Here at
Richmond Villages, we know how important your pets are. They aren’t just
animals: they’re part of the family. We want your life in our community to be a
wonderful experience and that’s why we allow residents to bring their pets
along. After all, what is a home without your furry (or feathery or scaly!)
best friend?
In fact,
we’re so keen to create a pet-friendly environment that our employees bring
their pets to work too. Our Letcombe Regis manager, Ian Robertson, has recently
adopted a four-month-old cocker spaniel puppy, Freddie. He is the team’s
favourite new co-worker and the residents’ new adoring friend, even giving out
kisses to some lucky visitors. Ian himself has realised the benefits of having
a pet-friendly workplace, telling us that Freddie “breaks down so many barriers
and really lifts people”. Young Freddie has been bringing people at Letcombe
Regis together, making friends with the residents and their dogs, lifting
people’s spirits, and even encouraging Ian to explore the beautiful nature
reserve attached to the village. At Richmond Villages, we want everyone to
experience the joys of pet ownership, from employees to residents, and Freddie
has certainly brought joy to the staff and residents of Letcombe Regis.
We all love
our pets and we want to take them with us wherever we go, but we know that
moving home can be daunting when you have animal companions, even when your new
home is as lovely as one of our residences. We want to make your experience as
smooth and as stress-free as possible. For International Pet month, we’ve put
together a list of top tips to help keep your furry friend safe and happy when
moving home:
1. Keep your pet in a separate room
When you’re
moving, there can be a lot of people carrying heavy furniture and boxes. It’s a
stressful time for you animal companion and it can be easy for them to get
underfoot, hide in unwanted places, or even run out of an open door. To keep your
pet safe, either shut them in an already-emptied room away from all the
commotion (make sure to give them food, water, toys, and a litter tray!) or ask
a trusted friend or relative to look after them on moving day. When you get to
your new home, the same applies: set up one room to keep your pet safe while
you get heavy furniture and boxes into position.
2. Make sure you know where you packed
the food bowls
We all know
how frustrating it can be when your boxes are half-unpacked and you don’t know
where you put the one thing you want. While we know that things will be normal
soon and this new place will quickly become a home, our animals don’t know
what’s going on when we move. To help settle them in as fast as possible, make
sure you know where you put their regular food and water bowls and their
favourite toys, blankets, and pet beds. Unpack their things as quickly as
possible to give them a sense of normality and make sure they know where to
find their food and water in their new home.
Top tip:
avoid washing your pet’s favourite toys, blankets, and beds. The more your new
home smells like them, the quicker they will settle in! It can also help to
keep some laundry unwashed so your new home also smells like you.
3. Settle them down into a routine
Moving can
be hectic and it’s very easy to be thrown out of a routine when settling into
your new home. Our pets like a sense of normality and keeping a routine can
help them to feel safe and secure. Try to keep to your animal’s regular
schedule: feed them when they would usually be fed and walk them when they
would usually be walked. For our pets, moving home can feel like their whole
world has been turned upside down and sticking to their normal routine can give
them a much-needed sense of normality. It’s also important that your animal can
easily find its food and water so try to keep their bowls in a consistent place.
Top tip: if
you have an outdoor/indoor cat, try to keep them inside for at least a week.
Once they’ve had time to realise this is their new home, they’ll know to come
back when they go out to explore their new territory. Tell your old neighbours
where you’ll be moving to so if your pet does go wandering, they know where to
find you!
We’re sure
that if you follow this easy guide, your pet will settle into your new home in
no time. The most important thing for our animal friends is to feel loved and
safe. As long as they receive plenty of love and attention from their favourite
people, they’ll happily go anywhere with you. And who knows? They might even
make some new friends in one of our vibrant communities!
Remember to
register your pets at a local veterinary clinic as soon as you move home and
always consult a vet if you have any concerns about your animal companions.