Pets on the Move | Army Wife Network

If you own pets, you probably already have some extra tricks up your sleeve when it comes to moving. However, if it’s been awhile, or if you are moving for the first time with your furry friend(s), there are a few key things to remember. First up on your checklist? Read up!

Start with the basics:

Take some advice from your four-legged friend themselves. Or simply enjoy a little humor amid All. The. PCS. Stress with this: PCSing with Pets: A Cat’s Point of View.

Taking Your Pets OCONUS

Any move comes with a lot to do, but when it comes to an OCONUS one, you really don’t want to bite off more than you can chew. Moving overseas with a pet can be incredibly involved and a bit intimidating when it comes to figuring out all of the logistics. So, how and when do you get started, exactly?

1. The Big Picture

Remembering the big picture is usually best when it comes to new and stressful things. Big picture: you love your pet, they’re part of the family, and now your family is moving overseas. Getting everything ready for your fur baby goes right along with getting the rest of your family ready. As soon as you find out that you are getting an overseas assignment, start working the process. Don’t wait until you have official orders cut. Once you get that word from branch that you’re headed overseas, start planning.

2. USDA and APHIS

Focus on your pet’s health and safety. There are rules and regulations for pet travel, and many of them have to do with your pet’s health as well as the environmental health of the area you are planning to bring your pet into.

Health Certificates

Working backward, the final step of getting your pet approved to travel internationally is to obtain a health certificate. Your pet will need a health certificate issued by a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) accredited veterinarian. Great news, though! All military installation veterinarians are USDA accredited and can validate pet health certificates. If you happen to be stationed remotely, or cannot get an appointment with an installation vet for any reason, you can work with a civilian veterinarian to ensure your pet gets their needed health certificate. If you need assistance finding an approved civilian veterinarian, there are tips right on the USDA website.

Health certificates need to be obtained within 10 days of your flight. It’s best to plan to obtain that certificate only a few days before your departure to ensure that, if travel delays arise, your certificate is still good. You should carry original copies with you in your carry-on luggage and make multiple other copies as well.

Country-Specific Requirements

In order to obtain the health certificate mentioned above, you will need to know the requirements that need to be met based on the country that you will move to. This information is available on the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) website. If you are working with a military veterinarian, they should already be familiar with everything you need to do; however, it is still recommended you visit the APHIS Pet Travel site to familiarize yourself with the process and help prepare you for any questions you might like to discuss during veterinary appointments. While each country will have their own rules regarding processes and steps for pet travel, there are some common elements that may be involved when you travel with your pet internationally.

Microchips

If your pet does not already have a microchip, they will need one. In addition, 15-digit ISO microchips are the worldwide accepted standard. Some older pets may already have 9- or 10-digit microchips implanted, but these chips will not be able to be read at international airports or in overseas veterinary clinics. You will want to be sure to discuss which type of microchip your pet has with your vet. A second microchip can be implanted with no harm to your pet, or some countries may allow you to bring your own microchip scanner along with your pet if they don’t have the 15-digit ISO chip.

Vaccinations and Blood Tests

Beyond the standard vaccinations that your pet likely already receives, there may be requirements for them to get a few more—and on a specific timeline before international travel. Vaccine schedules and requirements are included in the country-specific information you can find from APHIS. Certain lab work and blood draws may also be required of your pet in connection with the timeline of their vaccine schedule. Planning accordingly, both for time and costs, because these vaccines and blood draws are a big part of getting your pet ready to travel. In general, it is cheaper if you are able to accomplish these extra vet visits, vaccines, and blood draws at a military installation veterinary clinic than at a civilian veterinary clinic.

Quarantine

Quarantine periods may also be required for your pet and can vary by country. The length of the quarantine and the rules for it will be dependent upon where you are traveling to. Some quarantine periods can be very lengthy (180 days), and other countries may have shorter quarantine requirements, say 21 days or so. It cannot be emphasized enough to plan early, so that you are sure to meet expectations. In addition to knowing the quarantine time period for your pet, you will also want to know associated rules. In some instances, pets cannot be around any other pets (besides pets that reside in the same home) during quarantine, or there might be options to start your quarantine in the U.S. and then finish it after arriving at your new country. Find out as much as you can from your vet, your overseas sponsor, and the APHIS website. When your pet is finished with their quarantine period, they may need to have paperwork signed and completed by a quarantine office within your new country. For any questions, we recommend checking with your new installation about pet quarantine rules. In the event that you have to board your pet for part of their associated quarantine, you may be eligible for partial reimbursement.

