Moving Homes with your Pet – What do you Need to Know?

Moving to a new home can be a lot of work, and even more so if you have pets to take with you. With this in mind, we’ve written a checklist for tenants with furry friends:

• Be transparent with your new landlord

When looking for somewhere new to live, you may feel you’ve found your dream home, but you need to be sure that pets are allowed. Even if you don’t see a clear objection to animals in the property, you should always double check with the owner.

It may be that the landlord will allow some, but not others. If they don’t seem keen on the idea, you could offer to introduce them to your pet. If they are well behaved, this might help to persuade the landlord to offer you the property.

• Update your information

If your pet is microchipped, you should get the registered address updated. It is not unusual for a pet to run off soon after moving to a new area, due to being unfamiliar with its surroundings. Often, they will try and find their way back to the previous home, which could be miles away!

Update your address on any pet insurance policies, and be sure to register with a new veterinary practice if your current one is now too far away.

If your pet’s collar has an old contact number on it, be sure to also get this changed.

• De-stress your pet

Moving can be just as stressful for your animals as it can be for you. They don’t know where they are going and some will struggle with long car journeys. Make sure they are comfortable – if you are transporting a dog or cat in a cage, line it with familiar blankets and put in their favourite toys.

If you are travelling far, be sure to stop regularly. Dogs will appreciate being able to stretch their legs, and if they are nervous they will need toilet breaks!

When you arrive at your new home, you should find a suitable area to set up for your pet. If you own a small caged animal, find them a well-ventilated space with a good view.

Allow your cats and dogs to explore their new home, but keep an eye on them, to make sure they don’t cause any damage out of excitement or nervousness. Put down their bed and toys, to create an area that they can feel safe and secure in.

Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed in the above article are those of the author only and are for guidance purposes only. The author disclaims any liability for reliance upon those opinions and would encourage readers to rely upon more than one source before making a decision based on the information.