There are many aspects to moving and one has an onerous time planning all the details. Disconnecting from your current place of residence and establishing connections in a new community is a time consuming and laborious process. Informing banks, subscription agencies, post office, utility providers, credit card agencies, friends and relatives of your change of address is just one of the tasks associated with moving. There are professional movers one can hire to actually help with the moving process or one can utilize truck rentals if one finds that convenient. All in all a move means work, work, and more work. All of which is enough to leave you feeling frazzled. Amongst the many things one has to take care of is how to move your pets along with you. A move with pets needs to be planned carefully so as to ensure that your pets move with ease and comfort.
Documents and papers
Before you make your move with pets you need to ensure a few things – have a recent photograph of your pet and the proper documents required.
You need to have a health certificate that is not more than 10 days old from a licensed veterinarian and current inoculation records must accompany it. Most states require health certificates for dogs while a lot of them require them for cats, birds, and exotic animals.
A permit may be necessary to allow exotic pets into a new state.
Identification tags are a must on the collar for pets that can wear collars or leg bands for birds. ID tags must have your pet’s name, your name, and destination address. You also need to have rabies tags attached to dogs.
Pets are not allowed on trains and buses except for guide dogs for the blind. They are also not allowed on moving vans. This means that the way to move pets is by air or on your personal motor vehicle or along with you on a moving truck rented by you. You can also use a professional pet moving service.
The Animal Welfare Act makes it illegal to transport puppies and kittens less than eight weeks old by air.
If you opt for air travel you could either take the pet with you in the cabin if the pet is small and the airline permits it or the pet could be transported by air freight. Airlines have regulations regarding the crates to carry your pet. You may have to purchase a crate from the airline or they may provide you with one for the journey. Either way, make sure that the crate has enough room for your pet to move around and is well ventilated. When traveling by air make sure to book a direct flight so as to save your pet from the hazards of staying around with the freight for long periods of time between flights, as the heat or cold may have adverse effects on your pet.
If you opt to travel by road then make sure not to feed or water your pet for a couple of hours before moving. Sedate your pet if recommended by your veterinarian. Any crates that you employ should allow the pet to move comfortably and should be well ventilated. See that your pet’s nails are well trimmed before moving day. Do not permit your pet to hang its head out of your moving car as this could lead to sore eyes or throat.
When you move with pets make sure to pack a pet moving kit which should consist of:
Take several rest stops on the way if traveling by road and let your pet stretch and run a bit, however, care should be taken to see that the pet is always on a leash.
When moving birds, be sure to cover the cage to keep the bird calm and protect it from drafts. Also, remove any food and water dishes so as to avoid spills during the ride. Give your birds water at regular intervals so as to prevent dehydration
If you want to move fish then you can take your aquarium along provided is smaller than 5 gallons. Otherwise, you can take your fish along in any container that can carry water and has holes in the lid. Place the container in a cooler box or Styrofoam container to regulate the temperature.
Making a move with pets needs to be planned carefully as animals may find the moving process an ordeal otherwise. Here’s hoping you and your pet have a safe and peaceful trip.
