Did you know that over 42,000 active military service members call Alabama home. That’s over 10% of Alabama’s population. Most have no idea what needs to be done before pcsing to Alabama with pets. The video above covers everything you need to know about pcsing to Alabama with pets.
Moving To Alabama With Pets
Alabama is a rabies free state. A small fact that most people moving to Alabama with pets are not aware of. These very strict travel rules for pets is one of the biggest reasons why Alabama remains rabies free. The process of pcsing to Alabama with pets is not a simple one and one that you as the pet owner need to make sure you’re on top of. There could be traumatic consequences for your pet if you procrastinate.
DON’T PROCRASTINATE
Procrastinating with this process could cause some severe consequences for your pet. Those severe consequences can include being quarantined for 120 days after arrival in Alabama. This can be a very traumatic experience for a pet who is used to being around their parent on a regular basis. Feelings of abandonment and neglect may affect your pet. We are very passionate about this process and can’t stress enough NOT procrastinating when preparing your pet for a pcs to Alabama.
1. Verification of Vaccinations
The first step in the process is verifying your pets vaccinations. If you are not sure if your pet has been vaccinated then you need to visit your local veterinarian for bloodwork and inform them about your PCS to Alabama. Vaccinations need to be current and in compliance with the Alabama Department of Agriculture’s timeline. The sooner you can bring your pet to your local vet the better.
2. Microchipping Your Pet
If you are striving for a direct release from the airport upon your arrival or the 5 day or less quarantine program then you might want to consider getting your pet microchipped. According to the PCSing To Alabama With Pets checklist provided by the Alabama Department of Agriculture, your dog or cat must have an electronic microchip implanted before the FAVN rabies antibody blood test is performed. (See checklist). The microchip must be working and have the correct number corresponding with documentation.
3. FAVN Tider Test
Once you are ensured that your pet has the correct rabies vaccinations and within the timeframe you’ll want to get your documents in order for submission. The right documents will need to be submitted with the right information at the right time. If you are late on certain timelines with the delivery of documents, your pet may be subject to quarantine. See the checklist provided by the Alabama Department of Agriculture. Your pet must have been rabies vaccinated at least twice in it’s lifetime and the vaccination period must have been more than 30 days apart. If your pet is arriving in Alabama within 30 days of it’s most recent rabies vaccination it will be subject to quarantine until the 30 days has passed.
4. Cost Of PCSing With Pets To Alabama
PCSing to Alabama with pets can begin to get expensive. According to the Alabama Department of Agriculture “The U.S. Department of Defense may reimburse active duty military members with dogs or cats up to $550 per family for quarantine expenses. Military members should check with their command on whether this allotment is available to them.” The 120-day quarantine program costs $1,080 per pet. The 5 Day Or Less quarantine program costs $244 per pet. The direct release program costs $185 per pet. Click here for more on costs of pcsing to Alabama with pets.
5. Where is the quarantine facility on Mobile?
The address to the Animal Quarantine Station on Mobile is…
Animal Care Center of Mobile
5502 Old Shell Rd, Mobile, AL 36608, United States
This is where you will need to mail your documents as well as where your pet will be taken for quarantine upon arrival in Mobile if not permitted for direct release from the airport.
PCSing to Alabama is one of the biggest moves most soldiers make in their career with the military. Our team is here to help. We hope this article was helpful and gave you the answers you are looking for. If you are moving to Oahu and need assistance feel free to reach out (CLICK HERE) day/night/weekends because we got your back when moving to Alabama.
