Moving with Pets

Did you know that in Denver, there are actually more dogs than there are kids? Naturally, this means many buyers are making their decisions based on how the home will function for not just them, but for their four-legged companions.

Considerations for Buying a new home that will be a great fit for the entire family:

• secure fenced-in yard
• durable flooring
• pet-safe foliage
• accessible sidewalks
• proximity to dog parks
• location of day-care or boarding facilities, vets, or other provider
• stairs or other obstacles
• bonus features like wash stations and doggy doors
• review municipal and HOA regulations to confirm there are no breed, size, or number of pet restrictions that would be a deal-breaker
• if goats, chickens or other animals will be part of the household make sure to understand the local ordinances

Here are some things to keep in mind if you are going to be selling a home while living with pets:

• professionally clean or replace carpets and rugs and repair any chew marks or scratches
• use magic erasers to clean walls and doors
• remove pet hair from furniture, curtains, baseboards, and vents
• store toys and beds for showings
• remove litter boxes and/or clean yard before showings
• remove any scents with baking soda or odor absorbing gels like Ozium, (avoid using heavily scented air freshners or candles as those can be off-putting)
• remove pets for showings when possible, you never know if a potential buyer has phobias, allergies, or just doesn't notice if a pet gets loose

A few tips to make the moving process a little less stressful:

• keep a few of their food, snacks, bowls, toys, and medicines in a bag that’s easily accessible to get through the first few days of unpacking
• spend some time with pets exploring the new home and yard to make sure there aren’t any escape risks.
• update contact information on microchip service and tags
• locate the nearest emergency vet for the new home

A few local resources:

Dog walking service: rover.com

Poop Scooping service: petscoop.com

Microchip registry: freepetchipregistry.com

Carpet cleaner: zerorez.com

Pet-proofing tips: americanhumane.org