Happy Tails Alerts
New LIVE Chat!
We are excited to launch our new live chat feature on our website! Have questions about our services? Wondering what the best method of transport is for your pet? Simply click the tab on the bottom right-hand side of our webpage to message us!
Responses will be received as quickly as possible during business hours (7 am - 4 pm MST Mon - Fri). After hours, the chat feature will leave us a message and we will respond the next working day.
Featured Testimonial
"I am writing to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for the outstanding services provided by Happy Tails Travel during the transportation of our beloved Sparky to his new home.
From our initial contact with Happy Tails Travel, Lizzie, our Pet Travel Specialist, demonstrated unparalleled professionalism and dedication. Lizzie's expertise and commitment were evident throughout the entire process, providing us with the confidence that Sparky was in the best possible hands. Her attention to detail, clear communication, and genuine care for animals made the entire experience seamless and stress-free."
Make sure to read the rest of Sparky's testimonial and our others here!
Military PCS - Tips to Consider in Regard to your Furry Family Members
Many of our clients here at Happy Tails Travel are active duty military members; before we begin with this blog focused on helping our military friends we would like to take a moment and THANK YOU for your service!
More often than not military members are sent abroad on PCS Orders. These orders can turn a lifestyle around and it’s no easy task getting all the details in place to move to a different country, sometimes on very short notice. It is difficult enough to arrange the move for your human family, so what about your furry family members? This is where Happy Tails Travel can help!
At Happy Tails Travel we are aware of the different country requirements needed to ship your pet by air with care. We work with the USDA and local authorities in the country to which you are relocating to make your pet’s move as smooth as possible. However, not all PCS moves as straightforward because bases can be located in smaller, remote locations bringing extra challenges to your pet’s travel.
While Happy Tails Travel is here to help and wants your family to stay together, we want to shed light onto some of these difficulties and urge active duty military members to think twice before getting a pet if you do not already have one.
Remote Locations
As mentioned earlier some military bases are remote and the closest airport is a smaller one. These remote locations and smaller airports make it hard to ship a pet directly to your new location. Not all aircrafts are capable of flying pets, and then there are size restrictions for which size crates can go on each aircraft. Generally pets must be flown into a large international airport, pass through customs, and then either take a domestic flight or have ground transportation to get them to their new home. The additional transportation significantly increases the cost of your pet’s travel and can make the journey very long for your pet. While domestic flights and ground transportation can usually be arranged with the help of a customs agent in the country of destination, these additional modes of transportation become much more complex if you have a large breed dog such as a German Shepherd or Great Dane. This is because they must travel in such a large crate that it is more difficult to find a way to safely transport them to more isolated areas. This is just something to be mindful of before you decide to take your furry family member with you when PCSing or when looking to adopt a dog; keep in mind that the larger the dog the more challenging the transportation.
Housing
If you are planning to live on base, you need to be aware that not all housing is suitable for pets. Some housing units prohibit any pets, while others limit how many pets you can have in your house. Some bases provide housing but the living quarters are very small, which do not always provide enough room for your pets to run around and get the exercise they need. Other locations simply do not have good outdoor spaces for you to let your pet out or to enjoy walks with it. While we want to help and want your family to stay together, please do your research on where you are going and what your living situation will be like before deciding to take your furry family member with you!
Breed Restrictions
Many countries have bans on which types of pets can be transported into the country. So even if your pet does not have an issue with size or finding transportation, they will be unable to make the journey simply because of government restrictions. If you have any questions or want to check whether or not your furry family member will be allowed into the country you are relocating to please call a pet travel specialist, such as Happy Tails Travel, and we will be happy to assist you!
Where do the pets go?
So you are all set for your PCS. The best case scenario is that your furry family member is able to come with you and there are no difficulties arranging his or her transportation by air with care! However, sometimes the location or breed of animal makes it too difficult for your family member to come along with you. This situation is unfortunate and why we stress the importance of reading this blog and understanding the challenges that come along with a PCS move.
Some families are lucky enough to have family members or close friends remaining stateside who are willing to foster the pet while their human family is abroad. You can also go through pet agencies or rescue groups in an attempt to find a foster family for your furry family member until you get back.
If you are unable to find a temporary home for your pet, sometimes families decide to part during the PCS. This means that the active duty military member would go abroad as per orders and the rest of the family, plus the furry family member, will stay at their home stateside. While you are keeping your furry friend and continuing to provide a loving home for them, being apart from your human family can pose some difficulties as well and can be a very emotional time. You must decide which situation is best for your family.
The worst case scenario is that you have no choice but to put your pet up for adoption. However, please look at the options listed above before you consider this option. While giving up part of your family will be difficult, in some cases it is in the best interest of the pet if they are unable to relocate with you and have no safe place to stay while you are away, but please ask your friends and family, or a pet rescue shelter, for assistance before resorting to giving you furry family member up for good.
Final Thoughts
As with all pet relocations, PCS moves can be challenging. However, Happy Tails Travel is here to help! We want your family to stay together no matter where you go, and will do everything in our power to make that happen! We have many happy success stories; please visit the military testimonial page on our website at www.HappyTailsTravel.com to hear about our military families and their relocation!
For more information, please visit our website at www.happytailstravel.com or give us a call at 1-800-323-1718 or 520-299-3315. We are always ready and happy to discuss how we can help you to provide a smooth move for any member of your pet family.