U.S. Army Veterinary Services provides care to service members' pets

  • Published
  • By Army Staff Sgt. Timothy Hair
  • U.S. Army Animal Care Specialist
F. E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  The United States Army Veterinary Service is the only Veterinary Service for the Department of Defense. The Veterinary Service missions includes food safety and defense; providing comprehensive medical care to ensure deployment readiness of Military Working Dogs; providing preventive medical care for privately owned animals; overseeing programs directed at the prevention and control of zoonotic diseases; soldier training and development; and supporting the war fighter. Veterinary Service personnel can be stationed virtually anywhere, including F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. The staff here at the F. E. Warren Veterinary Treatment Facility consists of one Army Animal Care Specialist, one civilian veterinarian and one civilian receptionist.

Services are provided to pets of active duty and retirees who have medical privileges at military medical facilities, and to National Guard and Reservists who are on active duty for more than 30 days. A copy of activation orders is needed for Guard or Reserve members. Services provided to dogs and cats include vaccinations, heartworm and parasite tests, microchip implantation, minor sick calls, and flea and tick preventives. Health certificates for travel are also provided. This is of great importance to service members leaving the Cheyenne area. If you are moving outside the continental United States, please contact us as soon as possible. Many host nations and overseas locations have very strict regulations and guidelines which must be followed prior to allowing pets into the country. These requirements vary from country to country and may involve implanting an ISO-compatible microchip, vaccinations and blood tests. The strictest countries are rabies-free zones, such as Japan, Guam and Hawaii. To meet these requirements can take as long as eight months. It is also important to note that some countries such as Germany and England have dangerous dog laws and will not allow certain breeds of dogs to be brought into the country.

Unfortunately, the clinic here does not have the equipment and staff necessary to provide surgical, dental, radiographic or emergency services to pets. It is the goal of the VTF to provide efficient, effective and appropriate preventive medicine services at lower costs than those that may be available in the local community.

Please be aware that in order to dispense any prescription medications, pets must be current patients and have been seen within the last 12 months at an Army VTF. The clinic here is not a pharmacy, and it is against Federal law to fill prescriptions from a civilian veterinarian.

It is important to note that current base regulation requires all dogs, cats and horses residing on base to be registered with the VTF within seven days. If living on base, pets must be vaccinated annually; if a pet has been treated by an off base veterinarian, proof of vaccines must be provided to the VTF. If living off base, a pet must be vaccinated in accordance with local laws, vaccine manufacturer's instructions, and with guidance from a veterinarian.

As a privatized housing contractor, Balfour Beatty Communities has adopted pet policies and procedures in line with Air Force regulations. These policies include a ban on specific breeds which have been identified as potentially aggressive breeds, and the list currently includes: pit bulls (including American Staffordshire Terriers and English Staffordshire Bull Terriers), rottweilers, chow chows, Doberman pinschers, Siberian huskies, Akitas, perro de presa canario, and wolf hybrids, or any mix thereof. Balfour Beatty's current intent is that any of these dogs that are currently residing on base and are properly registered with the VTF will be grandfathered in.

Please note there is still a limit of only two uncaged pets allowed per home. Exotic and other non-domestic animals prohibited include monkeys, pot-bellied pigs, hedgehogs, skunks, raccoons, opossums, squirrels and ferrets. Most rodents, including mice and rats, are prohibited, except for hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs. Reptiles, snakes, arachnids and insects are prohibited. Farm, ranch and wild animals are also prohibited. Again, the intent is to grandfather in all properly registered pets. Therefore, it is vitally important to insure your pets are registered prior to your new lease taking effect on March 1.

The VTF is located in Bldg 288 on the corner of Frontier Ave. and 5th Cavalry. The current hours of operation are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 430 p.m. The clinic is closed on Fridays, weekends and federal holidays. Hours of operation are subject to change due to military obligations and mission requirements. All pets are seen by appointment only, and appointments are normally available Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Call 773-3354 for more information or to schedule an appointment.