I am on a listserv called Cairo Scholars that foreigners use in Cairo generally to exchange information with each other on how to get such and such done and where to find the best prices for something, etc. Someone just played the funniest April fool's joke on us. The email is as follows:dear cairoscholars,
i found a baby camel outside my building in february. it looked malnourished so i took it in and have been caring for it for the last month. it's exceptionally cute and has been dubbed baby joe by my gregarious bowab. the problem is that i have to go back to the united states and i am wondering if anyone has any advice for what i should do about shipping baby joe. does anyone know if fedex or ups ships live animals, and about how much would it cost? we both thank you.
- chris
The idiot that I am, I take this guy for serious. So he tells me:dear suneela,
that's not rude at all. baby joe and i can use all the help we can get! let me know if they have any advice.
- chris
As does someone else:If u r serious, then u cant send baby Joe by Fedex or UPS. They won't carry live animals. Your only options are: to get the airline taking you back to accept that he is a domesticated pet and if he is not too large, he can travel as cargo afer they figure out what shots and paperwork he needs. The other option is to find a ship sailing out of Alexandria, Port Said or Port Suez which carries livestock and fix a deal to have Baby Joe shipped to the US. This may be more easily done by finding a ship agent in one of these cities who handles ships that carry livestock rather than polling the ships that pass through.
- Kim
There were a series of hilarious responses that I felt compelled to share, though:Of course you could just buy him a seat in the economy section. At check-in you'll be able to get two seats together. Call in advance for his special meal. He'll need a visa for the United States I would think, which seems difficult these days, but the people at the embassy might oblige. They'd have to interview him, and for this you'll need an interpreter. There might also be background checks. Good luck,
- Ianif he is as small as a foal, then perhaps you can also check into how horses are shipped
- amyDress him up in an outfit, claim hes your aunt "Joe"sephine and suffers from various ailments, for instance, she is a hunchback.
This is actually a fairly common ploy, as you can see in these picture I took last year. It's unlikely you'll be able to fool airport security, and I don't think it's worth the risk of getting him caught in drag, which could lead to all sorts of complications.
- CassieIf you fly home during Halloween, you can also dress as a camel and claim that he’s your mute brother. Tell the stewardess that you are “getting into the spirit of things.
I think you will need 2 pictures of your friend (Joe the Camel, lol) for his passport if he wants to apply for a visa to the States. If you have them, please let us know, we would love to see his cute face.
Don't forget the hoof printing. They have to check it out to make sure he is not on the terrorist list.
Actually, as long as you register Baby Joe as a "therapeutic companion pet," you should have no problem with him boarding the plan along with you, and
you'll be able to sidestep the hoof-printing as well.This has worked for a therapeutic pig flying within the United States though flying a pig to Egypt may not have worked out so well.
And finally:That is so crazy. Contact Spare. I hope they take the animal.
Anyone else have any suggestions on what we can do to save Baby Joe?
Tarboush tip: All the wonderful cairo scholars and their senses of humor
