Like many other military families, we are the proud owner of a fur child. Her name is Annie, and she is a black lab. She is gentle, loyal, great with our kids and the best company a girl could ask for. She kept my husband’s side of the bed warm during his 15 month deployment to Iraq.
But if you asked me if I could go back in time, would I get a pet? The answer is “no” While pets can bring a lot of joy to a military family, they can also bring more complications to an already complicated life. Here’s why:
You never know when you are going to PCS overseas. The military will pay to ship many things overseas. One thing they do not pay for is pets. Even if you can afford the expense of overseas shipment, many countries subject animals to lengthy quarantines.
Stateside PCSing with pets is challenging, too. If you are driving a lengthy distance to your new destination, you will probably require at least one overnight stop. Finding a hotel that accepts pets is both more difficult and more expensive. When you get to your new duty station, you may be required to live in temporary housing for an extended period of time. Most temporary lodging facilities have limited pet friendly quarters. You may be forced to find more expensive lodging or pay to board your pets locally. Finally, it’s harder to find a rental home. If you are able to find a pet-friendly home that meets your needs, you are most likely subject to a hefty (and often non-refundable) pet deposit.
Pets need love, too! When our servicemembers are away, we spouses are often strapped thin. When my husband is traveling or on a deployment, I am overwhelmed by chasing my girls and picking up all the household duties. My dog often gets the short end of the stick. Not only is it more stressful for me, but it’s not fair to Annie who does not get the TLC she deserves.
It’s more expensive to visit friends and family. Many military families are frequent travelers. Since we are most often stationed away from our friends and families, we tend to hit the road to see our families when the opportunity to take leave arises. It’s often hard to find someone to pet sit and having to board your animal makes an already costly trip even more expensive.
So — is having a pet really worth the trade-off to you?
About Erin
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I love my petS, yes we have TWO. And we take them across the country, and home for visits. My family knows if they can't come we aren't coming. Pets give comfort people can't, in my opinion. People try to "get it", pets just love you and lick away the tears from your cheeks. I would never get rid of my dogs because of our lifestyle. Kids are a hassle too and that doesn't seem to stop anyone from having them. Not saying pets and kids are the same but overall when speaking in terms of ease of life, kids make life a lot harder than pets do. So yes, my pets are 110% worth the trade off.
Do you HAVE kids? There really is no comparison.
We have two kids. Yes, we have a dog. Yes, I adore her!! Yes, we live overseas. Yes, we will take the dog to the next duty station, and the one after that, and the one after that, etc, etc. But if there were ever a time when I had to choose between what was in the best interests of our family/kids and what was best for the dog? Sorry, dog. We'll find you a new and very loving family. We would never, ever, ever, ever leave her with someone we don't trust…. but yes, it's in the back of my mind that the dog would get the short end of the stick if it really came down to it. Dogs are NOT people.
no I DONT have kids, and if you read my comment you would see I am not comparing the two. There are a lot of things that are a hassle but people do it anyway. Kids, college, careers, even gardens. Doesn't mean you don't do it. Some people prefer kids, I prefer pets.
We do have kids and I agree 100% with Sarah, the kids are a bigger PITA then the 4 pets. Just like kids I would NEVER imagine giving one of them up just because it was difficult, they are children in their own right. Frankly, if you feel differently, you shouldn't be owning pets.
WOW! some of you “people” and i use that term lightly…are completely asinine! there is a comparison. in most cases dogs are worth it more than the loser kids that are being raised these days. Just because you’re born a Homosapien doesn’t make you a “human being/person”.
i have kids and several pets and while obviously kids are different (she's not an idiot ya'll she knows there is a difference) she is right!
We have 2 dogs and they're definitely worth it to us! Yes, it's a hassle to board them when we go places, but they cuddle with me, run with me, fill the other half of the bed during deployments, and are just generally awesome. Yes, they're expensive, but that's something I understood and prepared for when we adopted them. If I could go back in time, I'd definitely still get dogs. Heck, I'm trying to convince my husband we should get another one!
Oh, and while rentals and temporary lodging are a pain with dogs, overnight stays at hotels don't have to be — several hotel chains (Motel 6, some Baymonts and La Quintas) welcome pets and don't charge extra. When I drove from GA to CA with my 2 fifty pound dogs, we stayed at two hotels and neither charged anything above the normal room fee at all. You just have to make sure to plan in advance, because you can't randomly pull into a hotel when you have pets with you :)
Count me in for "not worth it." But honestly we bought the dog so that my son would grow-up with a pet … not because I wanted a dog. The dog is therefore just extra work me. And while I do plan to move with her, etc. stateside no — we will not be taking the dog overseas. Sorry, dog.
