Just because it's funny:

Homeland Security? What?

I decided I've lost faith in the system. Seriously - taking Tequila home was ridiculously easy... even in the States.

No one asked to see a single piece of paper for Tequila. No one cared about whether she had a rabies shot or not. No one bothered to ask if she was stuffed with drugs or anything. Mostly people just peeked in the cage to see what beast was crying so loudly. And as I wheeled her away from the baggage claim I just thought to myself: "Why the hell did I bother stressing so much and paying so much money to get all that paperwork and physicals and vaccinations she clearly didn't need?"

The customs man did stop me, pull me aside as I was leaving, but not because of the dog. No one xrayed any of my belongings. But I had checked "I brought back food" on my customs form and they were terrified it was meat or cheese or fruit. When I told them by "food" I meant chocolate, madelines, wine, olive oil and herbs - he laughed. Seriously - the man laughed at me. "That's not food!" and he took a big black marker, crossed off my little "yes" and said, "Did you bring home any meat?" I had chekced "yes" for that because "meat" was in the same category as "animals" and - oh yea - I had a dog. When I explained that to him, he just shook his head again and - without even a glance at Tequila - dismissed me.

Ridiculous.