Make Moving Easier On Your Pets


Moving from your college digs to a modest flat sucks enough. But you’ll wish you were in that boat again come the day you have to move house with kids or, worse, pets. It’s a challenge that hides even more mini-challenges, sort of like you’re playing Super Mario on whatever it is kids play Super Mario on these days. The amount of stories you hear where people have been so tunnel-blind by the whole packing thing, they’ve actually lost their pets, handing out missing cat fliers and posting up rewards, only to find them in their new home, in the middle of their rolled up carpet, looking rather sheepish. There's no denying that moving home is stressful, but it gets cranked up a notch or three when pets are involved, which is why we have pulled together some advice - hopefully it will be enough to keep your nerves from jangling and your sanity intact. 

The Temporary Pet Room
Moving day is hectic. It’s chaotic. It’s madness. And all that stressing and moving and shouting up and down the stairs can get your pets feeling somewhat upset. Our advice: set up a room in your home, away from all the lifting and moving, that can be used as a pet haven. Clear it out of whatever was in there and then add the bits and bobs your pet loves most. Oh, and try doing the same the other end because, well, it’s just as hectic trying to unpack. Put in their bed, some food and some toys. You could even play music to drown out the noise that will inevitably be going on. This isn't only beneficial for cats and dogs, but rabbits and other small furries too. Did you know that guinea pigs have preferences for genres and specific songs? It can help them to feel relaxed, especially on a stressful day like moving day.

Remember Your Routines
If your pet has a routine, then try and not let this go and the window more than it has to. Stick to the same meal times, stick to the same pet foods, stick to the same walking habits and just do anything that will help maintain that stability they’re used to. Trust us, it’ll be worth it. 

Register Your Pet
When you move house, there is a bunch of registering you need to do. You need to register with the doctor. If you have kids, you need to register with schools. And, if you have pets, you need to register with your local vets. Having a pet is a huge responsibility, and a big part of that is making sure you have a local vet onside should anything go wrong (god forbid!). 

Tell The Neighbours
You’re moving to a new place, and that can be pretty disorientating for a pet. As such, they’re probably going to try and find their way back to your old home at some point or another. It’s oh so common. That’s why we recommend you let your neighbors - and neighborhood - know you have pets, what they look like, what they answer to and if they can keep an eye out for them for the first month or so. Just make sure you also tell your neighbors not to feed them - it will confuse them big time and, well, they’ll probably end up returning, which would be annoying for everyone.