How Do You Move Safely With Dogs and Cats?

Three Phases

1. Before the move. Carrier or crate practice, vet records, microchip and tag details, and a labeled first-72-hours kit.
2. Moving day. Pets shut away from open doors, with food, water and familiar bedding traveling in the car with you.
3. The first 72 hours. One quiet room with familiar smells before the run of the house, and routines kept steady.

Carrier and Crate Practice Starts Weeks Early

A pet that already sees its crate or carrier as a comfy, ordinary place has a big advantage on moving day: the box becomes a portable piece of the old home.

Start weeks ahead with short sessions, treats and meals inside, door open at first. For cats, a carrier left out all the time as a bed works far better than one that only appears for vet trips. Neither species should meet the box for the first time on moving day.

Records and Microchip Details

• Vet records: ask for a copy of the full history, including vaccinations and any medicines, before you leave your current vet.
• Microchip: update the address and phone number with the chip database. A chip only helps if the details are current, and this step is easy to forget.
• ID tag: put your mobile number on a tag for moving week, in case a pet slips out among the boxes. Some countries require a tag in public; in the UK, dogs must wear one with the owner's name and address.
• New vet: find one near the new home before you arrive, not in a panic later.

Medicines, vaccinations and parasite prevention when you change vets: see your vet or a pet supply store with trained staff. Ask your current vet for enough of any regular medicine to cover the move.

Moving to another country is a much bigger job, with its own health and paperwork rules that differ by country; start months ahead and check with the government of the country you are moving to.

Moving Day Itself

Moving day is usually the most stressful part: strangers in the house, open doors and strange noises. The biggest risk is a frightened pet getting out.

• Shut pets in one quiet room with a sign on the door while loading happens, or have them stay with a friend for the day.
• If you plan to use a pheromone spray or a snug wrap, try it at home first, not on the day.
• Pets travel in the car with you, never in the moving van, which can get dangerously hot or cold.
• Keep their usual food, water, bedding and a favorite toy in the car.

The First 72 Hours in the New Home

Set up one room with familiar bedding, the litter box or crate, food and water before letting a pet explore. A whole new building at once is a lot; one room is manageable.

Keep feeding, walks and bedtime as normal as you can. Cats often hide more than usual for a while, which is ordinary. Keep cats indoors for the first weeks so they don't try to head back to the old home. A pet that won't settle after several days, refuses food or seems unwell needs a call to your vet.