Moving with Children and Pets: Taking Dogs Cats and Small Animals Along Safely
Families with pets
A move in which the pet moves too
Arriving calmly
A family move with a pet involves two groups who cope badly with the commotion: small children and animals. Open front doors, strangers and stacks of boxes mean stress for dogs and cats – and a risk of escape. So plan in advance where both will spend moving day – with grandparents, friends or in a quiet, closed room. We transport the furniture and boxes; details under Private move.
Animals do not travel in the cargo space of the removal van but with you in the car – secured in a pet carrier or with a safety harness. A scratching post, cage or terrarium, on the other hand, count as belongings to be moved, and an aquarium is emptied beforehand. We give you the fixed price after the survey; your belongings are covered by liability under the German Commercial Code (HGB). That way, during a move with children, you have time left for your family and your pet.
Preparing well for a move with a pet
Fixed price after a survey
Tell us during the survey which animals are moving with you: we then include cages, terrariums and the scratching post in the volume and agree which room stays closed on moving day. Call us on 01625978461 – you receive the fixed price after the survey.
Offers available individually, depending on effort, scheduling and the scope of services required.
How we keep moving day calm
Clear arrangements in advance
For families with a pet, what matters most on moving day is a predictable routine. We agree beforehand which room is off limits because the cat or rabbit is waiting there, and clear it last. Your belongings are covered by liability under the German Commercial Code (HGB), and additional insurance is available on request. We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and operate nationwide; destinations with their own page can be found under Locations.
Agreeing in advance
Packing service
Pet accessories
Assembly service
Six points for moving with a pet
Dogs, cats and small animals react differently to a move. These six points apply to almost all animals, from dogs to budgies – and much of it also helps the children to settle in.
See the vet beforehand
Practise with the carrier in good time
A quiet room
A safe journey
Re-registering
Settling in slowly
Part load for the scratching post and small furniture
Sometimes something stays behind after the move, such as a large scratching post, the dog run from the garden or a shelf. A part load is suitable for such smaller quantities: your goods travel on a route that is going in that direction anyway – including on a long-distance move.
Children,
pets and the journey
This part of the series covers moving with children and pets: where dogs and cats spend moving day, how they travel safely in the car and how small animals, birds or fish move. It also covers re-registrations such as the dog tax and the first few days, in which pets and children get used to the new flat. For a long-distance move, breaks and possibly a pet passport are added.
Preparation
Journey and transport
Arriving
Questions about children and pets during the move
Preparing children and pets for the move
Children often ask first whether the dog or cat is coming too – involve them in the preparations. Older children can line the pet carrier with a familiar blanket or pack the food for the first few days. Put the carrier out, open, in the flat weeks beforehand so that the animal knows it.
Before a longer journey, an appointment with the vet is worthwhile: they advise on travel sickness and, for a move to another EU country, check the microchip, rabies vaccination and EU pet passport. For dogs, the dog tax belongs on the list: deregister with the old municipality and register with the new one.
Moving day with a dog, cat and small animals
On moving day, doors stand open for a long time – the greatest danger for cats and anxious dogs. Clear one room first, put water, a blanket and the litter tray in it and hang a note on the door. Alternatively, the animal spends the day with friends or in a boarding kennel or cattery. Animals do not travel in the cargo space but secured in the car.
In the new home, the animal is again given a quiet room with familiar things first. Small animals and birds cope badly with draughts and changes in temperature; more on this in the article Pets on moving day.
Moving costs for families at a glance
How much does my move cost? We are happy to answer this question: we move 1-room flats from €344, 2-room flats from €605, 3-room flats from €909 and 4-room flats from €1,309. For houses and villas the price depends heavily on the individual circumstances, which is why we draw up an individual quote here. Long-distance moves are no problem either – for these we charge from €3.85 per kilometre. Cages, terrariums and the scratching post count towards the volume – show them to us during the free survey and they will be included in the fixed price.
What sets the price
First of all, the distance between the old and new flat counts – a price from €3.85/km applies here. Then comes the volume of your household goods and the floor, with or without a lift. A no-parking zone may also be necessary – it shortens the walking distances and therefore the time during which doors stand open. For furniture assembly and a part load we draw up a separate quote for you.
Services for families with pets
What you add depends on how much time you need for the children and the pet on moving day:
- Private move: Private move – for your new chapter in life
- Move with assembly: Move with assembly – fully set up and ready to live in
- Office relocation: Office relocation – smoothly organised
- Part load: Part load – for smaller quantities
- Furniture transport: Furniture transport – safely packed and transported
- House clearance: House clearance – fast and thorough
A long journey with a pet: planning a long-distance move
On a long journey, the pet travels with the family in the car. We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and operate nationwide – destinations in the locations overview, more under Long-distance moves.
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