Proper Planning is Key!

The most common problem people run into when attempting to move with their furry family members is failure to plan properly. Given the level of detail involved with figuring out just how to pull off a successful move, advanced planning is crucial to ensure you won’t run into any last minute problems that could lead to a large amount of stress, or worse, not being able to bring your pets along. Here’s a brief overview of the main items to take into account:

To Fly or Not To Fly?

First off, you will need to decide whether to fly your animal companion or to use ground transportation. If moving long distances, flying is really the best way to go. By using a pet-safe airline, flying is much safer and less stressful than ground transport. Make sure to ask your airline representative what type of pet program they have in place to avoid any problems that could arise, thus giving credence to all those horror stories that frequently circulate.

In addition, rather than being stuck in the back of a truck for days on end, your pet will only have to endure a couple of hours. Also, most ground transporters charge by the mile, round-trip, so it is often cheaper to fly your pets.

Furthermore, do not sedate your pet under any circumstances. Nine times out of ten the tragedies that happen in the air are due to people sedating their pets. By limiting your pet’s ability to react quickly and regulate their own respiration, you run the risk of injury which could potentially be fatal. The way to avoid an overly stressed out Fluffy is proper crate training, not knocking them out.

Pet-Safe Airlines

Pet-Safe airlines aim to make the flight as safe and stress free as possible. These airlines do not treat your pets as a random piece of baggage, rather, your pets will be kept in a climate controlled environment, not be left out on the tarmac in harsh conditions; be the last ones on the plane and the first ones off; and the staff will ensure they always have plenty of water.

Rules and Requirements

If moving within the United States, your pets will need a rabies certificate stating they are up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations and a health certificate issued by your vet stating they are in good health and ok to fly. The certificate is only valid for 10 days, so it needs to be issued within that time span before the travel date. If moving internationally, there are more import requirements, which vary from country to country, but generally speaking you will need an international health certificate, vaccinations and blood tests, and all of these will need to be endorsed by your state’s USDA office. For specific country requirements, please feel free to ask us for the details.

The Most Important Item – The Right Crate

By far, your pet’s travel crate is the most important item in this whole process. Proper crate training is crucial. Your pet will be spending a good amount of time in its crate during the move, and if they already associate their crate as their “safe place”, the move will go smoothly. The crate should be big enough for your furry one to be able to stand up and turn around with 2 inches of clearance from the top of its head to the top of the crate.

Keeping these four things in mind when planning your move is a great start to ensuring everything goes smoothly. Just take a deep breath and remember not to project your anxiety onto your pets and everything should go fine. A move is stressful for everyone involved, but proper planning goes a long way!