Pet Travel Tips

Most airlines have maximum pet carrier size acceptance guidelines:

Baggage/cargo: 40 inches (L) x 27 inches (W) x 30 inches (H)

In cabin:

Commercial: 18 inches (L) x 12 inches (W) x 8 inches (H)

AMC: 20 inches (L) x 16 inches (W) x 8 inches (H)

The kennel / cage must be approved by the International Air Transportation Association and be large

enough for the animal to stand up, turn around, and lie down with normal posture and body movements.

Kennels must have air holes on all 4 sides. Several layers of newspaper, shredded paper, or absorbent

material (towel/blankets) should be placed in the bottom of the cage. Do not use straw, hay, soil, grass or

sawdust.

It is a good idea to place a familiar article (clothing or toy) in the cage/kennel to placate your pet.

Pets should be lightly fed and given water the night before. The pet should be exercised and allowed to

use the bathroom before being brought to the terminal.

It is also best to fill the travel carrier water dish and freeze the water the night before your flight. You

can also place ice in the water dish at the terminal. During transit, usually water will spill in the carrier if it

is not in solid form (ice). Pets will remain in a carrier while inside the terminal at all times. The

traveler/owner is responsible for all cost and documentation of pet for the entire movement.

If at all possible, do not ship pets that are in heat. Certain animals with short noses may experience more

respiratory difficulty during higher temperatures while traveling. Some airlines will not fly animals with

short noses during the summer. (See Commercial Transportation)

All pets nursing young must be weaned from their young prior to PCS.

AMC Transportation

AMC Pet travel is only authorized for PCS personnel. The sponsor or a sponsor’s family member must

accompany the pet on AMC. The traveler must pay for the movement of all pets. Costs for pet shipment

must be paid at the AMC ticket counter at check-in time.

AMC has a 100-lb. limit on pets; this includes the weight of the kennel (pet and kennel together). AMC

requirements include: animals 70lbs and under (including weight of kennel) will require one space.

Animals weighing 71- 100 lbs. (including kennel) will require two spaces. The cost per space is $90.00.

For persons traveling with more than two pets, you will need to contact the Scott AFB, Illinois TMO

office to get a letter of exception.

Two Methods of Shipping Pets AMC:

In Cabin: Carrier Dimensions must be smaller than 20"L x 16"L x 8"H and must be an airline approved

carrier. Pets must be able to stand, sit, turn and lay down with normal body posture to fit this category.

Excess Accompanied Baggage Shipment: This method is available to personnel traveling to and from

Japan. Requests for obtaining transportation reservations for the movement of pets as excess baggage must

be submitted to the personnel office during the outbound assignment interview. While travel reservations

permitting the movement of your pet cannot be guaranteed, every effort will be made to meet your

requirements by the personnel office, TMO, and AMC.

Commercial Transportation

It is recommended to contact your airline in advance to get the most current information. Each airline

determines their specific pet policies. The following is a list of major airlines and their phone numbers with

embargo information.

United Airlines - Temperature requirements are not less than 10 degrees Fahrenheit or more than 85

degrees Fahrenheit. Unless you have PCS orders there is a Pet Embargo from 1 May- 30 Sept.

Northwest - Not less than 10 Degrees Fahrenheit or more than 85 Degrees Fahrenheit.

American Airlines - Pet Embargo is from 15 May through 15 Sept and there is no exceptions to people

that are on PCS orders.

Continental - No pets will be transported in or out of Japan.

Delta - Pet Embargo is from 15 May through 15 Sept unless on PCS orders. Temperature not to exceed

85 degrees.

**To view a complete list of airlines and comprehensive animal transportation information, view these

websites.

http://www.pettravel.com/airline_rules.cfm

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/pubs/petravel.html

A complete list of airline contact numbers and links to pet policies can be found at:

http://www.pettravel.com/links_airport_contactinfo.cfm

Numbers for the most common airlines are provided here:

American Airlines

1-800-227-4622

Japan: 0120-00-0860

Continental Airlines

1-800-525-0280

Japan: 0120-24-2414

Japan Airlines

1-800-525-3663

United Airlines Northwest Airlines Delta Airlines

1-800-241-6522

Japan: 0120-11-4466

1-800-225-2525

Japan: 0120-12-0747

1-800-221-1212

Japan: 0120-33-3742

NOTE: The following breeds cannot be transported in temperatures above 70 degrees on several

airlines. Use the links provided above for airline specific restrictions.

