Pet Shipping on a Budget: Saving Strategies for Military Families with Pets

You’ve received PCS orders and are going to be uprooting your entire life. Many military families with pets live on a tight budget, making the costs of a military move a major stressor. If you’re a military family that owns animals, there are even more expenses to consider as a soldier with moving orders. In this article, we’ll give your family a few tips for pet shipping on a budget.

The government will now reimburse your family for the cost of transporting a pet, but if you’re not careful with expenses you may end up partially paying out of pocket. Carefully planning your transportation during a PCS move can ensure you don’t pay anything. We’ll share some insight on how to save money on relocation for your beloved family pet.

Transportation Options for Pets

When it comes to pet transportation options, there are several you can choose from. The great part about this is that you may run into a few discounts because you are an active duty member of the military. Let’s take a look at the options for getting them to your new home below.

• Ground Transportation: This option involves contacting a ground transportation service where they will transport your pet to its final destination. You can include pick up and drop off extras and other perks.
• Air Transportation: This option involves booking an airline ticket. You can have your dog or cat inside a carrier underneath the seat in front of you in the main cabin. If you have a larger pet, you can check them. They’ll be in the cargo hold inside a larger hard-sided carrier.

How Can Your Family Save Money on Military Pet Transportation?

The great part about transportation for military pets is that the Department of Defense (DOD) announced that you can be reimbursed up to $550 for moving within the United States and $2,000 outside the continental United States. You should keep all your receipts.

If you are traveling to or from certain high-risk countries, the Defense Department has authorized reimbursement of up to $4,000 starting November 25, 2024. This policy is in response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) implementing a regulation that requires a higher screening level for dogs returning to the United States from countries that pose a high risk of rabies.

It’s important to note that this increased allowance is only granted when the Patriot Express capacity and regularly scheduled commercial airline service are not available for pets.

In order to get reimbursed, troops must:

• Use Form DD 1351-2 to claim pet expenses. You’ll get reimbursed once the travel claim is completed.
• When traveling outside of continental US, service members must use government-run or federally-contracted transportation for their pet shipping needs.
• If transport services are not available to their transoceanic destination, members must get a “non-availability letter” to get reimbursed for the transportation they booked separately.
• If the animal’s too large for the cabin and is flying cargo, the receipt must include the weight.
• You may get reimbursed for transportation, microchipping, quarantines, boarding, hotel service charges, virus immunity testing and pet licenses.

Alternatively, another saving strategy that you can use is booking a pet transport marketplace. It gives you more freedom and it’s more affordable.

Transportation Marketplaces Like CitizenShipper Give Families More Options

Pet transport marketplaces like CitizenShipper give military families more freedom to choose the driver that you would like for your dogs and cats. Because drivers bid for your business, it ends up being much more affordable. CitizenShipper is the safest and most humane way to transport a pet. Plus, many drivers are veterans, so they understand what you’re experiencing.

There are many benefits to using CitizenShipper for your military pet transport — it’s easy to use, you’ll receive multiple quotes instantly and there are many options. CitizenShipper also offers unique benefits like 24/7 televet access through Vetster and a $1,000 Pet Protection Plan.