Moving in King County with Pets – Safety Checklist
If you are one of the people who own pets, you can understand the struggle they can go through when you are moving from one house to another. Usually during a moving process, we get distracted with planning, packing, overthinking and we tend to overlook our four-legged companions. Pets a sensitive to change, we shouldn’t forget that. Moving for them like for humans can be stressful if we don’t manage it carefully.
Sometimes people don’t know what the best way is to handle a move with their pets, that’s why we decided to write this article, to help people take care of their pets better when it comes to moving, especially if you are relocating to Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, or any of the surrounding communities.
1. Before the Move – Preparation and Planning
Preparation is the is the key to any successful move. Some people are getting into a lot of frustration when they start making plans last minute. In reality you need a few weeks of planning.
Visit the veterinary to do full check-up in your pet to make sure it is ready for the move. Some people recommend to update the vaccinations and flea prevention medication and to request a copy of medical records for your new veterinarian. If you like your current veterinary, you can ask for recommendations if you need a new vet in your new neighborhood.
Another thing is to update your pet’s microchip and collar tags to have your new address and phone number on them. In some cities like Seattle your indoor pets are required to have microchipping so make sure you have one if you don’t.
On the day of your move, keep your pets in a safe and quiet room o they don’t see the craziness that’s going on in the house with the moving furniture. If your new place is more than a day if driving, you should also plan for pit stops, or if you plan to say at a hotel make sure it’s a pet-friendly spot.
2. Packing with Pets in Mind
The packing process is usually confusing for animals because they are used to the layout of the home. The noise and boxes sometimes cause anxiety especially when you start moving the big furniture. That’s why you want to keep your pets in a safe room where they won’t see all these moving parts and so they don’t feel like their routine is disrupted. You can also keep the familiar items out until the end and put together a pet essential bag with food and treats for a few days. You can also add waste bags medications, their favorite toy or blanket and a portable water bottle.
If you have cats, make sure they don’t access to tape, cords or plastic wraps. In general cats are tricky creatures and they like playing with stuff and they might hide in boxes behind furniture. You don’t need this extra hustle in your moving day.
3. oving Day: Safety First
The moving day is the most chaotic day of the move for you and for your pets. The most important thing is to keep calm during the move; your pets can feel your mood. Besides this, when you are on your way to your new home, use a ventilated carrier for cats and small dogs, but if you have big dogs, you can use a seat belt harness in the car. Water, snacks and breaks should be on your to do list for long distance driving. And last but not least is to never leave your pets alone in a parked car.
Don’t forget to plan for emergencies. Tacoma’s Home 2 Home Moving company reports on their FAQs page that this is one of the things that about 60% of their clients forget or refuse to plan for, which leads to frustrations on the road. If you are in King County, they say, there are veterinary hospitals open 24-hour like BluePearl Pet Hospital in Renton and Seattle Veterinary Specialist in Kirkland. You never know when you need to use one.
4. Settling Into Your New Home
Your new home will be something for your pets. If you have cats for example, they will be hiding somewhere hidden until they will explore your entire home. Be patient and give them time. The place can be a little scary. You can keep them in one room so they can get used to it first thing, in this way they will have a safe place, and then gradually you can let the door open so they can explore the other areas of the house. Feed them regularly and give them as much love as they need. In these moments they need you more than anything. You are the only one giving them safety in moments like this. One more thing to keep in mind is to register them with the King County to get pet license.
Conclusion
Your pets are more sensitive to change than you probably thought. Like some people who are not used to moving frequently, your pets can react in different ways. Be very thoughtful and patient when you have pets. In moments like this, you are their only source of safety, and you have to keep your calm at all times because they absorb your emotions and can get more anxious if you are not careful.