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PCS Overseas with Cats - How does it actually work?
Hi all, lurker here. Well, not really a lurker - more of a random stop in.
My H is AF as has an opportunity to do either 1 year unaccompanied or 2 year accompanied to Korea. We're currently in the states.
In trying to decide if he wants to take either of these opportunities, we're also thinking about our cats. We're trying to determine if the stress of moving them for a short tour is worth it.
Can anyone give me some insight on the physical act of flying overseas with cats - do you put them in a travel duffel under your seat or are they crated in the back? Do most people sedate them so they aren't freaking out the whole time?
I've googled, but I'm not finding any really good information. Any insight you all could provide would be great. Thanks!
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Re: PCS Overseas with Cats - How does it actually work?
With that being said, I do not suggest going to Korea without a command sponsor. You will not get health care on base. You will not be able to shop in the Odan Commissary or BX (unless something drastically changed, the black-market issues were so bad, that when I visited, I was not allowed INTO the BX because I was not command sponsored). And I have only heard horror stories about the housing issues...
But with that being said, you will need to check on the policies of traveling with your pets. I know that under the SOFA, the restrictions for many of the European countries, like England, are loosened ONLY for the service members, but still pretty strict for the average Joe.
The base website should have a list of all you need to do. You can also take your cats to your base vet, they should have the correct information for going to Korea.
If you get a command sponsor, I will be extremely jealous.
Thanks for the reply. We did look at it says that cats are allowed if you do the 2 year.
My H has been all over, lived all over, but this would be my first base outside of the country (and his first overseas taking pets). I want to go, but I'd prefer to move the cats if we were doing a four year. I'm not going to leave them here or give them away (H wouldn't either) so we're leaning towards the 1 year unaccompanied.
My main question was the actual trip. How does that work - can they sit under your seat? Do you sedate them? (It's not like you can walk them like a dog). I just don't get the logistics of it all.
When we moved to Hawaii our dog and cat flew as cargo under the plane. We were already here so we had my mom ship them out and it wasn't an option for them to be in the cabin since nobody was flying with them. We didn't sedate them and they seemed fine after the 12 hour flight.
I have heard of people taking their cats in the cabin with them, but I don't think that would be an option for us because my cat never shuts up when she is in her crate. It probably depends on each airline as to what the policies about pets in the cabin are, but when I was looking in to it it was based on availability(only so many animals allowed in cabin) and they had to be small enough for kennel to fit under seat. Hope this helps a little.
We brought our cat here to Korea. We flew United then switched to Asiana. Coming into the country (when we came in) they were not allowing pets to come in in the cabin as checked baggage. So she flew under the plan as checked baggage. It worked out easier that way anyway so I did not have to worry about her during the flight.
Airlines for the most part will not allow you to tranq. your pet because it make the flight worse and things can go wrong. Vets also do not reccommend it.
You have to have a international health certificate issued within 10days of travel. This has to be done by a USDA VET and it can get pricey. For us the cost was $200. You also have to have an airline approved kennel and one that snaps together is not and we found that out the hard way! We had to purchase a kennel at the airport and that was not cheap.
All Korea wants out of your pet is up to date on shots and a rabis no less than 30days and no more than a year old.
If you have any other questions just ask!
Ilumine, you can get a rations card now even if you're NCS. I had one at Kunsan. However, they're still not giving anyone accompanied tours there. Honestly, I don't see how they could given the lack of resources. The commissary is about the size of a 7-11, the clinic sends everything to Iksan, and all housing is full.
I'm not sure how it works for cats, but I know for dogs, being in Korea limits later options, like the UK and Hawaii, or at least makes it far more difficult than if your dog has been in the mainland states for the year prior to your move. Because of that, I didn't take my dog, but I was also only in Korea about 6 months.
ETA I missed your f/u questions. I've only seen tiny dogs, no cats, in the cabin. Mine was 85 pounds, so she was definitely cargo.
You're not supposed to tranq b/c it can affect their breathing. However, my vet gave me a couple xanax for the dog b/c it's not a true sedative, but it can calm a freakout.
I don't remember our USDA exam to be that expensive. I think all base vets can do them. I know the base in Japan did it for her flight back to the States.
When my out-of-state breeder sent my cats to me, one traveled with a person inflight, and the other had to be in cargo.
The inflight cat was in a SturdiProducts pet carrier, which is airline-approved. See http://www.sturdiproducts.com/4111/xcart/home.php?cat=1/ and just confirm dimensions.
My cargo cat has been an anxious cat from day 1 and I will always wonder if he was traumatized in cargo. So if you can help it, bring them inflight.
As a side-note, there is a sweet car carrier that Sturdi makes that I have used in my car commutes when we take them on trips with us.
Also, if you can swing the accompanied with the appropriate circumstances that cover your healthcare, etc, go for it!! You'll be glad to be with your man, you'd miss him if he were gone for a year and it was because of the cats!