What to Know for Your PCS with Pets

A major part of a PCS is coordinating transportation for your family pet. Dog, cat, guinea pig, or bunny, they all need a way to get to their next home in the least stressful way possible. Making plans for their move should be at the top of the prep list, because some trips require timed events, such as vaccinations, quarantines, hotel stays, and airline tickets. Much of this preparation can be started before official orders are in your hands.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. General Preparation

Start with your veterinarian and explain your plans. They’ll help as much as possible to make the trip run smoothly and share advice on health concerns, car sickness, and stress. Remember that overseas trips require documentation required by the inbound country’s health requirements.

It will also be helpful to take note of the everyday items your pet uses and formulate a plan to pack accordingly.

2. Schedule a Vet Appointment

Of course, you want your pet to be in the best health before departure. Clearing up any issues in advance helps their comfort factor. Don’t put off major operations like spaying, neutering, or even dental exams. This work requires time for your pet to heal and recover.

Smaller issues that affect your pet are also important to manage. Allergies and dietary concerns are common but exacerbated by stressful situations like moving. Microchipping your pet is often legally required and could be lifesaving; be sure to update the information with the best phone number to reach you while moving.

If you’re moving OCONUS, you’ll want to ask your vet for specific instructions on handling a health certificate and scheduling your vet visits. It’s an intricate process, but your vet, especially a military vet, will know how to handle it.

3. Make a List of Essentials

Just like us, our animals have necessities and preferences. Keeping to a routine they know assists the transition. Compile a list of what they need, realizing that airplane and car travel will have separate and sometimes mandatory items. These are a few examples to get your mind thinking about your pet’s specifics:

• Toys, bedding, and treats
• Travel bowls, seat belts, or seat covers
• Access to water on a regular basis
• Pet crates designed for car or airline travel
• Medicines, both daily and preventive
• Collars and leashes

4. Overnight Stays

No doubt, summer is the most popular time to move. Not only are military families competing with other military families for on-installation accommodations, but they’re competing with summer travelers and civilian families who are also moving. If you need pet-accessible rooms, they can be hard to find at the last minute.

Although planning hotels stays are a challenge, especially OCONUS, do your best to make early arrangements. On-installation lodging is probably the most affordable and flexible of the options, but you have to be on top of the reservations. It’s often easier to shift dates after they’re set, instead of scrambling last minute.

Major hotel chains are more accommodating than ever when it comes to overnight guests that have fur. However, a problem that often arises is when there’s a disconnect between what the posted pet policy is online vs. what the policy is when you arrive to check in.

Don’t take the chance that the website info is outdated. Make the call to the hotel directly, not an 800 number, to double check. Always review the final bill to ensure the pet fees were tallied correctly. Sometimes they’re one fee per visit; others are counted per day.

5. Travel Options

Regardless of whether it’s a car or airplane ride, finding a safe crate is part of the transport process. If your animal doesn’t use one normally, you’ll have to practice months in advance so they aren’t terrified of the enclosure and will behave while loading and unloading.

6. Domestic and Foreign Air Travel

First and foremost, stay up-to-date with commercial airlines’ policies regarding pet shipment. Seasonal travel becomes problematic for certain airlines because they can’t regulate the extreme temperatures in the cargo area where many animals are crated.

This takes a toll on all animals, but specific breeds are more affected because of their short snouts and subsequent difficulty while breathing. This is why some cats and dogs are not allowed to fly at all. Others can only fly during certain months of the year and others are banned due to size.

Military flights are a possibility but highly sought after and scarce. The earlier you can register, the better chance you’ll have to score a precious slot. For the most current information, search for Air Mobility Command (AMC) Patriot Express Flights.

Private pet transport is a rapidly growing industry. Although expensive and location restricted, it’s an option that may work for your family. Begin with the industry leader, the International Pet and Travel Association (IPATA), to research domestic and international pet shipping options.

7. Car Travel

You might think you’re lucky if driving your pet across the country is an option, and you probably are, but driving your sweet animal for hours and hours isn’t a picnic in the park! It pays to prepare the car for whatever pet adventure comes your way.

Organize a clean-up kit. Rain, snow, and mud are likely encounters traveling any distance. Potty accidents and vomit add another “fun” dimension to the clean-up game. Pack the following items: cleansing wipes, rags to clean up and then throw away, beach towels and sheets for protection, paper towels, and a fabric cleaner to try and deodorize and sanitize messes.

Dogs and cats need travel stops for bathroom and water breaks, plus a little time to explore and stretch. Meal service is at your discretion. If you have a pet with motion sickness, you’ll probably want to wait until you’re done driving for the day. After arriving at the hotel, try and recreate their bed situation from home and hope for a full night’s sleep!

 

 

These tips are a solid start for a pet PCS, but don’t forget to add in plenty of patience and time for planning and scheduling appointments!

For more detailed info on pet travel, check out these MilitaryByOwner posts:

• Prepare Now to PCS with Pets This Summer
• Transporting Your Pet Overseas
• 6 Resources for a Military Move with Pets

 

 

By Dawn M. Smith for MilitaryByOwner