From office surprise to cross-border challenge: The journey of our new Vet Team ambulance

At Zoo Atlanta, every day brings a new adventure—but some take a bit more perseverance and paperwork than others. 

It all started when my boss popped into my office and said, “I really need your help with something.” That’s not unusual in my role, but then came the real ask: “I need help getting the chassis we purchased for the vet ambulance to Canada.” 

Wait—chassis? Canada? 

I’ll be honest: I didn’t know what a chassis was, much less how to spell it. (Thanks, Google!) And why on Earth were we shipping it north of the border? 

As it turns out, our new veterinary ambulance is modeled after the one used by the Calgary Zoo / Wilder Institute. Their custom vehicle was built by Intercontinental Truck Body, Ltd., a Canadian company known for taking on unique, specialized builds. Despite our best efforts, we couldn’t find a U.S.-based manufacturer willing to tackle the project. So, Canada it was! 

What followed was an unforgettable lesson in international logistics. I found a customs broker (after what felt like a hundred phone calls and emails), filled out more paperwork than I ever thought possible, and even helped the Zoo apply for a Canadian Business Number. 

The chassis left Zoo grounds in early September 2024 on an oversized flatbed tractor trailer. It was supposed to take three to five days to reach Alberta, Canada. 

By Day 3, I was feeling a little nervous, so I reached out to the broker. The only update: The chassis had crossed the border—but no one was quite sure where it was in Canada. For two days, I genuinely thought I had lost the chassis and might need to look for a new job! But on Day 5, I got the long-awaited notifications: one from the customs broker and another from our point of contact at ITB. The chassis had arrived! 

While the vehicle was being transformed into a fully-equipped mobile vet unit, life at the Zoo didn’t slow down—we rolled through Boo at the Zoo, IllumiNights, and started preparing for Spring Break and Beastly Feast.  

We subsequently learned that as long as the ambulance left Canada the same way it entered—on a flatbed—we wouldn’t have to pay a tariff. Even though the vehicle was fully drivable at this point, it was easier (and more cost-effective) to ship it back the same way. 

This time, the customs broker was able to give me real-time updates: cleared customs the same day it left. Spotted in Rapid City, South Dakota—1,515 miles from Atlanta. Then Koshkonong, Missouri—542 miles away. Getting closer!  

I headed into the weekend with the hopeful thought that the ambulance would arrive first thing Monday. 

Sure enough, bright and early Monday morning, I got the call from the driver: he’d be there in an hour. I stood waiting on the corner in front of our Administration Building, and I’ll never forget the sight of that flatbed truck coming down Georgia Avenue toward the roundabout. 

After all the calls, stress, and paperwork, it was finally here! I’m almost certain most of the Zoo saw me jumping for joy that day, and I hope that the Vet Team felt the same way when they saw it, too.  

Amy Arnold
Facilities Operations Manager