aquiring pets

[Anonymous]

hi I have mentioned before, but for anyone who missed the posts, I'm 21 and doing ROTC, planning on going career active duty, with a major in molecular genetics, hopefully going into vetmed. I currently have three years before completion of my undergraduate degree.

anyways, knowing that, if anyone could offer me any advice at all as to when in my career I'll be stable enough to be able to get, say, a dog. I would like to get an apartment next year and get a dog, though I assume that it is a bad idea because I'll still have advanced camp that summer and would have to either board the dog or have someone watch it for me. so that would mean waiting until after advanced. but then I have ait (or do I not have it because of rotc? I'm really confused on that aspect) or if not that, will go to my first duty station, and if I'm single I'll have to live in barracks right? and then I'd have to send the dog to my mom for the year or something as far as I can guess. I guess what I'm trying to figure out, is, in the ROTC line, at what point can I get a dog and feel secure knowing that I can take it with me when I move to a new duty station? if anyone can give me any advice I would appreciate it.

also does anyone know if, after you've contracted through rotc and are getting your scholarship, whether they will let you use the "fees" part of the scholarship towards both dorms and off campus appartments, only dorms, or neither? thank you cadet b.

dualdebaran@mailcity.com

[Anonymous]

I can answer your questions about pets. Being single, you will live in the BOQ (Bachelor Officer Quarters) and like any barracks for single soldiers you cannot have a pet. Exceptions have been made for fish, but that's all.

Should you find yourself financially sound enough to reside off post on your own pay without subsistance (and as an officer, they are more likely to grant you BAQ being single then if you were enlisted), then you can have any pet you want.

If you marry, then the problem is resolved. Married and living on post, they do restrict the amount of pets you can have, but you can have them.

Another area you have to consider is if you have to go overseas. Animals going to a different country have to undergo a quarantine period. Case in point, just getting transferred to Hawaii, your animal will be quarantined for six months (there are no rabies on the island and they are fanatical about restricting what animals can be brought there). My dog, who thought he was human, could not have survive that long in a kennel, so I opted to leave him with my parents during my tour in Hawaii. Each country establishes different quarantine periods. Also the military will not pay for their passage.

You also have to take into consideration of what to do with your pet when you are in the field (these can range from a week to months). Another case in point was when I deployed to Saudi, I had to find accommodations for my dog at that point also. I was lucky, the people who were guardians for my son also took my dog.

There are many abandoned animals on military bases because people don't take these things into consideration. Want a pet, then check out the pound on post, it's always full.

So, when is it safe to get a dog. Never, you just have to realize the strictures that are imposed and work within them.

[Anonymous]

I am also a dog lover and because of that fact I feel compelled to tell you my experiences with dogs in the military to hopefully save you a heartache! I was in Germany and before we shiped there we were told not to bring our Yellow Lab and I am glad I followed that advice. Overseas....unless you are a field grade officer.....is apartment living....not really any place for a dog. The dog run (the only place on post where your pet was allowed to pee or poop) was a 1/4 mile away from my building and most people that came to Germany with pets ended up putting them to sleep or abandoning them :(. Because of this..the Army stopped paying to ship pets overseas, which I believe is a wise decision. The German shelters were FULL of dogs and cats that were abandoned and they were reluctant to sell these animals to Americans. A cat at the shelter could run you as much as $100!!!! When we came stateside (Fort Hood) we were excited because we thought we were finally able to get another pet. We didn't know how hard it would be to find a habitable place to live that would allow a pet. We called every rental agency in Killeen and were told that in their experience Military families were not responsible pet owners and that they would not allow any pets in their rentals. There were a few rentals in the 500-600/mo range that allowed animals and these rentals are nowhere that I could live.....torn, stained, missing carpet.....discusting is a good word to describe them all. I searched for 3 months for a rental that allowed pets and couldn't find one. On Fort Hood you can wait for your name to come up on the housing list for as long as TWO YEARS. ONce in housing you are able to get a pet.....but in the Army you move about every 2-3 years and have to start over looking for housing...and from what I have heard the pet situation is the same on most bases. I don't know any single soldiers that have pets and that is for good reason. I also know that the animal shelters around Fort Hood are full to capacity and they put down around 20 dogs a week (a FACT). The Army is a hard place for a dog to live and I wouldn't recomend adopting a dog until you have been in long enough and have enough rank that housing isn't an issue. There are animals EVERY day abandoned in PCS moves....that is also a FACT. Being in the Army you will have field time, deplotments, TDY.....what are you planning on doing with your pet during this time.......? It's not fair for the dog----don't bring a dog into a situation where he will not have all the love and attention that he deserves. Pets are not disposable...too many people think of them in that way and the pet suffers. HOpe this sheds some light on the pet situation for you. I don't mean to be harsh...but I spend a lot of time at the local animal shelters and it breaks my heart everytime there is another animal abandoned. I grew up with dogs and I understand your feelings for wanting a pet...but the best thing I can do for a pet right now is NOT TO GET ONE!