Maybe you shouldn't have gotten the dog. I believe in accepting fully the responsibility, for their entire lifeftime, of each pet I bring into my home. People who do not take the responsiblity seriously should not get the pet. I have had 2 cats with complicated medical issues and I accepted the additional work and cost because I brought them into my home and committed myself to taking care of them. I look at pets as a for better or worse commitment and they are a part of my family. My kids are learning those same values and when they are on their own I hope that they will also be responsible caretakers of the pets they bring into their homes.
Very irresponsible. This is why there needs to be a stricter process in either purchasing, or adopting an animal. You should have never had a pet if you didn't want to accept the extra work, and time it would take. They aren't toys to be played with for a little bit, then tossed out when you don't want them anymore. Next time buy your kid a stuffed animal.
I agree!! People like this are the reason why the military has such a hard time finding a pet. They don't care for it like it's suppose to be. They act like is a necessity a piece of jewelry that doesn't matter. smh. Ridiculous.
I really, really hope you're trolling. People like you are exactly why shelters are hesitant to adopt animals out to military families- because so many military families seem to consider living, breathing animals to be accessories to throw out when they're tired of them. It's disgusting.
Not a troll, sorry. My thought is this: since we actually rescued the dog from doggie death row to start with, she would be no longer on this earth if it weren't for us. I never said I would send her back there if we moved overseas (which, by the way, is unlikely for us anyway) or even "relocate it" to someone it doesn't know. The dog already spends good quantities of time at my husband's parent's farm, which it loves — and it would live there if we were to PCS OCONUS. Plus, even if we DID need to "relocate it" to a "different loving home" if we moved OCONUS, wouldn't that be better than letting it be put down at the overflowing animal shelter from which we rescued it on day one?
it? IT? wow… I cannot fathom this. really. as a shelter rescue worker and a military spouse, I've been trying to tell my rescue group that not all military are bad pet owners. THIS… well that's not going to help at all. please, give this poor animal to someone who will love him or her.
Law, I would be careful my post was deleted after this unbelievable post by Amy. All I did was give information on what happens to older animals. And how she was planning on placing the animal. I am also a military spouse who has worked in rescue for over 12 years. This is the reason I will NOT adopt to militaru families… Censorship is heavy on this board
Wanderlust-sorry about that delete. The problem wasn't the information you were giving, the problem was that we try really hard not to delete posts that participate in insults and name calling. I think what everyone is showing here is that military people are passionate about our pets!
While I respect other people's decisions, I have always taken the stance that pets are not disposable anymore so than children are. The decision to get a pet should be taken very seriously and with the intent of it being a lifelong companionship, regardless of the hassles, expenses and lack of occasional play time.
No, I don't have children. But that was a conscious decision on my part, the same as adopting my cat and dog were. Dogs in particular have a harder time rebonding after they bond with one family so you are putting them through sorrow and loss even if it is with "another loving family". What if that family is military? If you can't commit to a pet, don't get it. They have feelings, too.
I have found that cats are more compatible with my current lifestyle. I grew up with dogs and miss having them around, but at this time in my life I do not feel that I can devote the time needed to give them a good life. My day to day life isn't exactly consistent and my cats aren't as demanding for constant human companionship. It's been easier to find people to take care of my cats when I am away, since they only need to have someone come by once a day. Also, it's not an issue to leave them alone for a weekend as long as I leave out big bowls of food and water. Also, I don't have to worry about banned breeds and weight restrictions like I would if I had dogs. I plan to get a dog when my husband retires and we finally settle down somewhere. Also, I will make sure that the "forever" home we buy will have a nice big yard for a dog to enjoy.
You are just too lazy to do a little paper work in order to take the pets with you. I brought two dogs to Japan which has the most stringent laws and it was only a little extra work. I can't believe military.com would put this on their homepage. The reason there are so many homeless pets is because of laziness!
But PCSing OCONUS with an animal requires so much more than paperwork. Let's be honest, here. Paperwork is just the start of the headache. There's substantial cost, quarantine, extra travel logistics, etc.
