Pet Owners: Tips to Make Your Move Easier on Your Pets

Tips to Make Your Move Easier

“It's best to remove pets from the house BEFORE you move your belongings. Allowing your pets to roam freely around the house with the front door wide open and people running in and out of crates and furniture - it just creates a recipe for disaster. "

Moving can be difficult for everyone involved. Adults, kids and yes… even your pets! While your pet may not understand exactly what is going on, it may sense the stress (good or bad) that the entire family is experiencing. Add to that the fact that animals are creatures of habit and don't like changes to their usual routine, and you can understand why they are so confused. They also become very concerned when they suddenly see their human family busy throwing everything around them into boxes. Naturally, we always want our pets to be happy and healthy because we love them ... but we also want to reduce the chances of them "playing a role".

Animals, like humans, can behave rather poorly under stress, so we must do everything we can to ensure they feel safe throughout the transfer process. What we really need to know is: with the upcoming move, how can we reduce the stress our pets are experiencing and what can we do about the inevitable disruption of their daily routine? We asked this question to industry experts, took their invaluable input, and compiled the following list of tips.

TIPS: During The Packing Process

• Try to keep your pet's daily routine as close to normal as possible. It is important to stick to his usual feeding, exercise and sleep schedule.
• Leave your pet's belongings for a long time when packing. If possible, allow your pet to have access to the same food bowl, litter box, bedding and toys until the day of the move.
• Reduce the risk of any "errors" by keeping your cat's litter box in its usual place until it is loaded into the car or locked in the "walk-through room".
• Leave a few empty boxes on the floor for your pet to examine. Allowing your pet to become familiar with these strange new items will make them not afraid of them.

TIPS: Moving Day

• Pets are best removed from the house BEFORE you move your belongings. Letting pets move freely around the house with the front door wide open and people running in and out of crates and furniture - it just creates a recipe for disaster.
• If your pets cannot be moved out early, choose an empty room with a door to keep them safe for the day. Place food and water dishes, toys, bedding, and a litter box in the room. For many animals, radio noise is calming and helps to muffle some of the loud and disturbing noises that come from moving heavy furniture and boxes.
• Be sure to wear identification tag collars on your dogs and cats as many pets run away during the turmoil of traffic. To avoid possible injury to your cat, always use a breakaway collar. While many pets are microchipped these days, owning a collar remains a good idea as only pet care professionals have access to the chip reading tool, and anyone can read your name and phone number on the label.
• During transport, cats should be placed on the floor of the rear seat during transport, and dogs should be properly restrained. Dogs should either ride in the rear of the vehicle, separated from the passengers by a dog grille, or sit in the rear seat with seat belts. This protects both your dog and the vehicle occupants - a quick stop can cause your dog to move forward, seriously injuring him and those in his way.
• Never leave your pet unattended in a vehicle. Although the temperature in the car may feel a little warm, pets can overheat very quickly. Unfortunately, every year thousands of pets are heatstroked when left in a hot car.
• Take your pet's dishes, food, leash, toys, bedding, litter box and medicines with you to your car. Keeping your pet consistent is important, so when you arrive at your new home, place his belongings in the places you intend to keep them.

Also Read: Parents: 10 Tips To Prepare Young Children For a Move

TIPS: Introducing Your Pet to their New Home

• Before you release your pet to your new yard, do a quick security check. Is the fence in good condition - there is no space for the animal to tear through or underneath it? Can your pet reach your neighbor's pet over a fence, and if so, is he friendly? Are there any sharp objects that could pose a threat to your pet? What about plants - are there any that could be harmful to your pet if he chose to eat them? Is there any litter your pet might get into? Is there a shade available for your pet? After going through all of these checks, leave a large, cool bowl of water for your pet and spend some time in the yard with him.
• Cats are recommended to stay indoors. One study found that cats that are free to roam outside have an average life expectancy of only 3 years, while domestic cats can live an average of 13 years. If your cat has been allowed to roam in the past, now's the perfect time to break this habit. If you keep your cat indoors from day one in your new home, he won't have time to establish his own turf outside - and he'll see it as the only territory.
• Select a room with a door again, which the cat will use as a "pass room". Place an extra litter box, food and water bowls, toys and bedding with your cat in it. After a few days, when most of the boxes were unpacked, the furniture was set and everything calmed down - open the door and let the cat leave. Before taking her belongings to the place where you want to keep them, let the cat use the room for another 2 or 3 days until she is more comfortable in her new surroundings.

TIPS: Small Pets

• Birds, lizards, rabbits and other small animals are much easier to carry because they are usually kept in cages, or at least are used to having "quiet time" in them on a regular basis. To safely travel to their new home, they must be kept in a cage or placed in an appropriately sized transport before being loaded into the car.
• Putting a light cloth on the small pet's cage will help him stay quiet and calm while driving the car; just remember to ensure adequate airflow.
• Remember to leave your pet some food and fresh water. Most small animals do well with a drinking bottle that attaches easily to most cages. Be sure to bring food supplies, feeding bowls, and medications for your pet in the car.
• Small pets overheat even faster than large animals, so again never leave pets unattended in the vehicle.

For more information on how to facilitate your animals' mobility, or if your pet has a pre-existing medical condition that requires special care, please contact your veterinarian for advice.

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