Moving with Pets: Tips for a Smooth Transition

Pets do not understand moving. They see boxes appear, furniture disappear and strangers carrying their home out the door, and many of them react with stress: hiding, not eating, trying to escape. A little planning makes the move safer and much calmer for them — and for you.

Before the move

Check the lease or building rules

In Quebec, a lease can contain a clause that forbids pets, and condo buildings have their own rules about animals. Before you sign a new lease or buy a condo, check what is allowed — the number of animals, size limits for dogs, any restrictions. It is far easier to find out before moving day than after.

Licences and identification

Many municipalities in the Montreal area require a licence for dogs, and some for cats, issued by your borough or city. When you move to a new municipality, check its rules and register your pet at the new address. Update the address and phone number on your pet’s tag, and update the microchip registration with the new details — a lost pet in an unfamiliar neighbourhood is much easier to find when the chip leads to the right address.

A visit to the vet

Book a check-up a few weeks before the move, especially for older animals or for a long trip. Ask for copies of vaccination and medical records, refill any medication, and ask about anxiety management if your pet is nervous in cars or around strangers. If you are moving to a new area, find a new vet before you need one.

Keep the routine

Keep feeding times, walks and play at their usual hours in the weeks of packing. Leave the pet’s bed, bowls and favourite toys unpacked until the very last moment. Cats in particular are unsettled by boxes appearing everywhere; bring boxes into the home gradually rather than all at once.

On moving day

Moving day is the most dangerous moment for pets. Doors are propped open for hours, people are carrying heavy items, and a frightened cat or dog can slip out or get underfoot.

• Give them a safe room. Put your pet in a quiet room — a bathroom works well — with water, food, a litter box or bed and a familiar blanket. Close the door and put a sign on it so nobody opens it.
• Or take them out. A friend’s place, a pet sitter or a day at a kennel removes the stress entirely.
• Tell the crew. Let the crew chief know there is an animal in the home and which door must stay closed.
• Move them last. Load the pet into the car after the truck is loaded, not before.

Travelling with pets

Pets never travel in the moving truck. For a local move, a secure carrier in your car is enough for cats and small animals; dogs should be in a crate or wearing a car harness.

For a long move — to Quebec City, Toronto or further — plan the trip like a small journey: regular stops for dogs, water, a litter box for longer drives with cats, and pet-friendly accommodation booked in advance if you are stopping overnight. Never leave an animal alone in a parked car in summer or winter. If you are flying, check the airline’s rules for pets well in advance; space for animals is limited.

Moving across the border or abroad adds entry requirements — vaccination certificates and sometimes microchips, health certificates or quarantine. Check the current rules of the destination country early. See Canada–USA moving for more on cross-border moves.

Small animals, birds and fish

• Small mammals and birds travel in their own cage or carrier, covered partly to reduce stress, with food and water, and kept away from drafts and heat.
• Fish are the hardest to move. For short distances, move them in bags or containers of their own tank water, and move the tank empty. Large aquariums need to be drained and moved empty; we do not move aquariums with water in them.
• Reptiles need their temperature maintained during the trip; plan a heated carrier for winter moves.

Settling in

Set up one room for your pet first, with their bed, bowls, litter box and toys, and let them explore the rest of the home gradually. Cats often do best kept in one room for a day or two. Walk dogs around the new neighbourhood on a leash so they learn the new smells and routes home. Keep an eye on them for signs of stress — hiding, not eating, unusual barking — and keep the routine as consistent as you can.

Check the new home for hazards before letting pets roam: gaps behind appliances, open windows without screens, balconies, and anything left by the previous occupants. In Montreal, balconies on upper floors are a real risk for cats in summer.

A checklist for pet owners

1. Check the new lease or building rules for pets.
2. Book a vet visit and collect records.
3. Update tags and microchip details.
4. Register the licence at the new address if required.
5. Pack a pet bag: food, water, bowls, medication, leash, litter, toys, bedding.
6. Plan a safe room or a sitter for moving day.
7. Transport pets yourself, in a carrier or crate.
8. Set up one pet room first at the new home.

A calmer move for everyone

The less time a move takes, the less stress for your pets. A well-organized crew and a planned day help; our crews are used to working around pets and closed doors. Get a quote for local moving or, for moves further away, see long-distance moving.