Thu, Nov 26 2009
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Exporting home-grown quality Grand River Alpaca Farm sending six to the United Kingdom in unique deal By CARL E. FEATHER - Lifestyle Editor - cfeather@starbeacon.comStar Beacon “What we send over there will be representative of our breeding program, as well as the American alpaca industry. It’s not a bad idea to send over a couple of our best,” George says.
Waiting period The deal was closed and the long process of getting the animals from Austinburg Township to Gloucestershire, United Kingdom, begun. Once the sale was made, George and Mary began working with U.S. Department of Agriculture veterinarians to qualify the animals for the first phase of their journey, Austinburg to Canada. The procedure requires 30 days of isolation from the farm’s herd. All animals, including wild ones, must be kept 30 feet from the quarantined animals. Their caretakers must suit up in gowns before entering the quarantine zone. At the end of 30 days, the blood tests required by Canadian law will be administered on the animals. If they pass muster, they’ll head for a farm in Irwin, Ontario, the first week in October. George and Mary plan to transport the animals themselves, and they already know it’s going to be a stressful trip. The trailer will have to be cleaned, disinfected and inspected before moving the animals from quarantine directly into the trailer. They must follow a direct route to the border crossing at Buffalo, where a Canadian veterinarian will inspect the animals and seal the trailer. “All the paperwork has to be right on the money,” says George. On the Canadian side, there will be a list of requirements that must be fulfilled by U.S.D.A. documentation. If the two don’t match, the alpacas won’t enter the country. Once the trailer is sealed, George and Mary won’t be allowed to enter it until they reach the farm in Irwin. A veterinarian at the farm will inspect the animals and release them to the caretaker. “It’s an expensive procedure,” says George, who estimates it will cost several thousand to meet all the requirements. Once the animals are in Canada, the expenses will continue to accumulate. The animals will be held in quarantine for 30 days, then live on the farm for another five months, long enough to become Canadian alpacas that can be exported under the Canadian agreement with the United Kingdom. In early April, they’ll be flown in a cargo plane designed for animal transportation; the direct flight will be from Toronto to Heathrow Airport in England. Their new home will be a farm about one hour northwest of London. The Hodsons say the sale was assisted by the weakness of the dollar against the European currency. “One positive aspect of a weak dollar is that our animals are more affordable; they were able to get them for half price,” George says. 
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