As some of you might know/remember, Mr. Nina works part-time in Vancouver, BC. I wasn't able to cross the border at all, but now I have a work permit (yippee), so I can. We spent the last 6 weeks in Canada, and here was my border crossing experience:

INTO Canada:
Produced passports, letters stating employment (Mr. Nina), "trailing spouse" status (me), signed affidavits that we knew, understood and would follow the required 14-day quarantine, another affidavit that we weren't experiencing any Covid symptoms at the time, proof that we had a place in which to quarantine. They looked through the car, approved of our coolers full of frozen food, laughed that we had our pet parakeet in a cage in the car, and waved us through. Total time: about 2 hours, including validating our work permits. Border people were efficient, firm, but very friendly.

RETURNING FROM CANADA:
Presented passports. They looked into the car, opened the (now empty) coolers, and stopped short at the parakeet in his cage. Waved us over to the side for an "agriculture check." Refused to let us cross into the USA because of our pet parakeet. We didn't know we needed to arrange a health inspection from a US Fish & Game vet, we can only cross @ Sumas to do that, and it requires a 3-5 day notice. So we turned around, dropped the parakeet off with our son, and returned to the USA. Absolutely NO questions whatsoever about our health, potential for Covid exposure, nothing.

THE US GOVERNMENT WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR PET PARAKEET THAN COVID-19.

BTW, while we were in Canada the Canadian health authority called us both 3 times to confirm we were health and following quarantine protocols.

Just in case anyone was wondering why Canada seems to have a relative handle on their Covid cases, and we don't....

quote:

THE US GOVERNMENT WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR PET PARAKEET THAN COVID-19.

I'm so sorry about your parakeet. How/when can you get him back?

Mr. Nina is going back this weekend, so he'll pick him up. We now know the procedure to get him back into the USA (the bird, not Mr. Nina ). It's a gigantic pain and involves crossing at a non-direct entry point, but it's doable. Just a pain.

Side note: Taking your dog or cat across is no problem, you just net a vet's note certifying when they last had their shots. It's BIRDISM!!