Tips For Moving With Pets
How To Move With Our Furry Friends
Moving is stressful for everyone in your family – including your pet. Whether you have a dog, cat, Guinea pig or fish, you can guarantee that your pet will suffer from at least some stress while moving. Here are some great tips that will hopefully make moving with pets less stressful on your entire family.
Pack Over Time & Not At The Last Minute
This moving tip is guaranteed to make things easier on everyone. Many people make the mistake of waiting until the last minute to pack up all of their belongings.
Packing always takes more time than you expect. You wind up going through a bunch of old things not understanding what has accumulated. Of course, it takes a while to separate out what you’ll want to keep and what you want to give or throw away.
If you are hurried, your pet will often pick up on your anxiety, making it more uncomfortable and anxious. Pets also tend to like things the way they are and tearing up your home over a short period can upset an animal.
Talk To Your Vet
Let your vet know that you are moving so they can help you prepare your animal. You may need to update vaccinations too. If your pet suffers from any anxiety, the doctor can prescribe you medication to help. They can also fill prescriptions for any other necessary medications you may need.
Update Your Pet’s Identification
Your pet should have the right collar that is unlikely to slip off. Update your pet’s id tag with your new information including how someone can contact you in the case of emergency. Updating your pet’s information is one of the most valuable tips for moving with pets.
If your pet is micro-chipped, it’s very important to contact the company that stores the microchip information and update your information. If your pet hasn’t been microchipped, now is a good time to have it done.
Prepare Your New Home
It is easiest to do this while the house is still empty. Scan the fence for any holes or gaps the animal could get through and repair them.
Make sure there is no leftover poison out where a dog could get to it. Doing a general safety and security check will make you more comfortable letting your animal loose.
Depending on the personality of your pets, you may find that they are either frightened and confused or downright hyperactive. Your pet might be just as excited to be in a new environment as you are or just as easily be upset by it.
Once you have brought your pets into their new home making sure that they have everything they are used to like their bed, food, water, and toys become necessary. You want to make a move with your pet as stress-free as possible.
Make A Travel Kit
Set aside a small supply of food for your pet, along with its bed, toys and any other things that you will want quick access to. This way you can pack most of it along with the rest of your belongings without worrying about digging through boxes to feed your animal.
Secure Your Pet Safely In Your Vehicle
Ensuring the animal for the trip on moving day is worthwhile. It may be quite agitated and prone to running off or acting up – the last thing you want while you are driving or when you get out of the car.
A kennel or carrier is the best option when secured in the back seat.
Keep Pets Secured On Moving Day
Keep your furbaby safe on moving day. It may be easiest to leave it with a friend, but if this is not an option, you should determine how you will keep it isolated and safe as you move out of the old house and into the new house.
You can hold it in a crate or a bathroom, for instance. Just keep checking on the animal periodically and make sure it is comfortable and fed and watered.
Baby Steps
With dogs and cats, it is often best to start small in the new home. You know your animal best, but keep in mind that an animal will be more comfortable staying in a smaller area like a bedroom before having full rein of the house – especially cats.
Meet Your New Neighbors
While it may sound corny, one of the best tips for moving with pets is to introduce them to your new neighbors. As stated before, it is easy for dogs and cats to get lost upon first moving to a new area. If they get out, you want as many people as possible to know they are yours. Consider taking your pet around with you as you go to introduce yourself to your neighbors. This way if your pet does escape your friends can tell you about it.
Walk Your Dog
Throw a leash on your pup and start walking as soon as you can! Dogs love to explore and smell new smells, so it will help reduce the stress of the move. It will also give your dog some reference points on how to find their way home. The more often you can walk the better your dog will know where home is.
With our team at A Better Home Inspection, we’ve been your neighborhood home inspection company since 1988. Our staff have helped many California homeowners maintain their houses – Please call us at 760-805-1966 and schedule today!
