Answered by Robert Moreschi
December 14, 2012
They might not be able to tell us, but moving stresses our pets out too! Like you said, it's hard for anyone to adapt to living in a new house, even pets, so moving can be stressful. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to make the move easier on them, and on yourself as well.
For starters, ease your pet into the moving process by beginning to pack well in advance of the move, and doing slowly, so they have plenty of time to become accustomed to the sudden presence of moving boxes in your house. Also, if you have a dog and you are moving within driving distance, take it to the new neighborhood where you will be moving and let it walk around and allow it to adjust to its new environment and to the new sights and smells of where it will be calling home in the coming weeks or months.
Pets are creatures of habit, much like we are, and they need their routine, so be sure to keep your pet's routine the same throughout the entire moving process to minimize stress. Also, purchase the pet carrier that you will be transporting your pet in well in advance of the move to give it some time to get used to being inside of it.
On moving day, keep your pets in a separate room, safely out of the way of the movers and all of the commotion that is sure to be going on inside and outside of your house. When transporting your pet to your new home, whether by plane or by car, make sure to keep it safely and securely inside your pet carrier at all times to prevent it from becoming scared and possibly running away. If you have a dog that is too big for a pet carrier, keep it on its leash at all times.
There are plenty of resources available for how to safely move your pet in our moving guides section at Movers.com, if you want to read more about this topic.
Don't forget to let us know how your move went by leaving a review on our review page and tell us all about your moving experience, from moving your pet to the movers that helped you every step of the way.