Although we have finally got our family together again its tinged with more than a little sadness as we will have to live our 4 year old pet Labrador behind.
3 reasons,
1) there are no accredited rabies blood testing centres in the Philippines (for the UK Quarantine regulators, and the sample I smuggled back at Christmas had deteriorated too much)
2) there is a special document required that NOBODY in the Philippines has any idea what I was talking about. These two reasons would mean at least 4 months in Quarantine
3) The total cost to get him back would be c£4000.00 (£1600.00 crate and ship, £400.00 customs clearance, £400.00 Quarantine approved pick up and transport, Testing/Vets fees £200.00, 4 months in Quarantine £1200.00 plus shipping to Manila to an IATA approved airline.
He's been a good dog, wonderful with our son, a useful deterrent but soft as anything, but with all the other visa/flight expenses it's just not viable at this time. I have friends looking for a suitable home for him and I just hope his life is as happy in the future as what he has made ours in the past.
Goodbye Nando we love you and will miss you.