As my family and I are quickly approaching our big moving day I can’t help but think about how many people have moved and left their animals behind. This is something I obviously can’t even imagine doing but sadly there are people out there that do it without hesitation. Sometimes they just let them out the back door and other times they keep them in the house with little food and water as if that will sustain them until someone realizes they are there. I am not sure which is the worse of the two but either way I can’t imagine what that poor animal must be thinking or the pain he/she experiences from the loss of their family.
Our dog was found as a stray, and we have no idea how she ended up on the streets with her brother, but she was clearly “cared for” by a human at some point in her life. She was either dumped or left behind as well. Our current house is the only home she has known since we adopted her nearly 4 years ago and we are sensing some concern from her as the stack of boxes pile up. With the understanding that she, nor our kitties, comprehend what I am saying I continue to reassure all of them that they are our family and will be coming with us to our new home. I just wish they understood!
Moving with pets does make the transition a little harder but so does moving with a 2-year-old and at 7 months pregnant! It doesn’t mean I’m going to leave any of them behind to accommodate our move. Our dog, Mila, loves car rides and as long as she is with us I believe she will be happy and transition well into our new home. Our cats on the other hand do not do well in the car and our one cat, Max, had a very hard time transitioning into our current home so we know we should take some extra precautions with them during our move. Mila will ride with her dad (her favorite person!) and we will have a dog crate set up for our cats in my car for the 3-hour drive to our new town and home. We’ve also decided that we will keep our cat Max in our master suite for the first several days or until we feel as though he is ready to explore the rest of the new house. He spends most of his time in that space in our current house so we think he will be most comfortable with those familiar items through the transition. And really, that’s it! Maybe a few extra steps to ensure each of our furry family members are OK and transition well into our new home but certainly nothing we can’t manage or wouldn’t do for them. They are family and we are their forever home even if the house changes!
Here are just a few simple steps to ensure your pets have an easy transition into their new homes:
1. Keep them in a safe place during moving day so they can’t and/or won’t run away amidst the commotion.
2. Ensure you have proper transportation for them based on their needs.
3. Some animals need more time to adjust to a new space, especially if it’s bigger. If you think your cat or dog may be overwhelmed by a new space it would be best to keep them contained in a smaller space, a bedroom or bathroom, for the first few days or even a week. Then let them explore the new house at their own pace.
After those simple steps, all that is left is to enjoy your new home with your whole family. Happy moving day for all 🙂