Then don't rescue,buy, or adopt an animal if you don't want the POTENTIAL extra work.They are not TOYS, they are living creatures. Children are a lot of work, but you wouldn't shove them off to someone else because of the 'hassle'.
So leaving a dog on doggy death row is better than getting one, taking care of it while reasonable and then letting someone else take care of him IF we pcs overseas?
I didn't say that. Your first post was all about the hassle. Please don't pull on heart strings when it's clear that it's more about the hassle than giving the animal a chance at life. You even admit to not wanting a dog, and only bought it for your son.
There are hundreds of animals that are not rescued everyday. While I wish people could accept them into their homes it's not possible. That being said, if you go out of your way to rescue an animal from a kill shelter you need to consider all the possibilities that might occur. Moving overseas IS one of those possibilities.
exactly. rescue means taking COMPLETE responsibility, not just for patting yourself on the back that you saved "it" from euthanasia. you owe that animal not just food and water, but love. if you can't give that… don't rescue!
Are you KIDDING ME?!?!?!!?!?!!! It's paperwork and money what the heck? You got a pet so you SAVE money for when that time comes you might possibly move overseas or even across country and need that money for the more expensive hotels that allow pets. You save that money for god forbid it gets sick. You get PLENTY of time to do the paperwork to bring your pets with you where you go. They give you time to do paperwork for your family to move so that's enough time for your pets to move. If you are not willing to put the effort into bringing your dog with you wherever you go then give it to a new home. Just make sure to explain to your son that the ONLY reason your giving the dog up is because your too damn lazy to do the paperwork and save the money to bring it with them. They aren't toys to get for now and then throw away later down the road when they become a inconvenience. You make me sick!
People that have children enrolled in EFMP have to do a TON of paperwork and need to be stationed only in certain places and its a HUGE hassle for them to move you don't see them putting them up for "rehoming" because its too much damn paperwork to bring him/her with them now do you?! And yes I'm comparing them and yes I have two kids. I am comparing them because your excuse is "its so much more work".
AGREED
Rather someone admit to their reluctance than to trash another animal! I agree that it's just some paperwork, but I would rather this person admit that they're unwilling rather than have an unhappy, maybe neglected or abused critter hanging about. Animals need to be wanted and appreciated and if this writer can't summon the gumption to do so, God bless her for admitting it rather than taking an animal for which she can't provide.
Our pets are worth it! We took our dog to Japan and she did an at home quarantine here in the states before we left.
I feel like in our every changing world as a military families our pets offer something consistent to our children especially our dog who we have had since before we were married. They bring me comfort when I have to sleep alone (nothing like a bed full of fur to make feel a little less alone).
To each their own I suppose…… I have recently written two blogs about owning pets and give tips to make it possible to own them because they are worth it if that is what you feel is important to your family.
I grew up in a mil family that every time we moved we had to give away our pets. I swore that when I grew up I would never do that. I haven't either. When I was single, my cat traveled everywhere with me, even when I backfilled during Desert Storm. My pets are my children. We have chosen not to have the 2 legged type. We travel with them and have never had a problem finding a hotel to stay. When we wanted to adopt a rescue dog, the lady almost did not want to let up adopt because we were military. People we have a BAD reputation when it comes to pets. She did allow us to adopt and we had our wonderful dog for 9 years. When he died we did not get another one. Husband was getting ready for a deployment and I went to grad school with my two cats. When he returned he wanted a dog but we decided that neither of us would have the time a dog takes and I worried that the cats would not accept one. So we are waiting. These two cats will be with us until they take their last breath.
I have never understood how people can just "give" away their fur babies. It is heartbreaking if it becomes necessary to find a new home for a pet. And I mean necessary for the animal's health and well being, not your own. I will keep any pet I have (and have done so) until they die, they are my responsibility and I cherish them and every minute I have with them. I have decided that I will not take my current dog with me overseas if that happens, but he will be going to stay with Grandma while I'm gone, just like one of his predecessors did 20 years ago when I went to Germany for 3 years (she lives on a farm, so it will be like permanent summer camp for him). She is also the only person I leave him with if I have to go anywhere he can't go. I just drive to her house first (she is 4 hours away), it is worth it to know that he is taken care of and I don't have to worry about him. Finding a kennel is like finding a babysitter, hard, hard, hard. So if you can't take the responsibility to be a pet's forever home or wouldn't take them if you had to go overseas (without a back up plan) then you shouldn't get the pet in the first place. Oh, and spay and neuter, no reason in the world, not to.