:
: I can answer your questions about pets. Being single, you will live in the
: BOQ (Bachelor Officer Quarters) and like any barracks for single soldiers
: you cannot have a pet. Exceptions have been made for fish, but that's all.
:
: Should you find yourself financially sound enough to reside off post on your
: own pay without subsistance (and as an officer, they are more likely to
: grant you BAQ being single then if you were enlisted), then you can have
: any pet you want.
:
: If you marry, then the problem is resolved. Married and living on post, they
: do restrict the amount of pets you can have, but you can have them.
:
: Another area you have to consider is if you have to go overseas. Animals
: going to a different country have to undergo a quarantine period. Case in
: point, just getting transferred to Hawaii, your animal will be quarantined
: for six months (there are no rabies on the island and they are fanatical
: about restricting what animals can be brought there). My dog, who thought
: he was human, could not have survive that long in a kennel, so I opted to
: leave him with my parents during my tour in Hawaii. Each country
: establishes different quarantine periods. Also the military will not pay
: for their passage.
:
: You also have to take into consideration of what to do with your pet when you
: are in the field (these can range from a week to months). Another case in
: point was when I deployed to Saudi, I had to find accommodations for my
: dog at that point also. I was lucky, the people who were guardians for my
: son also took my dog.
:
: There are many abandoned animals on military bases because people don't take
: these things into consideration. Want a pet, then check out the pound on
: post, it's always full.
:
: So, when is it safe to get a dog. Never, you just have to realize the
: strictures that are imposed and work within them.


montanahunters@aol.com

[Anonymous]

just out of curiosity, what is a "field grade" officer??? thanks ...


:
: I am also a dog lover and because of that fact I feel compelled to tell you
: my experiences with dogs in the military to hopefully save you a
: heartache! I was in Germany and before we shiped there we were told not to
: bring our Yellow Lab and I am glad I followed that advice.
: Overseas....unless you are a field grade officer.....is apartment
: living....not really any place for a dog. The dog run (the only place on
: post where your pet was allowed to pee or poop) was a 1/4 mile away from
: my building and most people that came to Germany with pets ended up
: putting them to sleep or abandoning them :(. Because of this..the Army
: stopped paying to ship pets overseas, which I believe is a wise decision.
: The German shelters were FULL of dogs and cats that were abandoned and
: they were reluctant to sell these animals to Americans. A cat at the
: shelter could run you as much as $100!!!! When we came stateside (Fort
: Hood) we were excited because we thought we were finally able to get
: another pet. We didn't know how hard it would be to find a habitable place
: to live that would allow a pet. We called every rental agency in Killeen
: and were told that in their experience Military families were not
: responsible pet owners and that they would not allow any pets in their
: rentals. There were a few rentals in the 500-600/mo range that allowed
: animals and these rentals are nowhere that I could live.....torn, stained,
: missing carpet.....discusting is a good word to describe them all. I
: searched for 3 months for a rental that allowed pets and couldn't find
: one. On Fort Hood you can wait for your name to come up on the housing
: list for as long as TWO YEARS. ONce in housing you are able to get a
: pet.....but in the Army you move about every 2-3 years and have to start
: over looking for housing...and from what I have heard the pet situation is
: the same on most bases. I don't know any single soldiers that have pets
: and that is for good reason. I also know that the animal shelters around
: Fort Hood are full to capacity and they put down around 20 dogs a week (a
: FACT). The Army is a hard place for a dog to live and I wouldn't recomend
: adopting a dog until you have been in long enough and have enough rank
: that housing isn't an issue. There are animals EVERY day abandoned in PCS
: moves....that is also a FACT. Being in the Army you will have field time,
: deplotments, TDY.....what are you planning on doing with your pet during
: this time.......? It's not fair for the dog----don't bring a dog into a
: situation where he will not have all the love and attention that he
: deserves. Pets are not disposable...too many people think of them in that
: way and the pet suffers. HOpe this sheds some light on the pet situation
: for you. I don't mean to be harsh...but I spend a lot of time at the local
: animal shelters and it breaks my heart everytime there is another animal
: abandoned. I grew up with dogs and I understand your feelings for wanting
: a pet...but the best thing I can do for a pet right now is NOT TO GET ONE!


arkady@flinn.net