PCS my Pet

Importing your PET to Hawaii

Here are some helpful steps in bringing your beloved cat or dog into Hawaii. The goal is to avoid the quarantine on island. I wanted to share my experience with you and tell you some of the things I went through. I am no expert on the rules of the Department of Agriculture Animal Quarantine so please refer to them to validate what you need. I just wanted to share my experience importing my large dog and going through the whole process. I’ve also listed some IATA airline approved kennels and soft carrier for smaller animals. If you are PCSing here during COVID19 please check out my page for updated info.

Scroll further down for OPTIONS FOR FLYING AND TRANSPORTING YOUR PET, both flying and transporting to LAX. There’s also instructions on where to pick up at Honolulu HNL Airport at the bottom of the page.

If you need assistance at the airport please join our Hawaii Military Life FB group and make a post as we can assist with picking up your pet at the airport if you need to travel separately. It would require you to give our name to the Dept of Agriculture for pick up.

COVID19 UPDATE
If you are PCSing here right now and are bringing a pet, you should reach out to the Dept of Agriculture. It’s possible if your pet is not traveling in main cabin with you that you want to arrange for immediate airport release with the Department of Agriculture. Contact the Animal quarantine office for more guidance during COVID.

Warm weather is a factor and there’s a 80 degree temperature limit and most airlines will NOT FLY during summer months. You might consider driving to LAX and shipping your pet via Cargo from Aloha or Pacific Cargo.

Checklist for Importing your pet

Here is a quick checklist of things required for import to Hawaii. If you want to import to Japan from Hawaii please scroll to the bottom of this page.

• 2 recent Rabies vaccinations

• Wait 30 days at home (in other state) after successful OIE-FAVN test (changed from 120 days to 30)

• Microchip #

• OIE-FAVN rabies blood test (administered by base Veterinarian)

• Airline approved crate with “Live animal” sticker

• Health certificate dated within 10 days of flight arrival

• $185 Cashiers’ check or money order made payable to Animal Quarantine

• Checklist 1 for Direct Airport release or 5 day or less program updated Jun 14, 2019 (Also note new fees)

• Dog and Cat import form AQS-278 (Must be notarized)

$855 Average cost to ship one 52lb dog

• Base Vet rate average $140: OIE-FAVN test, included exam, ivermectin 6 dose, lyme test, and shipping test to Fort Sam Houston

• Fee for direct airport release $185.00

• 28” IATA approved Large Petmate Sky kennel for 52lb dog in cargo is $79.99 (see below)

• United Air cargo flight from Dulles to HNL $450.00

This is the $79.99 (28”) Petmate Sky Kennel is the recommended IATA approved Pet kennel I purchased myself. They have other crates in smaller sizes as well if you scroll down.* 

The Army Vet operates four veterinary medical facilities on Oahu that provide services for Military members.

Fort Shafter Vet
Building 435, Pierce Road
808-433-2271

Schofield Barracks Vet
Building 936, Duck Road
808-655-5889/5893

Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam Vet
Building 1864, Kuntz Ave, Hickam
808-449-6481

MCBH Kaneohe Vet
Building 455, Pancoast Place
808-257-3643
MCBH base pet registration

Vet clinics across Oahu

Here’s a list of all the Army Military Veterinarian Treatment facilities in the world.

Army policy for leaving Hawaii Domestic Travel: Army Policy requires that all pets need to be current on their vaccinations/labs at least 10 days PRIOR to the health certificate appointment.

MWR KENNELS are the lowest rates on the island.
You just sign up the local MWR.  https://hawaii.armymwr.com/programs/family-and-mwr-pet-kennels

At post housing Schofield you are allowed 2 pets.

Except for pit bulls, pit bull mixes, Doberman pinschers, Rottweilers, wolf breed combination?, chows, etc. I guess they exclude these breeds without even testing behaviors? There are perfectly good breeds out there that are loving dogs. 

See Pet addendum for more info on leasing at Island Palm communities. https://winnmilitary.entrata.com/media_library/12710/56e6e646732f3523.pdf

Bring your small pet on board with you

 The Sherpa Deluxe pet carrier is an approved airline pet carrier as checked baggage for small animals up to 16 lbs. It measures 16” x 10” for a medium carrier but don’t base the size of your carrier weight only. *

Pet friendly condo's and apartments

This is a great comprehensive list of condo's and apartments by city region that accept pets for their rentals. List organized by the Hawaii Humane society.

Blood tests, Vet, Pet flying options, and Directions to Honolulu airport pickup

1) Your pet’s most recent rabies vaccination must not be expired when your pet arrives in Hawaii. 30 days have had to elapsed from the second rabies vaccination so don’t wait to get your pet vaccinated. If you arrive before that your pet goes into quarantine until you make the 30 days from second vaccination.

• You are required to have 2 Rabies vaccinations. Rabies vaccination usually occurs before 3 mo old and within 12 months from the first vaccination. If you have a gap that may be a problem so call the Animal Quarantine before you do anything.

• Rabies vaccination paperwork must have a “wet signature” on them with the original metal tag. Make sure you tell your Vet you are moving to Hawaii and they will help you navigate the process up to the OIE-FAVN blood test.

• Microchip # is required. The Vet will use the # to track the OIE-FAVN test.

2) Do the OIE-FAVN blood test before all else because of the wait period. Although making appointments is a process because I found they are always booked (the Army Vet is also the food inspector at the commissary). We were able to get all our shots up to date and get the test submitted right away so I could start the wait period.