I have THREE pets. Two cats and a Dog. The cat has traveled with me everywhere I've gone for eight years. The two dogs I've had for three years and a year and a half. We will be ETSing soon. I also have three sons. Maybe it's just me and the way I am, but I see no reason to get rid of a dog due to a deployment. My dogs were actually a welcome extra distraction to me and my boys. Would I go back and change weather or not I got them? Never. They are my children just as much as my boys are.
I understand the hardships of PCS'ing with a pet (we just drove across country with our dog, from Virginia to JBLM). I can understand why some would say that it's better that people in the military forgo the joys of owning a dog or cat or what not, however, I have to respectfully disagree with the four points represented in the article. We are the proud owner of a 20 pound American Eskimo. He had a rough life starting out, but is getting adjusted and is a happy and healthy dog. We had him before my husband had joined the Army. He is a well traveled dog and he goes with us everywhere. We are hoping that our next duty station will be Germany (I've been there twice for various reasons and adore it). There are ways that you can avoid quarantining your pets as soon as they get overseas (or at least cut down on the quarantine time) by making sure everything is done in advance. The main issues are to make sure that your dog is not carrying life threatening or transferable illnesses that could possibly affect other dogs. Make sure before your move you have your dogs bloodwork done and all his medical records as current as they can be. Have any and all shots done before the move. It can be as difficult or as easy as the owner can make it. PCS'ing stateside is challenging. As mentioned previously, we just traveled 14 days across the country to get here with our then 18 month old and our dog in a very cramped car. It can be done. It's not fun, but it can be done. We had zero issues finding hotels along the way that allowed pets, and very few of them charged us over $60 a night. Once we arrived here, we found an amazing boarding place that was able to take our dog in while we were in housing. He loved it there. There are also sometimes multiple places to board an animal on Post. I also have to completely disagree that it's harder to find a rental home. In my experience, most rental properties and apartments are very willing to work with you and your pet, although you may have to pay a nominal fee. Sometimes it can be a little difficult depending on the size of your dog, but it is completely doable. My dog gets just as much, if not more, love when my husband is gone than he does when he is here. He is a part of our family, never neglected. I'm a busy mom, I have a rambunctious two year old, and I run my own business. Neglecting my dog would be like neglecting my son. I can't imagine not having a dog while my husband is gone. No matter how bad my day is getting, he's always there to lend a big fluffy hug. There have been very few times that I've traveled and left my dog behind because I know he's always been welcome at all of our friends and families houses. If we have to leave him for an extended amount of time, we do have friends in the area who love our dog as much as we do and are willing to take him in for a short time. If not, again, there is a wonderful boarding place off post we know we can take him and not break the bank.
Dogs are very similar to kids. They take a lot of time, energy, and money. Just as children are stressed during a PCS move, dogs can sometimes be just as stressed (although others, they are just happy to be leaving with you in the car!). If you can't handle the demands of a new dog or puppy or cat or what not, then no, you should absolutely not adopt one. However, the life a military family leads should not be a deterrent to adopting and owning a pet. So in answer to the author's question at the end, yes, owning a pet is most definitely worth the extra energy and paperwork. I can't imagine my life without my dog and our family is better for having him in our lives.
Hey, if we can go cross country with a three month old baby, two dogs, a cat and a HORSE then anybody can do it with any animal.
Two years ago, we did a cross country PCS journey with a 6month old, two cats, and a dog. Don't get me wrong, it is doable. But it definitely makes logistics more complicated.
While I definitely believe no one should adopt a pet unless they are absolutely committed to giving an animal a "forever home," I think a pet can be a military spouse's best friend. My husband and I went through a whole lotta hassle and spent a good deal of money to get our dog and cat overseas to Hawaii, which has very strict (and costly) quarantine requirements, but they are worth it and when we adopted them we made a promise to them to care of them, no matter what. And they are worth it all. My guy's deployed right now and I can't imagine not having our little fuzzballs snuggled up to me every night.
I don't think these are reasons not to get a pet as much as they're reasons not to do so LIGHTLY. You do twang to go out and get a pet because you're bored. Myself, I was brought up with the idea that this is a commitment I make to this animal for its lifetime. All these factors played a part in the MONTHS I spent considering whether or not to adopt my dog. It's definitely something you want to give a lot of thought to, especially because of these added military factors, except for the last one which applies to all pet owners.
