Prepare Your Pets for an Upcoming Move

Moving is a large feat for everyone, and the most effective way to keep calm and prevent too many emergencies is with proper planning. This becomes even more necessary when you are moving with your furry friends! Plan your move so that you make it easy on your dog or cat and so that the entire family can transition into the new home together. The Stone Mountain movers want to make sure you and your pets have a smooth move, so read on for our top tips for moving with pets.

First things first, make sure your pet will be welcome in your new community. Some areas have pet and breed restrictions that could prevent your pet from living in area. For example, Miami has strict laws about pit bull breeds. Do your research and ensure that your pet isn’t a banned breed where you are looking to move.

Schedule an exit appointment with your current veterinarian so that you can obtain a clean bill of health certification to take with you. This will come in handy when you have to choose a new vet and need documentation of your pet’s past and health records. This is especially vital if you are moving to a new country or plan to fly, because the airlines and customs will need to verify pet health before permitting them to enter.

Double check to see if there are any other steps required for bringing your pet into a foreign country. Ensure you will not be hit with any surprises upon arrival by performing thorough research and gathering necessary paperwork.

Moving somewhere closer and planning to drive? Make sure your dog can handle the trip and won’t have travel anxiety. If your dog is known for being uneasy in the car, have your veterinarian prescribe something to calm your pup.

Be sure to update your pet’s microchip with the new address, that way if your dog is ever lost and found at a vet’s office they can return your pet to the right address. Ditto for pet insurance so you can continue coverage and stay updated in their systems.

With these steps, we also recommend that you pay attention to your dog during the moving process. Most likely he is going to get confused when everything is getting boxed up, and when the home he knows changes. If your dog is younger or tends to be in the mix at all times, you might want to consider letting him play at a doggie daycare during the actual moving process. This will also prevent him slipping out of open doors and/or gates and causing further stress.