Moving is certain to be a stressful part of your life. Unfortunately, it can also be just as stressful for your pets. The hubbub of moving day, the unfamiliarity of the new home, and the disruption to their routine can all be anxiety triggers for your furry friends. Fortunately, there are several ways that you can help your pets to transition during a move. These steps can aid in minimizing their anxiety and ensuring that they adjust more easily to life in your new home. Here are a few of the best ways that you can help to ease your pets’ transition during a move.
Current and Accurate Tags
Moving day can be chaotic, which can make it difficult to keep an eye on your pet. This may provide them with the opportunity to escape from your home and get lost. Since this is a possibility, you need to make certain that their tags are current and accurate. This will ensure that you can be reached if your pet is found. You should also have them microchipped to provide further protection. Take care to ensure that they are wearing their tags on the day of your move. Keeping current tags is also a component of being a responsible pet owner.
Help Them Stay Occupied
A bored pet can often become anxious more easily. They may also turn to destructive tendencies, which is the last thing that you want in your new home. When you help them stay occupied, you can help to distract them from any stress, while simultaneously helping to ease their transition. Consider using interactive or puzzle toys to help them stay occupied throughout the move.
Pack a Pet Essentials Bag
There are things that your pet needs daily, such as their foods and medications. After you have spent a day moving, it is highly unlikely that you will want to immediately begin unpacking or searching through boxes for belongings. When you set aside a bag of their essentials, you can make it far easier to care for them during the process of settling in. This essentials bag will also ensure that you have easy access to all of the things that they need to be cared for properly.
Go for Walks in your New Neighborhood
If you are relatively close to the neighborhood where you are moving, you may want to try getting your pet used to the area prior to the move. You can take them for walks around the new neighborhood, which will enable them to get more familiar with the area. This can aid in their transition, because it will reduce the number of new things that they have to experience all at the same time.
Give them Plenty of Attention and Affection
When your pet is stressed in a new environment, it is likely that they will turn to you for comfort. You should try to spend as much time home as possible for several days after moving into your new building. This will help to ensure that your pet adjusts with you available for comfort.
Keep to their Routine
Pets benefit a substantial amount from a regular routine. One of the major stressors during your move is a significant deviation from their routine. You should try to implement as normal a routine as possible. Take them for walks at the normal times, feed them at the same time, and play with them as much as you ordinarily would. You should also try implementing a new routine as soon as possible in the new home, which can help them to adjust more quickly.
Provide them with a Safe Space
When a pet becomes stressed, they often want a safe place to retreat to and feel comfortable. Try setting this space up as soon as possible in the new home. Put familiar toys and bedding somewhere in the house, such as a corner or with their crate. This familiarity can ease their adjustment.
Hire a Sitter
You may want to consider dropping your pet off with a pet sitter on the day of the move. Not only will this keep them out of the way and reduce the chances of them running away, but it will also aid in shielding them from the stress of moving day. This can be a particularly beneficial step to take during your move.
There are several things that you can do to help ease the strain of a move on your pets. At Skyline Animal Hospital, we strive to ensure that all of the needs of your pets are met. If you are worried about their level of anxiety during or after your move, you may want to consider consulting with our expert team. Contact us at Skyline Animal Hospital for more information about all of the ways that you can ease your pets’ transition during your move.
