As the numbers of superyachts undertaking extended trips and travelling further afield increase, many owners and charter guests are choosing to take their family pets on board with them.
To cater to the need, a new company, Superyacht Vet Service(SVS), has been created to meet the increasing demand for logistical support for yachts travelling with pets.
Founder of the new service, Dr Siobhan Brade, has worked as the veterinary advisor to a number of yachts travelling through the Asia-Pacific.
A member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the New Zealand Veterinary Council Register, she worked in small animal practice before moving to work with superyachts.
With a wide knowledge of animal import processes, and an understanding of the superyacht industry and the discerning owners it serves, she is well placed to work with superyachts and provide the quick-response and discrete service that is required.
Among those yachts to have used the service are the 90m sailing yacht Athena and the 42m motor yacht The Big Blue. There Captain Gareth Sheppard said, “We had the difficult task of us determining whether the owner’s labrador could be granted permit to enter and cruise New Zealand with the vessel. Dr Brade went to great lengths to make the dog import happen, with many hours of investigation. She was also instrumental in researching future ports of call for the dog to enter and the intricacies for gaining a permit in each.”
With many countries having very different immigration and pet quarantine requirements, ensuring that all the inoculation and import demands of a multi-country itinerary are met can be a challenging and time consuming process.
In addition many of the smaller and more remote countries that are becoming popular with cruising yachts do not yet have superyacht-specific policies; thus working with a specialist superyacht vet is invaluable in ensuring smooth interaction with local governments to facilitate a safe and stress free travel period for the pets in question.
As these challenges usually fall to the captain or management company to resolve, SVS takes the work and responsibility off their hands and offers the expert veterinary knowledge that is required to ensure the best possible results.