The Hidden Side of Pet Relocation: How to Set Your Furry Family Up for Success

In our last blog, I wrote about Vee's journey - how a capable HR professional became completely overwhelmed during her relocation to Melbourne. Her story reminded us that relocation isn't just a logistical problem to solve, but a human experience to support.

After publishing that piece, something interesting happened. The flood of messages I received wasn't just about human relocations - many of you shared stories about your pets' international moves. It struck me: if capable adults like Vee can feel overwhelmed during relocation, our pets face their unique challenges too.

While we focus on the logistics - paperwork, flights, quarantine requirements - our animals are processing a complete change to everything familiar, without understanding why it's happening.

What We're Learning About Pet Relocation

The pet relocation industry is evolving as we better understand the emotional side of animal moves. Even well-adjusted pets can struggle initially when their familiar environment, routines, and comfort zones suddenly change, especially after long-haul flights to completely foreign surroundings.

"My boy Catrick (Cat) took 3 months to get back to his normal relaxed self after arriving from Hong Kong," shares Shaun. "Upon reflection, if and when I relocate again, I will leave him at home with my parents where he is happiest."

But here's what's encouraging: we're also hearing amazing success stories. "There are pets that bounce back without any issues," says Cathy, one of our EWR Account Managers. "I guess it comes down to knowing your fur baby's temperament and making a heartfelt judgment call about whether they're emotionally and physically capable of coping with the journey."

Dogs and cats are creatures of their environment as much as attachment. Dogs rely heavily on scent to understand their world, while cats are naturally territorial. Understanding this helps us prepare better.

The Journey and Recovery

Long-haul international flights create more stress than shorter domestic ones, and research shows it takes time for stress hormones to normalise - sometimes weeks or months. The good news? Most pets do successfully settle, and full behavioural adjustment typically follows a predictable pattern: initial adjustment, gradual decompression, and finally, true settlement.

The key insight? Recovery operates on an animal timeline, not a human one. Unlike humans, pets can't rationalise change or find comfort in future possibilities - they live entirely in the present moment.

How to Set Your Pet Up for Success

Given enough time, many holistic approaches can help prepare pets for relocation and minimise stress for everyone involved.

Start Early: Behavioural Conditioning (3-6 months before travel). Gradually condition your pet to their travel crate through positive experiences. Start at home - crate them briefly, step outside, return and reward. Build from seconds to minutes to hours over time—practice car journeys with the crate to create positive associations.

Natural Stress-Relief Support Herbs and natural supplements like chamomile, passionflower, melatonin, L-theanine, and CBD oil can reduce anxiety. Calming chews with natural ingredients are particularly effective. I've personally seen remarkable results using CBD oil for a dog with dementia - it kept him calm and prevented manic episodes.

Holistic Therapies (2-4 months before travel)

• Acupuncture improves organ function, soothes muscles, and releases feel-good hormones

• Massage therapy eases tension, reduces pain, and improves circulation

• Flower essences like Bach's Rescue Remedy work on emotional states to help natural healing

  
  

Environmental Support Regular exercise and mental stimulation release natural endorphins that reduce anxiety. Music and sound therapy - calming music or white noise - create soothing environments that naturally lower stress levels.

The Encouraging Reality

Here's what every pet owner should know: the vast majority of pets successfully settle after international relocation. While the timeline is longer than expected and the process more complex than domestic moves, patience and proper support consistently lead to positive outcomes.

Start implementing holistic approaches at least 6 months before your move, especially for destinations like Australia and New Zealand. These methods focus on building emotional resilience and positive associations with travel, reducing stress for both pets and their humans.

The more preparation we do upfront, the smoother the recovery - creating a win-win for the whole family as you start your new adventure together.