Please Register / Login to take part in discussions about the Virgin Islands.
Hello everyone,
I am moving to STT in June and will be bringing my four French Bulldogs. I will be buying a house in March and would like to know if there is a better location to live for having to walk dogs then another? Also are there any beaches, restaurants, bars(anything really), that I can do with my dog(s)? I was going to move to Portland where nothing is off limits to dogs, so I am a little worried. I just spent a week in St. Martin; it was insanely dog friendly, but I know that STT will be nothing like that because it's US territory. I'm not worried about having to leave my dogs home often because they are lazy most of the time. However, they are also very social and love to hang with us at restaurants and bars. I don't hang out on beaches so that's really not an issue, but I do like to walk my dogs. I am going to UVI and really excited about living in a place where I can scuba all the time, but don't want to make my life miserable as well as keep my dogs cooped up for theirs. Any help with location would be greatly appreciated, but please don't tell me that I shouldn't move there because I have dogs. I know that's not the truth because one of the houses I am looking at has a Frenchie living there. I am living just North of Philadelphia now and I can't take my dogs anywhere, so they are used to staying home.
Thank you all so much!
"One of the houses I'm looking at has a Frenchie living there"? I'm not sure why this is relevant where four bulldogs are concerned but maybe you can explain? I'm afraid my response isn't going to please you too much or tell you what you want to hear.
First you need to ascertain if your dogs will even be allowed on a flight here. Many of the major airlines have now banned snub-nosed dogs from flights period because of breathing problems and liability issues.
Moving here with four dogs before you have your own house is insane. Rentals are hard to find with even one dog in tow. Better that you leave your dogs stateside with family, friends or in a boarding facility until your own property closes.
There are very few places such as you describe where you can take your dogs. No to restaurants, no to bars (there is one bar at Havensight on the WICO dock which has the facility to allow patrons along with their dogs but that's about it) and no to most beaches with only a very few exceptions.
Sorry not to be of more help or at least not the help that you hope to find but all the best and I hope the move works out well for you.
Edit: By a "Frenchie" in a house, I'm now guessing that you're referring to the dog breed? "Frenchies" here are people of French descent who settled here from down island many moons ago and it was that to which I assumed you were referring ... As said, one dog in a rental is do-able, four are not.
Also, your post would be better on the Relocation Forum (see link above right) as it's not relevant to this visitor's forum.
Continental will fly snub nose breeds under certain conditions. Call their live animal desk and look at their website. The are the only airline currently transporting snub nosed breeds. Also, since you have 4 dogs, airlines limit the number ofanimals per person (on American it is two checked pets and one carryon per person). Not sure what the other airlines policies are...but you may have to ship them cargo on Continental. They only fly cargo into Puerto Rico do then you'd have to fly them by seaplane or cape Air to STT. I'm not sure what the STT rental market Is like, but on St Croix it is possible to find a rental to accept 4 dogs, but it is challenging and rather slim pickings. You may also need to consider having ac in your house or living at a high elevation where it is cooler. Bulldogs and other snub nose dogs don't do well in the heat here.
Apart from the general clamp-down on air transportation of snub nosed breeds, the remaining few who do allow them to be flown will not do so during the period May 15-September 15 because of the heat and this of course won't fit with your plans of moving with them in June. As the previous poster pointed out, only two animals per traveler are allowed in the cabin and obviously the animal must be small enough to fit into an under-seat carrier.
