38% of Australian households have dogs, and 29% have cats. Factor in other less common pets (such as rabbits, rodents, and reptiles), and there are even more family friends in each house!
Considering Australians move quite often, it’s pretty normal to see creatures along for the ride. However, moving with pets can be stressful, especially when you already have so much to worry about.
Here are some top tips on how to make a stress-free move with pets.
Get Your Pets Used to Being in Carriers
If you’ve ever had to put your pet in a carrier or crate before, you’ll know what a pain it can be trying to get them in. And once they’re in there, they’re probably distressed, which can lead to yowling, barking, or other types of unwanted noise.
The best way to avoid this happening on the big day, is to get your pets used to carriers or crates.
Start off by placing the carrier with the door open in your home. Leave some treats, toys, blankets, and other positive things inside, and eventually, your pets will crawl in. They’ll start spending time in the carrier and it will feel like a safe space for them.
Once you see that your pets are comfortable with their crate, start taking them on short rides. Start with a 10-minute trip, then keep moving up the increments by 10 minutes.
Eventually, your furry friends will be used to not only the carrier, but also longer rides. By the time moving day comes, they’ll willingly get in the carrier and won’t raise a fuss while they’re in a moving vehicle.
Familiarise Them With the New Neighbourhood
If possible, you should familiarise your pets with the new neighbourhood. If it’s close enough, you can combine this exercise with the last one.
Take your pets to the new area and let them experience all the new sights and smells. If you already have the keys to the new house, let them explore inside as well. You might find that they already have a favourite corner. You can section that off as theirs and work around them when you’re moving everything in.
The more familiar the new place is, the better your pets will adjust once you’re all moved in. This can also reduce the chance of accidents in the middle of the night.
Keep Your Routine the Same
This might be difficult, as you may have to change your routine during the move. But you should try and keep everything as regular as possible.
If you usually walk your dog at a certain time of the day, you should stick to that, both during and after the move. A routine is safe and familiar, and if it’s the same after the move, your pets will feel much more at ease in their new surroundings.
Think about it from their point of view: they’re already being unexpectedly removed from their home and placed in a new one. If the activities they’ve come to expect every day change as well, this can be highly distressing.
Keep Them Away From the Commotion
Have you ever tried to move house in a calm manner? It just doesn’t happen, especially if you try and do it yourself!
The flurry of activity can be highly confusing to your pets, especially since they don’t grasp the concept of what’s happening. This can result in them feeling scared, especially with unfamiliar people coming in and out of your house.
Here, you have several choices to keep your pets stress-free. First, you can keep them in an empty room that no one is to go into. You can leave their favourite toys, bed, and treats in there so they stay happy.
You can also have someone pet-sit for you. That way, your furry friends are completely removed from the house and in an environment where they’re getting the attention they deserve.
Get Proper ID for Your Pets
Even if you take all the proper precautions to ensure your pets won’t be unsettled or scared in their new home, there’s still a good chance they may bolt at the first chance they get. Some cats and dogs may want to run back to their old home where they’ve their spent years prior.
Because of this, you need to make sure you can find them should they get out of the house.
At the most basic level, your pets should have ID tags. You should also have them microchipped, so if the ID tag falls off, your pet can still be identified through this.
Enlist the Help of Professional Removalists
If you find yourself feeling like you have too much on your plate, the help of a professional removalist can be lifechanging. They can pack up everything for you, transport it to your new place, unload all your boxes, and even unpack them.
Some top-quality removalists will even do housecleaning for you, so you truly don’t have to lift a finger in your entire relocation. This leaves you free to take care of your pet during this stressful time. As a result, both you and your furry friends will get peace of mind.
In some cases, the removalists can even take care of pet transportation if you need it. Because they’ve dealt with this for so many clients, they’ll know exactly how to keep your pet calm and comfortable with the move.
If you’d prefer to move your pet yourself because that’ll give you more peace of mind, that’s fine too!
Moving With Pets Doesn’t Have to Be Hard
If you’ve been stressed out about moving with pets, don’t be. With our top tips and relocation experts assisting you, you can make any move with furry friends go smoothly, even if it’s to another state or to a different country.
So don’t feel obligated to do it all on your own. Let the pros lend you a helping hand to make your relocation smoother and less stressful!
Are you planning on moving soon? Wanting some professional help? Then get a quote from us now!
