Military service members can now get reimbursed for pet-related moving expenses. Here's the safest way to fly with animals.
Published in Slideshow World
Moving can be stressful for anyone, but having a pet can make things significantly more complicated and expensive—especially for military members, who typically get uprooted every 2.5 years. It's particularly challenging if the move is happening by airplane.
Historically, any extra moving costs associated with bringing a pet along were the responsibility of a military family. But beginning this year, the Defense Department will reimburse pet travel expenses such as transportation or quarantine fees incurred by service members during a Permanent Change of Station. It will reimburse service members up to $550 to transport up to one cat or dog within the U.S., or up to $2,000 for international moves.
CitizenShipper compiled information from the Department of Agriculture, State Department, and Department of Travel to suggest the best and safest ways to transport pets via ground or air.
The forthcoming tips aren't just helpful for members of the military, however. Largely spurred on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the percentage of U.S. households with at least one dog rose from 38% to 45% between 2016 and 2020; those with at least one cat increased from 25% to 29% from 2016 to 2022.
Pet-related expenses are up, too. According to the American Pet Products Association, the amount Americans spend on their pets—including food, supplies, medicine, grooming, boarding, and other services—ballooned to $147 billion in 2023, and the organization only expects that number to grow.
Keep reading to discover the safest and most cost-efficient ways to transport animals while moving.
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