With all the hustle and bustle, it’s really easy to overlook the stress our little furry friends may be experiencing. Don’t fur-get, they’re moving homes too!
Although if you have a goldfish, really don’t worry. It will have forgotten the old house by the time it’s swum it’s first circuit!
Pets don’t understand why their home and world is changing. Moving home can lead to pets sadly going missing (searching for their previous home territory) or behavioural changes. They may miss their friends, buried treasures or their favourite sunny window ledge to lounge on. There could be foes in the new neighbourhood and new territories to claim.
Like the rest of us, pets need a little more TLC at moving time.
To lend a hand, here’s our top tips for relocating your pets as easily as possible.
- Stick to routines – This will help your pets to settle. So, feed and walk at the normal times. Don’t give more or less attention than they are used to having – this might cause them to get anxious or over dependent on you and may lead to behaviour problems.
- Don’t wash your pet’s bedding until at least a couple of weeks after the move, so they have a familiar smell in the new house.
- Transporting your pet on the moving day – Put new identification tags on, ensure your pet is safely secured in the vehicle they are travelling in and make sure that they get regular water and toilet breaks if it’s a long journey. Don’t forget that the temperature in a parked car increases quickly. Never leave your pet alone in a parked car.
Moving home with dogs
- While your furry best friend may be enthusiastic and energetic during activies like moving to a new house; new sights, people to pet them and smells, it’s essential to have your dog safely secured out of the way – preferably offsite during the moving day. For the mover’s safety, dogs do not need to be bounding enthusiastically into the path of movers carrying a sofa or freezer- not great for your furry friend either!
- If you’re leaving your dog at the current house which you’re leaving, make sure your dog is secured in a room with the doors and windows closed, and that you tell the movers, so they’re not accidentally let out and run away.
- If your dog is staying with you at the new home during the move, then confine them to one secure room so they can’t escape and hurt themselves or people. Leave them in a quiet area with their familiar possessions.
- Help your dog get familiar with their new area in advance of the move. Go for walks around the area and past the new property. Check out the local popular dog walking routes.
Moving home with cats
Cats are highly territorial and can find moving house trickier than dogs.
- It’s a good idea to use a cat-carrier to transport your kitty to the new home. Cats should be kept secured during the move for their own safety and the safety of the humans moving beds and appliances.
- Try and find the quietest spot in the new house whilst all the activity is going on.
- It’s recommended that you keep your cat indoors at the new house until everything is settled and quiet. If you let your cat outdoors straight away, they could run away or sadly get lost. Reduce the risks of this happening and turn your favourite ball of fluff into an ‘indoor cat’ for a couple of weeks. This should be enough time for it to get used to it’s new home and garden.
- You might also want to supervise your cat in the garden for the first few outings, to make sure it is not involved in any nasty territory fights with neighbourhood cats.
Moving home with fish
Relocating your fishy friends needs some preparation before your movers arrive.
- Remember to tell the movers you have a fish tank when booking the moving day and your requirements. The movers can then advise you on any safety issues with moving the fish tanks (some fish-tanks are massive and need to be moved by a specialist).
- You must ensure that you’ve emptied the tank of water – several large buckets with lids is a good plan.
- Taking as much of the original water with you as you may minimise the stress on your fishy friend.
- The movers should look to pack your fish tank last which will allow you to get straight onto setting up the tank at your new home (as last item onto the truck will become the first off).
- Check regularly during the next week to ensure your fish are adapting positively to their new environment.
We won’t pretend that moving house with pets is easy!
Follow our tips and you should be all set for a paw-fect beginning to moving into a new home.