That's "You don't want to go out and get…". Thank you auto-correct.
I love spousebuzz, but this was a pointless post. And it is discouraging for new military families. What it is saying is “you’re a military family, just in case your life isnt abnormal enough, it’s stupid to have dogs so just don’t”… It’s hard and costly to PCS with kids too, but no one in their right mind would tell you to not have them of you’re in the military too.
We have two dogs and two cats. We are their forever home, even if we go overseas. We have discussed the possibility of it being too expensive, but my inlaws have graciously offered to keep them for us if necessary. I could NEVER give up my fur kids to a shelter or to another family though. I'd always be worrying about if they were happy and being well taken care of. I think the pros of having pets (if you are an animal person) definitely outweigh the cons for military families. Pets graciously absorb our stress and problems while returning 100% unconditional love, acceptance and joy.
Bahahaha, you failed to mention a few things such has the ability to finding pet-friendly housing options, breed bans to name a couple
I just PCS 1500 miles with 1 dog (All 125 pounds), 2 guinea pigs, chickens, 2 fish, 2 kids, 2 cats and 10 bottle-feeding kittens)…. My husband decided to take the Uhaul. This is our 10th PCS with our Zoo. We have done mutiple overseas tours with with 3 dogs (A Bull Mastiff, A rottie/shepherd mix, and a Shepherd MIx (2 have passed away at the great age of 12 and 14), and 2 cats. I would do it 100x over.
I think a major issue that was failed to be mentioned is if you can't make the lifelong commitment to a pet. Please contact your local 501 animal rescue organization. They are general in desperate need of foster homes for homeless dogs, cats, reptiles, furry rodents, i.e. and often times they will provide the food and supplies. Along with vet care for the animals.. And you forgot the fact it is diffcult to find understanding landlords :)
Hell yeah its worth it!! But I fully agree if you can't handle it then don't get a pet. To many people see them as disposable and not a real commitment. or they get puppies and their feelings sour when they turn in to dogs. But I am fully willing to pay for vet visits, boarding, pet deposits. Things may be harder but not impossible.
My husband and I have two 9 year old English Bulldogs. Together we have been through an OCONUS PCS, two cross-country PCS's, and many road trips. We kept their shot records up to date and never had to quarantine them. The only expense we incurred with an OCONUS PCS was the shipping (about $300 total). We knew about the shipping costs and summer restrictions and planned for them, just like with any other PCS travel expense.
We have NEVER had an issue finding a hotel. We have stayed at Sheraton, Days Inn, Comfort Inn, La Quinta, Motel 6, Super Eight, etc. and never had to pay an extra fee. Usually, when my husband shows his military ID card, we end up with a discount and a "Thank you for your service". At some hotels, we have even been given doggie treat bags and special bedding. Every hotel we've stayed at has also had a designated pet "relaxation" area for them to take care of business.
We have also never had any issues finding civilian rentals or getting into housing. Maybe we have been lucky? We have lived in Europe, TX, CA, and DC and have never been homeless because we have dogs.
When we visit family, we take our boys with us. Family has never turned us away and we've never had problems finding a hotel along the way. Although that works for us, I realize some people can not travel with their pets all the time. In that case, SitterCity.com can help you locate a sitter for your pet. Some Petsmart locations offer pet lodging and so do a lot of vet clinics. It's not THAT difficult or challenging to have a pet.
If I could re-write this post, I would say the #1 reason not to get a pet is if you don't view having a pet as a commitment. If you view a pet as an accessory or something to occupy the kids, you have no business getting a pet. Leave the dog at the shelter for someone who can give it a forever home.
The #2 reason would be if you aren't in a position (financially) to deal with possible medical issues. If you can't afford to pay for vaccinations or doctor visits if your pet should become sick, you need to wait until you can. There's no point in making your pet suffer or putting yourself into debt. Just like all parents should consider the financial impact of having children, all pet owners should consider the financial impact of having a cat or dog. Healthcare can be expensive.
The #3 reason would be if you don't have time to devote to the new member of your family. This is the only reason I agreed with from the original poster. If you can't handle the dog, kids, work, the house, etc while your spouse is traveling or deployed, then leave the dog at the shelter for someone who can… or for someone who values the pet enough to make sure they don't feel neglected.
Overall, being in the military has not made having pets difficult or challenging for us. Then again, we never viewed them or treated them as anything less than family.
well said!
