Moving With Pets in the Bay Area: A Calm Moving-Day Plan
On moving day the front door stays open for hours, strangers carry furniture through every room, and the home your pet knows disappears into boxes. For a dog or cat, that is a lot to take in. The good news is that most of what keeps pets safe and calm happens before the crew arrives, and none of it is complicated.
This guide covers the weeks before the move, moving day itself, the drive, and the first days in the new home. The pet care advice comes from the ASPCA and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), with sources linked throughout.
TL;DR:
- Bring boxes in early and get your pet used to its crate weeks before the move (ASPCA).
- On moving day, keep pets in a quiet room with the door shut, or at a friend's house (ASPCA).
- In the car, use a secured crate and never leave a pet alone in a parked vehicle (ASPCA).
- Update your pet's microchip registration with your new contact details as soon as you move (AVMA).
- Pets travel with you, not on the moving truck.
Weeks before the move
- Bring the boxes in early. The ASPCA suggests bringing moving boxes into the home well ahead of time so pets can get used to them (ASPCA).
- Get your pet used to its crate. Start weeks or even months before the trip. Place food inside an open crate first, then feed meals in the crate with the door shut, then carry your pet around the house in it or take short drives. Treats and playtime after crate time help build a good association (ASPCA).
- Pack the familiar room last. Keep your pet in a familiar room that you plan to pack last (ASPCA).
- Keep the routine. Keep your pet's daily routine as normal as possible while everything else changes (ASPCA).
- Check the new neighborhood. Walk around it to see whether it seems safe for your pet, and watch for aggressive or unattended dogs (ASPCA).
Will the new home work for your pet?
Moving into an apartment, a walk-up or a home without a yard? The ASPCA points out that older dogs, puppies and dogs with house-training issues need frequent trips outside, so think about how that will work in an apartment with many stairs or a house with no yard (ASPCA). For cats, it recommends a home with plenty of vertical space, such as shelving or cat perches on top of furniture (ASPCA).
Moving day: keep pets out of the work zone
While the crew is working, the safest place for a pet is somewhere the crew is not. The ASPCA recommends keeping pets in a quiet room with the door shut, or at a friend's house, on moving day (ASPCA). Our own moving-day prep guide asks the same thing: keep pets and children away from the loading path.
- Pick the room the night before, and put water, food, bedding, toys and, for cats, a litter box inside.
- Put a sign on the door so nobody opens it by mistake, and tell the crew lead which room your pet is in.
- Empty that room first if furniture has to come out of it, so the door can stay closed for the rest of the move.
- Move your pet out of the room last, after the truck is loaded.
Pets ride with you, not with your belongings. Our trucks carry belongings only, never pets or people (see what we move and what we can't).
The drive to the new home
- Use a secured crate. According to the ASPCA, a crate is the safest option for your pet in case of an accident, and it should be secured so it won't slide during a sudden stop (ASPCA).
- Back seat, harness, seatbelt. If your pet isn't crated, keep it in the back seat in a harness attached to a secured seatbelt. Don't let it ride with its head out the window (ASPCA).
- Feed lightly, and before you leave. The ASPCA recommends a light meal three to four hours before departure and no feeding while the car is moving (ASPCA).
- Pack a pet bag. Food, a bowl, a leash, a waste scoop and bags, grooming supplies, medication and first-aid supplies (ASPCA).
- Never leave your pet alone in a parked car. A parked car can heat up fast enough to cause heatstroke, or get very cold in cold weather (ASPCA). In California, California Penal Code 597.7 prohibits leaving or confining an animal in an unattended vehicle under conditions that endanger its health or well-being, including heat, cold, lack of ventilation, or lack of food or water.
ID tags and microchips
- Microchip. The ASPCA advises making sure your pet is microchipped for identification (ASPCA).
- Update the registry. A microchip only works if it is registered. If you've moved, the AVMA says to update your contact information with the microchip registry as soon as possible (AVMA).
- Keep the collar tag too. The AVMA notes that nothing replaces a collar with up-to-date ID tags (AVMA). For the move itself, the ASPCA suggests a temporary tag with your cell phone number and the phone number at your destination (ASPCA).
Settling in at the new home
- Pet-proof first. Before you let your pet explore, tuck away electrical cords, block nooks where a pet could get stuck, check that every window has a secure screen, remove poisonous houseplants, and make sure no pest-control traps were left behind (ASPCA).
- Start with one room. Set up a home base room with toys, treats, water and food bowls, and a litter box for cats. Once your pet seems comfortable, open up other rooms gradually (ASPCA).
- Move the litter box slowly. For cats, keep the litter box in the home base room at first, then move it about a foot a day toward its permanent spot (ASPCA).
- Be patient. A new space can be overwhelming for pets (ASPCA).
FAQ
Can my pet ride in the moving truck?
No. Pets should travel with you, in your car. Our trucks carry belongings only, never pets or people.
Where should my dog or cat be while the movers work?
In a quiet room with the door shut, or at a friend's house (ASPCA). Tell the crew lead which room it is so the door stays closed.
When should I start crate training before a move?
The ASPCA suggests starting weeks or even months before the trip and building up gradually, from meals in an open crate to short drives (ASPCA).
Do I need to update my pet's microchip after moving?
Yes. Update your contact information with the microchip registry as soon as possible after you move (AVMA).
Planning a move with a pet in the family? See our moving-day prep guide and our moving day checklist.