Many families are made up of two main ingredients: people and pets, and not necessarily in that order. In some families, the pets are valued as much as the people. Pets provide companionship, stability, and laughs throughout the good times and the bad.

      However, moving with pets can be a bit more complicated than it may seem. Fido may be small and well-behaved, but other factors will affect your decisions about whether and how to bring him along. To help you think about these, we've posed these questions for you:

      1. Can you take your pet with you?
      2. If you can, what do you need to do to plan for the move?
      3. If not, what should you do with your pet?
      1. Can you take your pet with you?

        If you are moving to an OCONUS installation (outside the United States), you will need to find out if there are any restrictions on bringing pets into your new country. Some countries require you to keep your pet in quarantine (isolated confinement) for a while when you first get there. In fact, some countries require the pet to be kept in quarrantine for so long that you might decide that it wouldn't be fair to the animal to bring it with you.

        No matter where you move, you should find out (as soon as possible) if your new home allows pets. You may be in transitional housing for a while; if so, you will need to find out about their pet policies and whether you will have an enclosed yard where your pet can spend time outdoors.

        If you are moving to a new climate (say you are moving from Florida to Alaska), you need to think about what is best for your pet. Some pets might not do very well with extreme climate changes.

      2. If you can take your pet with you, what do you need to do to plan for the move?

        If you can take your pets along, you will need to plan carefully to make sure that the move is safe and comfortable for your pet. The following sites provide helpful hints and checklists of things to do before and during the move:

        Moving with Pets and Plants -- Learn about transporting pets, meeting entry requirements and observing local laws, and travelling with pets by plane and car.

        Pet Safety Tips -- Check out a wide range of pet safety tips, including some helpful hints on travelling with pets. This page is part of the American Veterinary Medical Association's Care for Pets Web site. Surf back to the site's home page for more pet-related information.

        Vaccinations and East Coast Travel -- Read a news story on the need to vaccinate your pets if planning a trip to eastern U.S.

        Moving to Guam? -- If so, you'll need to check out this site. It talks about everything you need to know before bringing a pet to Guam (such as mandatory quarantine periods, reserving private kennel, and obtaining entry permits).

        Before you adopt a pet, read this web page. If your family is planning to move in the future, you should consider a number of things before adopting a pet.

      3. If you can't take your pet with you, what should you do with it?

        If taking your pets along is not an option for your family, you may decide to give your pet to a friend or relative who will take good care of it after you move. You can also place the pet in an animal shelter or pet adoption center.