Pets on ADO bus?

[Anciana]

In three weeks I am moving from southern Belize to PDC for a year or two and have a transportation problem. I have a pair of cats with me. There are no flights nowadays from Belize to Cancun (other than through USA or Guatemala, which would seriously complicate getting veterinary certificates, not to mention adding a lot to the costs), but there appear to be an overnight ADO bus from Belize City to Cancun stopping at Playa.

But ADO seems to require that pets be put in baggage container, drugged.
Drugging the poor creatures in itself is not ideal, but can anybody tell me if the baggage compartments on these buses are air conditioned like on airlines? Otherwise the heat - even during the night - would kill them.
Nobody could possibly have made such a ridiculous requirement... or could ADO?

Another possibility would be to get to Chetumal - by flight and water taxi and then take a flight to Cancun. But I can't find any flights to Cancun from Chetumal. Aren't there any or am I not looking at the right place?

Help, please.

P.S. Private transfer for one person and two cats is not a good option, as it is way too expensive.

[Babaloo]

I seriously doubt the baggage hold on the bus is air conditioned.
And I would not put pets down there for such a long trip.
Sneak them on the bus in a soft sided carrier

[cupcake]

I agree with Babaloo... I've tried to find out if it's air conditioned below in the ADOs also but I REALLY really doubt it. Who knows what goes on in the baggage compartment lol... I have a Yorkie that I sneak in and out of a lot of places like the collectivo in a soft sided bag. He is pretty quiet though. If your cats aren't used to the bag, they might start meowing in the night. And the jig would be up! I have no idea about the security crossing from Belize to Mexico, like whether they check your bags or not. If it's not a big deal, I would try to sneak them on. Get them used to the bag gently beforehand if you are going to try it. I hope you find a good way to get your kitties here

[ANDY]

No pets on ADO

[Anciana]

Sigh. That's what I was afraid of... It looks like the best option for my cats would be for me to take a solo bus to Playa, rent a place to live, rent a car that I can take to Belize, pick up cats and luggage and drive back.

I wish I could follow Babaloo's and your advice, alas....

My cats are used to flying in both a soft sided transporter (mesh - you can see cats in there) and hard-sided, but I would never try to smuggle them across any border. They have their identification chips, their European pet passports and their international vet certificates, without which I could not take them later to Europe ... and besides.... I ain't used to smuggling anything, and not eager on learning to do it in my golden age, lol

[u2girlie]

Originally Posted by Anciana

Sigh. That's what I was afraid of... It looks like the best option for my cats would be for me to take a solo bus to Playa, rent a place to live, rent a car that I can take to Belize, pick up cats and luggage and drive back.

My cats are used to flying in both a soft sided transporter (mesh - you can see cats in there) and hard-sided, but I would never try to smuggle them across any border. they have their identification chips and their international vet certificates, without which I could not take them later to Europe ... and besides.... I aren't used to smuggling anything, and not eager on learning to do it in my golden age, lol

I didn't think it was possible to rent a car in Mexico and drive to Belize but I guess it is possible (or was in 2010). Here's a post on another travel forum about it.

"We drove from The Riviera Maya to Belize and beyond with 4 adults and 5 kids. The roads are good, we found them safe. The only car rental company I found that allowed you to cross the border was at Cancun Rent a Car | Cancun Airport Rent A Car | Cancun Car Rental | Continental Rent a Car It's a local company. They had a bad rap on trip advisor but we found them to be exemplorary. Make sure you have your papers in order at the border. There was a typo on ours and we were probably at least an hr longer at the border than we should have been. You have to buy Belizian insurance when you leave the border area, it's straight forward and cheap, $25 for a week. Roads in Belize are rough and tough going but doable, fun and again we found perfectly safe. We drove west to San Ignacio, then back to the coast to pick up a boat to Caye Caulker. Border back to Mexico was quicker and we returned the vehicle without issue. I think a friendly, respectful attitude goes a long way to aid the process. Good luck"

Car rental from Cancun to Belize | WordTravels Forum

[cupcake]

Originally Posted by Anciana

I aren't used to smuggling anything, and not eager on learning to do it in my golden age, lol

Fair enough... it's the border thing that makes it tricky. On a shorter trip within Mexico, I wouldn't hesitate

[Anciana]

Thanks u2girlie for a tip on cancun car rental. I also got a confirmation from America rent a car that i can take their rental to Belize... though after reading their reviews I shall wait and talk to their office instead of renting on line. Their Playa office has a very bad reputation for scamming customers. I shall check Cancun car rental as well.

[Anciana]

Yes, cupcake, my pampered cats would be hard to smuggle, be it on the bus or through the border. They would give everybody a very loud and persistent piece of their mind after being put in a bag, lol

[Sue]

Do you have a friend that could drive you to Chetumal? From there you could probably rent a car and then drop it off in Playa.

[cupcake]

Originally Posted by Anciana

Yes, cupcake, my pampered cats would be hard to smuggle, be it on the bus or on the border. They would give everybody a very loud and persistent piece of their mind after being put in a bag, lol

Hey, I wish you the best of luck with your travels! I know what it's like to travel with more than one pet. The things we do for our animals... and ourselves lol

[Anciana]

Originally Posted by Sue

Do you have a friend that could drive you to Chetumal? From there you could probably rent a car and then drop it off in Playa.

Thanks Sue for the tip. As a matter of fact I do: a young couple: she Yucatecan Maya, fluent both in Spanish and her native Maya, which might come handy on the road; he, a free-lance British journalist.

I did not think about asking them, since the "kids" need to work: he needs to do some serious human rights/environmental reporting from Maya villages in Guatemala and she needs to finish her doctoral dissertation asap, as she is supposed - on my own recommendation - to replace me at my current assignment, so I could switch from working retirement to a leisure retirement ... and her position and compensation is based on that doctorate...

But he'd like to go to Playa very much and she could probably be persuaded to take at least a long weekend if not a week before hitting the books again and do some partying and sightseeing in Playa and on their way back... as I was thinking of asking them to drop me in Playa, in exchange for me generously chipping in to cover their "fun" budget. Wish me luck!

[Sue]

Good luck! Driving with friends would be less stressful!

Originally Posted by Anciana

Thanks Sue for the tip. As a matter of fact I do: a young couple: she Yucatecan Maya, fluent both in Spanish and her native Maya, which might come handy on the road; he, a free-lance British journalist.

I did not think about asking them, since the "kids" need to work: he needs to do some serious human rights/environmental reporting from Maya villages in Guatemala and she needs to finish her doctoral dissertation asap, as she is supposed - on my own recommendation - to replace me at my current assignment, so I could switch from working retirement to a leisure retirement ... and her position and compensation is based on that doctorate...

But he'd like to go to Playa very much and she could probably be persuaded to take at least a long weekend if not a week before hitting the books again and do some partying and sightseeing in Playa and on their way back... as I was thinking of asking them to drop me in Playa, in exchange for me generously chipping in to cover their "fun" budget. Wish me luck!

[ranchhand1024]

Sounds like your smuggling would be on the bus, not across the border. The worst that could happen if caught would be to be put off the bus. Plead ignorance and don't speak Spanish.

[Anciana]

Thanks ranchhand1024, probably to a young, strong person it would be no big deal, but to me getting stranded at the side of the road in the middle of nowhere in the Yucatan weather with 2 cats and a load of luggage would be very inconvenient, if not right out scary, so I can't risk it. ((