• The test goes by Fedex to DoD Food Analysis and Diagnostic Laboratory in Fort Sam Houston. It’s important to remember that the wait period begins when Fort Sam officially receives the blood test. You can call your Vet to follow up in about 3 weeks to see if the results are in or they may call you. My experience is that the results were known in about 2 weeks. Have the Vet give you a copy of the results which should have a stamp with a date of when they received it on the top right. The original is sent from the Vet directly to the Animal Quarantine office in Hawaii. You can call the Animal Quarantine office in a month to see if they’ve received it. And you can also double check your fly dates with them to make sure it meets the minimum wait period.

3) Mail your $185 cashiers check or money order, 5 day or less form, and AQS-278 form to the Department of Agriculture Animal Quarantine AFTER you’ve confirmed they’ve received the OIE-FAVN favorable results.

Send to: Animal Quarantine Station, 99-951 Halawa Valley Street, Aiea, HI 96701.

OPTIONS FOR FLYING AND TRANSPORTING YOUR PET

I used a commercial Airline to fly my pet. Some folks used a Pet moving company which will pick up your pet and keep it overnight if necessary. They may even deliver the pet to your address in Hawaii. Also the size of the crate is a CRITICAL step for the airlines to approve or disapprove travel. Pet approved travel crate information.

I used United Cargo so my experience was really good (I heard they might be flying DoD folks on PCS orders to Hawaii and Guam only). Their number at United Petsafe is (800)-575-3335. They can also give you information on crate restrictions and the process to drop off the pet and where to drop it off. You can also find info on their site https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/animals/petsafe.aspx.

• To drop my dog off I needed 2 hours drop off which means I did not schedule my own flight the same day! So my husband flew first, then I shipped the dog and then I flew last. Also the crate is very heavy to move around. My dog was 53lbs plus a 25lb crate is kind of hard to do on your own. United had carts for you to use but check with your airline. They also told me there can be no food or water, no blanket, no collar or leash, in the crate. I believe they fed my dog through the crate door both water and food. United will take up a #600 series kennel.

• May 2018 - United has banned 20+ snub nosed breeds. You can read about the status here:
  https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/animals/petsafe.html

4) You'll need to provide your most recent Health certificate. Also the Animal Quarantine told me that since one of my Rabies vaccinations did not have a wet signature that I would need it listed on the Health certificate. So I made sure the vet who issued it knew what to put on the Health certificate.  

• Health certificate must be issued within 10 days of flight. You can make that appointment when you get your fly date. A fecal sample is required for issuing the Health certificate.

Picking up your pet at Honolulu airport 

Make sure you give the animal quarantine at least 1 hour to pick up the pet from the airline when it lands so they can bring it to the facility for processing. Hawaii Airport Animal Quarantine number (808) 837-8092.

• Here is the airport map where you go to pick up your pet.

Directions to Honolulu (HNL) Airport pickup

When you arrive at Honolulu airport follow the signs to “Interisland”, baggage claim A area, then take a right at the Ewa Service road (big yellow sign). The quarantine office is located on the left side of the street. There was no parking when I went so I ended up double parking in front of a fire hydrant. The office itself, is just a double door that has a secured entry and you must ring the bell and wait for a person to buzz you in. Because there are limited handlers sometimes you will wait outside in the hot sun until someone comes in and lets you in. They tell you on the website you need all this paperwork for pick up but they didn’t need anything except my ID card. If you are coming in a rental car make sure the crate can fit the car. For my large crate I needed an SUV hatchback. They did not assist me to lift the crate into the car but they pushed the crate up to the car. Their rule is that you cannot let your pet out on airport property, so I drove directly to our temp lodging stay to let the dog out.

If you need assistance to pick up your pet please CONTACT US.

Also you’ll need to pick your pet up by 3:00pm? I’m not exactly sure what time but they have a cut off time for arrival. If you arrive after hours the pet will go directly into an overnight kennel at the Halawa Quarantine station, 99-951 Halawa Valley St, Aiea, HI 96701. Phone: (808) 483-7151

Here is a link to the google map

Hawaii rules for Importing and Exporting a Dog or Cat to/from Japan

It’s very common for folks who are stationed in Hawaii to do a follow on tour to JAPAN or vice versa. Hawaii has a “designated agreement” with Japan on import of Dogs or Cats. The Japan “designated regions” are Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji Islands, Hawaii and Guam. If you meet the rules, microchip, resided 180 days in Hawaii, etc. you can import your pet into Japan without quarantine. See export from Japan rules - Japan Department of Agriculture requirements for import.

Questions about importing your pet into the US can be found through the US Department of Agriculture. But you will likely use Checklist #1 to import your pet to Hawaii along with the FAVN and health certificate.

Thanks for reading and please share your experiences with me on my FB group, HAWAII MILITARY LIFE, so we can help others. I mainly post Local Hawaii events and information in that group. And if you are retiring or transitioning, please join our HAWAII MILITARY RETIRED VETERANS LIFE Facebook group.

We just created our new INSTAGRAM account Hawaiimilitarylife808. We try to look for a lot of FREE events or discounts for Military. We also post PCS info, buying a car, pet info, BAH, and anything related to Military command events in Hawaii. You can search through our Facebook site in the Announcements section has all the reference information there. Mahalo and welcome to Hawaii! 

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