Hi there,
How did you ship your english bulldogs (OCONUS) for such a reasonable price? We have a move coming up with one english bulldog (2 years old) and nobody will fly her at all :( I'm curious as to how you went about it.
Having a pet is about long term commitment. Don't get one if you don't want to deal with the "hassle" of possibly moving overseas (or anywhere really) with them. We drove cross country with two cats and even managed to camp in Yellowstone in tents with them. A little more complicated yes but worth it. I love my boys.
We have two cats and two dogs and i can't imagine life without them. They will be with us until they die. As for visiting people, we have friends who will keep the dogs while we're gone and check on the cats a few times. In return, we watch their pets while they're on vacation. Yes, 4 dogs can get crazy but it's worth it. If we have to we can board them but we're thankful to have friends who will watch them too. I know they're spoiled rotten and well taken care of while we're gone.
Erin–
I am deeply insulted. Would you make the same claims about children? They are expensive to keep, they can keep you from traveling, and require an enormous amount of your time and effort.
My wife and I are the two in the cover photo with the shar pei, the yorkie, and the pomeranian. The photo was taken as an example of being great "pet parents." We were horrified to find that our stock photo was used to outline why NOT to have pets.
We have pets because I am unable to have children, thanks to a series of devastating combat injuries. You see, our pets ARE our children. We have moved to England and back with a cat and a dog, and further moved to our current location with two dogs and two horses.
For those of you who see your pets as an accessory, Erin's "not worth it" title may hold true for you. But, I can safely say that for anybody in a similar position as my wife and I, your pets are worth every single second and every single penny. I would rather be flat broke than to have never experienced the love and adoration of every single member of my family…fur and all!
With much respect, that is your experience. What if you have wonderful intentions for the pet but your husband is prone to anxiety attacks and the dog becomes a target of negativity. I think there are more stressful jobs in the military and people react differently. One person can roll with the punches however someone else may not be able to overcome and adapt. I think we should disregard the "military" aspect of this and just focus on the fact that families need to be responsible period about their choices on getting pets. I think its wonderful that you feel such a bond to your dogs.. its awful that you are unable to have children, Im so sorry for that. I commend you for being able to roll with the punches and bringing your animals with you, its tough. I just wouldn't be able to do it because I worry so much about my kids and having a pet would just make me stress out even more..
i couldn't agree more!
I agree with you both! Pets are certainly not for everybody in the military, but then neither are children, spouses, or Corvettes…LOL!!! However, for those of us who enjoy their companionship and are willing and able to accept the added cost and responsibility, pets are a true blessing!
Thank you for your thoughts and well-wishes!
I'm sorry but I'm not getting rid of my dogs for anything. They are a part of our family and we take care of them as such. I don't understand the whole "husband is deployed so they don't get enough attn thing" I have 2 children as well and when mine was deployed, I didn't have no issues making sure they got enough attention.
We are Pcs'ing to Germany in a few months and you better believe they are coming with us. People who dump their pets just because they move don't deserve them in the first place.
This entire article just annoys me greatly.
I have to agree with the columnist.. I think being a military family is tough enough.. and I think we do need to be careful what we bring into our family whether its children or pets.. From my own experience, we have spent thousands on our dog. It has been very stressful moving with her back and forth cross country. After some deployment experiences my spouse had developed PTSD and the dog became a major stressor. She was a shelter dog that could never kick the "runaway mode" even in 4 lane traffic! Everyone views pets differently, I do not see them as children though. With all due respect to the pet lovers, I do commend your love and affection. However, some people are wired differently and see the pet as a stressful money pit. It costs money to get shots, train, feed, groom and board the pet. When you add in a stressed out military family its not a good combo. I don't want to use specifics but a certain shelter would absolutely NOT let the dogs go to military families… They felt that most of their dogs came from military families so they would deny you right off the bat.. Plus How many of you already know your old neighbor that left their cat when they had to move.. they didn't even have the decency to get the cat a new home.. My advice to military and nonmilitary families in regards to pets is to think very hard about it before you make that choice because the pets deserve the forever home and love and care that we are all entitled to.
Sounds like you needed to take your dog to training. One of ours was a runner…6 months of intensive training and that dog never left our side again.
Thank you for being responsible and thoughtful enough to not assume responsibility for an animal when your heart wasn't in it. i wish that more people were this astute. (I have dogs, cats, horses, and birds)
My husband and I decided to get an Olde English Bulldogge when he returned from Japan.
