Forums > General > Traveling Mexico> Traveling by bus with pets

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Mar 7, 2012, 10:26 AM

Traveling by bus with pets

I have checked the search and the newest post on the topic I found was from 2004!

Next weekend I am moving from southern Belize to Playa del Carmen and - having two cats - I was wandering how.

I usually travel with them by air - easy and convenient on long trips. But this was supposed to be a relatively short one and ... there are no flights from here to there, unless I fly through either Guatemala or USA - both options unneccessarily expensive and would complicate veterinary certifications requirements.

So I thought of renting a car and taking it over the border - but nobody would let me pick it up here and leave it over there. Thus the bus.

ADO is the Mexican company that goes from Belize City to Cancun, but I found on their page that the pets can only go in the cargo, sedated. OK, I thought if it is air conditioned, otherwise they would die in the heat in a closed compartment without air.

So on a Playa del Carmen's forum I posted an inquiry if the cargo hold is air conditioned.... and this pretty straightforward question started a long, winding and partially hillarious exchange concerning a camarote, or the space for a second driver next to the cargo hold.

Someone even posted a picture of it.

Well, if there were no second driver the cats would fit there, but if they had to travel with luggage without any ventilation I would endanger their lives.
So I am still not sure I can go by bus on Mexican side.

On the Belizean side I can - they have these awfully uncomfortable chicken buses without luggage compartments, but at least cats can travel inside the bus in their transporter and once I get to Chetumal, I shall inspect the bus - and either take it or rent a car in Chetumal, since it is in the same country and only about five hours away, so that, even if they would not let me drop it off in Playa I can install my cats home, drive back to Chetumal, return the car and board the bus - since i won't have to travel with luggage.

Uff, I am getting waaay to old for that - especially travelling alone. Not a good invitation to spend time and money in Mexico. Granted, from the USA it would be a cinch - flying....but moving from a thirld world country (Belize) to a developing country (Mexico), with insufficient infrastructure makes it tough.

If I did not have a condo in Playa already arranged I would have dropped my 'visiting Mexico" plans. <sigh>

Is it still the norm all over Mexico - this pet unfriendliness?

(This post was edited by Minerva909 on Mar 7, 2012, 10:33 AM)

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Post edited by Minerva909 (Novice) on Mar 7, 2012, 10:33 AM