Lessen the Stress of Moving with Pets

Many resources are available to help your pet during a military move. First, go online and research the pet policies at your next duty station. A quick call to your sponsor, family-service center or veterinarian at the next installation can help you better understand pet policies in housing, animal laws in that state or country, pet-friendly hotels and any transport requirements. Next, consider calling local airlines to see if there are flight restrictions for your pet. Air Mobility Command offers space-available flights, commonly known as Space-A travel, for pets, but you may only take two pets and a 14-day travel window is required. Also, ensure that your military veterinarian certificates are in order including the Veterinary Health Certificate (Department of Defense Form 2209) and the Rabies Vaccination Certificate (Form DD 2208). For more information, visit Military OneSource, which has numerous checklists and samples of a military pet care plan.

For more pet news and tips, visit the Military.com Pet Corner.