Moving With Pets
Tips and Tricks for Moving Your Furry Friend into a New Home
by Jordan Golisano-VanNeil | March 13, 2023
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Big changes happen when it comes to moving. It seems like there is a never-ending list of things to do and the days just seem to fly by. Whether it’s a family of 5 five with a dog or a first time renter with their cat, all pet owners want an easy transition for their furry family member. Here are steps that you can take to make life a little easier for them and yourself when it comes to moving.
Preparing to Move
Find a veterinarian in your new town
This first step is a must to make sure your furry family member is taken care of. With your new vet, you can learn about local health concerns in the area, updating and getting any vaccinations that may be required by the town.
Update any information for your pets microchip and/or name tag
Updating contact information guarantees your pets safety. A name tag is for your pets protection. Having proper identification prevents them from being put in a shelter or getting adopted by another family if they were to ever get lost, thus protecting your ownership of your pet.
Check to make sure your home is safe
Checking for any safety concerns that your pets may get into helps keep them safe. Having a new home and the chaos of the moving process, make sure to check the environment before bringing in your pets in will help protect the safety of your animal. As sometimes boxes get mixed up during the moving process, keeping them in a separate room that is safe can help protect your animal and reduce the stress of the moving.
Reducing Stress
Moving can be very stressful for you and it can be just as stressful for your pet. For many pets even the act of pulling out a suitcase can trigger their anxiety, so to prevent that, use some of these helpful tips for reducing stress!
Expose your animal to the new space before moving
The exposure beforehand helps your animal transition into their new home a little bit better. If you are moving to an area that subjects your pet to new sounds or smells, its possible that they’ll feel an overwhelming sense of nervousness, anxiety and/or fear. It’s much better to introduce them to their new space prior to moving in smaller increments which will help build their confidence and comfortability in the home.
Maintain a routine the best you can
Keeping a routine is a great way to keep your pets’ anxiety low and transition much easier. Sudden changes may cause anxiety, so maintaining routines helps keep your pet calm, confident and reassured that you are not leaving them.
Keep things that smell like home with them
Another way to reduce stress is by having objects such as a blanket that smells like your previous home helps sooth your pet with the transition. With animals relying on their scent, keeping objects such as a blanket that smells like you or your previous home helps relieve anxiety for your pet.
Don’t feed your pet before moving
On the move in day it is best not to feed your animal before you leave. Your animals anxiety might be high and cause them to get sick which would worsen their discomfort. It would be best to wait after travel to feed your pet.
Have positive activities for your pet
As you are moving your boxes into your new home, having toys and mental games for your animal helps focus their attention on a positive activity that reduces stress levels. Below are some that you can find on amazon.
The Ultimate Packing List
Click here for a printable Pet Packing List
Click Here for Dog Mental Game
Click Here for Cat Mental Game
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