Introduction
The military community is made up of all kinds of people. If you’re reading this, chances are your military family includes a dog or two. From big woofers to little yippers, the canines of military families are always there when their humans need a warm cuddle, a good excuse for a walk, or just a whole lot of unconditional affection. While there’s certainly no downside to owning a dog, doing so while in the military comes with a particular challenge: what to do with a dog when you’re on the move?
If you are conducting a longer assignment like a Permanent Change of Station (PCS), it might be a pleasant surprise to learn that pets can often travel with you, subject to specific base and moving restrictions. Each duty station and transportation method has its own rules regarding pet travel, which can affect whether your companion can accompany you. Understanding these regulations in advance is crucial for ensuring that you navigate a PCS with a pet smoothly and that they can remain by your side throughout your relocation journey.
Of course, this can be a different story for a shorter assignment or deployment. Luckily, there are some great options and programs out there that foster military dogs during deployment.
4 Military Pet Fostering Programs
It’s always heartbreaking to leave your loved ones behind due to the needs of the service. Whether you’re off in the field for a month, spending a few weeks at a training course, or deploying to the other side of the world, it’s tough. However, you can ease that pain by knowing your dog will be cared for by dedicated animal lovers.
Of course, if they’re willing and able to care for your pup while you’re gone, a spouse, friends, or other family members may be the best option for you. But for those who require or prefer a company with a structured program to foster your pet while deployed, we’ve compiled four of the best options.
1. Dogs on Deployment
Phone: 1 (619) 800-3631
Email: Contact Form
Mailing Address: 970 W Valley Pkwy Box 667, Escondido, CA 92025
A dual-military husband and wife founded Dogs on Deployment, so this organization knows firsthand the difficulty of leaving a pet behind when the military sends you away. As a foster and military pet advocacy program set up similarly to PACT, this organization’s primary mission is pairing vetted volunteers with military pets who need fostering while their service members are away from home. They also provide education services, promote pet health, and do their best to provide financial support for families experiencing pet-related emergencies. And don’t let the name fool you; they cater to cats and canines alike.
2. PACT Military Foster Program
Phone: 1 (610) 581-4141
Email: sue@pactforanimals.org
Mailing Address: PO Box 590, Gladwyne, PA 19035
People + Animals = Companions Together (or PACT) has a Military Foster Program, a particularly great resource for military personnel with pets. They screen and match potential fosterers with service members and their pets needing care. They also facilitate consistent and regular contact, from videos to Facebook messages, between the pets, owners, and temporary caretakers for however long the separation lasts. When you register your dog as needing fostering during your next deployment, you’re submitting to an organization with a proven track record of helping animals.
3. Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pets
Phone: 1 (254) 248-1818
E-mail: info@gafsp.org
Mailing Address: 402 Barton Lane, Gatesville, TX 76528
Another great organization aimed at helping all fuzzy and fluffy family members in the military community is Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pets, which runs a widespread Pet Foster Home program across all 50 states and every branch of service. If you head out on a combat, peacekeeping, or humanitarian deployment, these wonderful people and their approved foster homes will keep a loving eye on your pet while you do your duty.
4. American Humane Military Initiatives
Phone: 1 (800) 227-4645
Email: info@americanhumane.org
Mailing Address: 1400 16th Street NW, Suite 360, Washington, DC 20036
American Humane is one of the biggest and most widespread animal advocacy groups in the world. The information they provide on Fostering Military Pets is just one of their several military initiatives. They don’t run their own in-house fostering program, but they offer great advice and pointers on how to do it and do it right. Their military pet initiatives and programs date back to the First World War. In the hundred-plus years since then, they’ve done plenty for military families and their dogs.
How You Can Support Military Dogs Through Fostering
Fostering military dogs provides a critical service to our armed forces, offering emotional and physical support to the dogs that serve just as diligently as their human counterparts. If you’re looking to contribute, consider becoming a foster home. This role involves providing a nurturing environment, ensuring regular exercise, and offering the companionship these dogs need during their handler’s deployment.
Alternatively, volunteering at military animal facilities offers a direct way to assist in caring for and training these dogs if fostering isn’t an option for you. This involvement helps maintain the dogs’ training regimes and supports their daily needs, contributing significantly to their well-being.
Raising awareness is also vital; sharing information about the fostering program within your community and online can help recruit more foster homes. Informing others about the importance of these roles helps expand the network of potential foster homes and increases community involvement.
For those unable to foster, financial contributions to organizations that support these efforts are equally valuable and help to cover essential costs like food, medical care, and training. Through education and advocacy, you can ensure that more military dogs receive the care and support they need while their handlers are deployed.
Conclusion
Of course, there are many other great pet-fostering programs and initiatives in the world. However, these four are specifically aimed at assisting the members of the military community and their dogs. Whether you need someone to lend a hand while you’re on TDY for a month or a loving family to watch your pup while you’re overseas for a full deployment, these organizations are here for you. And, perhaps even more importantly, they’re here for your beloved, good, fluffy boys and girls.
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