Dogs: American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pitt Bull Terrier, Bull Mastiff, French Bulldog,

Brussels Griffon, Bull Terrier, Dutch Pug, English Bulldog, English Toy Spaniel, Boston Terrier, Chow

Chow, Japanese Spaniel Japanese Boxer, Japanese Pug, Pekinese, Pug, Shit Tzu, Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Cats: Himalayans, Persians, Burmese

Japan’s official Ports of Entry include:

Seaports: Nagoya, Keihin, Osaka, Kobe, Kanmon and Naha.

Airports: New Tokyo (Narita), Haneda, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, and Naha.

Narita Quarantine Kennel Hours - Monday through Friday 0830-1700. Any arrivals which vary from

these working hours will be considered overtime, and the pet owner will be charged accordingly

(approximately Y10,000.) To avoid any problems, try to schedule your/your pet's arrival between 0800-

1600, Monday through Friday.

IMPORTANT - Buses to various military installations leave Narita and Yokota on a daily basis, but

space for your pet is on availability only. Depending on capacity and the time schedule, you may have to

leave your pet and return later. You will be charged for your pet's stay. If on-base kenneling is not available,

you may be required to return your pet to a designated Animal Quarantine Service Facility. The buses are

rarely full, but it is best to make arrangements for transportation through your sponsor.

Required Documents

• Pet Processing Checklist

Pet Processing Checklist

• Travel orders [2 copies of permanent change of station (PCS) orders for each pet].

• Rabies Vaccination (INACTIVATED) Certificate (DD Form 2208; 2 copies and original).

• Health Certificate (MDJ OP Form 2209; Veterinary Health Certificate for Import/Export for Japan;

2 copies and original), the health certificate cannot be older than 10 days. If there is a layover that

will cause your health certificate to expire, then a new health certificate must be obtained.

MDJ OP Form 2209

• Japan Ministry of Agriculture Advance Notification Forms (Advance Notification Approval

Form; 2 copies and original) If traveling by commercial airlines, advance notification approval is

required for check-in with the airline and upon arrival in Japan. Submit the Advance Notification

Form as soon as transportation arrangements as well as microchipping, vaccination, and FAVN

testing steps are complete.

Please annotate in the "Remarks" column this statement: "This

pet belongs to a US SOFA sponsored family and will be assigned to (list installation)."

o Advance Notification Form for Dogs

Advance Notification Form for Cats

o Import/export Animal Quarantine Stations Contact

http://www.maff-aqs.go.jp/english/soshiki/telephonelist.htm

• All of the above documents must be attached to the outside of the airline kennel (Ziploc bag works

best). Label the bag: "Export/Import Pet Documents."

• MDJ Form 270 (Pet Quarantine and Examination Certificate; 2 copies) All SOFA status

personnel entering Japan with a pet are required to complete a MDJ 270. The MDJ 270 allows

your pet to be released to you for transportation to your US Military Quarantine Facility. Please

download the form and fill it out before arrival. You are required to submit the form to your US

Military Veterinary Treatment Facility within 72 hours of entry into Japan.

MDJ Form 270

• 380 EJ Form (Customs Free Import or Export of Cargo or Customs Declaration of Personal

Property): This form is needed when your pet(s) enters Japan through a civilian airport separately

as freight and on a different flight than you. You may obtain the form by having your PCS sponsor

in Japan take a copy of your orders to the transportation office at your gaining installation. The

base transportation officer will sign the appropriate box after verifying your orders.

• Health Certificates for Pets from Rabies Free Countries: These health certificates are to be

used for pets that will be traveling to Japan from designated Rabies Free Countries including

Taiwan, Iceland, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom (Great Britain and Northern

Ireland), Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii, and Guam.

Rabies Free Health Certificate Form A

Rabies Free Health Certificate Form B

• Transportation Annex Form for Pets from Rabies Free Countries transiting a third country:

Transiting Certificate Annex Form

• Export Quarantine Application Form for Pets leaving Japan to return at a later date:

Export Quarantine Application for Dogs

Export Quarantine Application for Cats

For more information, please go to the following websites.

US Army Japan District Veterinary Command

http://www.usarj.army.mil/organization/vet/index.aspx

Japan Animal Quarantine Service

http://www.maff-aqs.go.jp/english/