Are you relocating your family and pets to a new home and neighborhood? Moving can be filled with uncertainties for pets as much as for people! These tips can help make readjustment a little easier for your furry, scaly, and feathered friends.
- Ask your old veterinarian if he or she can recommend a vet in your new area. Make sure you bring copies of all vet records with you, or have the office forward them to your new vet. Bringing the old records along will save time and confusion with your new veterinarian!
- Don’t give your pets a chance to wander off. Your dog or cat may try to find their way back to the old house, and get lost or injured in the process. It may take several weeks before your cat adjusts to a new house!
- Introduce your pets to the new postal carrier, delivery folks, and other neighborhood service people.
- If you’ll be walking your pet around the new neighborhood, make sure they are secured on a leash and wearing current ID and rabies tags! If your pet gets loose, they may not be able to find their way back to the new house. A walk is a great way for your pet to meet new neighbors.
- Keep an eye on climate. If you are going from a warm climate to a cold climate (or vice versa) your pet may have trouble adjusting.
- Put out your pet’s toys and bed as soon as possible, so the familiar things can make the new place feel like home.
- Put your pet’s food and water dishes in a similar place to where they were in the old house. For example, if you kept the water bowl in the kitchen, put it there now.
- Give your pet a safe place away from the hustle and bustle of moving and unpacking. Your cat or small dog may want to hide underneath the bed or couch to be out of the way; your safest bet may be securing your pet in another room while moving things in and out. Birds especially may need a few days to be relatively undisturbed to adjust to a new location.
- Watch the water. Your pet may have some stomach issues while adjusting to the water in your new home. A few days should take care of any water problems. If you are moving fish, be sure that the water is treated appropriately before being added to the tank.