They wouldn't leave you, why would you leave them?

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Tara A. Williamson
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  With permanent change of station season approaching, it's easy to get lost in a lot of commotion.

This can include anything from cleaning out a desk, to retrieving medical records, or from booking a flight, to making sure a child's school lunch program account is paid off.

But there is one thing people have been forgetting about when PCSing. Their furry family members.

"At Karing Kennels, they'll get a lot of dogs being brought in to them," said U.S. Army Capt. William Baskerville, U.S. Army Public Health Command, District Japan, Okinawa Branch Veterinary Service, Okinawa Veterinary Treatment Facility acting officer in charge. "[They get] quite a few, especially during PCS season; we'll start noticing [the increase] more."

Not only are Kadena's four-legged friends being given up for adoption, Airmen from the Munitions Storage area have reported seeing household pets running loose after being left to fend for themselves.

"It does kind of correlate with PCS season," Baskerville said. "Now that it's summer timeframe, PCSs are going to start increasing, and we're going to see more numbers of [animals running loose]. Now, with all the different breed bans, airlines not taking [certain pets], animals not flying with the owner -- them going [in] cargo -- I don't know what that's going to do. It may increase even more."

Not if the 18th Force Support Squadron Military Personnel Section has anything to say about it.

A new portion on their outprocessing checklist will now include outprocessing your pet from the Kadena Veterinary Clinic, said Master Sgt. Andrew Smith, 18th FSS career development superintendent. As is with each outprocessing checklist, if a member hasn't completed it, they won't be cleared to leave.

Nevertheless, if a person, or family, must PCS without their pet, there are options available to be a responsible pet owner.

"One, they can turn them into Karing Kennels if for some reason they can't find a home," Baskerville said. "They will incur a fee, but they will take them and try to find them a home."

The Okinawan-American Animal Rescue Society is another choice for putting a pet up for adoption. OAARS is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization approved by Marine Corps Community Service and Base Command, dedicated to improving animal welfare.

However, OAARS does not have a shelter. All of OAARS animals are in foster homes, making it difficult to submit them if no foster families are available.

"If they know they're going to PCS and they know they can't take their pet, start early looking for owners," Baskerville said. "Don't wait until, 'We're leaving in two weeks; let's try to find a home.' Then, when the time comes, they come to us to transfer ownership so the new owners can get the medical record so they know what's happened in the past."

For further information on what to do when PCSing with pets contact Karing Kennels at 959-4062, the Vet clinic at 959-1300 and OAARS at oaarsintake@gmail.com.