When you’re moving, you want to take your furry or feathered family members with you, but how do you prevent them from getting too stressed out?

That’s why we put together a guide on how to move your pets.

1) Packing

If you’re the owner of a furry friend, you know very well how involved they like to be in everything. In order to make packing go smoother, consider getting a baby gate to keep your pets in one room while you pack the other. This prevents your pets from getting into your packing. Alternatively, you can put them in your bedroom or the bathroom when you’re not packing them and close the door.

2) If possible, leave your pet with someone else.

The easiest way to move your pet is to put them in a kennel or arrange a friend or family member to care for them on the moving day. This ensures that they are being taken care of on the day of, and you don’t have to worry about walking your dog or feeding your cat on an already very busy day. Having someone else care for your pet on moving day reduces stress for both you and your pet.

3) The transportation. 

If you can’t find anyone to take care of your pet, make sure to have a carrier ready for your cat or dog. Place your pet’s favourite treats and a piece of your clothing in the carrier to reduce stress. Alternatively, for cats, you can spray some Feliway into the carrier. Feliway is designed to mimic a mother cat’s scent and pheromones, bringing peace to your cats as if they were a kitten.

Pets like canaries, parakeets and rabbits can be moved in their cages. Consider putting a towel or a blanket over the cage or carrier to prevent your pets from being overstimulated during the move. Make sure the fabric is breathable, especially during the summer months.

4) The ride

Live pets should always be moved in your family’s vehicle. This is the best way to monitor them and keep them company in case they are stressed during the move. At Kleiner Services, we, and many other movers, will not put live pets in our trucks. We care about your pets and want them to have a stress-free experience as much as possible.

5) Plan ahead.

Plan ahead of time to keep your pets out of the movers’ way during the truck loading process. Planning ahead can also prevent your pets from getting too hot during the summer months or a heat wave.

If you need more advice on how to move your pets, contact your veterinarian to see what is the best way to reduce your pets’ stress during a move.

How to move with your fish.

Dealing with fish during a move can be tricky, since they need special care during a move. Often, fish don’t survive the motion and temperature changes of a longer move.

To prevent this, you may decide that it’s easier to sell or give away your fish and aquarium. But in the case that you decide to proceed with moving them, it’s best to move them in your vehicle, like the other pets we’ve mentioned.

On your moving day, it’s recommended that you leave your fish where they are until the last possible moment, then transfer them into a plastic bag (this is suitable for only very short distance moves!) or a plastic moving tank.