Moving with Pets

(This is the second post for Bailey's Moving and Storage ipad 2 Giveaway.  Click here to learn more about the contest.)


Whether it's a gerbil or a dog, a lot of people have pets.  Having a pet complicates the moving process, but doesn't make it impossible.  Here is a list of suggestions coming from pet expert Marc Marrone (along with my own annotations), pet guru of Martha Stewart:


When moving with four-legged friends, you have to anticipate their biggest fears.  Most animals fear the unknown.  They've never been in a moving situation before---it's all new.  It reminds me of the 4th of July.  My dog couldn't handle the fireworks crashing and neighbors walking about; it wasn't the norm.  Marc suggests doing "practice" runs with your pets to prepare them for moving day.  Buy a crate and keep it in your car.  At least once a day for a week or two, take your pet for a car ride in the crate just to get them used to the feeling.  

This is exactly how my dog reacted during a firework show!

Remember that when you put your animal in your crate/carrier, there should be a layer or shredded newspaper or straw.  This will help your pet to latch on and feel more  secure in their new "travel home".  Marc suggests that you DON'T use a blanket as your base in the crate.  Animals can scratch it over to the corner of their crate, and then slip and slide whenever you stop and/or accelerate.  

Make sure your crate has a door.  You don't want the family pet to run off when you're unloading!

Darkness also helps to keep animals more calm while moving.  Your straw bottom will keep your pet's cage darker, and you could also consider buying a window shade that clings to your car.  

You can find these shades in the baby aisle of stores like Walmart, Target, and of course Babies R Us.

Consider leaving your pets with a friend during your move.  Pets can become disoriented during a move.  With movers going in and out of every room, pets can wander out of your new house and become lost.  Marc suggests checking with your veterinarian to see if you can keep your pets in the office the night before or during your move.  Whatever you do, make sure you trust that the person keeping your pets has their best interest in mind.


If you have any other suggestions to add to the list, please leave them in the comments!!


Thanks to Martha and Marc for inspiring this blog post!  You can view Marc's video on this same subject by clicking HERE.