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Air Force
Lackland - Joint Personal Property Processing Office (PPPO)
1561 Stewart Street
Bldg 5616, Room 112
Lackland AFB, TX 78236
210-671-2823
3
Contact information for key programs and services at this installation.
Policies and rules for shipping pets vary at each installation. It’s important to understand the regulations, prohibitions and laws at your new installation before moving with a pet. Below, you’ll find installation-specific details for registering, boarding and transporting your pet.
Bexar County and San Antonio have leash laws; your dog must be either on a leash or in a fenced yard. Dogs and cats are not allowed to roam free. Some homeowner associations have small animal traps to lend for nuisance pets. Trapped pets are turned over to Animal Care Services.
Joint Base San Antonio on-base residents must get approval in writing through their housing office to construct fencing. The fence will be at the expense of the resident. Dog runs are not permitted. Inside the yard, the pet must not be chained or tethered. Pet owners must provide their pets with adequate water, food, shelter, and protection from climatic extremes. Contact the JBSA Civil Engineer Customer Service Desk to report lost or stray pets: call 210-671-5555 (Lackland), 210-652-5555 (Randolph), or 210-466-5555 (Fort Sam Houston).
Licensing On April 30, 2015, the San Antonio City Council approved eliminating the traditional pet licensing program. The city's previous program required annual registration. Under current city ordinance, a registered microchip serves as the primary license for pets living within San Antonio city limits.
Vaccinations Texas law requires all cats and dogs to have current rabies vaccinations. The military veterinary treatment facilities provide pet health certificates and vaccinations.
Call any of the clinics to schedule an appointment:
Registration All pets living on JBSA must be registered at their installation veterinary treatment facility within 30 days of arrival. Registration takes place in person with proof of current vaccinations. Overdue vaccinations require an update prior to final registration.
Microchips serve as the primary form of registration used to identify animals in San Antonio. Residents do not register microchips directly with municipal offices; registration is completed through the microchip manufacturer database. Pet owners must keep registry contact details updated with current telephone numbers and physical addresses.
San Antonio law requires dogs to wear a collar tag displaying the registered microchip number at all times outdoors. Manufacturers provide this tag with the chip. Pet owners can purchase and engrave a replacement tag at any local pet retail store for lost tags.
City of San Antonio Animal Care Services (4710 State Highway 151, San Antonio, TX 78227) provides free microchips for city residents through walk-in services and monthly clinics. Microchips are available through local spay and neuter clinics, community shelters, and private veterinary practices. Confirm upon purchase whether the service fee covers lifetime registration.
For more information, contact ACS at 210-207-4738 or visit https://www.sa.gov/Directory/Departments/ACS.
Once you decide that an animal will accompany you, plan your pet's trip well in advance. Check with your installation veterinary treatment facility for specific area entry requirements. Destination shipping requirements and vaccination timelines vary by location.
Installation Veterinary Clinics:
Pet Travel
Identification Pets traveling without identification face significant risk of permanent separation. Purchase a secure collar (breakaway or elastic for cats) bearing complete identification tags: pet's name, your name, current address, and phone number. Tags are available through municipal animal services and local pet retailers. Microchipping provides the most secure permanent identification and is required on military installations. Contact your local VTF to implant or verify a microchip and update your registry contact information before departure.
Automobile Travel A pet’s temperament determines the safety of road travel. Train dogs to sit or lie calmly in a secured harness, seatbelt tether, or crate. Train cats to accept a harness and keep them confined inside a well-ventilated carrier during transit. Never open vehicle doors until pets are safely secured on a leash or inside a carrier.
Vehicle safety guidelines:
Air Travel Schedule a veterinary evaluation before booking air travel. Certain brachycephalic (short-nosed) cat and dog breeds face severe respiratory risks in flight and face airline cargo embargoes.
Airlines require a health certificate completed by an accredited veterinarian within 10 days of departure. Temperature restrictions generally prohibit pet transport if runway temperatures fall below 45°F (7°C) or exceed 85°F (29°C). Airline pet travel fees vary; carry-on or baggage fees typically begin around $80, and some carriers require cargo booking fees equivalent to a passenger fare. Shipping kennels must comply with USDA and IATA guidelines, including rigid construction, ventilation on three or four sides, secure hardware, and standard "Live Animal" labels.
PCS Pet Expense Reimbursement Under Joint Travel Regulations Paragraph 050107 (Pet Expenses Due to a PCS), service members conducting a PCS may receive reimbursement for mandatory expenses associated with one household pet (cat or dog). Authorized reimbursement amounts are:
Service members who are restricted from transporting a pet to their next permanent duty station may receive reimbursement at the same rate to transport the pet to an authorized alternative designated location. Review JTR guidance and engage your local transportation office or the Defense Travel Management Office upon receiving orders to verify expense documentation requirements.
