One of your family members is significantly more vulnerable than others. That beloved family pet. Unfortunately, they don’t fully understand what is going on when the moving trucks arrive. They do not enjoy busy, rushed strangers in their home. So how do you ensure a safe moving day with pets? What is the best course of action to take that limits their anxiety on the big day? Here are a few options to make sure your valued family pet stays safe and happy during your next move.
4 Options for a Safe Moving Day with Pets
Doggy/Cat Daycare
One great option for an energetic pet is a daycare. With a friendly, well-socialized pet, you may find daycare or day camp is probably the best option. If they are playing hard all day they may not miss you. The anxiety of the move can be avoided this way, at least until they return home to the empty house. The empty house may be an anxiety-inducing situation, but hopefully, with the movers gone and the family present, all will be well.
You probably have more options for a day camp or daycare than you think. Your regular boarding facility may be the best option, as your pet is familiar there. If you do not have a trusty option already, ask around and double-check prices. The prices and what those prices include varies greatly from one facility to another.
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Neighbors or Friends
If a day camp stay isn’t feasible then you can always check with a friend or neighbor. Many streets and neighborhoods have fellow military spouses, stay-at-home-moms, and friends that may be willing to love on your pets for the day. Our neighborhood even has a pet share Facebook page where someone without a pet can enjoy the love and comfort of having one around temporarily when owners need assistance. This is a great option.
There are plenty of homes willing to take a friendly pet for the day or a few days. No matter how friendly your pet may be, you should start with an introduction before moving day. This is especially true if your pet hasn’t been around anyone but your family for quite a while. Tread lightly and do a stress-free re-introduction so that your plan doesn’t fail before the first contact in the midst of moving day chaos.
The Packing Corner
For those who have a high anxiety pet, one who is very difficult to find care for; the packing corner may be a good option. Our dog, a nervous pee-er, feels very safe in his kennel. When the children are getting too wild or when music is playing too loud, he goes into his kennel voluntarily to escape. With our most recent move, we used his kennel as our “do not pack corner.”
The dog was content to stay in his kennel while the movers were present and we packed our bags and suitcases on top of and around him. By doing this the dog was kept far away from the movers to avoid extra stress on him and our belongings were safe as well. This dog of ours would also get anxiety if he could not hear us so by keeping him in the house he was able to hear and see us, ensuring for our safe PCS with pets.
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A Happy Medium
If you intend to use a kennel/crate for the better part of your moving day to contain your animal, it is wise to spend a significant amount of time wearing your pet out before the movers arrive. If you have a dog, a good long run or walk is incredibly helpful. A trip to the dog park to play hard before a long rest is also a great option.
The most important thing, no matter what type of pet you have, is that they are safely out of the way of the movers. Having a pet underfoot is very unsafe for all parties involved including your furniture (dropping risk). The goal is always to make our furry family members feel loved and protected. PCS day is the day to pull all of the strings to make this happen. No one wants to have their pet accidentally slip outside and disappear while the door is open. Take the precautions early to ensure a safe moving day with pets each and every time.
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