When your pets have to move, too

February 7, 2018

Nearly half of U.S. households have a dog or cat, and in most households those pets are considered members of the family. If that describes your household, and you’re moving from one state to another or across the country (or across the ocean), there’s a chance that you may have a furry friend coming along with you.

You may have already made arrangements for auto transport, but what will you do about your pets? Shipping a pet is a bit different than shipping a car, and special attention is needed in the process to make the experience as comfortable for the animal as possible.

How to Transport Your Pet: Road or Air?

If you can’t take your dog or cat with you during your move for any reason, you have several choices in terms of pet transport. First, you can choose to have your cat or dog transported via air. (It’s also not uncommon to ship horses or cattle, but for our purposes we’ll use the term “pet” to mean a cat or dog.)

Another option is to have your pet transported via a travel kennel, widely considered the ideal way to get your cat or dog to your new home quickly and safely.

Preparing Your Pet For Travel

When it’s time to move forward with pet transport, the first thing to do is to take your pet to the vet for a checkup. Please don’t ship an unhealthy pet – it’s risky and can be dangerous to your pet and other pets around it.

Next, you’ll want to get your pet used to traveling in a car. Start this process by allowing him to explore the car while it’s parked; the next step is to drive around the block. Getting him used to the sounds and movement of vehicles can help ease his anxiety. Check here.

Supplies For Travel

On the day of your travel, be sure that you’ve packed necessities for your pet, including: