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 basis for determining reimbursement is based on whether or not the effective date of orders is January 1, 2024 or later. See 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, to be eligible for pet transportation allowances, the PCS order effective date must be January 1, 2024, or later.
No, if you depart the PDS and the effective date of the travel order is January 1, 2024, or later, then pet transportation expenses incurred prior to the PCS order effective date are reimbursable.
Example: If traveling to Japan, there are several transportation, veterinary, and importation requirements that you will need to complete in preparation for moving your pet. The only determining factor is effective date of the PCS orders.
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.
Yes, if a mil-to-mil couple are traveling on separate PCS orders, then both are authorized to 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 required receipts and a non-availability letter from the office processing the transportation request if Government transportation is not available. See Service-specific guidance for additional voucher requirements.
A letter provided to the Service member from the office processing the transportation request that 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, 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).