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Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Posted: 05 Oct 2018, 16:53
by Jillian
I was wondering if any other Canadian EPI dog owners had experienced problems with their Enzyme Diane orders being shipped to Canada? I have ordered from Diane for several years now and have never had a problem having the enzymes shipped to Canada. I ordered enzymes at the beginning of September expecting them to arrive about two weeks later. The package never arrived. I checked the tracking # and it showed that the package had passed through Canada Customs on September 10. Canada Customs told us that they have no problem with the enzymes coming across the Can/US border and that our enzymes had passed through customs without problem. We then found out that the package of enzymes was in the hands of Health Canada and that it had been taken to their warehouse in the Toronto area for "testing." Phone calls to Health Canada revealed that our package was sitting in a warehouse the size of a football field and that they didn't know when it would be checked, when it would be released or why it was being tested and "Why didn't we just buy the enzymes in Canada?" Well... do the math Health Canada! At this point we had only a few teaspoons of enzymes left for Miah. Our vet was able to put in a rush order and got us a 125g jar of enzymes for $112 + tax by the next day. Meaning that 1kg of enzymes would cost over $1000 Canadian! From Enzyme Diane the cost with tax and shipping comes to $230 Canadian. We also found out that our package was one of many packages of enzymes taken by Health Canada since the beginning of June. As far as we know, none of them have been released, all are sitting in a Health Canada warehouse awaiting "testing." We contacted Enzyme Diane and she has rushed us another package of enzymes. Thank you Diane! It is being sent to the UPS store closest to us in New York State. It will be arriving tomorrow and we will pick it up from there. Hopefully we will be able to bring it back across the border into Canada. Has this happened to anyone else? Did you ever get your enzymes returned to you? The worst part of this experience is that no one seemed to know about EPI or to understand the importance of these enzymes.
Jillian

Re: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Posted: 05 Oct 2018, 19:54
by Judith
Hi Jillian,

While I have no experience shipping enzymes to Canada, I have had multiple things (dog food, evening gown, jeans) seized by customs in Colombia.

Any animal based product, medicine, supplement is subject to seizure by customs and the agricultural police/ health authorities in the destination country. The items are never returned and are always destroyed. Enzymes are a porcine animal based product that could spread diseases etc as far as the authorities are concerned.

When I lived in Bogotá, Colombia I spoke with Diane about shipping her enzymes there but we made the joint decision that sending a powder in a gold foil package was a bad idea and that it would get seized. kilos of powder = narcotics.

Unfortunately it is highly unlikely you will ever get the ones Health Canada has. Shipping anything internationally is a risk. You take your chances if it is something you really need and hope they will clear customs.

Re: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Posted: 05 Oct 2018, 19:56
by Olesia711
Hi Jillian,

To answer your question, yes, i think it has happened to some other unfortunate Canadians.... but, like with you, Diane takes care of it as soon as she learns that there is a problem..... i feel bad that this does happen on occasion :(

Re: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Posted: 05 Oct 2018, 21:39
by Madelon
Judith - I had a chuckle at your post because I work for the DEA and boy do we wish they would simply package the narcotics in gold foil - LOL - that NEVER happens so the fact that customs takes packages like that amuses me and infuriates me.

Jillian - I hope you can get things sorted out so this doesn't keep happening. $1000 is definitely not affordable. :shock: Glad Diane was able to get more sent out.

Re: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Posted: 05 Oct 2018, 23:06
by Jillian
As always, thank you for the support! The whole situation has been infuriating, especially since the enzymes from the vet are not working as well as the ones from Enzyme Diane. Sadly, the only one who suffers in all this, is my little dog Miah. I only hope that we can find a way to continue getting her enzymes from Enzyme Diane.
Jillian

Re: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Posted: 06 Oct 2018, 04:48
by Jean
that is making life difficult for you

But Diane will always look for a way round it, legally

we have the same issues her in UK, even with a calendar !

jx

Re: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Posted: 06 Oct 2018, 10:17
by Judith
Madelon,

Only in Colombia would they seize a gold foil package and think narcotics. They can no longer hide it in shipments of roses, the rose farms have an incredible amount of security, dogs, cameras and armed guards. I'm sure they come up with some pretty clever ways to hide the shipments.

The anti-narcotics police at the airport have to inspect all animals being exported as a few people have hidden narcotics in their stomachs. Honestly I have an easier time importing and exporting human bones and teeth than my dogs, enzymes, dog food and clothes.

Re: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Posted: 06 Oct 2018, 11:21
by Jean
Judith that says it all

Re: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Posted: 07 Oct 2018, 18:50
by Olesia711
OMG... that is HORRIBLE... they use animals for drug smuggling??? That is so awful!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Problem with shipping enzymes to Canada

Posted: 10 Oct 2018, 19:08
by Judith
Olesia, sadly they do.

I was just informed by a person who lives in Canada that 1-800-Pet-Meds can no longer ship rx items there. The regulations on importing and exporting pharmaceuticals must have changed recently. This may explain why enzymes are being held by Health Canada