Health and Sedation Precautions Consult a licensed veterinarian to evaluate your pet's fitness to fly. If your animal suffers from motion sickness, request an approved antiemetic. Do not administer tranquilizers or sedatives without explicit veterinary approval; sedatives compromise an animal's ability to balance and regulate body temperature at high altitudes. Airlines reserve the right to refuse transport to any animal that appears excessively sedated, lethargic, or physically distressed at check-in.
Federal Regulations Federal guidelines enforced by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service govern domestic pet air travel. To travel by commercial air, a pet must:
Quarantine Rules The State of Texas does not require a quarantine period for dogs or cats entering the state, provided the animal has a current rabies vaccination, shows no signs of infectious disease, and arrives with an accredited veterinarian's health certificate. For international quarantine guidance and country-specific clearance, contact your installation veterinary clinic.
Joint Base San Antonio Veterinary Treatment Facilities
Joint Base San Antonio has a veterinary treatment facility on Fort Sam Houston and Randolph Air Force Base. The Lackland Air Force Base clinic is closed for privately-owned animals. Personnel assigned to Lackland must use the Fort Sam Houston or Randolph clinics for pet care.
As sister clinics under the same command, they provide standardized veterinary care and offer the following services:
The primary mission of the VTF is to provide preventive care, control zoonotic diseases and dispense preventive treatments. Preventive medications require proof of current vaccinations, a negative heartworm test within the past year (for heartworm preventatives) and a documented examination by a military veterinarian within the prior 12 months.
Routine immunizations and minor medical care are available at each small animal clinic. A standard user fee mandated by the U.S. Treasury applies to each visit.
Even when not required by law, pet owners should obtain a veterinary health certificate when relocating or vacationing with pets, as specific destination states and transit stops require proof of current immunization upon entry. Health certificates must be issued within 10 days of departure. The veterinarian must physically examine the animal prior to signing.
Services are limited to military personnel registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System. Active-duty personnel, military retirees and members of the Reserve and National Guard are eligible for care. Clients must present a valid military identification card before receiving services.
The veterinary treatment facility does not offer emergency care or overnight hospitalization. Patients are seen by appointment only. Pet owners should establish a care record with a civilian veterinary hospital in the local area for after-hours emergency services.
Contact a VTF to schedule an appointment: (verified as of 9/16/2026)
If you are traveling with a pet, begin planning far in advance. Joint Base San Antonio operates no on-base pet boarding facilities, but temporary lodging facilities at JBSA Fort Sam Houston, JBSA Lackland, and JBSA Randolph maintain limited pet-friendly units.
Reputable commercial boarding facilities operate throughout the surrounding San Antonio civilian community. If you plan to board your pet off-base, arrive during standard operating hours. Some private kennels accommodate after-hours arrivals by prior request for an extra fee. Always hand-carry current pet immunization records, as facilities require proof of rabies and kennel cough vaccinations before check-in. Many commercial kennels also require owners to provide food, bowls, and a padlock for the kennel run.
Pet accommodations at JBSA temporary lodging facilities:
JBSA Fort Sam Houston The Fort Sam Houston Guest House is privatized and operated by IHG Army Hotels. Pet-friendly rooms are limited. Guests are permitted up to two pets per room, and pets must not exceed 80 pounds each. Guests must bring their own kennels or crates. IHG charges a $75 non-refundable pet fee at check-in to cover the first five nights, followed by a $7 daily fee beginning on the sixth night. Visit the IHG Army Hotels website or call 210-357-2705 for reservations, current rates, and pet availability.
Lodging staff will not issue a statement of non-availability if they cannot accommodate your pet. Wounded Warriors and their families maintain priority for lodging at Fort Sam Houston. Many civilian hotels near the base do not accept pets.
JBSA Lackland The Lackland Gateway Inn maintains limited pet-friendly units. Rooms are restricted to two pets per room. Each designated unit provides two kennels for animals under 50 pounds. Guests traveling with larger animals must supply their own airline-approved kennel. The Gateway Inn assesses a $10 nightly pet fee in addition to standard room rates.
A statement of non-availability will not be issued due to pet room shortages. Reserve your room early by contacting reservations at 210-671-3622 or 210-671-4277 to secure alternate arrangements if units are full.
JBSA Randolph The Randolph Inn maintains limited pet-friendly units restricted to dogs and cats, with a maximum of two pets per room. Each pet unit contains one kennel for animals under 50 pounds. Guests with larger animals must bring their own kennel. The Randolph Inn assesses a flat $10 nightly pet fee in addition to standard room rates.
A statement of non-availability will not be issued due to pet capacity. Contact reservations early at 210-652-1844 to verify pet-friendly availability.