Shipping Pets

If you must travel by air with your pet, here are a few tips:

• Regardless of how cautious you and the airline are, there are always significant risks involved when you decide to transport your pet by air. We strongly recommend that you use alternate means of transportation if at all possible.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture regulates air transportation of pets and requires that all pets be at least 8 weeks old and weaned at least five days prior to flying in order to be transported by air. We strongly recommend that you err on the side of safety and not transport any pet under 12 weeks of age. Additionally, ill, very nervous, pregnant or older pets should not be transported by air.
• Certain breeds, including Boston terrier, bulldog, boxer, Chow Chow, Lhasa Apso, Pekinese, Pug, and ShihTzu dogs, as well as Himalayan and Persian cats, should not be transported by air because these breeds are more susceptible to breathing difficulties caused by the thin air at high altitudes.
• We strongly discourage the use of other than nonstop flights, especially for pets that will not be traveling in the cabin. Avoid weekend or holiday flight periods as the high numbers of travelers during these periods may prevent your pet from receiving as much attention as it should.
• If your pet will not be traveling in the cabin with you, avoid travel during very cold or hot times of the year and make certain that flights are early morning or late night during the summer and midday during the winter. The USDA prohibits the shipment of animals where temperatures at either the origin or destination are below 45 degrees or above 85 degrees. Many airlines have further temperature-related restrictions.
• Allow up to two extra hours for check-in and, if your pet is not traveling with you in the cabin, arrival procedures.
• Exercise your pet before you place it in its carrier or crate so that it may relieve itself.
• Make certain that your pet is wearing a collar with identification in case it escapes. The safest type of collar for air travel is a breakaway collar if you have a cat or, for dogs, a paper collar you make yourself from a strip of paper and tape with identification written on the paper. This will prevent your pet from accidentally strangling itself in its collar.
• Never muzzle your pet, as its ability to breathe and regulate its temperature by panting will be severely restricted.

Vaccinations, Licensing and Registration

If an adult dog has no history of vaccines, it would need two doses of DA2PP and Bordetella given three weeks apart, and a one-year rabies shot. Dogs are vaccinated yearly for DA2PP and Bordetella. The first rabies vaccine is good for one year and the follow-up rabies vaccine is good for three years in Arizona.

If an adult cat has no history of vaccines, it would need two doses of FVRCP and FELV three weeks apart, and a one-year rabies shot. Cats are vaccinated yearly for FVRCP and FELV. The first rabies vaccine is good for one year and the follow-up rabies vaccine is good for three years in Arizona. All cats must be tested for FELV before vaccination for the disease.

Registration of Dogs and Cats

All dogs and cats are required to be immunized against rabies in the state of Arizona. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base requires a full series of vaccinations, including the rabies vaccination. The pet must be registered with us if it lives on base. If the pet lives off base, it needs to be registered with Pima County. For more information, contact the DMAFB Veterinary Clinic at 520-228-3529.

Registration and immunization are required on a yearly basis. If your animals were not vaccinated at the Davis-Monthan veterinary treatment facility, bring the certificate of rabies vaccination to the VTF for registration and/or to update heir records.

All dogs 3 months of age or older must have a current Pima County license, and the license must be affixed to a collar and worn at all times. To obtain your dog’s license, your dog must have a current rabies vaccination administered by a licensed veterinarian. Contact the Pima Animal Care Center at 520-243-5969.

Call the veterinary clinic on Davis-Monthan AFB at 520-228-3529. Our vets are on a rotational schedule. Call for more information.

Starting Jan. 1, 2024, service members can be reimbursed up to $550 in the continental U.S. for one household pet, either cat or dog, and up to $2,000 for moves to or from a location outside the continental U.S. to cover costs related to the transportation of a pet which is defined by the Joint Travel Regulations as a cat or dog.

For more information about pet travel reimbursement, visit: https://www.afpc.af.mil/News/Article/3632216/daf-sets-documentation-requirements-for-pet-travel-expense-reimbursement/

There are limited TLF rooms on base to accommodate pets. Make your reservations well in advance to ensure availability. 

For help finding pet-friendly accommodations, visit the PetTravel website. Click the Search "Pet Friendly Accommodations" button for a list of pet friendly hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, small inns and vacation rentals in Tucson, pet information for all the world's airlines, plus information on travel by ship, train, bus and car.

*** Kennels ***

There are no kennels on Davis-Monthan. Local boarding options can be found at:  https://www.bringfido.com/resource/doggie_daycare_boarding/city/tucson_az_us/

For further questions call, the veterinarian clinic on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base at 520-228-3529.

The Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Veterinary Clinic is located at 5350 E. Arizola St., Tucson, AZ 85707. Call 520-228-3529 or fax 520-228-7106.

All animals are seen by appointment only. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday. The clinic is closed Saturday & Sunday and on family days, weekends, holidays and the last working day of each month. Hours are subject to change. Our veterinarians work on a rotational schedule. Call in advance.

The base veterinary treatment facility is available to help you maintain your dog or cat’s health and keep their shots up to date. Services provided include vaccinations, treatment of zoonotic diseases (ones that can be transmitted to humans), heartworm testing, leukemia testing, ear cleaning, health exams, microchip identification implants, health certificates and a variety of products to enhance your pet's quality of life.

Services are open to anyone with a valid military ID, which entitles them to governmental medical care. 

• Rabies and annual vaccinations for cats and dogs
• Booster shots
• Airplane and foreign health certificates
• Wellness exams
• Overseas travel regulations
• Microchips
• Heartworm tests
• Toenail trims
• Pima County registration
• Heartgard
• K-9 Advantix
• Frontline for cats

Due to high demand, it is strongly recommended to call early to schedule your next appointment. The private animal care clinic may be able to provide appointments for some general sick calls; however, this is based on appointment availability and capabilities.

Hospitalization, intensive veterinary care and emergency services are NOT available. All chronic illnesses must be seen by an in-town veterinarian.

Summer in Tucson is a particularly difficult time for pets, as temperatures soar above 110 degrees. Take every precaution to ensure your pet is well hydrated as it travels and that you do not leave your pet in your vehicle, even during a brief stop. Many pets (and children) die each year from being left in closed vehicles during the summer.

Always have your animal tagged in some way in case they escape. Microchips are very popular and quite inexpensive, and even a paper collar with contact information is better than nothing at all. In fact, if there is a possibility of your pet strangling in a portable kennel or on car equipment, then use paper.

Allow your pet to stretch, drink, snack or use the restroom as often as you stop.

Desert Pet Care and the Law

It heats up fast in Arizona. Help protect your pet from the danger summer heat brings.

• Pets must have access to shade the entire day. And remember, what was shady in the morning may not be shady in the afternoon.
• Pets must have access to cool and clean water at all times. Keep water in a container that will not tip over. You can place water in the shade, use an automatic watering bowl or place a bowl in a shallow cooler.

The pavement is extremely hot in the summer ... even for your pets. Keep in mind: If the ground is too hot for you to walk on barefoot, it is too hot for your pet to walk on with bare paws. Artificial grass heats up and can be too hot for your pet.