Moving with your pet

Moving home is stressful enough for people, but when you're placed in a crate or a cage and suddenly removed from everything you know without any rhyme or reason, you can imagine how stressful this can be for animals.

Today there are a number of animal transport organisations who are experienced in moving animals literally across the planet, both safely and efficiently. However, even knowing this doesn't necessarily help your pet or your nerves. Worrying about their comfort and handling is always top of mind. There are several measures that you can take to make the move as seamless as possible, and ensure that your pet makes a happy transition.

Steps to take to ensure a stress-free move

• When removers arrive, make sure your animal is as far from the action as possible. Either locked in a room with a bed, beloved toys, water and food - or sent to stay with a friend for the day, or to a doggy day-care centre. If you're keeping them at home, make sure you are there to continually reassure them that all is well. Walk or play with them as much as you can, so that even if they are disturbed by the removal activity, they are reassured that nothing is amiss.

• Make sure you take your vet's records with you, including any prescriptions required for medication. And ensure you have details of a recommended vet in your new area. And importantly, make sure you update their tags and microchip information with your new address and contact numbers as soon as possible.

• If you are moving within your city, it would be best to take your animal in your own car - but always move the animal last, once all the major moving has been done. If you're moving inter-city you can also choose to take your pet by car. However, if you are flying then you will need the services of professional pet movers. It is usual to give the animal a tranquiliser before being loaded into an aeroplane, but some animal transport companies feel this is not necessary. Make sure they have something with your scent on it like an old shirt or jersey with them in the crate, along with their blanket and a familiar toy or two.

• When arriving at your new destination, be very careful not to let your animals out of the car or transport carrier too quickly because the first thing they might do is head for the gate and try to find their way home!

• They will need a few days to adjust to their new home. A dog is usually easier because as long as you are there, and the food is there, they can accept their new environment quite quickly. A good idea is to take them for walks around the neighbourhood as soon as you can, to familiarise them with new sights and smells.

• The general rule with cats is that they should be shut inside for ten days to fully absorb and imprint the new surroundings. More people are actually keeping their cats indoors for safety reasons, and this might be a good idea to introduce that practice in a new home if you feel worried about your cat wandering in a strange neighbourhood.

• Set up as much of the house as you can, either before you move the animals or keep them confined to one room. Make sure they have familiar things around them while you carry on with the setup of your new home. Beds, blankets, toys, etc, are very important to create a sense of continuity and a feeling of home.

• Pets pick up on your stress quicker than you realise, so keep calm during the packing process. If things go wrong sort out the problem without throwing a fit within hearing distance of your pets. You will only up the anxiety stakes for them.

• Pets are incredibly quick to notice that something is changing. So do your sorting and packing over a number of days - even a couple weeks - so that they don't become disturbed by too many boxes and suitcases lying around. Keep up their usual routines throughout the packing process, even taking a break for a couple of days, so that they feel the actions are becoming part of normal life.

The long distance move

• If your pets are going to be in a kennel crate it's a good idea to introduce them to this as soon as you can. Put their blankets inside the container, some food, etc. Encourage them to go in and out of the kennel so that it begins to feel natural to them, and familiar. A good idea is to put treats inside to encourage them and get them to associate the travel kennel with something enjoyable.

• Take them for rides around the neighbourhood while in the kennel, so they get used to it and the sense of travelling. Once they see they are safe and with you, they will settle down, and it will be easier when the time comes for the journey or the transport to an airport.

• Travelling by car with a pet can be stressful, so make sure to make regular stops, and plan extra time for your trip. If you have to stay overnight at hotels or other accommodation, check their pet-friendly rules and regulations, and choose the right places before you set off. Best to feed them well before you begin the journey, and wait until you arrive at your night stop or your destination before feeding them again.

• Make sure you understand all the regulations required for moving your pet by air - especially from one country to another. You will have to have papers of recent vaccinations, and clearance from a vet, and you will have to check the regulations that await you in your country of destination. The kennel or crate in which the animal is transported must meet with the airline's regulations and those of the International Air Transport Association. Make sure your carrier complies before you arrive at the airport.

• Where you are going and time of the year are important. Animals cannot be transported in temperatures that are too hot or too cold. Medication is arguable - some airlines preferring that the animals are not tranquilised because this may depress the heart and respiratory system. But that is dependent on the disposition of your pet and what your vet and the animal transport company advise. Remember, hundreds of thousands of pets are transported annually. It is a very safe procedure provided all the precautions are taken. So read up on what is required and advised before making final decisions.

• And finally, most pet movers today offer a variety of services for every need. Moving your pets by road, rail, ship or air is part and parcel of their work. They will be able to advise the best move for your pets and their individual needs, and will be able to advise on quarantine issues and airline regulations.

The best advice is to take it easy, take slow, and don't stress out your animals - and you will make a happy move together to your new home!