Imagine your canine greeted by name by the bellman. Then the pampered pooch will be escorted to your room where he/she will find fresh baked peanut-butter cookies and a plush doggie bed. You might even find a card in your room that lists commands in Hawaiian. This is not a joke, this can actually happen at the Kahala resort on Oahu.
Quarantine rules were changed in 2003 making it easier to bring your pet on vacation to Hawaii. Be advised that you will need to follow these rules before bringing Sparky to Maui:
Animals entering the state must have two rabies vaccinations at least three months apart; an implanted microchip (for identification); and a rabies blood test performed at least 120 days before arrival in Hawaii. The blood sample must be sent to a lab at Kansas State University for testing (or for military personnel moving to Hawaii, to a Department of Defense lab in Texas).
The fee for direct release at the airport is $165 if all paperwork is sent in advance of arrival.
Other high end resorts offering these types of luxury pet services are the W Honolulu in Diamond Head, the Sheriton Princess Kaiulani in Wakiki and the Four Seasons in Wailea on Maui.
Now that the pet pampering cat is out of the bag, I’m afraid I might find my Dachshund logged onto the Internet with my credit card and booking a stay at the Kahala. 🙂
Sheila Beal
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Here is a reminder that the Government of Hawaii has very strict rules about importing animals into Hawaii, even for a short visit. There is a long list of animals that cannot be imported into the islands legally, with very few exceptions for research or zoo exhibit purposes.
Because of this it is not practical to bring a dog or a cat to Hawaii. There are many immunization and microchip requirements, import fees, and a lot of paperwork involved. Your pooch or kitty would be happier left at home in the care of a responsible person. If you need to bring a service animal for a vision or hearing impaired person, carefully check the requirements and make sure that the animal’s papers are in order before traveling.
WARNING!! ILLEGAL TO BRING SNAKES OR REPTILES INTO HAWAII. PENALTY FOR SMUGGLING: PRISON