Help getting far south! (border crossing with a dog)

[macydazy]

I am 19 year old female who just spent the last year rubber tramping the us. After a very disappointing national gathering I'm ready to get the fuck out of here! My original plan was to fly to Lima (tax return) with my small pup and backpack all over the west coast and include brazil. Spirit air are no longer allowing even service animals according to "Patrick" from their 1800#. I wouldn't mind going to costa rica, it is cheaper to get there, but I want away from all the north american bullshit and from what I heard costa rica isnt going to get me away from that, another us territory full of tourist. Also I want to be gone for a long time and I'm not sure how you get from central to south america. The problem is I am alone and I am not about to go alone AND without my baby! Nearly the only sane individual I've spent time with Unfortunately neither my 5 foot frame or my 5 pound dog are very scary. Would it be too terrible an idea to try and get through mexico hitching alone? Spirit air is the only airline I could have afforded but again, not leaving my dog! Besides mexico and hitching how hard is it to bring the dog across all the different borders? yes she has her vaccines, and yes i know about the health certificate. I'm more about plants and animals than people. they bother me, at least the ones in this country.
peace and love
also any sexy train riders want to take me? ive hopped a few just wouldnt cross the border without someone experienced who can fight dirty mexicans off me in a knife fight

 

[dprogram]

Hell I'd go but I don't think I could deal with South America. Too much violence going down and no one to bail you out if shit went bad.

 

[Margarita]

My recommendation would be to get a job or do odd jobs until you save up enough money to afford an airline that will take animals. I lived in Panama City for about 6 months and I tell you what, the Panama-Colombia border is an insanely violent and dangerous area. The Australian government recommends that Australian tourists not go near the Darien Gap (Parque Nacional de Darien, which happens to stretch almost across the entire length of the Colombian border) because of the criminal activity there.

Certain parts of Mexico are pretty safe and others are terribly dangerous. A friend of mine's uncle got kidnapped and is being held hostage in the mountains. A lot of the media hype and reports are true. Others aren't, and you can't generalize. But the dangers exist. I can't speak for the other Central American countries, except I know several hippies who have hitched/backpacked Central America without any problems. As for getting to South America, though, I think that Panama will provide your largest obstacle.

Which is why I advise you to save up money to afford an airline with a more lenient pet policy, no matter how long it takes. Obviously you want to do this (I've got my eyes on South America as well! ^^) so willpower isn't a problem. Get 'er done. Best of luck with whatever you choose to do!

PS: Check out ships to South America perhaps? I don't know anything on that topic so it's just an idea.

 

[LanaBarros]

I'm in Texas and trying to get out by any means, which is actually what brought me to this forum..
I was planning on traveling through mexico by bus/Hitching and then through central america. I speak some spanish and have been to Mexico and Honduras. Not sure how much help I could be to you seeing as im a girl and about your size...but let me know

 

[OpossumPolice]

Im in tennessee currently looking to make my way west and then south with america del sud being my final destination. I drive a jeep and i have slavewage job currently saving. I also busk and im not to proud to spange for gas if the need arose. Puedo hablar un poco de español. I also have a dog, a banjo and a guitar.

 

[ATX]

I know this thread is old, but I just crossed into Piedras Negras two months or so ago with my german shepherd mix and didn't get asked a single question. Never even checked my passport, let alone the dog.