Six Things to Consider when PCS’ing to Hawaii with Pets

We know how much your furry family members mean to you; that’s why it’s important to begin planning your PCS with pets early. Not only does the military have its own rules for PCS’ing with animals, Hawaii has strict requirements for bringing cats and dogs into the state.

Here’s your guide to PCS’ing to Hawaii with pets – because it wouldn’t be home without them!

1) Plan Early

We mentioned this before but we can’t stress it enough – start planning your pet’s move early! It can take about six months to get all your paperwork in order. Cats and dogs entering Hawaii must meet certain medical requirements. If you’re aware of these, you can make sure they have the necessary vaccinations within the allotted time period. If not, you may have to wait 120 days to pick up your pet. 

2) Complete Hawaii’s Quarantine Checklist

Hawaii is an island where invasive species and diseases can have a significant impact. That’s why the state takes animal quarantines very seriously. If you’re not prepared your pet could spend months in quarantine, and you’d only have select hours during the day to see them. Below you’ll find a checklist of requirements to reference but we recommend looking at Hawaii.gov’s Quarantine Information Page for the most recent information.

·      Your pet needs a working microchip.

·      Your dog or cat must have had two rabies vaccinations in their lifetime – these cannot have been administered within 30 days of each other and the most recent must be administered more than 30 days prior to the animal’s arrival in Hawaii.

·      Fill out the dog and cat import form.

·      All paperwork must be submitted to the Animal Quarantine Station 10 days prior to arrival in Hawaii.

Here’s a link to the state’s official, more-detailed, checklist.

3) Abide by Military Rules & Breed Restrictions

If you’re thinking about living on base, you need to make sure that your housing allows pets and if pets are OK, you’re limited to the number you can own. If you have a dog, there are certain breeds that are prohibited from living in military housing. These are pit bulls (American Staffordshire terriers and Staffordshire bull terriers), Rottweilers, Doberman pinschers, chow chows, and wolf hybrids. If your pup is one of these breeds, you might want to consider renting or buying.

4) Think about Temporary Lodging & Flights

Prices and protocols for flying with pets will be airline specific – check with the airline prior to your flight to confirm if and how to bring your pet along. Because Hawaii is far, you may have to break up the trip with a layover. The military does not pay for you to relocate your pet, however, the SPCA might be able to help. They have grants to provide financial assistance to military personal moving with their pets.

When you move to Hawaii, there’s a good chance you won’t have your housing arranged immediately. You’ll want to make sure you find a pet-friendly hotel on Oahu. Here’s a list to help you out.

5) Will you Rent or Buy?

Finding pet-friendly rentals can be difficult and this is certainly an incentive to buy a home. For more information on whether you should rent or buy, check out our blog post here.

6) Consider Paying for Extra Help

Let’s face it, moving can be stressful. To avoid the added anxiety of relocating your pet, think about hiring someone to help. Island Pet Movers is a veteran-owned company that’s dedicated to helping you PCS to Hawaii with pets. Reach out directly for a quote.

Your pets are a vital contribution to your home and we hope this helps you ease the burden of moving them to Hawaii. Once they’re here, they’ll love the beaches, parks and hikes – they can even try surfing!