Helping your pets adjust to a new home
To prevent pets running away or inflicting harm upon themselves, homeowners should take the necessary precautions to help them adjust to a new home.
Imagine how anxious you would feel if, without warning or explanation, you were taken to a new space. After a while, you would start to feel anxious and desperate to return to your familiar surroundings.
“Adjusting to a new home can be challenging, especially for your furry companions. To avoid pets running away or inflicting harm upon themselves, homeowners should take the necessary precautions to help them adjust to the new space,” Adrian Goslett, Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, advised.
According to Adrian, one of the first things responsible pet owners should do is find the closest vet in their new area and get their pet’s tags and chips updated with their new address. It might also be a good idea to have a recent photo of your pet, just in case they wander off.
“Building up to the move, take your dogs for walks in the area to get them used to the scent and layout of their new suburb. After the big moving day, continue to walk your pet daily to help them use up their anxious energy and to become familiar with their new neighborhood,” Adrian suggested.
Helping your feline friend adjust to its new surroundings is somewhat trickier. Especially if your cat is the anxious type, it might be worth keeping it indoors for a while and supervising it outdoors until it finds its feet.
Familiar objects and routines are useful ways to help your pets adjust to their new environment. Make sure that all of your pet’s favourite things (their cushion, chew toy, drinking bowl, etc.) are unpacked before they arrive.
As a final piece of advice, Adrian reminded homeowners that in this new territory, they are one of the few things familiar to their pets.
“It can be easy to get so caught up in all the logistics of unpacking and redecorating the new home that you neglect to spend time with your pet. Now more so than ever, your pet needs you to be around. Boxes can always be unpacked later, but the wellbeing of your pet cannot wait,” Adrian concluded.
• Source: RE/MAX of Southern Africa
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