For many people, the pet is a part of the family. Unlike the rest of the family however, they will not realize or be able to prepare for the big moving day. And, like many people, pets get accustomed to their surroundings so that moving is stressful for the animal. So, as you consider your upcoming move it is also important to plan carefully how you can move your pet with as little stress as possible. As with all other aspects of your move, proper planning will eliminate many of the potential problems.
The first thing you should consider is where your pet will be during all of the hectic and crazy work of packing and loading all of your items. And, if you have professional movers coming, where your pet will be when strangers come in your home. Often it might be good to leave them for the day at the local day care of pet facility
Second, you should think about packing for your pet appropriately. Be sure not to pack everything you will need for your pet during your move. Items like their food, their bowls, their favorite toys, food and treats, any medication you might need to bring, a leash and several old blankets or their favorite bed to sleep on while in the car. Depending upon how much experience your animal has driving in vehicles might also make you plan differently. If your pet is seldom in a car you might start taking it for short trips prior to your long move. And some pets might actually get car sick so you need to be prepared for that. Often frequent stops on the way help the pet and you as well!
If you decide that the trip is just too long, and you want to transport your dog or cat by air, please do all the proper research. You will need for example a recent health certificate from your veterinarian, a pet carrier that complies with airline regulations (careful because different sized planes allow for different sized carriers - if you have a large dog for example make sure that the carrier is allowed). Of course, always take your dog for a long walk or run prior to the trip and never feed your pet too much or give them too much to drink prior the trip.