INTRODUCING Your Pet to their New Home.
Before releasing your pet into his new backyard, take a quick safety check.
Is the fence in good shape – no spaces for your pet to wiggle through, or under? Can your pet reach the neighbor’s pet through the fence, and if so, is he/she friendly? Are there any sharp objects that could pose a hazard to your pet? What about plants – are there any that could be harmful to your pet if she decided to devour them? Is there any garbage lying around for your pet to get into? Is there shade available for your pet? After running through all of these checks, be sure to leave a large, cool, bowl of water for your pet, and spend some time just sitting in the backyard with him.
It is recommended that cats remain indoors. One study reported that cats who are allowed to roam free outside have an average life span of only 3 years, while indoor cats can be expected to live for an average of 13 years. If your cat has been allowed to roam in the past, now is the ideal time to break him of this habit. If you keep your cat indoors from day one in the new house, he will not have had time to establish his own turf outside – and will view the indoors as his sole territory.
Again, select a room with a door for your cat to use as her “transition room”.
Place an extra litter box, food and water dishes, toys, and bedding inside with your cat. After a couple of days, when most of the boxes have been unpacked, the furniture placed, and things have generally calmed down – open the door and allow your cat to venture out. Before moving her belongings to where you want to keep them, allow your cat the use of the room for another 2 or 3 days while she becomes more confident in her new surroundings.\
Small Pets
Birds, lizards, rabbits and other small animals are much easier to move, as they are normally used to being housed in a cage, or at least are accustomed to regularly spending “quiet time” in one.
To make the journey to their new home safely, they should be kept in their cage, or placed into an appropriately sized pet carrier before being loaded into your car.
Placing a light weight cloth over your small pet’s cage will help to keep him quiet and calm during the car ride; just be sure to allow adequate air flow.
Be sure to leave some food and fresh water in with your pet. Most small animals do well with a drinking bottle that is easily attached to most cages. Remember to bring your pet’s supply of food, feeding dishes, and any medications with you in the car.
Small animals overheat even faster than large animals, so again, never leave your pets unattended in a vehicle.