This dog has been my most loyal companion. We've trained him, babied him, disciplined him, and loved him for ten months and he has returned our affections ten fold.
We are in Yuma right now, and travel to our hometown of El Paso once every couple of months.
We also travel to Oceanside to visit my sister at least once a month; our families in El Paso and Oceanside do not like dogs, but we made it clear if our Maxie isn't welcome in their homes, then we just won't go. It's the exact same time and stress for us to travel to them as it is for them to travel to us.
Difference is, we count Max as part of our family and won't leave him in another place if he's not wanted where we are going. Max is coming with us, no matter where we are moved to next.
I don't understand how easy it is for people to get rid of their pets; I grew up in a ranch and had two dogs and two cats. The dogs died of age; they were about 14 years old- I was 17, and one cat died of leukemia. I was heartbroken; it is the same kind of pain as it is to lose a human family member.
People who don't take the time to give their pet TLC don't deserve to have pets in the first place. They are not meant to have tied up to a tree outside, or just to buy for a child so the child can have an animal to play with. They are animals, yes, but they still feel, love and listen.
Anyone who says or thinks dogs are an accessory- an expendable accessory- shouldn't be allowed to ever have one.
i couldn’t be reading this at a more perfect time! my husband and i live in germany and have two dogs who have moved with us to three countries.
we just returned from eating in a local restaurant where unfortunately, two children were allowed to run wild. the restaurant manager even talked to them to pipe down with not a word from the parents. one of the little ***** then started picking her nose and wiping her boogers all over the tabletop.
frankly, you keep the kids; i’ll take my dogs!
Ok, I have 5 horses, 3 LARGE dogs and 3 cats. Everyone of them is fixed, except the mares, and most were rescues, including the horses or dumped at my gate. I live on a farm. I married an Army guy a few years back. When he went overseas to Korea, I stayed home to take care of all the animals and to keep my job. My children are grown and these guys are my children. The last dog I rescued was skin and bones and abused. The vet told him he had been resuced by the best mom in the world and was set for life. While i did not enjoy being separate from my husband for a year (took several long trips to visit) my mom came and took care of the 4 legged grand babies while I was gone. We are looking at moving within the US in the next year and they will ALL be moving with us.
We currently live in Germany and I see all the time people placing ads in the local military newspapers with the old "oh we're PCSing/just had a baby/want to travel…..and we can't keep our dog/cat. Someone give him/her a FOREVER home!" It makes me sick. Sure, I don't have children so I have infinately more time and resources for my fur-baby but there is no way I would just give her away (or worse, try to make a $$ profit) because my circumstances changed a little. There is a very good reason that the German animal shelter here refuse to adopt to military families, because they see time and time again the dog returned in 3 years time.
I got my dog after moving over here, I knew nobody, didn't work and was really miserable. Having a dog helped me get out of the house, meet people and generally engage in life a bit more. I don't think my marriage would have survived otherwise. So yes, the expense, time, hassle etc. are more that worth it.
A great resource when looking for pet friendly lodging is http://www.petswelcome.com/ . They list hotels by state. We have a dog, a hamster and a variety of crabs. My husband always says it is "my dog" because he did not really want one, but my now he spoils him as much as I do *lol*. Yes, life would be easier without a pet sometimes, but when you take on an animal you are aware of the costs and obstacles or else you should not do it. What it comes down to is to see if you can afford the commitment for the next decade or more and make an informed decision.
I wouldn't trade having my basset hound for anything! =o] Granted I had him for about 5 years before getting married and "joining the Army", but I still wouldn't trade having him with me for anything. He was instrumental during my hubby's deployment as my battle buddy. Dogs especially are so intuitive to their people's moods and feelings and things they are going through. When I didn't have a friend to go to, it was so comforting to just have him there to shed some tears and I knew he wouldn't look at me any different. Even though I'm a very active person, when I got sick he also got me out of the house to at least get walks in on a daily basis.
We did all the moves and hassles with a 200 lb Great Pyrenees that we rescued. When we had to put him down because a neighbor posiened him, we rescued a magnificent Black Lab. Our son said, "Well, Max helped to raise me this far, and Micky can help the rest of the way. There wasn't a hassle big enough to part us from our dog.
