Oliver Finn shares some sound advice on how to take the strain out of moving Britney, Rocky, Tweety and Hammy.
It is not only us humans that feel the stress of moving home but help is at hand with some simple rules to ease the transition for your creatures. Follow these top tips for a stress-free move for your pets.
1) Keep pets out of the way if possible
Pets can easily become either excited or scared by the huge amount of disruption caused by moving house. There are new sights, sounds and places to explore, and overexcited dogs especially can cause your stress levels to rocket. On move day either send your pets away for a little holiday to a friend's house or a kennel or cattery. Alternatively leave them locked in a room on their own with their favourite toys. If you have removal men, put a sign on the door to keep them out.
2) Get them used to car journeys
Often pets don't travel well. You can acclimatise them to travelling by taking them out for little journeys in the weeks leading up to the move. You can also reduce the chances of car sickness by not feeding your pet for 12 hours before the move.
3) Ensure the new address is on their ID tag
It's the one address it's easy to forget to change. But if your pet goes missing six months after you move, you want to be sure whoever find them returns them to the correct address. It's good practice to put a new tag on their collar the night before you move.
4) Don't let them out in the new property till the move is over
The more normal the house looks the easier your pet will find it to settle in. For cats especially moving house is quite unnatural, so put time aside to pay them attention and help them settle in.
5) Ensure they can find familiar things in their new home
A favourite toy or bed will help to reassure your pet that everything is OK and they don't need to run off. Familiar smells are very important to animals.
6) Restrict your cat's movement around move day
While dogs are happy when they worship you, cats exist to live their own life! And that means they are more likely to wander off and hide, especially if the process of filling up the removals van disrupts their normal routine. On move day put your cat into a travel basket before the van arrives. It would be worth buying or hiring a bigger basket than you use to take them to the vet, as they may have to spend a while in it. Ensure they have food and plenty of fresh water, and check on them regularly.
7) Keep journey times down for small animals
It's not just about cats and dogs. Smaller animals are much easier to transport, but still need to be well prepared for your move. Domestic caged birds will normally travel quite well and will be happy with you in the car. With all of these animals the journey needs to be short and they need food, water and ventilation.
8) Buy a proper container to transport fish
Don't try to transport fish in their tank as it could end in tears. Buy or rent a proper container especially designed for fish transport. Their original tank should be carefully packed with lots of protective material. Put your fish back in their tank as soon as you can, following your pet shop's guidelines for the safe transfer of fish.
9) Small animals need chew-proof containers
Guinea pigs, hamsters and rabbits are best transported in well ventilated "chew-proof" containers made of metal or rigid plastic. Don't forget to give them plenty of bedding, some food, and as much water as they want.
10) Use a specialist if you are moving abroad
Moving animals abroad can have legal as well as logistical implications. Consult an expert well ahead and don't be afraid to hire a specialist to handle the movement of your pets, so you can focus on relocating your family.
Source: Countryside Properties' pet owners survival guide.
