Pets on Caribe Tours?

[renata]

Hello!

I have been living in the DR for two years and am now planning to return to the USA, but along the way I've acquired a cat. I have all of his vaccination records and know about getting his health certificate, and I've cleared everything with the airline. Now I'm just nervous about getting him TO the airport.

I live in Cabarete and will be flying out of Santo Domingo (I KNOW this would be easier if I were flying out of Puerto Plata, but I'm a Peace Corps volunteer and my flight was booked for me). I usually travel on Caribe Tours. I know they have no pets allowed, but I wonder if I would be able to sneak on my cat. He's very small (less than a year old, weighs about 5 pounds) and I have a soft-sided carrier that just looks like a duffle bag.

But I'm nervous about getting stranded at CT with my cat and giant suitcases in case they do not allow my cat on... I guess I could just cry and use my rubia power, but I hope it doesn't come to that OR I could take a guagua to PP, Javilla Tours to Santiago, and Aetra to SD since I know pets are okay on all of those... but I'd rather it not come to that since I'll have a lot of stuff with me.

Does anyone have any experience traveling on Caribe Tours with small animals? Or does anyone know another relatively cheap way to get into Santo Domingo that wouldn't require three changes of bus?

I really appreciate any advice!

 

[SKY]

Here is the phone number for Caribe Tours in Sosua. You can check with them.

809-571-3808

 

[Ken]

Best to call, but have traveled on Caribe Tours many, many times and have never seen an animal.

When I arrived in Samana in 1986, there was no Caribe Tour service. To go to Santo Domingo we went on former school buses imported from the US. Then there was no trouble taking an animal, or anything else. But, fortunately, those days are long past.

 

[SKY]

What we had to do was use another bus service to get our dog home to the north coast from Santo Domingo. It took about 4 transfers to make if all of the way using a combination of that less finicky (old school) bus and guaguas.

The problem for the OP may be that her cat might try to munch on one of the chickens riding next to it. Anything goes on these.

 

[renata]

Well, I know the rule is "no pets" including cats, but I was just wondering if people thought it would be feasible to sneak on a cat in a duffle bag.

 

[waytogo]

If you really don't want any problems, take a taxi. A bit pricey but no worries, no problems. Start checking prices now and you should find someone with a fairly reasonable price. The price of the taxi will save you a lot of possible grief.

 

[Bronxboy]

They will kick you off the bus if they find it.

meow!!!!

Your gone. lol

 

[renata]

meow!!!!

Your gone. lol

SIGH, that's what I'm afraid of... my kitty has kind of a big mouth.

A taxi from here to Santo Domingo is out of my Peace Corps volunteer price range. I think I might send my big suitcases with Caribe Pack so all I'll have to deal with will be the cat and a backpack, and then take the roundabout guagua/Javilla tours/Aetra bus route to the capital.

Thanks for all the input, everyone!

 

[Bronxboy]

SIGH, that's what I'm afraid of... my kitty has kind of a big mouth.

A taxi from here to Santo Domingo is out of my Peace Corps volunteer price range. I think I might send my big suitcases with Caribe Pack so all I'll have to deal with will be the cat and a backpack, and then take the roundabout guagua/Javilla tours/Aetra bus route to the capital.

Thanks for all the input, everyone!

Buena suerte!

 

[simpson Homer]

money can talk for you

Do whatever other people will do, take your time while people are boarding
the bus dont be the first one and do not expose your cat like you got a trophy
keep it in those especial cage that are small for cats or whatever you got to carry the pet. keep on eye on the guy who is loading the bus and just pass him
300 pesos all in bill of 100. But the problem is that the bus is not express.
and other staff may see it at different station.

Also try Transporte del Cibao, located in Parque Enriquillo the same station
to take the bus to Higuey.
for sure they will take it, i just dont know their schedule or phone number.

wont be surprise if other animals are in the same bus

 

[Ken]

They will kick you off the bus if they find it.

Either that or confiscate the cat and take it home and eat it.

Some may think I am joking, but have you ever seen a cat loose on the street in the Dominican Republic?

Google

 

[bienamor]

Either that or confiscate the cat and take it home and eat it.

Some may think I am joking, but have you ever seen a cat loose on the street in the Dominican Republic?

Google

All the time here in the Capital. Ciudad Nueva

 

[Memo]

Wow, I had no idea that my friend was so fortunate in smuggling our TWO cats aboard a CaribeTour bus from Samana to Las Americas. As it happens, she did use a duffle, but her plan was to manage them and the luggage and her 86 year old step-father all at once and a single duffle was easier than handling the two soft-sided containers that the duffle concealed. Anyway, the cats are Swiss now...