Air Travel for Your Pet

Arranging your pet’s flight to your new destination should also be pretty high up there on your to-do list. Military AMC and Patriot Express flights have a limited number of pet spots available, so start checking with SATO as soon as you can to see if your can reserve a pet space. In the event that the pet spots are fully booked for the time period when you are traveling, you will need to make other arrangements for your pet. How you choose to accomplish this will depend on what works best for your family. Common options are to use a pet shipper, have one family member fly separately with the pets, or have an extended family member fly out later with your pet. Certain airlines have breed restrictions and temperature requirements for pet travel, and both of these reasons may also be a reason to turn to a pet shipper if you cannot obtain a pet spot on your military flight.

*Please note that some airlines have changed their pet policies during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is always best to call the airline directly as opposed to going by information that is listed online.

Your Pet’s Fare

Even if you do obtain a pet space for the AMC or Patriot Express flights, you will be responsible for the cost of your pet’s ticket. This is the cheapest way for your pet to fly, and if you can obtain a pet spot, you’ll save a good amount of money on ticketing. If you decided to have one family member fly on a commercial airline with your pet, you may be responsible for that person’s ticket and your pet’s ticket. Flying commercial also means that you will need to check with the specific airline to find out what requirements they might have regarding pet travel.

Using a pet shipper is the most expensive of options for getting your pet to your new home abroad. Pet shippers are companies that will take care of everything for you, for a fee, of course. If you use a pet shipper, your pet will not fly out on the same flight that you will. If you go the pet shipper route, plan to spend several thousand dollars for your pet’s fare. Not all companies are the same, so you might like to choose one that has been screened by the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association.

Your Pet’s Crate

Aside from the actual plane ticket for your pet, you may also need to purchase an airline-approved crate. There are generally size requirements for the crate, along with which types of crate are accepted (for example, crates with doors on the top are often not allowed). Finding out crate regulations will depend on how you are flying and can be verified with the airline. For AMC or Patriot Express flights, you can find all pet information here.

For smaller pets, in-cabin travel may be possible. Larger pets, or pets who need a bigger crate to properly stand and move around in, will travel as “cargo,” which means they will be under the cabin during the duration of the flight.

Pet Care During Travel

International flights are long, and special considerations for traveling with a pet are needed. Commercial airlines have set rules about how many stops a flight must have in order for pets to have breaks in travel if total travel time is too long. You may also want to check if you are allowed to see your pet during layovers, attach a bag of dry food to their crate, and outfit their crate with proper access to water. In theory, it sounds nice to stop your pet from eating or drinking during travel to avoid any bathroom accidents, but this is very dangerous and can lead to dehydration. It’s better to check airline regulations, discuss options with your vet, and line your pet’s crate with potty pads, just in case. You’ll also want to verify if anything else is permitted in the crate with your pet. It can be very cold during air travel for your pet, so small cushions are a good idea, if the airline allows them.

Other Special Tips for OCONUS Pet Travel

Keep a photo of your pet in your carry-on luggage in case you need to show an airline/airport employee. It’s also a good idea to write down your pet’s microchip number and keep it with you.
Plan to bring your pet to be examined by a veterinarian within a few days after arriving in you new country. (This step may even be a part of your process to close out their quarantine.)
Save for pet travel expenses in advance. Between air fare, health certificates, crates, extra vet appointments and the possible need for a pet shipper, pet travel spending can really add up.

Your next destination may have spouse or other community social media groups that can help you plan pet travel. In addition, you may like to check out this general PCS with Pets Facebook group.

Ask lots of questions and try to connect with folks who have traveled with a pet overseas before. For a few more resources check out the links below: