ALEXANDRIA, VA, March 11, 2025 - Effective February 21, 2025, Service members who are unable to take their pet to their next permanent duty station (PDS) may be authorized reimbursement for the cost of pet transportation to an alternative location or designated place.

This change will provide increased financial assistance for Service members who are:

• ordered to a permanent change of station (PCS) location where Government quarters rules prohibit the possession of a pet,
• ordered to a PCS location where a particular breed that the Service member owns is prohibited from being transported to that new PDS,
• ordered from a PCS location where transportation of a pet was prohibited, to a location where transportation of the pet is authorized,
• unable to arrange transportation for a pet to a new PDS due to airline constraints such as breed restrictions, or other factors,
• assigned to serve an unaccompanied tour or unusually arduous sea duty, and the pet will accompany the member’s  dependents to a designated place,
• authorized an early return of dependents at Government expense.

Reimbursement is limited to:

• $550 per PCS move within the Continental US (CONUS),
• $2,000 per PCS move outside the Continental US (OCONUS)
• Transporting one cat or dog

To be eligible for reimbursement, travelers must follow all pet import and export rules and, if directed and available, use Government transportation for overseas moves. If Government transportation is unavailable, the traveler will need a note from the Traffic Management Office (TMO) or Installation Transportation Office (ITO) for reimbursement. A note is not required for travelers traveling by privately-owned vehicle.

For more policy information, refer to the Joint Travel Regulations, Chapter 5 (050107), Pet Expenses Due to a PCS.