How to Move with Pets? Your Complete Guide

It’s striking that nearly every American household seems to have a furry, feathered, or scaly companion.

A recent study shows that 66% of U.S. households (86.9 million homes) own a pet, with dogs and cats being the most popular, followed by rabbits, hamsters, fish, and birds.

We understand that moving homes can be an overwhelming journey. Relocating with pets poses unique challenges.

Lifting heavy furniture, disposing of old items, packing, and transporting all your belongings requires significant adjustments for your pets.

Moving with pets necessitates consideration of safety hazards, appropriate transport containers, and concerns such as pet restlessness and sickness.

These signs are typical as pets dread change, particularly when moving to a new environment.

This guide focuses on pet-friendly moving tips, how each pet needs care, and how smoothly you help them settle into a new location.

Pre-Move Preparation: How to Move with Pets Smoothly

One of the key things to consider when relocating with pets is to devise a well-thought-out plan.

Here are the three most important things to remember when preparing a moving checklist.

1. Scheduling a Vet Check-Up And Updating Pet Records

Your pets’ health records, vaccinations, and sedation during travel are just a few ways your vet can assist you.

When relocating with pets, it’s essential to take them to the vet for a pre-move check-up, particularly if you have anxious cats, dogs, or hamsters.

For long-distance moves, the journey can last for extended hours, which may be stressful for your pets.

In such cases, your vet can recommend safe sedation options for travel and ensure that health certifications and medical records are readily available.

2. Preparing a Pet Travel Kit (Food, Water, Medications, Comfort Items)

Moving with pets can be challenging. Their routines change, which may affect their mood.

To make the move easier, pack essentials when you create your pet travel list.

Here’s what you can keep handy:

Health certification, ID tags for your microchipped pets with updated contact information.
Adequate pet food is in the right portion, and enough water bottles are needed for hydration.
Plenty of empty ziplock bags, poop bags, empty pet bowls, etc.
Comforters, cuddly blankets, and pet toys make them relaxed throughout the moving journey.
First-aid kit, wipes, bandaids, and medications.

3. Finding Pet-Friendly Moving Companies

Before relocating, you should evaluate a reliable pet-moving company nearby that suits your specific needs. For example, you may want personalized pet relocation services and local movers who are trained in Pet First Aid and CPR to ensure your pet’s safety during transportation.

Another important factor to consider when choosing pet movers is whether they are licensed and insured. A major red flag is if the mover uses a tranquilizer to transport your pet without a veterinarian’s recommendation. Finally, confirm that your moving company microchips your pet for accurate identification in case of theft.

Whether you are moving locally to Phoenix, NYC, or Houston, choose your pet relocator wisely.

Moving With Different Types of Pets

Each relocation is unique, and what makes it even more special is the distinctiveness of these little creatures.

To address all your questions about moving a pet, we offer a detailed guide, helpful tips, travel guidelines, and more to help you understand how each pet should be relocated safely.

Before you proceed, here’s a downloadable PDF for Moving with Pets to help ensure a smooth relocation.

How to Move with a Dog

The excitement of the new home amplifies when you move with a dog.

However, unfamiliar surroundings can make your dogs stressed. Getting them ready for a move is essential before you relocate.

Here are a few helpful tips for moving with a dog smoothly:

Train your dog for a move, starting with crate training, walking, feeding, and playing on their routine so that they feel safe and happy amid the moving chaos.
Ensure your pets are microchipped with the new address and contact information.
Familiarize your dogs with the change by gradually bringing moving supplies and boxes in front of them.
During the moving process, it is advisable to sign up for dog care or hire a dog sitter for a few hours. This way, you can focus on packing your stuff while your dogs are safe.
Pack dog bedding, toys, and pillows at the end so they are comfy till the end.
Take your dog to your new home multiple times before the move so they can get accustomed to the environment and avoid surprises.

Advice for calming an anxious dog:

You can use dog-calming collars that are available in various scents, such as chamomile and lavender. These collars rely on pheromones to calm anxious pups who dread new environments or strangers around them.

Dogs are sensitive to noises; hence, music therapy can help calm your dogs. Remember, not all sounds and tunes are dog-friendly. Therefore, try playing different genres to test their response beforehand.