My husband and I own FOUR large dogs, all of which are typical "BSL" breed. I owned three when we met, and when one passed we then over time adopted two more. They all came from horrendous backgrounds and we refuse to rehome them even when it gets hard. Though my husband always stresses about finding housing we have never had a problem finding a house within our budget in a safe neighborhood. They are all rescues from bad backgrounds and DESERVE a forever home.
When we had the chance to apply for a Spain placement, we declined because of breed ban laws. But if we had to his parents offered to care for them. And when my husband volunteered to go to Afghanistan, they were there for me to alleviate the loneliness, and I even fostered other dogs while he was gone to do more good in the world. I think sometimes that he missed them more than me!
If you see a pet as a money pit, as a dirty animal, as a waste of time, or just "for the kids" then DON'T get one. They aren't kids, but they ARE members of our family and are not disposable.
I find peoples views here a little heartbreaking. Some of us have no choice… I had to give away my babies today not because I wanted to or didn't think it was worth it but because I had too. Think about the people who get last minute orders or the military families who are not high ranking. Think about keeping a pet in quarantine for 120 days which in itself is cruel. We had 2 dogs and one month to get to Guam. There is no pre planning when you get orders like this. It's my husbands duty to country to go and that means making sacrifices. Lucky to those of you who got advance time to prepare but not everybody does. The military does not pay for your pet related expenses. That means flying 2 dogs to Guam to have the sit in a kennel for 120 days. It's 15 dollars per pet per day… Do the math. Can you afford that? Great for you… How about a e1? My husbands e5 and we can't even afford that. Even if we could how would you like to be alone in a cage on a plane just to get somewhere and be in a cage for another 4 months… If that's not cruel I don't know what is. It's selfish to put my kids through that when they could be here with somebody who loves them. Family couldn't take them so what else can you do. Sure you can say well you should have thought of this when you got a pet. Excuse me for not knowing that overseas bases have month long quarantines that are also paid out of pocket… I guess thats common knowledge? We won't ever be getting pets again while in the military because now we do know and it's not fair to the dogs and it hurt like hell for me to say goodbye and go through this process. Not everybody is lazy or whatever you may think… Life happens. When you sign up to serve your country you put that before all else. You make sacrificifices.
I agree with this article for me personally. I respect other people's decision to have pets. Pets are not for me. I will gladly leave pet ownership to other people.
I am a pet owner. I love my pets. I would do anything for them, but not all military people are like this. At first this article made me really mad, but then I thought about the last place that I lived in Hawaii. As much as I would not want to discourage people like me from getting pets, I have seen plenty of very irresponsible military people who should never have gotten a pet.
At the last military housing place I lived, I had to report five different neighbors for absolute cruelty to animals. Animals left behind, animals left to live in their own feces, animals tied up on a chain to tree hanging from the tree because the chain was too short, animals bred for fighting, animals running wild, animals caught so much in their chain that their leg fell off, etc, and not a single one of these people should have had a pet or even got in trouble for doing what they did.
If you can not make a lifelong committment to a pet–you shouldn't have one. This includes cats. Every military base I have lived on or near has feral cats running everywhere because people have left them. Pets are expensive, take a lot of time, need to be trained, and looked after and many military people just do not understand this. I am glad the author is trying to warn them.
Hopefully, the people who might have been on the fence will read this article and realize that pets might not be right for them. People who know how to own a pet shouldn't really be offended by the article–they should take it as more of, well, the article doesn't really mean me, because I do not look at my pet in the same way as other people. People should take it as I already understand the points of this article and don't really need to read it because I am willing to accept and deal with the terms of a pet. Everyone just needs to remember that not all people are responsible
I think the author brings up good points as well as many of those that left comments. In my situation, I met my husband three years ago and he already had a great dane that did everything with him. Just as well, I had three young children from a previous marriage. I always grew up with dogs however I did not own one because I couldn't handle the responsibility along with my three children as a single mom at the time. Fast forward three years and now my husband is in the military and we are at our first duty station across the country from our family. Honestly having a dog has been stressful. Because my husband is gone most times the responsibility lies on me and I am expecting another child. I love our pet so I get by but I feel bad for him most times because I simply do not have the time or energy to give him the attention that he deserves. For now I will do all that I can but I do not plan on getting another pet anytime soon. At least until I can give them the time and attention that they deserve.
Pets are wonderful, but they aren't for everyone. Before you adopt a pet, spend some time to figure out how much it will cost you, how much time it will take to take care of them, etc. The last thing you want to do is get a pet that you can afford to take care of and you don't have enough time to spend with it.