The Bahamas

Contact the Bahamas Department of Agriculture at 242-325-7502 or fax them at 242-325-3960 or easiest of all go the Bahamas website and download the application free (www.bahamas.com/bahamas/about). Just go to the search box and type in 'pet import'. Or write by snail mail and request an application for an import permit at, Director, Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box N - 3704, Nassau, Bahamas.
You will then be issued forms IMP1(A) which, last thing I knew, was good for one entry within a year of issuance; and form IMP1(B), which must be taken to and filled out by a veterinarian before you make your crossing. The form (B) states that the veterinarian has examined the pet and certifies that the pet is free of disease and is properly vaccinated in accordance with the rules on form IMP1(A) (the actual import permit).
The import requirements also mention that there is customs duty of $10 plus 1/2% of the value of the animal. Can't tell you how (or if) that applies to Fluffy and Duke.

You must have a health certificate from your veterinarian. They will generally accept a computer generated health certificate - the official U.S. International Health Certificate will work, but is not specified. PET MUST BE 6 MONTHS OR OLDER. Rabies vaccination is specific - must be done NO LESS than one month before importation, but can be a 1-year or 3-year vaccine -- either vaccine must have AT LEAST 2 months remaining before it expires, and make sure you have the certificate. Dogs need to have had (time not specified) a Distemper, Hepatitis (Adenovirus), Parvo, Lepto, and even Corona virus vaccination at whatever schedule your vet uses -- no limitations are specified. Cats must have had (again, time not specified) Feline Distemper (Panleuk), Rhino, Calici, Pneumonitis, and Leukemia vaccinations at whatever schedule your vet uses. The pet must have had a negative fecal exam for parasites and must be free from external parasites (fleas, ticks, lice). This must all be stated on the health certificate. The Bahamas directive states that "The animal must be accompanied by a Veterinary Health Certificate presented within 48 hours of arrival in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas to a licensed veterinarian for an examination." The directive does not state that any of the above procedures must be PERFORMED within 48 hours of your arrival. Your permit is good for one year. Cost as of September 2007 is $10.00 per pet.
I have always interpreted the Bahamas regulation to mean (and I am not alone among U.S. veterinarians in my interpretation of it) that your pet is supposed to visit a vet WHEN YOU GET THERE, however at least one traveler has informed me that she inquired about this and was told by a Bahamian official that you are supposed to comply WITHIN 48 HOURS OF YOUR DEPARTURE from the U.S. This can obviously make things a little touchy when you are trying to make a weather window. As is usual with this sort of question, no matter whom you ask we don't know if what we get is the 'official' government interpretation or if it's just that particular official's opinion.

I am not an attorney, but it is apparent to me as a veterinarian that the intent of these rules is to be as certain as possible that a pet is healthy and not carrying disease or parasites into the country. It is not intended to keep pets out unless they are sick or not properly cared for. It is certainly not intended to put cruising sailors at risk by forcing them to make a Gulf Stream crossing when conditions are not optimum. Obviously, to be legal, you should have your pet examined withing that 48 hour window prior to departure. I have tried to get a clear answer from the Bahamian officials, but I am not having much luck.
FYI: When I was practicing in Baltimore I used a specially worded health certificate that deliberately omitted the words "on this date" from the line stating "I have examined this animal..." and I would leave the date blank to be filled in by the cruiser when they were ready to cross. I would only do this for pets that do not go ashore. For pets that are walked ashore I would recommend they have this done in Florida, since their health status is much more likely to change due to their repeated exposure when walking ashore during the trip south. Many coastal Florida veterinarians who deal regularly with cruisers will also do this - fill in the month and year, but not the date, or leave the date blank, allowing you to meet both the intent and the letter of the law without putting you, your family, and your pets at risk.
I feel that technically this meets the spirit, if not necessarily the letter, of the law if the Bahamian official that I heard about was correct in his interpretation of the law. By MY interpretation of the documents I received, I was legal in what I was doing.
If you are intending to cross to the Bahamas and your veterinarian insists that you bring the pet back for reexamination before you make your crossing, perhaps you could ask that he/she simply let you stop in for a quick visual check in order to meet the letter of the law, and pick up a signed, updated form or, better yet, ask around on the coconut telegraph beforehand for the location of a veterinarian who understands your circumstances and will go the extra distance to help. Many coastal veterinarians are sailors and will understand the Gulf Stream dilemma -- find one, and pass along his or her name and location to other cruisers (and to me!).