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PCSing with pets?
Hey guys, I haven't posted over here since I was pregnant, but I'm hoping someone has been through this or has some advice, I'm really stumped and sad about our choices at this point. TIA!
We're PCSing soon from Germany to Ft. Meade. We're buying a home once we get there, so we'll be in temporary lodging for 30 days, at least. We have two cats, though, and the hotel on base doesn't allow pets. We can't get a statement of non-availability (SNA) since they seem to have a lot of rooms available at this point. They're directing us to the kennel on base, but the thought of boarding our cats for over a month makes me sick.
So, am I being overly anxious about this, will the cats be just fine? (Honestly, after an international flight, I can't stomach dropping them off at the kennel. One would probably be totally fine with it, but the other one we've had for over 12 years, and is so neurotic and nervous, I think he would be devastated) But, if I'm being ridic, please tell me.
Should we keep waiting and hope the hotel fills up to get a SNA , so we can stay at a pet-friendly hotel off base?
Is there another solution we're not thinking about? Any other tips/advice? I'm really sick over this whole thing.
Re: PCSing with pets?
Yeah, I don't think I could subject them to more flying if I don't absolutely have to. I'm afraid we're either going to have to board them, or eat a ton of money by paying for the pet-friendly hotel without getting reimbursed, but, that doesn't seem so smart to spend that much the same month we're buying a house...
I don't think there's a happy answer, unfortunately. Ugh. I was just hoping I was missing some obvious alternate solution!
Army won't reimburse you for staying at a hotel that fits your needs?
Dh is USMC and we have always been reimbursed for staying a pet friendly hotel because the TLF didn't have a room that fit our needs.
We have three large dogs and knew we'd have a similar problem when we PCSd. Even if we'd found a hotel room that allowed all of them, we couldn't just leave them alone all day while we went to work and inprocessed, and we'd never been here, so I didn't have any knowledge of local boarding places.
It worked out best for us to leave the dogs with a boarding facility we trusted at our last base, then DH and I took a week of leave to house hunt at the new base. Had I not been able to board the dogs, I would have sent DH on without me to pick out a house. We had a checklist of 'must haves', 'nice to haves', and deal breakers, and I know he would have sent me a ton of pictures so I could feel involved.
Ha! I wish. They gave us a list of kennels if the base one was full. I don't expect much from the Army, but this actually surprised me.
You know, we might try to figure out something like that. Any less time we can spend living in a hotel would be welcome! I'd just need him to come back, or someone to fly with me since both cats are going in-cabin, and there's the whole baby situation too...
Don't be disappointed. The AF doesn't reimburse for it either, and we all know the AF is nicest to their families.
You could try googling kitty motels. I know there are plenty of places that are nicer than boarding facilities and do their best to give your cats a comforting home environment as much as possible.
If I were in your shoes, I'd put them in the on post kennel and visit them often until you can check out the other options and move them there accordingly. It's not like you have to stick them somewhere and leave them there regardless of what an ill fit the place might be.
You might also put an ad out either before or once you get there and find out if anyone is willing to foster your cats for you until you get moved in.
Click me, click me!
OP, we're facing the same sitch moving from England to South Carolina. I have no words of advice, as we're terrified to board the pup. He's English and has never faced temps above 85 in his short life. I'm terrified to board him where he'll be let outside to play.
Anyway, just know I'm standing in solidarity with you! Good luck.
This is great advice! Thank you, I'm looking right now!
Hey AF_EOD,
There is a place just outside of Columbia that is a cage free boarding that works with military families to house dogs. If you would like let me know and I send you the message. This place has a lot of dogs there right now that their people are either deployed or PCSing back to the states. They do not put the dogs in kennels and they take them on field trips. It looks like a really cute place.
The most beautiful place on earth to me: Glacier NP
<a href="http://www.thenest.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="D
There are also a few Camp Bow Wow locations over there. http://www.campbowwow.com/us/sc/columbia/
They're my absolute favorite. The facilities are indoor/outdoor, but the dogs can come in and go out as they please. They are never forced to stay outside, which is a big deal for me. The dogs have access to the outside all day long so they don't regress with potty habits by being forced to go indoors. They even have a fridge to accomodate raw feeders :-) There are webcams that work with an iPhone app so you can check on the dogs from anywhere.
With three dogs, it works out cheaper for us to put the dogs in the Presidential Suite, which has a television. The "camp counselors" normally leave the TV turned to Animal Planet, but I found out they go in and change the channel when Animal Cops and Animal Hoarders come on. They said they didn't want our dogs to be sad.
When I called to make reservations last week, they said they couldn't wait to see "the babies". I highly recommend them. Some of them even have cat care, I think.
Ahh you ladies are lifesavers!! Every day I check the temps in the area and they're SO high. I've literally been having moderate anxiety over the idea of boarding him, he's never been boarded in his life. We will definitely be checking into this! And Crown, a PM with the info would be great!
Thanks so much.
Yay! I'm glad my preoccupation with this was able to help you too! Good luck with your move and finding the right place for your pup.
I am pretty sure I know the exact place you are talking about. AF_EOD if you need the name of a place or two let me know and I can tell you the one we used (just for the day we closed on our house) or the other one that I thing crown was talking about.
The Dogs and Us