How do you handle leaving your animals/pets while you are deployed?

I had my parents take care of my cat that I have had since 1991. (deployed 2005-2007; 22 month; OIF). I did want my cat back and parents would gladly give him back to me. But on the day prior to my return back home, my parents informed me that he was in the corner gasping for air and foaming from his mouth (not rabies; he was an indoor cat) and they were taking him to the vet. I was hearbroken. And a couple hours later, my parents called me back informing me he passed away. A little over a day away from being with my cat again.

Still miss my cat

We love our cats like family, so we have a "family care plan" just for them.

There is a place out here in Southern California that will watch a service members dog long term. I can't recall the name of the place right now but they are extremely reasonable in their prices. I took my dog there when I went on leave for two weeks and he had a great time.

SPC Felts, great question, I recently learned of this through a business contact; definitely a service that could help out service members with pets. https://guardianangelsforsoldierspet.org/ https://guardianangelsforsoldierspet.org/programs/foster-home/

Sorry that I'm responding on a post that's over a year old but this is a topic that hit really close to home for me.

I didn't really have to worry about leaving my dog behind when I went on my last deployment as I'm married. My wife was pregnant at the time though and taking care of a rambunctious Labrador Retriever while going through a difficult pregnancy did get to be too much for her to cope with.

Luckily we had been taking my dog to a doggie daycare in Temecula, CA and they were (still are) very supportive of the military. Not only did they agree to board my dog until I returned from deployment, but they actually WAIVED the boarding fees. The only money we had to give them was for his food and any vet expenses.

I encourage all military who live in or close to Riverside County California and are pet parents to patronize Dogtopia of Temecula.

http://www.dogdaycare.com/temecula/

There is a boaring place for dogs of service members taht are deploying about an hour NE of Camp Pendleton that will take dogs long term I used their service last year when I went on leave and no one to take care of my dog. It is a great affordable facility and they take care of the dogs for a very reasonable rate. If I were to deploy or PCS and not be able to take my dog I woudl consider leaving them there if I couldn't find s family member to care for them.

hello my name is sn hinds. i am currently deployed and i need someone to watch my puppy. SHe is a minature australian shepard. She is 6 months old. The person who i had watchig her says she does not want to anymore and i have no other options at this moment.

I had a jenday conure (a bird) when I deployed, and I didn't live near family. After trying for months to find someone willing to watch her for me, I finally approached a rescue shelter that specializes in exotic birds to find her a new home. I had seen birds before in a standard shelter, and they were usually ill-treated, simply because the staff were not properly trained to care for birds.

Long story short, the shelter I approached (Second Chance Bird Rescue, at http://www.secondchancebirdrescue.com/) not only agreed to take her in for me, but even agreed to hold her for my entire deployment so that I could re-adopt her when I returned. Great people, and I made sure to use part of my deployment pay to throw some donations their way!