Dogs tend to pick up on everything; hence, do not keep them away when packing boxes; instead, allow them to sniff around and get acquainted with the change.

How to Move with a Cat

Moving with cats is like moving with dogs. First, get your cat microchipped, update its ID tags, and arrange for crate training.

Cats are typically very sensitive to change, so preparing them for a move can be challenging.

Here are some tips to make moving with a cat less stressful:

Ensure you follow their same routine as they are susceptible to change quite easily. This means their meals, sleep, and playtime should continue the same as before.
Another useful tip is to keep the litter box they are familiar with and fill it with cleaning supplies.
If your vet recommends and approves of it, use pheromones sprays on the cat’s carrier, bed, and cuddly blankets to calm your cat’s anxiety during the move.
Ensure your cat is well-fed with vitamins, omega-3 food items, and enough water for a proper and well-balanced diet.
Keeping your cat active is equally important; hence, engage them with play-and-chase toys, puzzle feeders, interactive catnips, etc.

How to Move with a Chicken

Moving with flocks is a logistically challenging endeavor. For their smooth relocation, you need a thorough game plan.

Here are a few tips to follow when moving with chickens:

Relocating with oversized pets, especially backyard poultry, requires adherence to local laws and regulations. Ensure you check the rules for their transportation beforehand.
Read the regulations on the number of birds a family can have or other permit requirements.
Chickens need quarantine before their relocation. Weeks before moving across states, arrange for their crates or train them with a poultry transport coop. This way, they will familiarize themselves with the equipment and get ventilation and comfort.
Ensure your chickens are not exposed to extreme temperatures. Changes in humidity and cold can adversely affect them when they move.
Your backyard flocks need ventilated crates of the correct size during transport. Using the right size of crate, which is securely enclosed, will ensure they do not escape or get injured.

How to Move with Birds

Relocating with your feathered companion shouldn’t cause stress for either of you. Keep in mind that birds are sensitive to change, and the challenges of moving can be overwhelming.

Here are a few tips that you can follow as a pet parent when moving with birds:

Arrange for a secure and right-sized travel cage with abundant ventilation for transporting your birds.
When preparing for a move, ensure your birds are not completely dehydrated. Pack their fruits that are high in water content.
Extreme exposure to heat or direct sunlight can negatively impact your bird pets, so carry blankets or window covers for the carrier.
Get your feathered companion checked by their veterinarian if prolonged stress occurs.

How to Move with Fish Safely

Transporting your aquarium fish is highly risky but achievable if done right. From purchasing new buckets to containers, air pumps, and lids, there is a lot to do when moving with your fish.

Tips for safe relocation with fish:

The best way to transport your aquarium fish is to place them into a five-gallon container, tub, cooler, or fish bag. Make sure the container is durable and leak-proof.
If you move your fish to a fish bag, consider filling it with one-third water and two-thirds air.
Another tip is to pour the old water tank’s water into the buckets for plants, fish, and filters.
Another significant purchase you have to make before moving your aquarium fish is buying battery-powered air pumps, air tubing, and stones to keep the buckets aerated.
For a smoother transition, suspend feeding your fish for a good 3 days before to prevent waste.
Constantly check the air pumps and water level in between.

How to Move with Horses

Horse owners know the importance of safety when relocating with their majestic horses across states or locally within the same city.

Here’s how moving with horses can be smooth and stress-free:

Choose the right horse trailer, whether a single-horse trailer or a multi-horse trailer.
Get your horses checked by a veterinarian for their health and vaccination updates. Before relocating across states, also refer to the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) to check what Vaccination Charts you should follow. For interstate travel, ensure you take their Coggins Test.
Prepare a travel kit containing hay, water, medication, and enough food to feed your horses.
Use secure loading and unloading ramps, and ensure that your horse’s trailer is well-lit and ventilated.
You should monitor your horse’s journey, make stops every 6 hours, and ensure that it isn’t exposed to extreme heat or cold.

How to Move with Rabbits, Ferrets, & Small Rodents

Moving with small mammals such as rabbits, ferrets, and rodents can be tricky, but it is essential to keep them calm and relaxed during the move.

