For original article click here
Tips for Moving Cross-Country with Pets
The day of the big move has finally come. And when I say big, I mean big. You are about to move across the entire country. You’ve packed, planned, found a place to live in your new hometown, and sorted out just about everything in between. However, one thing remains: how will you bring you beloved pet (or pets) along with you?
Moving with pets can be very complicated. Just as moving is hard on you, it’s hard on your pets as well. They have to move to a completely new place, but they lack your knowledge of exactly why you are moving. Luckily, you can make the move a bit easier on them in a couple ways.
Pet Shipping Services In The USA
The most obvious solution might be to use a service like uShip Pets or Delta Dash. These services will bring your pet wherever you are headed, and they make a point to take care of the pets along the way. However, this will of course cost a bit. The exact cost depends on the size of your pet, what kind of pet it is, and how many you have, but you can generally plan on spending between $150-$300 for a service like this to carry your pet.
Driving With Pets Across The Country
A much more direct idea is to make a big road-trip out of it. Move cross-country with your pet! You can keep your pet in the car with you to keep each other company, stop at fun places along the way. Bring your pet out for a walk at these places if you have a dog or a particularly well-trained cat. Just be sure to bring some of your pet’s favorite toys along for the ride too so they can play while you drive. By following these tips for moving with pets, you and your animals can both get through the move with as little stress as possible! Remember to always load your pets into the vehicle last, and unload them first into your new home.
Tips For Moving Across Country With A Dog
- Don’t pack up overnight, let your dog adjust casually.
- Try to keep your dog’s routine as normal as possible.
- Pet your dog and talk to him/her about the upcoming move.
- Get new dog collar tags with name, phone and updated address!
- During the move, keep your dog in a room that is safe and calm.
- Pack plenty of snacks and drinking water for the ride.
- Make sure to take frequent stops to let your dog run and potty.
- Stay with your dog and supervise while it explores your new home.
- Get back to a routine in your new home as soon as possible.
Tips For Moving With Cats Cross Country
- Don’t pack everything up in one night…cats don’t like it!
- Give your cat time to adjust to being in a carrier.
- Get new ID tags with address and phone number
- Put out your moving boxes ahead of time to let your cat adjust to them.
- Try to keep your cat’s routine as normal as possible.
- If you’re cat is very on-edge, discuss anti-anxiety meds with your veterinarian.
- Keep your cat’s carrier clean as cats hate to be stuck in a mess!
- During the move, keep your cat in a calm area away from the ruckus.
- Keep your cat’s breakfast light on moving day to prevent upset stomach
- Keep your cat in a calm, safe room when you move in to let it adjust to its new home
Tips For Moving With Rabbits / Caged Mammals
- Keep your rabbit in a calm room away from the moving and commotion
- Add a familiar toy in your bunnies carrier cage during the move
- Clean out and replace soiled linens every few hours during the move
- Keep the diet light during the move to help keep the cage clean
- Don’t blast loud music during the drive
- Keep the AC on and the temperature cool…bunnies overheat easily!
- If possible let them out of the cage to stretch and hop around every 3-4 hours
- Keep their carrier flat and secure during the drive and drive slow over bumps.
- Keep your rabbit in a calm room as soon as you arrive to your new home
Tips For Moving With Pet Birds Across The USA
- Birds get stressed out easily, so keep them in a calm, quiet room during the move.
- Stock up on your bird’s current food in case it isn’t carried in your new location.
- Keep your bird’s cage level and secured by a seatbelt.
- A thin, but breathable sheet over the cage can help your pet bird stay calm
- Don’t blast loud music during the drive.
- Make sure your birds are legal in the states your travel through!
- Glare-guards are good to keep direct sunlight off of your birds during the drive.
- An airbag deployment could be harmful to your bird, so keep it in the back seat.
- Try to keep the environment as calm and stress-free as possible during the move
- Keep your pet bird in the calmest room of your new home while moving in
Tips For Moving Reptiles Across The Country
- Make sure your pet lizards or snakes are legal to own in the states you travel through.
- Keep your reptiles in a well-ventilated, dark container that they can move around in during the move.
- Reptiles, snakes especially, may not eat for a few days after a long move…this is normal.
- Make sure their cage or container is secure and sturdy during the drive.
- Unload your pet reptiles first thing upon arrival to a calm, quiet room to adjust.
- Keep all necessary ownership / veterinarian papers on-hand during transport just in case
Keep Calm And Move Your Pets
Overall, I’m sure you can see a pretty apparent theme for moving your pets across the country. Keep their environment as calm as possible during the move and make sure that all of their basic needs are met. Animals can sense your stress and they will feed on that, so make sure to keep your nerves as calm and steady as possible too! If you have any valuable tips for moving pets across the country, I would love to hear from you.
Leave a comment below!
