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Moving Home with Animals

If you are moving to another part of the UK or even abroad, you may not want to leave a pet behind – after all, they can be considered part of the family too.

Hamiltons Removals offer a specialist removals service for customers moving to all UK destinations and to most places in Europe. This means, as well as our comprehensive range of domestic and commercial moving services, we can also move pets and horses, and some vehicles, tractors and machinery.

Here we look at some of the key factors you should consider if your pet is going to be joining you in your new home.

Check the Regulations

If you are going abroad, you should establish whether you are permitted to take your animal with you, and we can advise you on this. Europe has a Pet Passports system, which allows for the free movement of animals within member countries, and are issued to all pets provided they have recently been vaccinated against rabies and have been microchipped.

Your pet may be transported as live animal cargo. In aircraft, this may mean it will be put in the hold. You should make sure your pet is as comfortable as possible and has a supply of water and food.

At Hamiltons, we can advise you on all the relevant rules and regulations which apply to animal transportation. We sort out all the paperwork involved for any moves and advise you on what injections are required and any quarantine arrangements.

Looking After Your Horses

Whether you are moving to another part of the UK or to Europe, horses need great care during the move. We treat your horse as if it is our own, with its welfare our top priority.

We make sure that it is fed and watered every three to four hours during the move, and that it is exercised properly every six to eight hours. All of this is carried out by staff who are experienced in caring for horses.

Animals Get Nervous Too

If you are moving to another UK destination, you should try to make sure your pet is introduced to its new home before the big moving day. Similarly, if you pet is going to be carried in a special case or cage during the removals process, you should give it a trial run several days beforehand.

Some animals may also get nervous of they see you packing items up in advance, so you should try to make sure this is done in rooms your pet doesn’t usually go into.

Advice for Particular Pets

Different types of animals react differently to a changing environment so will need to be treated accordingly during and after a move.

Cats get particularly nervous, so you should try to make sure they are surrounded by some familiar objects during the move, and once you have arrived, introduce them to one or two new rooms at a time. Dogs should be kept on a lead as much as possible while they become more familiar with their new home.

Smaller pets such as gerbils and guinea pigs are particularly susceptible to temperature changes, so make sure their cage is well sealed during the move and that it is not affected by either direct sunlight or draughts.

At Hamiltons Removals we offer a specialist removals service which is available across the UK and for removals to most parts of Europe, including France, Germany, The Netherlands and Italy.

Our friendly, fully-qualified staff will put together a competitively-priced package which is tailored for your individual needs. Follow the link above to learn more about our range of services and receive an online quote.