Moving has its financial, psychological and physical stress. If you are a pet owner, that’s extra responsibility come moving day. The pets also get affected by a move. A dog or a cat might get anxious from all the sudden and unexpected changes that come with a move. After all, they didn’t get the memo. The move therefore needs to be swift, and as pet-friendly as it can get. Here are some tips to help you deal with a pet when moving.
Give your vet a call
If you are moving to a different town, you want to have your pet’s medical records with you. This is important especially if your pet is currently under any medication. The vet is able to guide you in managing the pet’s meds before you can find another. Additionally, your vet may be able to recommend any good vets in your new town or neighborhood. You never know!
Have an overnight kit ready
Pets learn the location of their feeding tray or litter box through learned memory. Moving interferes with the location of such items, which could leave the pet in discomfort. Try and maintain such items in their default location during the days leading to the out of state move. On the day of the move, prepare a simple overnight kit with a litter box, enough pet food, grooming tools and toys. An overnight kit is easily accessible even in the chaotic times before you settle down in your new home.
Keep the pet away from the chaos
Pets live better in familiar environment. A move will disrupt the familiarity of your house, which my make the pets anxious. It’s even worse for expectant pets. The recommended remedy is leaving them at a kennel or at a friend’s place as you deal with the packing and unpacking. If you are not comfortable with that, the best you can do is secluding the pets in a room with the least action. This means keeping the pet in an empty room with all its personal effects until the day of the move.
Drive the pet yourself
During the actual move, ensure you drive the pet in your car. Seeing a familiar face in the midst of all the change helps pets deal better with the move. Small pets can be put in a carrier, which can then be secured by the car seatbelt. Big dogs can be put in a kennel in the back of the car. You may have to put the seats down if your dog is considerably big. To ease the drive, throw a blanket over the kennel or carrier to shield the pet from having to deal with the confusing changing environment as you drive. Additionally, ensure you only let them out when you have arrived, and keep them indoors until they adjust to the new environment.
Update their tags & microchips
Pets are known to wander off and lose their track back home in a new environment. Ensure you update the information on their tags or microchip with your phone number and current address, for easier identification.
Pets can get quite jittery with change. The trick is to try and make them as comfortable as possible until they can adjust to the new environment after a move.
