Pop Quiz by bdunnette - Flickr
*** POP QUIZ ***
What’s the hardest thing to move?
A. Kids
B. Parents
C. Pets
D. A and C
E. A and B
F. All of the above
Many of you taking this little test will probably answer based on your own personal relocation challenges. Young families will undoubtedly select ‘A’; extended families, ‘E’. An older visitor with something furry cradled under their arm or housed in a box, cage or enclosure would probably circle ‘C’. Truth is … there’s no right answer.
Those who selected D, however, are probably wrestling with the dilemma of communicating with the ‘transferee’. And since human speech improves steadily after the age of three, the best answer, when applicable, might very well be C – Pets. They can’t gripe and complain, share their worries or elation or, really, do much of anything else except accept their fate and follow you to your next castle whether they approve or not.
Like the majority of my family, I’m allergic to almost anything with DNA (including goldfish). As a result, I’ve never had to give much personal thought to the issue of pet relocation. Whenever someone posed a question about the logistics involved in moving their large or small non-human bundle of joy, I’ve always referred them to those who’ve ‘walked the talk’ like Pet Services Examiner, Sarah Schmid, or the pros on my special services short list.
A couple of years ago a colleague steered me to a new third party company in Austin, Texas, called Pet Relocation, LLC. He said this was a new start-up operated by a couple who knew more about pets than we both knew about movin’. Today they are more popularly known as PetRelocation.com.
Researching the company, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that they not only had a fully functional, easy to use, interactive website, but they also had a blog - a very active blog! It’s a busy place where the staff engages pet owners from around the world answering questions, addressing personal concerns and patiently pointing the line of anxious visitors to the proper domestic or international resources. Honestly it’s a fantastic resource for pets of all sizes, types and care related issues.
It didn’t’ surprise me then, that Re:locate, a magazine based in the U.K. that covers all aspects of domestic and international relocation issues, recently honored PetRelocation.com with their annual ‘Relocation Service Provider of the Year’ award for 2008-2009 at their London headquarters.
The co-owners of Pet Relocation, Angie and Kevin O’Brian, used the occasion to announce the launch of a new social networking site designed for people who are moving with pets, MyPetMove.com.
It’s not a sales site. It’s a community. A super friendly place where pet owners can congregate and collaborate on the best way to move their non-human bundles of joy. Experience enabled by technology.
The new venue is worth a visit if you have a pet and have a move planned in the future. If you have a kid AND a pet, you REALLY need to check out the site together. Than maybe A can take care of C while you worry about how to handle the relocation woes of A, B and, of course, the pale reflection in the mirror. Once you visit, I think you’ll return. .
The rest of the relocation industry should just bookmark this new site and take notes. Lots and lots of notes.
Still at your wit’s end? Send a note to RELO RoundTable.com and let’s discuss your concerns. It’s free!
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