Moving is a stressful task in itself. And moving to a new city or state can be even more stressful. But what about moving across the country – with pets?
Yes, I recently moved from the east coast to the west coast with my husband, cat, and dog.
And while it was stressful at times, it wasn’t nearly as difficult as I anticipated. Here are a few tips for moving across the country with pets.
Make a Trip to the Vet
First thing’s first: make sure your pets are fit for travel. When we found out we were moving from South Carolina to Washington state, we knew we first needed to ensure our pets were ready for the trip. We made vet appointments for both our cat and our dog.
We had our vet check their general health, and we asked her questions related to pet anxiety. Our vet prescribe our cat, who gets anxious when in her carrier, an anti-anxiety medication, which helped in the trip.
We also researched what our new home state required as far as vaccinations go. Our new state required our dog received more vaccinations more often, so be sure to check on that before you move. And if your pet isn’t microchipped, now is the time to do so.
Lastly, we asked our vet for recommendations of other veterinarians in our new state. While it seemed like a far-fetched question, she actually recommended someone who we started to see. It never hurts to ask!
Travel with your Pets
If your pets have never been on an airplane, now is not the time to send them, especially if you’re going a long distance.
Since our pets had never flown before, we knew this would only add to the stress of traveling. While it was a very long car ride, we felt better about it because at least our pets were comfortable in the car. Plus, then we knew we could be with them the entire time.
Search for Pet-Friendly Accommodations
Before you leave on a long road trip, research pet-friendly hotels along the way. You’d be surprised at how many hotels are pet friendly nowadays. Particularly, we were impressed with Best Western hotels as an affordable, clean, and pet-friendly roadside hotel. They have really revamped their chain in the last few years, and we were all shocked at how nice their hotels were!
Researching and booking beforehand is key. You certainly don’t want to be driving all day and have a hard time finding a hotel along the way. Most hotels charge a small pet fee, so be prepared to see that on your bill. We used credit card points to pay for the additional expense, so it was easy to budget for.
Plan Pit Stops
We have a high-energy dog. While we knew he loved car rides, we also knew he would be extremely energetic as soon as we checked into a hotel room – and we would most likely be too tired to play with him in a small space. So, we made it a point to find dog parks along the way!
Dog parks are usually free to visit, and it was a great way to tire our pup out before we checked in for the evening. Plus, it was a free way to enjoy a little bit of each city we were in. And, of course, we loved the opportunity to stretch our legs as well!
Bring Everything you think you Need – and More
However you travel, be more than prepared. Your pets will need plenty of the basics – including food, water, and bedding. But make sure you think about that.
Travel can be stressful for most pets. Not only are they stuck in a vehicle for a long time, but they may have to spend evenings in unfamiliar hotels. The uncertainty may provoke some unexpected behavior from pets. The worst thing you can do is assume they won’t be affected by the change – for most pets, moving is a major stressor.
That being said, be sure to pack items you rarely need on a regular basis. We packed items such as paper towels, carpet cleaner, pet-approved wipes, lots of toys and treats, a kennel, and blankets.
If your pet is on any medications, ask your vet for extra while you move. This way, even if you don’t use the medications, you have them in case it takes you awhile to find a vet in your new city.
Further, be sure to bring any immunization records with you. No matter where you are, you could always be asked about this, so don’t forget to have them on hand.
Secure your Pets
This was a tough topic for us. With such a long car ride ahead of us, we felt terrible having our pets kenneled for that long. But the truth of the matter is, it’s really dangerous to let pets walk around in a moving vehicle.
Not only can pets be a distraction for you, but if they aren’t kenneled, they aren’t secure. Any bump you hit could send them flying. Plus, your pet could always escape when you open a car door. I don’t know about you, but I think losing my pet in a strange city would be about the worst thing imaginable.
We felt guilty having them kenneled, but it was certainly better than the alternatives. And to be honest, it didn’t end up being that bad. Mostly, our pets just slept the entire way. Plus, pets tend to feel at home in their kennels, so we felt better knowing our pets were (and that they felt) more secure.
Give them Extra Attention
Lastly, understand that this is a stressful transition for your pets. You as their owners are the only constant they have while traveling. Be empathetic to that and support your pet as much as possible. Take breaks often, and give them extra attention until they become comfortable in their new home.
Related:
Have you ever traveled or moved with pets? What went well? What didn’t?
Check out some of our favorite personal finance resources:
Are you getting the best credit card rewards? Check out the top cash back credit card offers (updated daily)
Make extra money: 15 ways to make money from your computer
Get the First Chapter Free!
Join our online community and get the first chapter of the book Student Loan Solution absolutely FREE!
