Relocation Tips for Your Pets
Relocating can be a stressful process, especially for our furry family members who don’t understand what is happening. Reducing stress for our pets in the moving process is imperative to their health and happiness – and ours. We don’t want our pets stressed out, either! When planning to relocate, keep these pet friendly relocation tips in mind:
First, if you are packing your house, make sure you pack your pet’s toys, beds, and supplies last. This will help reassure your pet that they’re not being abandoned. If you have hired movers to pack your home, see if a friend can pet-sit. You can take your pet’s stuff to their house thereby reducing stress and preventing them from getting spooked by strangers in the home. If this isn’t an option, go ahead and put your pet in a room with their stuff and shut the door.
Second, move your house before your pet. Then you will have the ability to set up as much as possible, so they’ll feel more at ease when you open the kennel door or cat carrier to let them explore. There will be familiar scents, items, and toys to reduce stress and increase their comfort level. Again, if this is not possible, start with one room, so they have a space to feel safe while you set up the rest of your new home.
Next, make sure you plan stops for your dogs while traveling to your new home. You don’t want them to run off in fear, so make sure you have the leash on properly. Getting out of the vehicle to stretch their legs and see the world around them helps reduce stress on the trip.
Finally, update your pet’s tags and/or microchip with your new address. If your pet gets spooked in the process, you want them returned to your loving arms. And, if you’re already in your new home, they may not know how to get to you yet. It’s a new territory with unfamiliar scents and people, causing more fear than normal.
Relocating to a new home is rewarding. We are here to make the process easier. Contact us today for more information on how we can help you transition to a new home!