Shipping Pets

Due to its location along the border, El Paso is an area with a higher than average incident rate of rabies. It is recommended that pets receive all required vaccines prior to or immediately upon arrival.

All pets living on post must be registered with the Fort Bliss Veterinary Treatment Facility (VTF) upon arrival. Proof of up-to-date rabies immunization and proof of microchip is required of all dogs and cats over 3 months of age at the time of registration. If your animals were not vaccinated at a VTF, bring the certificate of rabies vaccination and microchip number to the VTF for registration and/or update of their records.

On-post housing may limit the number and breed of pets. Contact on-post housing for more information at 915-564-0795.

Dogs and cats residing off post must be registered with the city at El Paso Animal Services (EPAS) Visit the EPAS website for more information about registering your pet’s rabies vaccine.

Pets are seen at the VTF by appointment only. This clinic does not provide urgent care or emergency services. In the case of a pet emergency, contact an off-post civilian veterinarian.

Travelers shipping pets into El Paso should time their arrival and/or transfer of pets at other airports to ensure the pet does not sit out on the hot tarmac during transfer between aircraft. If at all possible, try to schedule the flights in the early mornings or evenings for your pet's safety. All cats and dogs must receive annual or tri-annual rabies shots and tags through your local veterinarian. All dogs and cats over 3 months of age must have a current rabies vaccination.

Dogs or cats that bite or scratch any individual must report to the Fort Bliss VTF for a free exam and be placed in at-home quarantine for a 10-day period. Bites must be reported to Animal Control workers in El Paso at 915-212-PAWS/7297 if the incident happens off post, or TIGUA Animal Control 915-860-9653 if the incident happens on-base or in military housing.

While Fort Bliss itself does not have a boarding facility, several options for both long- and short-term care are available in the El Paso area.

Army Policy
This policy applies to all Army Installations and all types of Army housing and lodging, including IHG Army Hotels, and applies to privately-owned domestic animals.

• Guests may not bring into the hotel any dog of a breed (including a mixed breed) that is deemed aggressive/dangerous or potentially aggressive/dangerous. These breeds have been identified and defined as Pit Bulls (American Staffordshire Bull Terriers or English Staffordshire Bull Terriers), Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, Chows, and wolf hybrids. This policy also applies to other dogs that demonstrate a propensity for dominant or aggressive/dangerous behavior as demonstrated by any of the following:
  a) Unprovoked barking, growling, or snarling when people are present
  b) Aggressively running along fence lines when people are present
  c) Attacking, biting and/or scratching people or other domestic animals
  d) Escaping confinement or restriction to chase people or other domestic animals
• It is unauthorized to bring any exotic, wild, or farm species onto any installation for other than official purposes without prior written approval from the Installation Commander. Please refer to Army Policy – Domestic Animals on Army Installations on www.army.mil for a complete species list.
• Service Animals. The above listed installation guidelines do not apply to service animals. However, if a particular service animal behaves in an aggressive/ dangerous manner as listed above, the animal may be barred from the installation at the direction of the installation Garrison Commander.

IHG Pet Policy:

IHG Army Hotels will accept domestic animals provided the guest adheres to the following requirements. This Pet Policy applies to domestic animals (“pets”) and Emotional Support or Comfort Animals. While Emotional Support Animals or Comfort Animals are often used as part of a medical treatment plan as therapy animals, they are not considered service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These support animals provide companionship, relieve loneliness, and sometimes help with depression, anxiety, and certain phobias, but do not have special training to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities. Even though some states have laws defining therapy animals, these animals are not limited to working with people with disabilities and therefore are not covered by federal laws protecting the use of service animals. Therapy animals provide people with therapeutic contact, usually in a clinical setting, to improve their physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning. If your animal is an Emotional Support or Comfort Animal, this Pet Policy applies.

This Pet Policy does not apply to Service Animals. Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting, and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability.

Pet Policy

• All guests with domestic animals staying at the hotel must have a valid credit card on file at the front desk. A Pet Agreement must be filled out and signed upon check-in.
• Proper medical documentation of each pet and up-to-date vaccination records must be kept on hand and made available If requested by hotel staff.
• Charges: $75.00 non-refundable charge ”per pet” will be charged to your credit/debit card upon arrival. There will be an additional non-refundable fee of $10.00/night per pet that will start on the 8ᵗʰ night of your stay.

Note: If extensive cleaning and repair is necessary beyond the normal deep cleaning process, the guest will be charged additional fees.

Guests must immediately- within 24 hours report any damages found upon check -in so that management can address & document, so you are not held accountable upon check- out.

Updated October 2022

• Guests are responsible for any damages to the room and its contents, by their pets. Prior to checking out, at least 24-48 hours prior, guest will need to make arrangements for a walk-through of the room with hotel management. The guest’s room will be inspected for such damages prior to check-out.
• Domestic animals must always be placed in a crate or pet carrier when the guest leaves the guest room. Crate must be present in room when initial inspection is performed.
• A maximum of two (2) pets is allowed per room.
• Pets over 80 pounds will not be accepted into the hotel, unless prior written approval from hotel is received.
• Guests must walk their pets in designated walk areas only.
• Guests are responsible for picking up after their pet in and around the hotel at all times. Please use the exterior trash receptacles or the dumpster for disposal.
• Noise/Disruptive Complaints - Barking and noise that is disruptive to other guests in the hotel is not acceptable. Upon receipt of two (2) noise or disruptive complaints, the guest will be asked to make alternate arrangements for their pet.
• Pets must be non-aggressive and restrained on a controllable leash at all times when outside the guest room.
• Only dogs and cats are allowed in hotel rooms and in accordance with the Installation’s Regulations. Other animals are NOT permitted in the hotel.
• Weekly Housekeeping - IHG Army Hotels reserves the right to enter and clean each room on a daily basis. The pet must be crated or removed from the room prior to the “standard” cleaning day, or other arrangements must be made with the hotel management.
• Unauthorized pets- If found must meet hotel/post criteria. Fees will be retroactive from date of check- in, agreement signed or pet must be removed. If pet has to be removed, guests will still be held accountable for retro-fees and any damages incurred.

The veterinary treatment facility is located in Building 6077, Carter Road, El Paso, Texas 79906 (West Bliss, past the bowling alley) and can be reached by calling 915-742-2266. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed for lunch 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. (Closed Saturday, Sunday, the last working day of the month and Federal Holidays). More information may be found on the VTF website https://bliss.armymwr.com/programs/veterinary-services or call 915-742-2266.

All pets PCSing with their owners from Fort Bliss:

All pet owners are solely responsible for ensuring their pet(s) meet both airline and destination state/country requirements for travel. Visit the USDA website, search pet travel for more information.

Families living in government quarters are limited on the number and type of pets allowed. Check with the housing office for current policy letter at 915-568-2898.