Moving House With Pets in Summer: Hot-Weather Questions Answered

A hot moving day is harder on your pets than on anyone else in the house. Dogs and cats feel heat faster than we do, they read the disruption of packing as a threat, and a warm van or a long car journey can tip a stressed animal into real danger. The questions below are the ones we are asked most often by families moving with pets over a Dorset summer, with plain answers on keeping them cool, calm and safe from the first box to the last.

Can my pet travel in the removal van?

No, and no reputable remover will agree to it. The back of a removal van has no ventilation, no light and no temperature control, so on a warm day it heats up fast and becomes dangerous for an animal within minutes. Your pet travels with you, in your own car, where you can control the temperature and keep an eye on them. We plan the load around that: tell us it is a pet move and we will work so the van is packed and away while your dog or cat stays somewhere cool. Our full house removals service covers the furniture and boxes; the pets stay with the people who know them.

What is the best time of day to move with pets in hot weather?

Start as early as you can. The hours after dawn are the coolest part of a summer day, so an early start means the heavy lifting and the loading are done before the temperature climbs. It also gets your pet into the new home earlier, with time to calm down before evening. Summer is our busiest season, so book the date ahead; here is what to expect from a summer move.

How do I keep my dog cool and calm on a hot moving day?

Give your dog one quiet room away from the front door and the coming and going, with the curtains drawn and a bowl of fresh water topped up through the day. A familiar bed, a favourite toy and a worn item of your clothing all help an anxious dog settle. Walk them before the crew arrives so they have burned off some energy, and check on them between loads. If your dog finds strangers and noise very stressful, a day at a trusted sitter is often kinder than keeping them at home. For calming techniques that apply all year round, our guide to moving house with pets goes further.

Where should my cat go during the move on a hot day?

Shut your cat in one empty, cool room with the door and windows secured before any packing starts, and put a clear note on the door so nobody opens it. Cats bolt when they are frightened, and an open front door on moving day is the most common way they go missing. Leave water, a litter tray and a familiar blanket in the room, and keep the blinds down to hold the heat off. When it is time to travel, move them into a secure carrier with a light cover, never loose in the car. A cattery for the day is worth considering if your cat is nervous or the weather is extreme.

Should I book a pet sitter, cattery or kennel for moving day?

It is worth it for any pet that finds noise, strangers or heat hard to cope with. A sitter, cattery or kennel takes your animal out of the busiest, hottest hours completely, which lowers their stress and removes the risk of a bolt through an open door while the van is being loaded. Book it well ahead, because summer is peak season for boarding as well as for moving. If you would rather keep your pet with you, the quiet-room approach above is the next best thing.

How do I keep pets safe in the car on a long or hot journey?

Never leave a pet alone in a parked car, even for a few minutes and even with a window cracked, because the inside temperature climbs to a lethal level very quickly in summer. Set off with the air conditioning or windows giving good airflow, fix a sunshade to the windows your pet sits behind, and carry water and a travel bowl. On a longer move, stop every couple of hours in the shade to offer water and let a dog stretch its legs on a lead. Keep cats and small animals in a covered carrier the whole way so they feel secure and out of direct sun.

What should I pack in a pet bag for the day?

Keep one bag aside that does not go in the van, so everything your pet needs is with you and not buried in a box. Pack enough food and water for the day plus a spare, travel bowls, any medication, a lead and a spare collar with an up-to-date ID tag, poo bags or a litter tray, and a familiar blanket or toy that smells of home. A recent photo of your pet on your phone is worth having too, in case they slip away in the confusion. Anything fragile or valuable travels with you in the same way, which is where our packing service takes the rest off your hands.

How do I help my pet settle into the new home in warm weather?

Set up one cool, quiet room first and let your pet stay there while the rest of the house is unloaded. Put their bed, bowls, water and a familiar-smelling blanket in straight away, keep the blinds down against the afternoon sun, and let them come out to explore in their own time once the crew and the noise have gone. Keep feeding and walking to their usual routine so the day feels less strange. Update your address on their microchip and ID tag within a few days, and keep cats indoors for at least two weeks so they learn where home is before you let them out. A summer move across Dorset, whether that is a short hop to Gillingham or a longer haul, is far calmer for a pet when the new house has one settled corner ready for them. Tell us your moving date and both addresses and we will send you a fixed quote within the hour.