Pets Travel FAQ's

Pets Travel

FAQ’s

-What will I need if I am PCSing with a pet to Okinawa?

When PCSing to Okinawa, your pet will need to have a health certificate completed within 10

days of arrival. Many airlines will require a health certificate dated within two or three days of

your flight. Please contact your airline to verify. The health certificate must be signed by a

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and can be acquired at the Kadena Veterinary Clinic.

-We just arrived on Okinawa, what do I do with my pet if it requires quarantine?

When you and your pet arrive on island, dogs and cats must undergo import quarantine

inspection if they have not completed proper shots period before arriving. If your dog or cat meet

import requirements upon arrival in Japan, the quarantine period will be within 12 hours. The

address for the Naha quarantine office is Naha Airport International Terminal building, 280,

Kagamizu, Naha-city, Okinawa, 901-0142. The quarantine office is located within the airport.

-How do I obtain a health certificate upon arrival?

To obtain your health certificate, call the veterinary clinic two Mondays prior to your departure

to make an appointment. You must bring your pet’s rabies tag and rabies certificate to your

appointment. If seen by a civilian vet, both your health certificate and rabies certificate must

have a USDA raised seal stamp and be signed by the attending vet. If seen by a military vet,

there is no need for the raised USDA stamp. Instead, a Form 2208 and 2209 are issued and must

be signed by the attending military vet.

-Where can my pet stay after I get to Kadena Air Base?

If your pet requires the quarantine period, the only place your pet can reside is on any military

base, off base hotels are not authorized. There are three base lodges that can accommodate up to

two pets, both requiring considerable reservation time, especially during high PCS months.

Shogun Inn

Kadena Airbase Bldg 332

Comm: 011-81-98-962-1100 / DSN: 632-1100

Navy Gateway (50 lb max)

Bldg 1499

1-877-Navy-Bed / DSN: 634-0677

Navy Gateways

White Beach

Bldg 1003

DSN: 622-1877

-Can I be reimbursed for quarantine fees and transportation charges I incur for my pet?

Yes and no, depending on the type of reimbursement. Mandatory pet quarantine fees, incurred

ICW the mandatory quarantine of a household pet, are reimbursable not to exceed $550 per PCS

move for pets in, or entering into, quarantine on and after 28 December 2001. There is no

reimbursement (nor any allowance) for "transportation" of a pet. Only quarantine costs

ssociated with dogs and cats are allowed.

-How do I know if my pets and I are flying AMC or fully commercial?

The Passenger Travel Office will let you and IPAC know whether you are flying AMC, fully

commercial, or both. If you are flying both AMC and commercial, you’ll receive an AMC ticket

from Kadena Air Base to Seattle, then a commercial ticket from Seattle to your final destination.

-Can my pet fly in the summer months?

Yes, pets will be able to fly in the summer months, with the exception of “snub nosed” pets. Air

travel for “snub nosed” pets is particularly hazardous for animals with short nasal passages, their

short noses leaves them vulnerable to extreme heat and may cause oxygen deprivation and heat

stroke. The pet embargo usually lasts from May 30-Sep 30. These restricted pets will have to fly

on AMC if space is available or the traveler will be responsible to ship these pets on a third party

shipping company.

-Will my pet and I be traveling on the same flight?

If pet space is available, your pet will travel on the same plane with you either in-cabin or as

cargo. In the either case, your pet will be considered excess/accompanied baggage and charged

accordingly.

-Can I fly my rabbit or my bird?

No. A household pet is defined as a cat or a dog.

-What if the Passenger Travel Office can’t fly my pet?

If the Passenger Travel Office cannot fly your pet for whatever reason, you can have your pet

booked and shipped through a third party pet shipping company. You will be charged the cargo

ate, plus the shipper’s fee.

-How do I know if my pet will fly in cabin or as excess baggage?

Size of the pet, along with weight and size of the pet’s carrier determines pet space AMC allows

pets up to 150 lbs, while most airlines won’t allow pets to exceed 100 lbs. Each airline has

specific guidelines on weight, size and breed so be sure to check with both the Passenger Travel

Office and each individual airline for guidance.

-Can I feed my pet while on the plane?

We recommend not feeding your pet four to six hours before the flight. You can give them small

amounts of water. Feeding your pet and or giving them large amounts of water may cause

discomfort while on the flight.

-How much does it cost to fly my pet?

Cost varies, however AMC charges about $150.00+ to fly pets, while commercial flights can be

upward of $200 or more. Shipping your pet via a third party carrier can cost anywhere from

$2,500 - $7,000 per pet.

-How do I confirm my pet with the Passenger Travel Office?

Once our SATO representatives book a flight for you and your pet, they will send an itinerary to

you through email. One of the Passenger Travel Office clerks will send a pet confirmation email

that includes your confirmation number, so that you can call the airline you are booked with and

confirm your pet space. Once you have successfully confirmed the pet space, please email our

organizational inbox at MCBBUTLERPTOFOST[email protected], so we can purchase the

tickets.

-If I have to ship my pet on a third party carrier, who do I contact?

Please contact Camp Canine Okinawa for assistance on shipping your pet via commercial cargo

at 090-7586-4001.

-How can I begin the process early of arranging travel for my pet?

Traveler can notify Passenger Travel Office as soon as they are aware of a pending assignment.

Please send: Member’s Name, EDIPI and Date of Birth, along with pet type, breed, gender, age,

weight with cage and size of the cage to the Passenger Travel Office at

MCBBUTLERPTOFOSTER@USMC.MIL.

-What are some helpful tips PCSing with a pet to/from Okinawa?

Some helpful tips you could use would be to make 5 copies all documents pertaining to the

movement of you and your pet (i.e flight tickets, health certificate, orders, etc..). Make sure your

pet’s crate meets all requirements prior to your flight. Start the outbound process as soon as you

or your sponsor receives PCS orders.