Pets are a source of stability to service members and their families, especially when coping with a permanent change of station. As a part of the “Taking Care of People” focus, the Department of Defense (DoD) has updated the pet relocation reimbursement policy to assist with increased expenses related to moves from higher rabies-risk countries.
When introduced in January 2024, the original DoD policy allowed service members undergoing a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) to be reimbursed for pet shipping expenses or quarantine fees of up to $550 for one household cat or dog, and up to $2,000 for moves to or from a location outside the continental United States.
Due to increased concerns about the spread of rabies, in August the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) implemented a regulation that required a higher level of screening and reduced the number of ports of entry for dogs from countries posing a high risk for dog rabies. Given this regulation might increase transportation costs, the Department of Defense updated the Joint Travel Regulations. Effective November 25, 2024, service members on a PCS move from one of the high-risk countries may receive reimbursement up to $4,000 when both Patriot Express capacity and regularly scheduled commercial airline service are not available for pets.
The Defense Travel Management Office provides a helpful Pet Transportation Allowance FAQ and a complete list of Pet Allowance Locations. Navy-specific instructions, dated April 2024, can be found at My Navy HR – Navy Passenger Transportation Office (NAVPTO) Pet Reimbursement.