An overwhelming majority of households own a pet, according to statistics gathered from a recent survey conducted by the American Pet Product Association. That’s over 77% of all American families that have at least one cat, dog, or another type of animal to worry about when relocating to a new home.If you’re moving with a pet, knowing how to make the transition easier for them is an important part of your relocation. At Prestige Moving & Storage, Co., we’ve been moving households with pets since 1961. Since then, we’ve become the area’s leading experts in relocations of all kinds, and committed make their relocation experiences easier, more affordable, and all-around more enjoyable. 

In this article, we’re sharing some great tips to help make the process a lot easier for you and your animal friends.

Keep Calm and Pack On

Your pets are likely to feel stressed during the relocation if you’re feeling stressed. After all, pets can pick up on our feelings and absorb them as their own, which means that for the most part, their ease and comfort is our responsibility. 

It’s easy to feel stressed out when starting the packing part of the move, especially if it’s badly planned, last-minute, or if you’re trying to do it all yourself. Hire help—professional residential movers like our team at Prestige Moving and Storage offer full-service packing and storage options—to make this part of the process a lot easier. If you’re doing it yourself, try to start early to avoid rushing and creating a chaotic environment.  

Keep Your Pets Separate on Moving Day

On moving day, even the calmest, most even-tempered animals can feel extremely nervous and anxious about the big changes in their home environment. Dogs and cats, in particular, can feel especially threatened by the strangers (your movers) entering the home, making noise, and carrying your belongings out the door. 

When animals feel threatened or nervous, it can make them feel like running away—and often, dogs and cats do get lost on moving day. For this reason, you should separate them from the hustle and bustle by finding them a quiet, secure place to stay as the move happens. If you don’t have a quiet space on your property where you can safely leave them while the movers are there, consider leaving them with a neighbor or friends they’re familiar with, or board them at a kennel as a last resort. 

Visit the Veterinarian

Take your pet on a last-minute visit to their veterinarian to collect any paperwork you might need for them in their new city or town. You can also have your veterinarian give them one last check-up before you leave and ask for a certificate of health if you need it for the plane or shipping company (if you’re shipping your pets). 

You should also use this opportunity to have their tags and microchips updated to reflect new contact information, if necessary. 

Making Your Pet Comfortable During the Journey

If you can, move your pet with you in your car. While this may not be possible for everyone, make it a priority if it is. Your pet will feel far more comfortable traveling with you than by themselves or with strangers. If it’s not possible to drive with your pets, contact a reputable pet shipping company or look into flying with them on the same plane. If these are your options, your pet will probably be crated for an extended period of time. Pets that aren’t used to being in crates should be introduced to them early on to make moving day less of a shock.

Set-Up Your Home Before Welcoming Your Pet

This tip is more for local moves than for long-distance, but it’s worth mentioning. If you’re moving locally, you can help your pet to feel more at home and less nervous after a move by boarding them or letting them stay with a friend while the move happens. Once you’ve completely unpacked—and their familiar bedding, bowls, food, and everything else is set up, welcome them to their new home.

Once you have everything set-up, you’re likely to feel much calmer—which will make them feel calmer, too. This can help your pet adjust to the new surroundings a lot faster.

Move with Prestige

Prestige Moving & Storage, Co. is an agent of Allied Van Lines, one of the largest moving networks in the world. Our mission is to make moving easier and more comfortable for our customers, with state-of-the-art moving equipment, a talented team of expert movers, and the personalized service you need when moving near or far. Whether you’re in need of high-quality commercial or residential movers for a local, long-distance, or an international move, we’re ready to handle your project, no matter the size or scale. For more information on our services and moving solutions, give our team a call now or fill out our online form for a free, no-obligation pricing estimate in your home.

As Prestige experienced rapid growth, the company saw a tremendous opportunity for expansion in the central Oregon town of Bend. In 1996, Prestige came roaring into the town of Bend and completely revolutionized the moving business. Today Prestige/Bend owns and occupies over 20,000 square feet of warehouse space and its market share has grown as fast as the business itself.