Moving with your pet
Moving is stressful for anyone. With a little planning, it doesn’t have to be difficult on your pets. Take the pet to the new house in your own vehicle if possible.
Prior to moving day, make sure your pets are fitted with collars and ID tags with your name and current cell-phone number. Microchipping is also recommended and will serve as a backup if your pet loses its collar.
For long-distance moves, be sure to identify pet-friendly hotels along your route and reserve rooms ahead of time. For a list of pet-friendly hotels, see www.petswelcome.com or www.pet-friendly-hotels.net. Don’t take a hotel chain’s word for it. Call the actual hotel and verify what their pet policies are.
On moving day, make sure your pets are secured in a crate or closed room of your house or apartment until you are ready to load them into your car. The activities and sounds of moving day will be frightening to your pets, so it is important that they be kept in a secure area to reduce their stress as much as possible and to prevent an accidental escape.
Always transport cats, small dogs and other small animals in a secure, well-ventilated pet carrier. Keep larger dogs leashed and under control at all times. The stress of a move can cause even the most obedient dog to run away in unfamiliar surroundings. NEVER transport any pet in an open truck bed, trunk of a car or storage area of a moving van.
For long-distance moves, make sure you give your pet potty breaks and fresh water whenever you stop for a break yourself. Make sure pets are leashed at all times during potty breaks.
When you reach your new home immediately remove your animals from the car and seperate them in a single room. This will allow them to slowly adjust to their surroundings while you make a complete inspection of the house before you let your pet out. If you haven’t lived here before, you won’t necessarily be know of any escape routes or holes in the back of the cabinets, and you don’t know what kind of openings may be behind your larger appliances.
After you move, make sure you update their tags or microchip information to the new address and phone number.
Tips For Moving Across Country With A Dog
- Don’t pack up overnight, let your dog adjust casually.
- Try to keep your dog’s routine as normal as possible.
- Pet your dog and talk to him/her about the upcoming move.
- Get new dog collar tags with name, phone and updated address!
- During the move, keep your dog in a room that is safe and calm.
- Pack plenty of snacks and drinking water for the ride.
- Make sure to take frequent stops to let your dog run and potty.
- Stay with your dog and supervise while it explores your new home.
- Get back to a routine in your new home as soon as possible.
Tips For Moving With Cats
- Don’t pack everything up in one night…cats don’t like it!
- Give your cat time to adjust to being in a carrier.
- Get new ID tags with address and phone number
- Put out your moving boxes ahead of time to let your cat adjust to them.
- Try to keep your cat’s routine as normal as possible.
- If you’re cat is very on-edge, discuss anti-anxiety meds with your veterinarian.
- Keep your cat’s carrier clean as cats hate to be stuck in a mess!
- During the move, keep your cat in a calm area away from the ruckus.
- Keep your cat’s breakfast light on moving day to prevent upset stomach
- Keep your cat in a calm, safe room when you move in to let it adjust to its new home
Tips For Moving With Rabbits / Caged Mammals
- Keep your rabbit in a calm room away from the moving and commotion
- Add a familiar toy in your bunnies carrier cage during the move
- Clean out and replace soiled linens every few hours during the move
- Keep the diet light during the move to help keep the cage clean
- Don’t blast loud music during the drive
- Keep the AC on and the temperature cool…bunnies overheat easily!
- If possible let them out of the cage to stretch and hop around every 3-4 hours
- Keep their carrier flat and secure during the drive and drive slow over bumps.
- Keep your rabbit in a calm room as soon as you arrive to your new home
Tips For Moving With Pet Birds
- Birds get stressed out easily, so keep them in a calm, quiet room during the move.
- Stock up on your bird’s current food in case it isn’t carried in your new location.
- Keep your bird’s cage level and secured by a seatbelt.
- A thin, but breathable sheet over the cage can help your pet bird stay calm
- Don’t blast loud music during the drive.
- Make sure your birds are legal in the states your travel through!
- Glare-guards are good to keep direct sunlight off of your birds during the drive.
- An airbag deployment could be harmful to your bird, so keep it in the back seat.
- Try to keep the environment as calm and stress-free as possible during the move
- Keep your pet bird in the calmest room of your new home while moving in
Tips For Moving Reptiles
- Make sure your pet lizards or snakes are legal to own in the states you travel through.
- Keep your reptiles in a well-ventilated, dark container that they can move around in during the move.
- Reptiles, snakes especially, may not eat for a few days after a long move…this is normal.
- Make sure their cage or container is secure and sturdy during the drive.
- Unload your pet reptiles first thing upon arrival to a calm, quiet room to adjust.
- Keep all necessary ownership / veterinarian papers on-hand during transport just in case
The services below will bring your pet wherever you are headed, and they make a point to take care of the pets along the way. However, this will of course cost a bit. The exact cost depends on the size of your pet, what kind of pet it is, and how many you have.
Air Animal Pet Movers
4120 W Cypress St
Tampa, FL 33607-2337
http://www.airanimal.com
Phone: 813-879-3210
Fax: (813)874-6722
Cosmopolitan Canine Carriers, Inc.
9 Mott Ave Ste 308
Norwalk, CT 06850-3359
http://www.caninecarriers.com
Phone: 800-243-9105
Fax: (203)656-2527
Worldcare Pet Transport
472 Mansfield Avenue
Darien, CT 6820
http://www.worldcarepet.com
Phone: 203-662-0672
Fax: (203)855-8127
Animal Land, Inc.
455 East Paces Ferry Rd., Suite 205
Atlanta, GA 30305
Phone: 877-379-8625
Fax – 404.812.1588
http://www.petmovers.com
