In the first part of this series, we talked briefly about how to prepare your beloved pet for a move. Now, let’s discuss a few important tips to keep your furry friend comfortable during the big move.

Keep your pet away from the chaos: It’s important to keep your animal away from the chaos of moving. This might mean having a friend or neighbor keep them at their house on moving day or even boarding them for a day or two. If they’re at your house while your local movers are trying to load the truck and people are running around everywhere, they may get stressed or scared. So if possible, keep them away until it’s time to move them. This will help keep them calm and out of harm’s way, too.

Give your pet comfort items: Does your pet have a favorite blanket or toy they like to have with them? It may be beneficial to give them their comfort items during the move. Whether it’s in their carrier or just on the car seat with them, having a familiar item with them can do wonders to help keep them calm. It’s important to keep your animal’s items, like food, water, and toys, with you during the move. This way, your pet will be surrounded by familiar items and is likely to be less scared.

Allow them plenty of time to adjust: When you get to your new home, it’s crucial to give your pet plenty of time to adjust to the new area. You may want to wait until all of your belongings are in the house so they can see familiar items around them. And if possible, it may be beneficial to introduce them to one room of the house at a time. This way, they can slowly warm up to their new surroundings. But remember, moving is especially hard on animals, so be patient with them.

If you’re one of the 37% of people who have never left their hometown, moving to a new area is going to be challenging for both you and your pet. So leave the responsibilities of relocating your items to your local movers and you can have plenty of time to make sure your pet is safe and happy during the move.