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Old May 18th, 2011, 09:25 AM
woofendog woofendog is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Brossard Quebec
Posts: 86
Pet food imports

My trip to Vermont allows me to check on the lakefront cottage and fill up with $1.05 a litre gas every two weeks. I do not believe that I could make a great profit selling a $12.00+6% Vermont sales tax bag of cat food which is the same made in USA product as sold in the local Wal-Mart in Canada. On top of that, the border agent has the right to charge me the 15% gst pst if he chooses to do so. I could avoid this by staying 48 hours and bringing back $400.00 in goods including liquor and cigarettes tax and duty free if I was trying to make a profit.
As to the beef comment , I was told by the border agent that this no longer applies. Both the Canada Border Services agent and the Canadian Health Food Inspection agent confirmed that beef products are now allowed in imported pet food from the United States.
Proof that I am bringing back the pet food could be any or all of the six vacination certificates for my adopted spayed neutered and now indoor cats. It makes no sense to have to drag a cat across the border on a day trip to prove that I have a cat and that I will only feed the imported food to the cat who made the customs declaration.
If there was a safety issue then the government could simply ban the personal import of pet food. Having the cat in the car with me is no proof that only he will be fed this food. Vacination certificates with the owners name and adress as well as a description of the cat should be acceptable as proof of pet ownership.
I have now written to the Honourable Gerry Ritz who is the federal minister responsible for the Canadian Food Health Inspection Agency. All that I am looking for is a sensible explanation of these requirements. Thanks
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