Hi all
Does anyone know the deal with taking doves onto cruise ships?
I know a bit about flying with doves but I don't know anything about rules and regs or even if it's allowed anymore.
Any help would be greatfully recieved

Paul Dabek

Paul,

Contact Ted. On The Magic Café his is listed as the Village Idiots. He's got the Tee-Shirt.

Bob
Magic By Sander

Michael Rappa's book Entertaining on Cruise Ships has loads about this. Might be a little out of date (published in 1999), but worth getting if you haven't already.

Phil

Thanks guys.
Anyone else have any suggestions

Paul

I've worked on ships for the past year with birds... it's a pain in the ass. Can I say ass here? Anyway, just make sure you have all your correct paperwork. When you get onto the ship, the first thing you NEED to do, is tell the purser's desk that you have livestock, and give them copies of your health certificates. Many times they will need the originals.

IF you don't give them the originals, you may be getting a call at 4:00 AM on a show day, when they port, and the Department of Agriculture for Mexico will be storming your room while you're in the nude after a short night of sleep... not that this ever happened to me or anything.

Make sure that you contact BOTH the US Department of Agriculture, and the US Fish and Wildlife. You will need special permits from both of these places. Be SURE that you are flying in and out of US ports only (all this is assuming you are from US). San Juan Puerto Rico does not count as US, even though it is a territory... they WILL take your birds if you make a stop there on a flight home. Make sure you do not stop there mid flight. (This ALMOST happened to me too)

Finally, be prepared to have the USDA come onto the ship, and pay them $250 for having them write an official piece of post-it note, saying that your birds don't have runny noses. All in all, you are looking at spending around $1,000.00 USD to transport, and pay for permits, per gig on a ship.

Do balloon animals...

Dave

Thanks Dave I knew it was complicated but didn't know it was SOOOOOOO difficult.
But lets face it it's worth it!
Nothing gets the audience reaction that a good bird production gets.

Unfortunatly I am in the UK so same rules don't always apply here but I have been in touch with Department of aggriculture over here.

Would be great to chat with you further as it would be cool to talk to someone nearer my age that has broken into the cruise market.

Many Thanks For your comments

Paul Dabek

The problem I had with doves was to get health certificates. In my place I had a real problem to obtain them. The veterinarian (I'm not sure of the word: doctors for animals) answered me that he could not give a certificate. The bird diseases are not sufficiently known by them.
I got help from an other one who gave me the papers.

I had an amazon parrot taken from me in Puerto Rico. It was sent to Miami for about 30 days or so at so much per day $5? Quarantine. In quarantine the room was full of all kinds of birds. There was also in there coloured doves either blue or green naturally coloured not dyed.

When are you starting on cruiseships? I'm guessing it will take a lot of planning. Do you know how often you will be performing and who to i.e. same audience?

Nick

Finding veterinarians that understand bird diseases is faster if you will determine that they serve the poultry animal industry first. America has many vets that service the chicken industry. Call your state agriculture department for names.

Bob
Magic By Sander