Reduce Stress for your Pets when Moving

Moving can be a stressful time for the whole family, but if you have animals then it can be just as hard on them as it is on you, regardless of the distance you are planning on travelling. Important steps must be taken when it comes to moving pets so that you can ensure that their stress levels are reduced and they can settle into the new family home easily. It doesn't matter whether you have a cat, a dog or a goldfish, or even something more exotic, according to top veterinarians pets can sense and react to stress. So take a look at this article to find out some great tips on how you can reduce the amount of stress that moving with your animals can cause.

GUIDELINES FOR ALL PETS

When it comes to moving pets, in order to ensure that you keep your pet's stress levels at a minimum, you should try to keep as much as you can to the routines you normally have with them. Keep feeding, play times and walks at the same times of day so that your pets are unaware that anything is changing and this will help to keep them happy and healthy in the run up to the big move. When it comes closer to moving day, you might find it easier to ask a friend or neighbour or even a kennel to look after your pets so that they don't have to be a part of the upheaval and don't end up getting lost or stuck in one of the moving boxes.

In order to cover any type of eventuality, it is always best to keep a form of identification of your pet or pets with you, including recent pictures. This could help if your pet does end up escaping and it will help to cut down on stress levels as well because they will be easy to identify. If your move is going to be a long one, then it is important to ensure that they have access to food and water on the journey. Keep the food nice and bland so that your pet is less likely to get an upset stomach during the journey. If you suddenly change your pet's diet then it could cause an upset stomach and sickness so if you are not sure then always make a quick visit to your local veterinarian.

When it comes to moving pets, before the big move you should always book your animals in for a check up. Make sure that they have had all of the correct vaccinations and also try to pick up copies of their records so that you have them for when you find a new veterinarian in your new area. If you are unsure about the services in your new location, then you can always run a simple and quick search on any good search engine to find recommendations.

If your pet is receiving any kind of treatment, then make sure that you get enough medication from your veterinarian to last you in your new home until you can get yourself settled. You should also talk to your veterinarian about whether or not your pet might benefit from being tranquilized during travel. If you are planning on doing this, then you should try it out before hand so that you can make sure you get the correct dosage.

Before moving pets you should find out about the regulations and laws in your new location because each state has different ways of dealing with importing new animals. If you are not sure about this, then you can always check with your veterinarian in the new area. Make sure that you do this well in advance so that any paperwork can be completed before you move.

PLANNING AHEAD

The easiest way to ensure a safe and relatively stress free move for your pets is to plan well in advance. It doesn't matter how your pet will be travelling when it comes to moving pets, you should always make the arrangements well in advance so that you will be fully prepared on the day of the move. In order to cut out more stress, allocate the responsibility of the pets to one sensible person in the family so that you can get on with other jobs and important issues will not be forgotten. If you are not sure about how your pet will travel, why not have a chat with your local travel agent? They will be able to advise you on the best mode of transport for your animals and they will also be able to assist you with the details such as boarding, pick up and delivery. Costs of this will depend upon which form of transport and extras you choose.

Quick Checklist

• Take your pets to the veterinarian for any medication, health check ups and documents needed for entry into new location. Ask about possible tranquilizers, pet records and ask if your veterinarian can recommend anyone in your new location.
• Ensure your pick up a travel ID tag for your pets.
• Research the state's entry regulations for pets because each state has different laws.

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