Do's and Dont's of Moving Your Pets

Moving isn’t just hard on you. Packing, moving and unpacking can also take a toll on your pet — especially if have a long way to travel to your new home. Here are some dos and don’ts of moving pets that can help ease the transition.

Moving pet dos
Moving pets can be tricky. Can they go in the moving van? (No.) Can I ship them? (Yes.) Can they stay in a hotel? (Depends.) Here’s what you should do when you move with your pet:
•Do plan ahead: If you know you’re moving cross country and are flying to your new home, make all the necessary arrangements for your pet to fly with you. This means making special accommodations for your dog to be transported, either on the plane in the cargo hold or shipped by a pet transport company like WeMovePets.com.
•Do buy a good pet carrier: If you’re used to just putting your cat in the back seat and you’re driving to your new home, then that should suffice. But if you’re driving a long distance or flying, then you’ll need a good pet carrier that will protect your animal during transport.
•Do talk to your veterinarian: He knows your pet well and can advise you on whether your cat is up for major traveling. If needed, he can even prescribe a pet tranquilizer to help calm your animal down, particularly if you have a nervous dog or neurotic cat.
•Do get your pet used to the drive: If your cat never goes anywhere with you, take him on short drives leading up to the move. That way, he won’t spend the entire drive with his claws in your leg, making the trip both painful and dangerous.
•Do change your pets’ collar tags: The day you head to your new home, put the new tags on identifying your new address and new phone number in case the worst happens and you get separated from your pet.
•Do keep pets away from the moving madness: While loading up the moving van, keep them in a quiet place away from all the turmoil.
•Do find a new veterinarian before you move if you are moving long distances: Should something terrible happen during transport, you will want to be able to take your animal to a veterinarian immediately. Having a new doctor in your rolodex will save you precious time trying to find an open animal’s clinic. Make sure to have not only the new vet’s phone number, but his address and directions to his office.
•Do comply with local laws. Many municipalities require pets to be registered with animal control in case a collar is lost. Follow the laws once you move, or you could be fined.

Moving pet don’ts
There are many things that can go wrong during a move. Losing or hurting your pet shouldn’t be one of them.
•Don’t wait until the last minute to arrange transportation: You may find that your flight is booked for both humans and four-legged friends. You don’t want to leave your furry friend behind.
•Don’t try to transport your pet in the back of the moving van: It’s not safe during the move. Make other arrangements.
•Do call any hotels before arriving to confirm that your pet is welcome. Many hotels — if you have to stop overnight — do not allow pets to stay in the rooms. Check PetsWelcome.com for pet friendly hotels that allow animals to stay with their owners.
•Don’t forget to pack a pet travel kit: This kit should include food, a bowl, a leash, plastic bags to scoop up any potty waste and any medication. You may also want to stash some toys in there to ease your pet into his new home or to play with at the hotel.
•Don’t feed your animal right before the move: They might get motion sickness.
•Don’t forget the walks: If possible, try to keep up with your animal’s normal routines: Walks, feedings, bathroom breaks. This will help keep them from getting a little crazy from the move.
Moving your pet can be fairly easy if you follow some easy pet travel dos and don’ts. The Humane Society has great information on moving with pets, as does the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Happy Moving!

Pet-Proofing Your Apartment

Dogs and cats, like young children, require their caretakers to take safety precautions in their home. Just as you would want to avoid having your child eat or play with something harmful, you will want to take these basic steps to keep your pets healthy and happy.

Kitchen
The kitchen is loaded with temptation and potential problems for your pet. Make sure all cupboards and cabinets are latched and that all chemicals, cleaners, laundry products and insect products are high and out of reach.
Some pets even like to pry into the refrigerator, so if yours is extra curious, consider a child-proof latch for that too. Garbage cans should be covered or put into a latched cabinet. There are plenty of dangers in that “delicious” smelling trash, such as food wrappers.
Seemingly innocent food items could prove harmful to your pet as well. Make sure that the “treat” you’d like to indulge your cat or dog with does not contain chocolate, bones, high fat or alcohol. Onions, grapes and raisins can all cause digestive problems for furry friends. Even things you wouldn’t imagine a pet would want to taste such as tobacco products, coins and many household plants could all find their way into your dog or cat’s stomach, causing poisoning or choking.

Living areas
Make sure that there are no dangling power cords to lamps, televisions, DVD players, computers or other electrical items that your pet could run across or pull down and that all children’s toys, batteries, craft items and knick knacks are put away and out of reach of a pet that could knock them over or chew on them. Be vigilant about leaving shoes and clothes on the floor as well, especially around teething pets — buttons and drawstrings can spell disaster if ingested.

Bathrooms
Just as you would secure all medications from your child, make sure that no medicines, animal or human, are within your dog or cat’s reach. Also make sure toilets are covered to prevent drowning or drinking of harmful chemicals.
Laundry, storage and other areas
Be cautious about using any kind of chemical or insecticide in areas your pet might access, reading all labels carefully to make sure such products are not harmful to them. As elsewhere in your home, be sure to store all cleaners, soaps and chemicals safely out of reach.
Check your dryer for kittens before using and bang the hood of your car before starting to make certain there aren’t any cats (yours or a neighbors) who’ve taken shelter there for warmth. You’d be amazed at what lengths felines will go to for a snug sleep.

Special gatherings
As wonderful as having guests over can be, get-togethers at your home can also create opportunities for your pet to get into trouble. Be sure to ask guests not to feed your pets from the table and monitor discarded plates to see that the food makes it to a sealed garbage can before your dog or cat can intercept it. Also be aware of who is coming in and out of front or back doors and where your pets are, so that your dog or cat doesn’t take off unattended.
Holiday plants such as mistletoe and holly are bad for your pet if ingested, as is the water from a live Christmas tree. Tinsel, ornaments and practically anything you hang on a Christmas tree can create dangerous temptation for your pet, so if yours is especially curious or drawn to bright and shiny objects, you might want to consider keeping the tree behind a closed door.

Having a pet is a lot like having a child and requires, especially in regard to safety, the same kind of planning and precautions. Don’t assume your dog or cat knows what’s good for them to eat or safe to play with. You’re the parent to your furry family member so make sure to act like one!

SEND ME PICTURES and STORIES ABOUT YOUR PET!!!!

I am going to start a gallery for our beloved best friends!
Any pictures I receive will be added into an album on FACEBOOK & posted on our blog too!

I know that my cat Ivan keeps me and my husband in stitches ALL THE TIME! He is a character.
Ivan teh Terrible spent his first 6 months in a house with 70 cats! Turns out he is quite a skilled thief. My husband was making a PB&J, put it into a ziplock bag, turned to make tea. He then heard some krinkling sounds. He looked up to see Ivan standing on the kitchen counter with the ziplock bag in his mouth. They stared at each other for a tense moment..then Ivan leaped from the counter, bag in tow, and led my husband on a chase through the house...the ziplock bag & sandwich as big as him! Good Times..Good Times!

If you would like to share your silly stories please send them to us!
Send any stories and digital pictures to sumtersquare@druckerandfalk.com Please put in the subject line- ATTN: JONI