Military families overseas scrambling as U.S. dog travel rules change

A number of military families stationed overseas are scrambling to find other arrangements for transporting their dogs back to the United States because of new regulations taking effect Aug. 1 — in the middle of the military’s heavy moving season.

Families are posting on Facebook about departure dates happening as soon as the first weeks of August — but now transportation is uncertain for their dogs due to new U.S. regulations and some airlines refusing to allow dogs to travel back to the states.

“Why do things always have to be so complicated for military families to bring our pet family members with us when we move?” one military wife asked on the platform. “As if moving far from home and family every few years isn’t stressful enough.”

The issue stems from new requirements from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that take effect Aug. 1, aimed at preventing the introduction of dog rabies into the United States. While dog rabies was eliminated in the United States in 2007, there are over 100 countries where dog rabies isn’t controlled, according to the CDC.

The new regulations will be cumbersome for some military families, and there’s some confusion. But the more immediate problem is that eight airlines will stop allowing dogs to travel back to the states with their families either in the cabin or as excess baggage in the cargo hold.

German airline Lufthansa is the most recent airline to make the announcement. “Due to new restrictions imposed by the U.S. authorities it is no longer possible to import dogs into the USA after 1 August 2024 until further notice,” the Lufthansa website states.

The abrupt policy changes have some military advocates baffled by it all.

“I 100% agree we have to protect the population from rabies,” said Liz Hensel, CEO of Leave No Paws Behind USA. “But there must be a better way than to leave hundreds of military families stranded in a situation where they have no idea what to do with their dogs,” she said.

There are more than 100,000 service members stationed in Europe alone, she noted. It remains to be seen how this will play out around the world.

“Our household pets really help with mental health not only for the men and women serving, but for the family dynamic as a whole,” said Hensel, a veteran who is also the 2024 Armed Forces Insurance Marine Corps Spouse of the Year.

The decision by Lufthansa is “heartbreaking,” as the airline has been one of the most pet friendly airlines for military families, Hensel said.

The new CDC requirements standardize the process for importing dogs, including standard requirements for the minimum age of imported dogs, microchips, the CDC Dog Import Form, and other documentation. This will “streamline the importation process and allow for safer and more efficient entry of dogs into the United States,” according to the CDC.

The rules require some documentation that generally only commercial pet shippers were required to do, and which could require extra steps such as translating the CDC form into the local language for host-nation veterinarians and their supervisors, Hensel said.

Hensel is advocating for urgent policy adjustments by the CDC, including exemptions for military families in recognition of their unique circumstances; increased quarantine and vaccination facilities; airline partnerships; and streamlined import processes with clear and consistent guidelines.

Lawmakers have stepped in to urge the CDC director to allow an 18-month delay in implementation of the blanket requirements, because the rules affect low-risk dogs personally owned by various types of individuals.

A July 8 letter from Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., has been signed by six additional members of Congress. Among other things, the dog import form has caused concern because of its delayed public availability and potential concern among dog owners, Langworthy wrote.

Information was not immediately available from the CDC about whether any solutions are being considered for military families.

Hensel speculates that the airlines are backing away from transporting the pets with their families on the same flight because they don’t want to be held liable.

According to the CDC website, if their rules aren’t followed, the dog won’t be allowed to enter the U.S. “If denied entry, your dog will be sent back to the last country of departure at your expense. Country of departure is where the last trip originated—not where the dog was born or where it lives,” officials state.

Many military families will now be forced to use pet shippers, which can continue to ship on the airlines, Hensel said.

But the cost will be a great hardship for many families.

“What has been costing around $400 will now be over $2,000,” she said, noting that the cost to ship a dog overseas through a pet shipper could be anywhere from $2,500 to over $4,000, depending on the dog, location and other factors.

Hensel worked for four years to advocate for a law to allow service members to be reimbursed for up to $2,000 of pet transportation expenses to or from overseas during a PCS move, and up to $550 for pet transportation in a move within the continental U.S. DOD implemented that benefit Jan. 1.

“And now this?” she said.

Limited spaces are available to transport dogs on military-contracted Patriot Express flights on PCS moves, although U.S. Transportation Command increased the cabin flight spaces from 10 to 20, in 2021.

TRANSCOM officials are aware of the issue, said spokesman Nate Allen.

“This is where the conversations between passengers and their local transportation management offices are crucial,” he said. “While there is no immediate plan to increase pet spaces, if presented with a significant increase in requirements, we have and will engage with commercial partners to increase capacity where possible.”

Passengers traveling on the Patriot Express flights will also be required to comply with the CDC’s new import requirements, Allen said.

One family posted that they are being relocated stateside for a humanitarian reassignment, which is already stressful.

“I literally don’t know how I’m going to get our dog home with us,” the military wife posted. “This is to the point I’m in tears. This is just another stressor military families don’t need.”