Moving to a new home can be stressful for anyone, including your pets. Moving with pets can bring forward some challenges, especially if the move requires more than just a car ride. Here are some tips on how to make moving easier on you and your furry friends.
Make A Plan
The sooner you start planning your pets’ move, the smoother it will be. Figure out if how you’ll be transporting to your new home. If it’s just a few miles away, then a simple car ride won’t require much planning, but a cross-country move is going to involve a more in-depth plan. Pets are able to sense a change is on the horizon, which can induce anxiety. While packing your home, try to get a close friend or relative to care for your pet, so they are out of the way of the stressful environment. Be sure to keep a blanket or toy from home with your pet, so they feel more at ease.
Also part of making a plan is knowing the laws of where you are moving to. If you are relocating to Hawaii, then start sooner, so the kennel quarantine isn’t long. Some communities across the US have passed breed-specific legislation, which banned or restricted more than 100 different breeds of dogs.
Getting a health check-up and vaccine update before any move is a very important part of the actual move. It is always a good idea to provide proof of all vaccinations needed for air travel if that is how you will be transporting your pet.
Transportation
By Vehicle
Driving is the cheapest way of transporting your pet to your new home. Preparing your pets to be in the car is an easy task. If they aren’t acclimated to being in their crates for long periods of time, then slowly start doing that. Placing food inside the crate might make it better in training them. Working up to your pet being able to eat a meal in a closed crate is a good sign they are ready to travel long periods inside their crate. Practice by taking short drives with them inside the crate to see how they will do and work up from there.
During your travels, especially if it’s a long one, you may need to find a place to stay overnight. Finding a pet-friendly hotel can be made easy by using the GoPetFriendly website. This feature lets you search any city to find the best pet-friendly hotels during your move.
By Air
Many airlines allow pets aboard their flights, but some are more pet-friendly than others. Comparing policies of each airline can be made easier by visiting here. Most airlines allow smaller pets to fit under the seat in a TSA-approved carrier, but larger breeds and exotic pets are required to fly in the baggage compartment or be shipped as cargo. If this makes you nervous, be assured that they will not allow animals to be in the cargo hold during extreme cold or hot weather, as it could threaten their health.
Settling In
When arriving at your new home, setting up a quiet spot with familiar items may be the best option for your pet. Create a refuge that your pet can feel comfortable in while trying to get familiar with its new surroundings. Once fully settled, find a new veterinarian and give them a copy of your pet’s medical records. Giving this information to someone right away will save time if an emergency were to occur.
Keep a similar routine as before to bring in a sense of familiarity to them. Don’t force your pet to explore a new area of the home, letting them find their way is the least stressful way of introducing them to a new space.
If you wish to receive more helpful information, check out this free pet transport ebook.