7 Ways to Ease the Pain of Moving For Your Pets
Moving is difficult for humans, and we at least understand what is going on. Imagine what is going through your dog’s or cat’s mind as they see you tossing all they love into a cardboard box. Moving is difficult for animals, and moving them can be a challenge for their owners. To ease some of the burden for both you and your pet, follow these simple tips:
- Bring your dog or cat for a vet visit before the move and make sure they are up to date on all vaccinations. If making a local move, say from one side of Davie to the other, this may not be necessary. But if you will need to change veterinarian offices when you move, then you will have to have recent medical records for your pet.
- If your move is a long distance one, going from Fort Lauderdale to another state, call ahead to find out if there are any laws or pet restrictions for that state.
- Ensure that your pet’s identification tags display the most up to date contact information. You are in the middle of moving so may not have the address right yet, but at least make sure that your cell phone number is on the tags in case your pet gets lost.
- Avoid allowing packing and unpacking to disrupt your pets normal routine. Take them out as normal and give them their meals at the same times that they are used to.
- If you will be using a crate to move your pet, give them a few weeks ahead of time to get used to it. Put bedding inside that they are comfortable with, but leave the crate open so they can enter and leave at will. Knowing that the crate is only a temporary housing makes it easier to get a dog or cat to agree to going inside.
- Keep pet essentials separate from your packed belongings when moving. This could include a collapsible feeding dish, bottles of water, food and their favorite blanket to sleep on.
- Make your new home as familiar as possible to your pet. Try to put their food dish in the same general area, give them their own space to sleep, and let them explore your new home. Just be careful with leaving them outside alone, as pets have been known to try and find their way back to the old house after a move.
Your pet will adapt quickly to the new house only if you take the time to introduce them to it slowly. This is a hard time on the entire family, but don’t dismiss your dog’s or cat’s sentiments as something they will simply have to get used to. Give them the attention they need as soon as possible, and they should make a quick adjustment to your house.