Moving With Pets: Keeping Cats and Dogs Calm on Moving Day

The front door is open, two men are carrying a wardrobe through it, and the dog has just slipped between their legs and into the street. Anyone who has moved with a pet knows that moment. An open gate and strangers carrying things in and out is the easiest way to lose an animal.

Pets do not understand what is happening. They see boxes disappearing and people shouting, and they either hide or run. A little planning keeps them safe.

A few days before

Start early, because pets pick up on the mood in the house.

• Pack gradually instead of emptying the house in one go.
• Keep your pet's feeding times and walks as normal as you can.
• Make sure the collar tag is readable and has a working phone number on it.
• Get your pet used to its carrier or crate. Leave it open in the living room with a blanket inside.
• If your pet is on medication, check you have enough to last through the move.

Moving day: pick one safe room

The simplest rule is to keep your pet in one room with the door closed. Choose a room that will be emptied last, or a friend's house if that is easier.

1. Put water, a bowl, a familiar blanket and a favourite toy in the room.
2. Stick a note on the door: "Pet inside. Do not open."
3. Tell everyone who is helping, including the driver and helpers, that there is an animal in that room.
4. Check on the pet at intervals so it does not feel abandoned.

For dogs, a long walk in the morning helps use up energy before the noise begins. For cats, a closed bathroom with the litter tray is often the calmest place.

Do not let pets near the load

A truck or pickup van can be dangerous for an animal: hot metal, moving loads, narrow gaps between furniture and engines that start without warning. Keep your pet away from the vehicle while loading and offloading. Never leave an animal inside a parked vehicle.

Travel in the front, not the back

Do not put a pet in the open load area, even for a short trip. Your pet should travel in a secure carrier or crate in a car with you, ideally on the floor or seat where it cannot slide. Give it water, and avoid a big meal just before the trip. If the drive is long, stop for short breaks, and never open a door where a dog can bolt without a lead on.

If your move uses a truck or pickup van from Sphere, remember that the driver is there to move your goods. Agree with them how you will travel, and arrange a separate way to take the pet if the cab has no room. Mention it in your request so nothing is a surprise.

Settling in at the new place

When you arrive, do not let the pet loose straight away.

• Set up one room first with the bed, bowls and litter tray.
• Keep doors and windows closed while strangers carry things inside.
• Check the gate, fence and any gaps before you open the door to the compound.
• Let your pet explore one room at a time, and keep it indoors for the first few days.
• Keep to the normal feeding routine.

Cats especially need time to learn the new smells before going outside. Dogs need a lead for the first walks, so they learn the route home.

Make the rest of the move easier

A move with a pet is easier when everything else is organised. Follow our self-contain checklist or fragile-item packing guide so the house is packed on time and the animal is not stressed for longer than necessary. See also house moving in Lagos.

How to do this on Sphere

1. Open the Sphere app and choose a vehicle that matches your load.
2. Add the pickup and drop-off addresses.
3. Describe your items and mention that you have a pet, so the driver knows to keep gates closed.
4. Propose a price. Nearby verified drivers accept it or send a counter-offer.
5. Agree loading and offloading help with the driver before you accept an offer.

Sphere operates in Lagos, Abuja and Ibadan.