Tips to Keep Your Pet Safe during a Long Distance Move

Are you planning on moving with pets? Here’s how to keep them safe and as happy as possible during the move.

One of the top stressors in a pet’s life is a move, but that doesn’t mean you can’t minimize the stress when moving with pets. Your pet is likely a significant part of your world, and the thought of causing it distress can make the process even more worrisome for you and your family.

Signs the move is bothering your pet may include:

• Hiding
• More barking than usual
• Or even lashing out aggressively

It’s time to de-stress the moving process for you and your pet with these tips for your long distance move:

Tip #1: Familiarize the pet to the travel carrier in advance.

Most pets think they know what’s coming when the travel carrier appears. They likely correlate it with stressful vet appointments, which can make them feel fearful. Or, perhaps they’ve never experienced a carrier before and that uncertainty can be even worse. By letting them hop into the carrier with a few treats and toys inside, they can start to feel more comfortable and will associate the carrier with a positive memory instead.

Tip #2: Have a friend or family member help with the pet during the move.

A pet that has to sit in the carrier the entire time the movers are present is going to be very unhappy. Whether barking excessively or acting aggressive, the pet will likely act out in not-so-wonderful ways. Finding a pet sitter, friend or family member who can take the dog on a walk or break-up the time in some way will help to alleviate the pet’s stress—and will likely decrease your guilt too!

For more tips to manage moving with a pet as successfully as possible, connect with our pros at Nilson Van & Storage today. We are here to help you and your family (pets included!) every step of the way.