[News] A Well-Travelled Yorkie

[fasteddie]

Geez, the North Pole even! Benji sure has been around the block! It's great to see his owners have taken him everywhere, well besides Hawaii (and their long mandatory quarantine times). And of course he draws a crowd!
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HERTFORD — He’s checked out a fireplug in Texas, looked over the trees in Montana, wagged his tail in Mississippi, woofed in New Hampshire and shaken himself at the North Pole.

Benji, a 15-year-old, 12-pound Yorkshire terrier named after the movie dog, has visited every state in the union except Hawaii. “We couldn’t take him there because he would have had to be quarantined for two months beforehand,” said Benji’s owner, Herman Hill .

Hill, 79, retired from the Navy after 43 years and the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth after 12 years. He and his wife, Joyce, a 76-year-old retired home economics teacher from Norfolk, live with Benji in their Willow Street home.

“We always travel by car or truck,” Herman Hill said, “and he always stays in the back seat with his water bowl, a blanket for cool weather and his food, which we keep in a large container.”

In the past, finding a pup-friendly motel was a problem, but that has changed. “We go to motels that take dogs. We have a guidebook showing those places,” Hill said. “Most of them have rooms set aside for dog owners. Benji has never messed up, and we’ve been traveling with him since we got him as a pup in 1991.”

Benji loves vehicular life. Open the car door and – whoosh – he jumps in, heading straight for the back seat. “He enjoys looking out the window,” Hill said, “and he doesn’t bark in the car except …”

For reasons known only to Benji, he barks and barks when he sees cows. “He wants to get out and play with them,” Hill said.

Benji seems to draw attention wherever he goes.

“ People come up and talk to him. A lot of young ladies come up and talk to me because of him,” Hill joked.

On the road, the Hills and their pet make a pit stop about every 100 miles. “Joyce walks him while I fill the gas tank,” Herman Hill said.

There have been bleak spots, and age has accentuated some of them. “He’s still in good health except for some kidney problems,” Hill said, “and he has arthritis.”

The roughest time was when Benji was 8 years old. He had a herniated disk that required a $3,500 operation to repair.

Many pets would have been put to sleep because of that price tag, but as far as the Hills are concerned, the love and loyalty are priceless.

At home, when there are visitors, Benji will bark for a moment or two to make sure all is well.

Then, he curls up on his rug near the back door and pretty well stays put.

But he is not home all that much. A couple of months ago, he went on a camping trip to Indiana and, in September, he visited Utah. Wherever he goes, so goes the video camera.

There could be more footage of Benji than of Lassie and the 101 Dalmatians combined.

Those dogs may be famous, but they have never been to the North Pole. “We went to the Arctic Circle in 1992,” Hill said. “We went about five miles beyond the pole – it’s marked – in a 1990 Chevy Crew cab.”

Like most travelers, Benji has his preferences.

“His favorite places are mountain tops. He loves to stand on the ledges and look down,” Joyce Hill said. But he also relishes city life.

“He enjoys the big crowds,” she said. “He stays busy sightseeing.”

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories...6900&ran=85228

[bettyeanne]

WOW! And I thought we had put a lot of miles on Toto!! They are wonderful little travelers!

[Junebug]

Off topic, kinda, I though Hawaii did away with the quarantines recently?? Am I wrong?

[fasteddie]

Junebug: We went to Hawaii in July 2003, and there was definitely a quarantine in effect then. Just did a quick check on Google as I was curious too:

Hawaii's Animal Quarantine Laws

Hawaii is a rabies free state. Hawaii's quarantine law is designed to protect residents and pets from potentially serious health problems associated with the presence and spread of rabies. Success of the quarantine program is dependent on maintaining isolation of your pet from other animals for the required quarantine period.

Importation of dogs, cats and other carnivores into Hawaii is governed by Chapter 4-29 of the State of Hawaii, Department of Agriculture Administrative Rules. This law says that these animals are required to complete a 120-day confinement in the State Animal Quarantine Station. If specific pre-arrival and post-arrival requirements are met, animals may qualify for a 30-day quarantine or a new 5-day-or-less quarantine that became effective on June 30, 2003. Qualifications for Hawaii residents with pets and reduced "re-entry" fees became effective on February 12, 2004.

Hawaii Resident Pets: Owners wishing to leave the State of Hawaii with their pets, and return, must meet all requirements for 5-day or less quarantine program to return without extended quarantine. The 120 days "pre-arrival" waiting period after a successful rabies blood test can be done prior to leaving the State or can be in combination with time spent out-of-state before re-entry. See Checklist for Hawaii Resident Pets for details.

Re-Entry Fee Requirements: For pets re-entering Hawaii after completing a Hawaii animal quarantine program, click here for requirements to qualify for the reduced "Re-entry" fee for Direct Airport Release or 5-day or-less quarantine.

http://www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/ai_aqs_info.htm
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Looks like you are right! Well, provided you do everything in their checklist, you can only wait 5 days. But I can't imagine my Yoda being confined for 5 days with strangers! That's an eternity to him. Thanks for the tidbit Junebug!

It'd be so cool to see Yoda roaming around the beaches (well the private ones or ones without rules at least) of Maui. I remember seeing a Chihuahua on my last trip enjoying the shade and sand.

[Junebug]

Five days is waaay too long for me too. I couldn't even bear to leave him at the vet for half a day.

[bettyeanne]

Junebug! Glad to see someone else who won't be seperated from their Yorkiebaby! I wouldn't subject Toto or me to that for all the sand in Hawaii!! Mark that off our places to visit!!

[Gypsy Rose]

Yeah Gypsy Rose and Gizzie Chavi won't be going to Hawaii either LOL!! Loved the article - I also thought Gypsy Rose was well travelled before I read this - our former doggie family (2 yorkies and 2 Lhasa Apsos ) were also! Love going in our motorhome and would never go with out them! Ana xx

[VonScrappy]

I realize this isn't about travel and I'm sorry, but I just can't seem to find any answers to my problem and this site came up in my search for Yorkies and herniated disks. Fasteddie, could you please tell me how you discovered that Benji had a herniated disk; what were his symptoms? My little girl has been under the care of our regular vet as well as ER docs since before Christmas and nobody can figure out what's wrong with her yet. (We're now scheduled for a neurological consult Wednesday with a new doctor at the recommendation of our vet.) Someone suggested to me that it could be a dislodged disk and your post is where my search took me.

She is weak on her left side, her legs slide out from under her on tile or hard wood floor, she "knuckles" with her front paw - if anybody has any input I'd greatly appreciate it. Please feel free to e-mail me: aimee@mee-meespamperedpets.com

Thank you!
Aimee

[sngglz]

hey does anyone now of the book they are talking about that has places where dogs can stay. Like what motels are pet friendly. I would be love to get a book I won't to do some traveling with Charlie.