How to Move Your Pets from One Home to the Other
Posted By Capitol North American on 2010-08-31 @ 08:24:00
Many domestic pets act nervously in new surroundings, especially indoor cats and dogs. The longer house cats stay in a home, the more comfortable they become with their surroundings. Once you relocate pets to a new home, they become nervous and seek out familiar hiding areas like under the couch or a bed.
One of the most stressful aspects of moving, for your pets is the ride in the car. Some pets, like dogs, love car rides. They can hang their head out of the windows and enjoy the relaxing trip. But other pets like cats and birds may become anxious with the unfamiliar surroundings and the motion of the vehicle. Placing these kinds of animals in transport cages and covering them with a sheet helps to keep them calm until you arrive at your new home.
If you’re traveling a long distance with a dog, you may want to factor additional time in your trip time to stop and let your dog stretch its legs. Long car rides can irritate dogs to the point of a driving hazard. If your drive will take you more than one day and you have to stay at a hotel, make sure you pick one that allows animals to stay in their rooms. Bringing your cat or dog’s bed into the hotel room will help them cope with the new surroundings. You should also bring along your cat or dogs favorite toy to keep their minds off of the move.
Pets and Air Travel
People fly with their pets all the time. Most airlines have programs allowing you and your pet to fly on the same plane. Making arrangements in advance for your pet to fly is mandatory. This way you can find out what paperwork you’ll need when you arrive at the airport, and what kinds of cages are approved by the airlines for pet transportation. All airlines have strict policies on pet transport and storage. Make sure all of your pet’s shot and veterinarian records are up to date and presented.
Moving with Fish
Moving with fish can be tricky. You want to make sure that your fish are transported properly since some fish can only survive in certain types of water and water temperatures. If your fish tank is five gallons or less, you can leave your fish in it and empty it half way. Shrink-wrap the opening of the tank to minimize splashing before placing it in your car. You can also visit a local pet store and purchase fish transport plastic bags. Make sure they are big enough and leak free. It’s usually better if you use the water that’s already in the tank to transport your fish. Once you’ve filled up the bag and placed your fish inside, seal it tightly with a rubber band and then place that bag in a another bag of the same size just in case leaking occurs. You can place the fish in a Styrofoam cooler or bucket that will allow the fish’s bag to stay upright. You should open up the bags every four to five hours so you can recycle the air supply. You also want to make sure that your fish’s water doesn’t get too hot or too cold as this can possibly kill your fish. As soon as you get to your new destination, you should place water and your fish in your aquarium as soon as possible. When filling the tank up with new water, make sure you add tap water a little at a time to help your fish adjust.
The faster you organize your home after your move, the faster your pets get used to the new surroundings. If they are hiding under or behind something, just place food out for them. They will find it and eat it. The best thing to do is leave them alone and let them warm up to the new home.
© Capitol North American, 2012. northAmerican is a registered trademark of North American Van Lines, Inc., and is used under license.
Capitol North American
1780 South Mojave Road
Las Vegas, NV. 89104-4596