In a survey commissioned by North America Van Lines, 45% of participants reported that moving was the most stressful event in their lives. Moving alone or with a family can evidently be challenging, but moving with a pet can increase the stress for all parties – pets included.
We’ve compiled some helpful tips on how to go about moving with your pets and how to keep them happy and healthy along the way.
Start preparing early for your pet’s transition. This will look slightly different depending on what kind of pet you have, and how long the move will be. If you plan on driving with your pet to your new home, make sure to familiarize them with the car and any traveling bag or crate they will be in. You can introduce their carrier into their home environment early so that they become accustomed to how it smells, and any noises it could make. This will ease their stress on the day of as they are already familiar with it. If your pet is not accustomed to traveling in a vehicle, you can also do short ‘test runs’ with them to make them more familiar with what driving in a car is like. Some pets love riding in vehicles, but for some this can be very stressful! If you have a longer drive to your final destination, make sure that you book pet friendly hotels.
Pack your pets a bag just for them before the big move. This can be their very own bag full of everything they would need for a couple days as you unpack in your new home. You can include both their regular food they would need, as well as any of their favorite treats or toys. If you are traveling longer distances, make sure to have a plan for feeding and making sure your pets drink enough water on the drive! You can also include favorite toys and blankets for them, as they are another familiar scent for them in this new place.
Keep them out of the action, both on moving day and as you pack. Moving is stressful, and your pets will pick up on this from you. Making sure to stay as calm as you can in the process can keep them more at ease. If you have friends or family close by that can look after your pet on moving day, this can also really help them. If this is not possible, do your best to keep them in a safe place in your new house. Moving day means the doors in the house are wide open as people are coming in and out, and the last thing you would need is an escape of your pet! Whatever room or space you keep your pet on the day of, be mindful to make sure they have familiar things in the space, like toys or their bed or favorite blanket. Making sure to stick to their normal routine can also be helpful, be it walking them frequently, or feeding them at the same time as normal.
Update their tags with your new address, as well your address with their vet. If you have not moved too far away from your vet, you will want to update your address, and possibly phone number, with them once you have moved. You will also want to update your pet’s collar tag with their updated address, so that if they get lost in the neighborhood they can be returned to the right home!
Acclimate them to their new place of residence. This can look different depending on what kind of pet you have, but a new home comes along with new smells and noises for your pet. Letting them sniff or walk around your home can help them adjust as they take in this new environment. Being there with them when they explore for the first time can be helpful as it adds some familiarity to the space already. If your pet enjoys going for walks, taking them outside and exploring the neighborhood together can also make them more at ease. This also lets you have a chance to explore your new area!
We hope you find these tips and tricks helpful as you move into your new space! Let us know what you think.
