This morning we loaded up the dogs and headed to Malibu Coast Animal Hospital so they could get their travel health checks and certification, a process which is mandatory for their entrance into Italy. Natalia, Lizzie and Mario were reluctant participants in this process....I'm so embarrassed by their poor performance....but Luigi got gold stars for today. I'm hoping the loads of kisses he had for Dr. Lisa compensate a bit for what she put up with from the others.
It's amazing how much paperwork has to be completed for this journey. Rabies vaccination certificates, microchip info and all kinds of declarations. And then it all has to be stamped by the USDA office in El Segundo. (If you don't live in LA you won't necessarily understand, but El Segundo is not the most glamourous of destinations.) Guess what I'll be doing at 7AM on Monday morning when they open?
Our guide through this process has been Salina at the animal hospital. She has been a tremendous help. And I'm not sure what we would have done without her. Her advice was to get a pet passport as soon as we get to Italy (we don't issue them in the US) so that we don't have to repeat this for any subsequent international trips. I'm adding that to my ever-lengthening "must do soon after we arrive" list.
Today's excursion was, like many of the things I have been doing the last few weeks, bittersweet. On one hand I am excited about crossing another hurdle in the trip planning. But at the same time it is REALLY hard to say goodbye to our friends in Malibu. Dr. Lisa and the team there have been with us through thick and thin over the past 17 years. And Lisa was one of the few people in this world our old curmudgeon of a dog Creature loved. We will surely miss them.
TODAY PART 2:
We survived the customs inspection and our shipment has cleared.....DUTY FREE!! They have scheduled delivery to our home in Fasano for March 8/9. I see this as a reason for a glass (or two) of something bubbly.
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