The Department of Defense has actually authorized a brand-new policy to cover pet travel costs, like animal shipping or quarantine costs, sustained by Service members throughout a Permanent Change of Station (PCS). As of January 1, 2024, military Service members going through a PCS within the continental United States can be repaid as much as $550 for one household animal, either cat or dog, and as much as $2,000 for transfer to or from an area outside the continental United States to cover expenses associated with the transport of a family pet.
The Services price quote that this brand-new allowance might be utilized by an approximated 227,000 Service members. Historically, Service members paid most of out-of-pocket costs to carry animals when appointed to a brand-new responsibility station. This policy decreases that monetary problem while acknowledging the essential function a family pet plays in a military family’s household.
