AC Pup wants you to keep pets safe when you move
I hope you’re planning on joining Central Georgia CARES and me Sunday, April 24 at 2 p.m. at Coliseum Northside Hospital for the 60th annual Museum of Arts and Sciences Pet Show. CARES will be offering low-cost vaccines for dogs and cats, so put a non-slip collar and leash on your dogs, put your cats in a secure carrier and come out for $10 for each vaccine for dogs and $20 for cats. You just can’t beat that price.
Remember to bring a bag or two of Pedigree dog food or 9 Lives cat food for CARES’ food drive as well. CARES helps folks who might just need a little assistance taking care of their pets. We also feed a slew of feral animals to help make their difficult lives a little easier.
Speaking of making things easier, since we’re heading into the time of year when families looking for new homes tend to move, I wanted to share some tips on helping pets adjust. While getting a new home is exciting, it can be really stressful for pets.
The first tip is to make sure your pet is wearing new, legible ID tags with your phone number. Having them microchipped is also important, and registering the new address with the microchip company is crucial.
Uprooting a pet from the comfort of the home he knows and taking him to a location with which he’s unfamiliar creates a potential flight risk, so please make sure you’ve done everything you can to provide for his safety.
It’s not unusual for a well-adjusted pet to become frightened and confused when packing up the old home. Having the chaos of boxes everywhere and the home turned upside down may cause great anxiety in even the most laid-back pet.
The influx of people in the house and frequent opening of exterior doors is an incredible escape hazard for the pet. Many an upset pet has bolted out of a door and gotten lost in all the confusion of a move. This is why some people choose to board their pets until the transition has been made and some semblance of order and peace is in the new home.
Once in the new home, steps need to be taken to orient the pet to the environment so he can learn the new space. Create a safe spot for your pet, preferably in a quiet area with his bed and familiar belongings.
Understand it will take time for a pet to realize this is his new home, so please keep your pet on a leash while outside so he will not run away in search of his old home.
If you have a fenced yard, please examine the fence closely before releasing your dog. Make sure to look for any possible openings where he might escape. Check the gate and put a lock on it as well.
If you have an invisible fence, please learn the temperament of the other animals in the neighborhood before you allow your pet to go outside unattended. An invisible fence will not protect your pet from aggressive dogs coming onto your property.
Most of all, be patient with your pet as he adjusts. He may have temporary behavior changes until he becomes comfortable in his new home so please shower him with love and assurance. Before long he’ll know it’s home sweet home.
This story was originally published April 21, 2016 at 4:40 PM with the headline "AC Pup wants you to keep pets safe when you move."