Here are a few tips to follow when moving with small mammals:

Plan ahead and keep your small pets active in playtime or simply in a calm atmosphere, as they tend to get nervous around changing environments.
Arrange a well-lit, non-slippery, and abundantly aerated cage with soft cushioning for a smooth moving journey.
Ensure you also keep a health certificate from your vet and their contact numbers handy when moving cross-countries.
Water, medications, and wet veggies are a must-have when transporting rabbits and other small pets.
Ensure you have enough frozen bottles or ice packs to keep your little bunnies cool during extreme heat.
Always carry pee pads and a litter box or lay an absorbent material in the cage to prevent spilling.

How to Move with Gerbils

Although gerbils are small and furry, they are highly sensitive to the slightest motion or jerky movement, so relocating with them requires extra care and attention.

Here are a few tips to follow when moving with gerbils:

Ensure the carrier has a similar smell, bedding, and nesting material to keep your gerbils comfortable.
Constantly monitor that your carrier has no exposure to direct sunlight and has abundant ventilation.
To keep your gerbils hydrated, make sure the cage or carrier contains enough apples, tomatoes, and water bottles.
If moving long distances, keep a litter box with a hay feeder to prevent waste.
Continuously check the cage is well enclosed to avoid escapism.

How to Move with a Chinchilla

Moving with tiny, soft chinchillas is challenging as these little furry pets are extremely sensitive to hot temperatures. Hence, with the right planning and preparation, transporting chinchillas will be much easier.

Tips for moving with chinchillas:

Get your furry companion a pet carrier that is well-ventilated, enclosed, secure, and has enough room to stretch out.
Ensure they are not exposed to direct sunlight, keeping the carrier cool for your chin.
Make sure you place small amounts of hay and a chemical-free, organic chewing toy in the carrier.
Provide the same comfort they get at home while traveling by placing a fleece blanket, offering them comfort throughout the moving process.
Chinchillas are good without water bottles, so avoid stuffing the cage with too many bottles to prevent spills and leakage.

How to Move with Reptiles

Moving with reptiles necessitates special care, security, and attention. Temperature sensitivity, travel cages or carriers, and health records are crucial when transporting these scaly companions. Whether you need to relocate with a corn snake, iguana, geckos, or a bearded dragon, ensure you maintain an environment that reflects their natural habitat.

Here are a few tips to follow when moving with reptiles:

Invest in a secure and enclosed cage or carrier when transporting your reptiles with minimized movements.
Keep them inside a breathable cloth, ensuring enough space for air to pass by.
Plan your route so that you have limited traveling time. This will reduce the risk to your scaly pets.
Install batteries to control the climate, as extreme temperatures are not suitable for reptiles’ health.
Avoid feeding them before 10-12 days of the moving day.
As a safety tip, carry a second container, as snakes can easily escape. It’s best to keep them in cloth bags before transferring them to the container.

How to Move with Amphibians

Moving with your beloved white tree frog or mantella frog requires arranging a secure container, temperature control, and best practices for making the container their usual habitat.

Tips for moving with amphibian pets:

Ensure you get an enclosed terrarium and place it inside a wooden crate with packing materials and blankets.
Keep the containers dark, as amphibians feel calmer and more relaxed in that environment.
Empty your tanks and ensure you don’t keep any decorative items when relocating.
Some creatures are comfortable in colder temperatures, so make sure they are regulated.
Choose bedding such as a thin layer of soil covered with boiled and dried leaf litter for cushioning and shelter while keeping humidity stable.

How to Move with Exotic Pets

The care, attention, and financial commitment that exotic animals require are beyond imagination. Furthermore, transporting these rare creatures by car or air on your own is quite challenging. These pets are typically non-domesticated, rare species, ranging from small mammals to venomous snakes.

Here are a few helpful tips to move your exotic pets safely:

When transporting exotic reptiles or amphibians, get a container that is well-ventilated, dark, and damp to provide enough moisture.
Check state, city, and county federal laws, as not all cities allow you to keep exotic species.
Larger pets, such as llamas or horses, need a trailer to accommodate them with enough space for them to move around.
Small birds can be transported in a cage, but large birds, such as peacocks, would need a large container with plenty of ventilation.

