Packing Your Pets

By Scott Boone

When it comes to moving from Point A to Point B, most of us tend to forget about the tiniest members of the family.  I’m not talking about your children; I’m referring to your pets.  As stressful as it is for the rest of the family to relocate to a new and unfamiliar location, take it from me that your pets can be even more stressed out than you think. 

Doggie See, Doggie Do

Image courtesy of Wikimedia

As ingrained as you are to your surroundings, most animals are hardwired to protect and defend their territory.  It’s built into their genetic code.  Especially if you happen to have any dogs, the act of packing up your home is enough to throw them off their routine.  While they don’t understand what is happening while you begin the arduous task of boxing your belongings for shipping, they can sense that something unusual is afoot.  If you notice your dog is giving you strange looks while you are packing, take care to provide it with a little extra reassurance, or you could wake up to find your carefully packed boxes torn to shreds come morning.  Even worse, some dogs will instinctively soil the area as a way of marking their territory.

Cats, on the other hand, tend to take packing in a more matter of fact way.  Being more independent, felines aren’t usually as freaked out as dogs when their owners begin packing.  That being said, you need to be careful that you don’t inadvertently pack kitty inside of a box since they tend to seek security in tight spaces.  As anyone who has ever marveled at cat videos posted on YouTube, open boxes have a magnetic affinity to felines.

Either way, if you intend to secure and/or transport either your dog or cat in a carrier, you need to understand that the very sight of it can put them in a panic, especially if the only time they see it is when you take them to the kennel or the vet.  While it is always advisable to keep your pets out of the way when the movers are loading and unloading the truck, if your pet tends to panic at the sight of their carrier, my advice is to move them to the backyard or to a neighbor’s house until the truck is on its way.  If you have children, you can even have them play with your dogs while the truck is being loaded.  It will serve to take their minds off the move while keeping animals and kids from getting underfoot.

The Menagerie

Image courtesy of Maxpixel

Other pets, while not as hard to deal with during a move as cats or dogs, still need to be handled with TLC.  Caged critters, such as birds, bunnies, gerbils, and mice, don’t like it when their cage is disturbed.  To prevent them from stressing out during a move, your best bet is to cover their cage and move them into an empty room.  This way, the tramp of feet and bang of people going in and out of the doors won’t activate their flight or fight response.  Birds, in particular, can get out of sorts in a noisy environment.  To prevent the hustle and bustle of movers from throwing Tweety for a loop, I suggest you put an iPod in the room with them that plays soft jazz or some other tranquil tunes that will muffle the din of the move.

On the other hand, extra care needs to be taken when it comes to moving anything kept under glass.  This includes aquarium fish, reptiles, and amphibians.  Particularly if your pets are considered poisonous, you need to take extra care that they don’t get loose while the doors are open and your moving crew is doing its job.  The last thing that they or the neighbors need is a snake or any large reptile on the loose.  My advice to those who enjoy living dangerously is to move any potentially hazardous pets well before your movers make their appearance. 

From the reptile’s perspective, they don’t tolerate temperature fluctuations well.  This means if you are planning on moving in the middle of the winter or the dog days of summer, you need to take care that your scaly friend doesn’t spend an inordinate amount of time cooped up in the car with the engine off.

Swimming Upstream

Image courtesy of Wikimedia

Fish present their own problems since they are highly susceptible to shock from temperature changes, or any sharp reduction in oxygenation, such as that caused by being confined in a plastic bag for extended periods.  Fish can be devilishly difficult to move.  If you are considering a cross-country relocation, your best bet is to sell or donate your fish.  If you are moving a short distance, the best way to avoid shock is to bag your fish, drain the tank down to the last inch, then move like hell to get the tank to the new location.  Refill the tank and float the bags containing your fish for 15-minutes to equalize the water temperature.  Then release your fish and pray that none wind up floating atop the tank come morning. 

Fish aren’t the only pets that can face danger during a move.  It is an all too common occurrence that pets can be lost or killed while being relocated.  The biggest hazard zones are rest areas.  Cats and dogs, particularly need to answer nature’s call from time to time.  This means putting them at risk.  Every time you open the car door, there is the chance that your pet can get loose or worse, get run over by a passing vehicle.  Even if you keep your pet on a leash, there are all kinds of perils at rest stops.   Everything from other animals to spilled antifreeze can harm your pet.  You need to take extra caution whenever you pull off the road.

You also need to pack a bag for your pet, just as you would for your family.  Aside from toting food and water, along with a couple of bowls and a leash, your pet would appreciate a toy or two to help while away the time on the road.  If you have a cat, you should pack a disposable litter box.  It is also advisable that you bring along some paper towels in case of an accident.  Above all, make sure your pet has a collar with your phone number on them in case they escape. You also need to bring your pet’s current health certificate in the event you get pulled over by the Highway Patrol.

Just as you take pains to plan for every contingency that can occur to you or your family during a move, doing the same for your pets will ensure that everyone gets where they are going safe and sound.

With over 4,000 moves, Scott's Discount Movers has handled moves of all sizes, including local and cross country. If you are looking to move your home or office, you can depend on Scott's Discount Movers to provide a stress-free relocation.