If you’re like us, you don’t want to leave your fur baby at home when you go on vacation. We began bringing our dog (a Puggle) on vacation with us before moving here. It was the best thing we ever did. No more worrying about how he was doing or waiting for the next photo update. So, we’ve put together a little tutorial on how to travel with your dog to the island. It’s actually very easy as Bonaire is not a ‘rabies-free’ island. In places like Hawaii, Australia or Japan, this makes travel with your pet almost impossible. Here is The Complete Guide to traveling with your Dog to Bonaire.
Requirements
You are permitted to bring your dog to Bonaire without a quarantine, but a valid international health certificate is necessary. The certificate has to be issued no more than 2 weeks before departure by your veterinarian. A vaccination for rabies is required, as well. You will also need a health certificate issued within 10 days for airline travel if your international certificate is dated in advance. Here’s the link to the Bonaire certificate (in both Dutch & English)
Microchipping
You will also need to have your pet microchipped (the 15 digit ISO pet microchip is the world standard). This means a small identifying chip is placed under your dog’s skin and can be done by your vet. All pets coming into Holland (and this includes Bonaire as one of the BES Islands) must have chips in place. If your pet is not chipped, the airline can deny boarding at your point of origin.
Flying with your Dog
Obviously, the best way to fly with your animal, when possible, is in the cabin. First, you need to check the requirements of the airline you will be flying. If you’re animal is too big to fly in the cabin with you, flying in cargo is the answer. For those accompanying you in cabin, we recommend a soft-sided kennel with maximum dimensions of 18” x 11” x 11” as this fits most aircraft types.
If you wish to travel with your dog, be sure to call the airline and see if they have room available for the flights you are considering. All of the airlines restrict the number of small animals that can be carried on the flight or in the cargo hold per flight. In addition, with Bonaire's consistent warm weather, some airlines will place restrictions on transporting pets in the cargo hold of planes, as the temperature can simply become too high for the animals.
Check your preferred airline's requirements
Below are all the links for airlines that fly internationally to Bonaire. Here you will find the pet requirements for your preferred carrier. Keep in mind (as we’ve found out first hand) both KLM & TUI have much stricter regulations for weight & size of your dog.
Dog-friendly accommodation
Okay, now you’ve done all of the hard stuff. All you need to do is find accommodation that is pet-friendly on Bonaire. More and more places allow pets than ever before. In the past, we would frequently contact people renting on Airbnb and simply ask them if they’d take a dog. Most of the time they would allow it. Hotels are not the best option and most (if not all) will not accepts pets.
Veterinarians on Bonaire
If you should require a vet while you are staying on the island, here are the two options. We have used both and can attest to the quality of care and attention. Both have emergency numbers, as well. Have a wonderful time and we hope to see you (and your dog) on Bonaire soon!
Fulco de Vries
Kaminda Lagoen 26
Office: +599 717.4255
Mobile: +599 717.4916
Emergency: +599 795.6001
Kaya Nikiboko Zuid 132
Office: +599 717.3338
Emergency: +599 786.4538
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