4 Tips to Keep Your Pets Safe and Calm on Moving Day

Seeing the house filled with moving boxes, supplies, and equipment can make your pets anxious. Follow these tips to make moving with pets easier.

Keep Plenty of Food and Comfortable Bedding

Whether it’s a local move or a long-distance move, keep a “moving day kit” ready with hydrated food items, water, playtime toys, and soft cushioning bedding.

Familiar-smelling bedding will remind them that they are in a safe environment when everything seems new.

Medication Check

If you are moving between states, be sure to carry your pet’s health records in case of an emergency. Additionally, keep your pet’s licenses, vaccination records, and prescribed medications accessible until you arrive at your new location and find a new vet.

Crate-Train Your Pets

Ahead of your moving day, train them and inform them about the crate you will be using when transporting them. This will lessen their surprise when the actual moving day comes.

Continue the Same Routine

Pets thrive on routine. Therefore, maintaining their established schedule for feeding, playtime, and sleep can help keep them calm during the loading and unloading process.

4 Tips for Pets to Settle into Your New Home

Helping your pet adjust to a new home is a whole new ballgame. The new environment and neighborhoods might intimidate and make your pet nervous. Hence, a few techniques can get them alive and kicking.

Keep the Bedding and Scents the Same

Moving with pets into the new home can catch them off guard. Hence, try re-creating the same smelling bedding, same room fresheners, bowls, litter box, and play area for them. This way, the new environment won’t entirely haunt them, and they will remain calm as you unpack.

Update Identification Records

Get your dogs, cats, hamsters, rabbits, or ferrets microchipped, and update your contact information with your new address and phone number. In addition, you can research a new and reliable veterinarian in your new location and transfer your pet’s health records.

Install Pet Gates

Trust us, you don’t want your pets to disappear as you settle into your new home. To avoid this, invest in pressure-mounted indoor pet gates for your pet’s safety. You can also install hardware pet gates at the stairs, which are readily available at big-box stores like Walmart or Home Depot.

Go for Walks in the New Neighborhood

Take your four-legged pets for a walk and introduce them to new dogs in your surroundings. This process requires patience and relaxation, as it may take a few days for your pets to familiarize themselves with the neighboring areas and parks.

Conclusion

Moving into a new condo or apartment with your pets presents several challenges.

The process becomes more complex if you’re relocating across state lines or even countries.

Each city or state has its own pet import requirements, health certifications, and extensive veterinary procedures.

Furthermore, the unforeseen expenses that can occur beyond your moving costs and living expenses can be overwhelming.

Therefore, relocating with pets necessitates a detailed plan that includes research, pet-friendly transportation options, easy-to-navigate routes, and all necessary arrangements made well in advance.

Remember, each pet is unique, whether it’s your furry, feathered, or scaly companion.

Thus, keeping all their cages or crates ready before the move and following the above tips can help ensure a smooth moving journey without causing anxiety for your pet.

FAQs

1. Can pets sense when you are moving?

Yes, dogs and cats, in particular, can sense when you are moving.

Cats thrive on familiar surroundings and routines; therefore, coping with change takes time for them.

A quick tip to calm them down on moving days is to let them sniff around the packing boxes.

2. How long does it take for dogs to adjust to a new home?

Dogs take an average of three weeks to settle into a new home.

However, they gradually adapt to the new environment and return to their usual routine in about two to three months.

Try introducing them to each room, new dogs in the neighborhood, and nearby parks frequently.

3. What is a 3-3-3 rule for cats?

When moving with a cat into a new home, you might notice a few telltale signs, such as hiding, avoidance, scratching, and poor eating habits.

In this situation, you need to be patient and handle the adjustment process calmly.

The 3-3-3 rule is a method for helping cats adjust: they typically take about 3 days to adapt to the new environment, around 3 weeks to settle in, and about 3 months to return to their usual routine.

Signs like playing energetically, eating well, and grooming themselves will indicate that they are comfortable and feel at home.