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kristin2t
member
PCSing with pets, please help!
kristin2t
member
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.
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Re: PCSing with pets, please help!
I found some Marriott Towne Suites that looked amazing, especially with a baby, but we can't get the SNA since there's availability in the on-base hotel. Are you guys just eating that cost and paying out of pocket, or are they reimbursing you somehow?
We just did this with three cats ((to Seattle from Germany)).
We had to fly United from Frankfurt. We did confirm carry on of two cats and checked one underneath. I wish I had carried on all three. SATO will tell you that if you carry on, you cannot have another carry on. Untrue statement ((UNITED Airlines, check the net for your airline requirements)). The carry ons we used were soft side SHERPA ((medium sized, 18x11x10.5)). The checked cat traveled in a med sized dog carrier with BOLTS not clips. Cost was 90 euro each for the carry on cats, 180 euro for the checked cat. We could not check the cat until 2 hours prior to departure, so for us that was 1040 am.
When we got to our post, we did have to board the kids for a few days, but got housing almost immediately. We fully expected to be on a wait list for at least 30 days. We got lucky. If they have space at the on post lodging and you elect not to take it because you do not want to board your cats ((prefer to room with them)) then the lodging is NOT required to provide a statement of nonavailability. Just because pet rooms are not available does not mean they cannot house you. Crappy, I get it, but those are the rules. So if you CHOOSE to go off post to another hotel rather than board them and take on post lodging, YOU WILL eat the ENTIRE hotel room. Board the kids. I love mine, I truly do, but I still have to take care of my human family.
Also, all costs incurred for pets are NOT claimable on the travel voucher.
Have you considered contacting the gaining unit to see if there's anybody who would be willing to let your cats stay with them while you house hunt? It might be a long stretch, but I would vastly prefer that to having my cats in a kennel for that long. If you do have to kennel them, I'd look for somewhere that will let you come visit as often as you want.
When we've been unable to get pet-friendly lodging, we've always just sucked up the cost of staying somewhere pet friendly off base... but we've also never been in this situation for more than a week.
We actually have a slightly different situation. Our Household goods were supposed to arrive on the 6th, and they still haven't arrived...... So we are eating the cost up front, but we are filing an inconvenience claim where the moving company has to reimburse us for every day we stuck in a hotel. (Including food, etc.) I have to say, they are REALLY nice and everyone who works here has been beyond accommodating. (The guy who works the front desk gave us a car seat in case I go into labor before we get our stuff!) I'm not sure how quickly Ft. Meade can fill up their hotels, but I would wait until the last minute to try and get a room. That's what we did when we first PCS's up here and they were full. I hope everything works out for you!
Off topic, Im confused by this post. Why are you making the moving company pay for the hotel/food/travel expense? You're in the hotel because you don't have a house,right? If you've already signed a lease or bought a house then you can live there. It sucks to live on an air mattress and very,very few items, but its doable. Most(actually I think they're required) posts have whats called a lending closet. Call your ACS to find out hours, get contact information. Take in a copy of your orders and a paper saying when HHG will be arriving(in your case late) and they'll lend you...microwave, pots/pans, utensils, and much more.
To the OP, boarding will suck. I'd look into pet friendly hotels, they don't cost that much especially for cats. I know we had to stay off post one day while searching for housing and we were reimbursed for that night(maybe this is a rarity). If you must board your furbabies nothing says you can't go visit them daily(every few days,whatever works for you) and reassure them they're fine/being taken care of.
demersebm, *no clue why this in bold because the bold option isn't selected*
I guess since TMO said to go for it then go with their advice. I understand being very,very pregnant(somehow I missed you were pregnant) and not wanting to sleep on an air mattress. Anywho, I hope they get your HHG to you soon.
Do you have a sponsor assigned to you yet? You might be able to ask them if they would be willing to house the little guys or have a friend who watches peoples pets. At our last base we had a friend who didn't have a dog, but loved them and so was always volunteering to watch people's dogs for them. Your sponsor might know someone similar.
Other than that, as much as it sucks, I'll have to agree with a couple of other posters, there isn't much else to do with it, especially because a lack of SNA will take a great deal of money out of your pocket that is usually not there during a PCS. I prefer not to board my pets, but they're fine when I do. For the older cat a better boarding situation may be a vet that boards in town instead of on base. Their facilities tend to be very good, and being vets, should anything go wrong little one is already in the place they need to be for care.