Hawaii continues to be very strict when allowing service dogs, and all pets, to travel to our islands as Hawaii does not have rabies and ticks that can cause Lyme disease. Understandably, the state wants to keep it that way!! Accordingly, there are several steps one must take well in advance when traveling with service animals. There are a few interrelated steps, so you may read a few points a couple times. Also, in this version is a short address to the new U.S. Department of Transportation regulations pertaining to airline travel with service dogs.
As you read the attached article (see below), you will see there are many considerations about which island to fly in to, as all but Honolulu have special required agriculture check-in charges that can really be costly
Traveling to Hawaii with your service dog
In addition to our fee for service programs, Hawai’i Fi-Do is committed to sharing the love and knowledge of the human-dog bond whenever and wherever we go. If you need to know more about service dogs, please reach out to see how we can help.
Hawaii Fi-Do is dedicated to raising awareness about the role of ‘healing dogs’ generally and service dog teams’ public access rights, specifically. We offer counseling and education on legal issues to our island individuals, families, community organizations, and businesses.
Crossing Islands To Touch Lives
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What are my responsibilities?All new puppy raisers MUST attend 3-4 months of training sessions BEFORE they receive a dog and they would be partnered with a current Puppy Raiser to get hands-on training. The raiser must attend a weekly class so that the puppy can learn basic obedience commands such as sit, down, stay, and come. Obedience teaches the puppy “good manners” and establishes a foundation for service tasks. Classes also help socialize the puppy. It is important that you socialize the puppy 2-3 times per week. We also require raisers to join us in our monthly community socialization outings and activities. Physical Requirements: Ability to lift, push, or pull up to 40 lbs. Comfort walking briskly with the puppy for 20+ minutes, twice a day. Ability to ascend and descend staircases while handling the puppy. Adequate manual dexterity to handle a leash and treat simultaneously.
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What if I work full-time?Most of our raisers don’t work full-time, which we prefer— especially for our younger dogs. If the puppy is young, four hours is the maximum time it can be left alone. You can ask relatives, neighbors, or other raisers to visit the puppy if you cannot go home during the day for the first month or so. We prefer to have someone in the home at least part-time until the pup is comfortable in his new setting.
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What if I already have a dog?We will consider your dog’s age, temperament, and breed. Sometimes having an older dog can be helpful to the puppy’s development, but it can also lead to bad habits or distract from the pup’s learning. Weekly classes will help to socialize the puppy, even if you do not have a dog.
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How much of my time is required?Puppy raising is a 24/7 job—no getting around it! This includes: playtime work time group training socialization (exposing your puppy to people and public places) general care housetraining exercise (daily) grooming
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Who is responsible for veterinary costs, etc.?Hawaii Fi-Do covers costs incurred including: routine vet visits monthly medications and the spaying or neutering of the puppy. We appreciate it if our raiser can purchase quality approved food (we use Costco when we can) for all of our dogs. If this is a hardship, Hawaii Fi-Do will purchase the food. All costs incurred in raising your puppy may be deductible as a charitable contribution from your income. Consult a tax advisor for information about tax deductions.
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Isn’t it hard to give the puppy up?It can be the most difficult part of raising a foster puppy. Our pups are rotated every 3-4 months to a new home so they can experience many living situations. Our puppy raisers fall in love with the concept of puppy raising and have the opportunity to love and train many pups. The many times your puppies make someone laugh and smile will far outweigh the tears from returning them to Hawaii Fi-Do. Someone on our waiting list will be hoping and dreaming of the day your puppy becomes their service dog.