawaii.

If you have questions feel free to send me a private message.

While I moved to the east coast last year, Hawai'i is and always will be my "home". There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding sending dogs to the islands and The State quarantine requirements, however there are ways to avoid quarantine all together and if that's not possible, I can provide you with factual information regarding the quarantine station, the staff and care provided to the animals based on my own personal experiences. I realize quarantine isn't ideal, but I speak from experience when I tell you that it isn't nearly as bad as it may seem.

The main quarantine station is on Oahu, however there are suitable options on Maui as well.

Maximum quarantine is 120 days, not 6 months and dogs are not permitted to travel inside the cabin of any airline (private aircraft excluded) flying into The State. They must travel in the cargo area.

I'm happy to share any information about my experiences with the State of Hawai'i
quarantine station so please feel free to email me privately if you wish.

Much aloha,
Kim Stahl

Thanks to all for the information! This wonderful family had a puppy from me years ago and is now moving from New England to Maui. They had generously offered to let me stay in their 3BR/2BA guest house during September if I would be willing to fly out with the puppy in the cabin. If I would be willing? Where's my sunblock? Unfortunately, it looks like the rabies process is so long that it will be better for them to get a puppy there in Hawaii. They have been in touch with a very reputable breeder out there who will be able to help them out. I guess my giant stockpile of airline miles will just keep getting bigger and I'll keep dreaming!

Thanks again for all the help!