Moving house with pets: 9 top tips

Moving house can be an overwhelming, exhausting process - and it’s not so fun for your pets either.

In this guide, we’ve covered everything you need to know about moving house with pets. From fish tanks to your waggy-tailed furry friends, we’ve covered every base in detail.

Here are our top 9 tips for moving house with pets:

Keep your pets out the way on moving day

The easiest way to keep your pets calm during moving day is to keep them out of the way of the moving process. This will ensure that they won’t get stressed out by all the passing movement, and they won’t get in the way of you or the movers as you pack up your home.

Your pets can react negatively during the moving process - they might get protective or distressed around strangers, especially strangers taking their belongings. You can keep them in a separate room or keep a dog in a (secure) garden so they’re not impacted by the move.

If space is limited or you don’t have a garden, you can also enlist the help of friends or family to pet-sit for you for a couple of hours.

Have a place ready for them in your new home

To keep the upheaval and stress to a minimum, make sure you’ve got a place ready to set up for your pet in your new home. This can be as simple as setting up their bed as a priority when you arrive, or feeding them as usual upon arrival at your new home.

Your pets might find their new home a little strange at first, but you can easily placate them with treats and toys to make the transition a little easier.

When it comes to fish tanks or other animal cages, it’s also a good idea to have a spot already decided on before you move in. This will avoid any scenarios where your pets cages or tanks are left unattended in random rooms.

Don’t disturb their routine

For pets, routine is incredibly important. To avoid causing any distress, make sure you stick to your regular routine when it comes to feeding, walking and bathing your pets.

This means having a box set aside with some of your pet’s essential belongings during your move, including food, toys, and any other essential items such as medication. While you might be preoccupied with your move-in process and feeling overwhelmed by all the tasks required, keeping your pet’s routine is a great way to minimise stress for them - and it can even be an effective de-stresser for you.

Explore the new area together

If your pets are outdoor pets, it’s a good idea to explore your new neighbourhood together and familiarise your pet with its new outdoor environment. You might notice that your pets seem reluctant at first, but this is completely normal.

If you have a dog, it’s a good idea to find somewhere to walk them on your first or second day in your new home. Bring along treats and toys to facilitate the process, and keep them away from heavily-populated areas (such as children’s parks) if they seem anxious. For the first few weeks, keep them on a leash to begin with.

Keep house pets indoors

If your pets are used to being able to roam around outside - for example, if you have street cats - it’s a good idea to keep them indoors as you settle into your new home.

While your pets will eventually be able to venture outdoors after a while, it’s better to wait until you’re more familiar with the area. For the first few weeks after you first move in, you’ll be able to get an idea of the safety and security of the neighborhood before allowing your pets out alone. I.e., Are there lots of other animals, are there any predators, is animal theft an issue? Etc.

If you let your pets outside right away, they might end up getting lost, or even getting in fights with other animals. It’s also not unheard of for pets to go back to their old home, which can be a hassle for you and distressing for your pets.

Inform your previous neighbours

It’s a good idea to inform your old neighbours that you’re moving house, especially where pets are concerned. As we already explained above, it’s not unheard of for animals to try to return to their old homes - this is in fact extremely common for outdoor cats or lost dogs.

By informing your old neighbours, they’ll be able to let you know if your pets turn up at your old house and take them in until you can pick them up. You’ll also be able to instruct them not to feed or interact with your pets, as this can confuse them further.

Inform the removal company

It’s also important to inform the removal company if you’re going to be transporting animals during your move. This includes fish tanks, amphibians, or other small or caged animals.

Some removal companies might have specific rules or regulations when it comes to transporting animals, or might need to adjust their van accordingly, so it’s super important to give advance notice. Ideally, you should bring this up before booking your removal company.

We often help our customers in Kent to move with their pets. Get in touch with Goodfellows removals company in Maidstone today.

Register a vet

Once you’re settled into your new home, it’s important to register your pets with a local vet. And don’t forget to inform your former vet that you’ll no longer be using their services. When you inform your former vet, they might be able to point you in the direction of top-quality vets in your new neighbourhood.

Update their tags or collars

If your pets have tags with your old address on them, make sure to update these when you move house. Make sure to also change the contact phone numbers if you’ve changed landline numbers during the move.

This will ensure there’s no complications in the event where your furry friend gets lost in your new neighbourhood.

Goodfellows removals specialise in both storage and removals - so we can handle your move from start to finish! If you’re looking for a reliable removals in Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Maidstone or West Malling, get in touch with us today.