A Service member may be authorized allowances associated with the costs of moving with one household pet. For moves within CONUS, the Service member may be reimbursed up to $550 and for OCONUS, up to $2,000.
If you have received PCS orders and have incurred expenses related to those orders, then you may be eligible to receive reimbursement. The policy on pet transportation allowances is effective January 1, 2024 (see Joint Travel Regulations, par. 050107). The basis for determining reimbursement is based on whether or not the effective date of orders is January 1, 2024 or later. See Joint Travel Regulations (JTR), Appendix A for the definition of effective date of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Order and How to Compute a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Order's Effective Date [PDF, 2 pages].
Example:
- Service member detached his/her PDS on December 27, 2023, and took 15 days of leave
- Authorized and actual reporting date is January 18, 2024
- Less travel days authorized and actually used (7 days) is January 11, 2024
- Add 1 day and the PCS Order Effective Date is January 12, 2024
- Result: Since the effective date of the PCS order is on or after January 1, 2024, then the Service member may be authorized pet transportation allowances
Yes, but only if the effective date of your PCS order is on or after January 1, 2024.
No, the PCS order effective date must be January 1, 2024, or later.
Yes, but only if the effective date of the travel order is January 1, 2024, or later. This is because some locations have transportation, veterinary, and importation requirements that must be completed in preparation for moving a pet and may require earlier action before the effective date of the travel order.
No, the allowance may only be used for one household pet per PCS order. Any additional pets will need to be shipped at your expense.
Yes, you may to choose to apply the allowance to either pet. If you ship a pet for $250 on Patriot Express and ship the second for $1,000, you may choose whether to request reimbursement for either the $250 or the $1,000. You will need a non-availability letter stating the Patriot Express did not have space for the other pet.
Yes, if a military-to-military couple is traveling on separate PCS orders, then both may be authorized pet transportation allowances (two household pets total).
Yes, hotel pet fees are a valid expense to be reimbursed.
The JTR defines a household pet as a cat or dog.
You must provide itemized receipts for pet expenses and a non-availability letter from the office processing the transportation request if Government transportation is not available. If you’re on PCS travel from a duty station listed in JTR Supplement Locations Authorized to Exceed $2,000 Pet Allowance Limitation [PDF, 3 pages] (AP-PQ-02) when both Patriot Express capacity and regularly scheduled commercial airline service are not available for pets, you will need to provide your approval from the Secretarial Process if your expenses exceeded $2,000. Secretarial Process is defined in JTR, Appendix A, and is further defined within each Service as determined by the Service’s PDTATAC Principal. See Service-specific guidance for additional voucher requirements.
This is a letter provided to the Service member from the office processing the transportation request. It authorizes the Service member to personally procure their own commercial travel. Additional questions should be directed to your Transportation Office.
If the effective date of your PCS order is on or after January 1, 2024, you may ship your pet any time after you are in receipt of orders.
No, pet transportation allowances are only authorized if the effective date of the PCS order is on or after January 1, 2024.
Yes, but your pet transportation allowance is limited to the costs of pet transportation directly from old PDS to new PDS (or the limits identified in JTR, par. 050107).
For moves within CONUS, $550 is the maximum amount allowed for reimbursement; however, effective November 25, 2024, you may be reimbursed up to $4,000 for PCS moves from high risk countries shown in JTR Supplement Locations Authorized to Exceed $2,000 Pet Allowance Limitation [PDF, 3 pages] (AP-PQ-02) when both Patriot Express capacity and regularly scheduled commercial airline service are not available for pets. Secretarial Process approval is required when exceeding $2,000. Secretarial Process is defined in JTR, Appendix A, and is further defined within each Service as determined by the Service’s PDTATAC Principal.
To find a list of high-risk countries for dog rabies, see JTR Supplement Locations Authorized to Exceed $2,000 Pet Allowance Limitation [PDF, 3 pages] (AP-PQ-02).
You may be approved through the Secretarial Process for reimbursement up to $4,000 when traveling on PCS orders from a high-risk country if your effective date of orders is November 25, 2024, or later. See Joint Travel Regulations (JTR), Appendix A for the definition of effective date of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Order and How to Compute a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Order's Effective Date [PDF, 2 pages].
No, the maximum reimbursement of $2,000 may only be increased through the Secretarial Process for PCS travel from permanent duty stations listed in JTR Supplement Locations Authorized to Exceed $2,000 Pet Allowance Limitation [PDF, 3 pages] (AP-PQ-02). Secretarial Process is defined in JTR, Appendix A, and is further defined within each Service as determined by the Service’s PDTATAC Principal.