Expat Community > Ecuador

Rebe
Joined 2011
Posts: 207

Parrot held hostage has been rescued

12 years ago

For those new to this topic, on December 14 my husband and I arrived in Guaya-hell with 2 dogs and a parrot. The dogs flew as baggage, but Lan airlines would only fly the parrot as cargo (we found this out 2 days before we left, even though numerous phone calls in advance told us that we could fly the parrot as baggage). For those who do not know the difference, while the animals fly in the same cargo-hold in the airplane, if classified as baggage, the animals are taken to the baggage-claim area for you to take through customs with your baggage. If classified as cargo, the animals are taken to the cargo warehouse, where they are kept until you do a lot of paperwork. While we thought we had all of the proper paperwork, no one (including Ecuadorian consulates in Houston and Miami, the USDA certified vet, the USDA agent, and Lan Airlines/cargo agents) told us that birds and other exotic pets are required to have a document called CITES. The parrot, Hattie, was kept in the cargo warehouse for ~7 days and was rescued by the wonderful folks at the Ecuadorian “Ministerio de Ambiente” who placed her in the gorgeous wildlife park in Guaya-hell, El Parque Historico. It took 3 months to get the documents from the USA that basically said that I did not need paperwork because I got the bird 32-years-ago, which was prior to the enactment of the CITES law. It took another 3-4 weeks to finalize the paperwork here and get Hattie’s release. It also cost several hundreds of dollars. Hattie is now home with us getting lots of hugs and neck-rubs. Thanks for all of the kind and concerned responses from folks when this was first posted. Also, please tell anyone who plans to bring an “exotic” animal into another country that there could be major problems if they do not have a CITES document. I was told that if an animal is brought into a country illegally, customs has the authority to “terminate” the animal. They did not tell me this while Hattie was in the customs warehouse, but I could tell by the dedication of the Ecuadorian wild-life biologist who rescued her that this was a serious issue. So serious that we could not bribe anyone to release the bird! Thanks! Rebe and Hattie

SJB Global

SJB Global is a top-rated financial advisory firm specializing in expat financial advice worldwide, offering retirement planning & tax-efficient solutions with a regressive fee model.
Learn More

SJB Global

SJB Global is a top-rated financial advisory firm specializing in expat financial advice worldwide, offering retirement planning & tax-efficient solutions with a regressive fee model.
Learn More

Living in Ecuador Guide

Expats in Ecuador share some of the pros and cons of living in Ecuador. Topics covered include where to live, the bureaucracy, the people and more.

Ecuador Forum
Join our Ecuador forum to meet other expats and talk about living in Ecuador.

Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Ecuador.

Best Places to Live in Ecuador

If you're dreaming about living in Ecuador, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in Ecuador in 2023.

Healthcare in Ecuador

Expats in Ecuador share their experiences with healthcare and overseas medical insurance in Ecuador.

Cost of Living in Ecuador

Expats offer insight into the cost of living in Ecuador.

Moving to Ecuador Guide

Expats in Ecuador offer advice to newcomers and people considering a move to Ecuador about clothing, sunscreen, renting before buying, gringo pricing, Ecuadorians politeness and much more.

Real Estate in Ecuador

Real estate listings in popular cities and towns in Ecuador.

Pros & Cons of Living in Ecuador

Take off your rose-colored glasses and learn what expats have to say about the biggest challenges and the greatest rewards of living in Ecuador.

Retiring in Ecuador

Advice for people retiring in Ecuador.

10 Tips for Living in Ecuador

If you've recently arrived in Ecuador, here are 10 tips for digital nomads living in Ecuador.

Additional Information:

Visit our Ecuador Index for a Full List

SJB Global

SJB Global is a top-rated financial advisory firm specializing in expat financial advice worldwide, offering retirement planning & tax-efficient solutions with a regressive fee model.
Learn More

SJB Global

SJB Global is a top-rated financial advisory firm specializing in expat financial advice worldwide, offering retirement planning & tax-efficient solutions with a regressive fee model.
Learn More

Contribute
Help others in Ecuador by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Ecuador.

Login

Or, Send Login Link

Expat Community > Ecuador

Parrot held hostage has been rescued

Login