How To Ensure a Smooth Move with Your Pets

While moving to a new home is tremendously exciting, it can also be incredibly stressful. Whether you’re moving across the country, across the state, or just across town, moving requires a lot of preparation and planning ahead of time, especially if you have pets. We all love our furry friends and want to make the move easier not only for us, but also for them. Here are a few tips to ensure that your move with pets is as hassle-free as can be:

1. Cats (and skittish dogs) don’t like change— keeping your pet’s routine as normal as possible leading up to moving day will help them start to acclimate to a changing environment. Walking and feeding them at the times you normally would will benefit them tremendously.

2. Additionally, start bringing your moving boxes in early rather than all at once to help them adjust to the moving process ahead of time.

3. On moving day, keep pets in a quiet, closed room or a fenced backyard to avoid them getting underfoot or running away, especially since front and back doors will be open for a majority of the time that you are loading up vehicles.

4. Always transport small animals in a well-ventilated and secure carrier, and always keep larger dogs leashed and under control.

5. If you’re moving long-distance and plan on staying in hotels for any part of your move, make sure the hotel is pet-friendly before you arrive.

6. Inform your vet if you’re moving out of the area— they’ll be able to give you medical records and prescriptions, and may even be able to recommend another vet in your new neighborhood.

Moving isn’t easy, and it certainly isn’t made any easier by having to move your pets, but by planning ahead, making arrangements early, and maintaining their routine, a move can be smooth sailing, no matter the distance.

Our office puppy, Maya!