Has anyone moved to NH with pets in tow?

[9thmoon]

Spousal unit, who is an animal lover, has agreed to move to NH, but there's a sort of unspoken condition that we're only going if we can find a way to bring our furred/feathered/finned family with us. 

Has anyone made a cross-country/several-day-drive move with cats, dogs, fish, birds?  Or any of the above?  I would sure appreciate some input because the logistics are killing us.  We're coming from Seattle.  We're paying a moving company to drive our stuff in a semi separately and will either have one of our vehicles towed behind the moving truck and drive one over ourselves, or we might go ahead and drive both vehicles cross-country caravan.  We expect the journey to take 5+ days, but then, we also anticipate some difficulty finding hotels where we can bring the dogs in.  Anyone experienced with this? 

We have:
3 cats
3 dogs (all large dogs)
5 finches (they fit comfortably into a bird cage that is about the size of a cat carrier, for travel, but temperature control could be a problem)
A 65-gallon aqarium full of cichlids, approximately fifteen of them, ranging between, say, 4" - 17".  Need oxygen and temperature control. 

Here's the first sketch of a plan:

Cats:  Fly with us to NH when we visit to buy a house.  Board them indefinitely with a vet's office/boarding kennel in NH.  Fly home, pack up moving truck, drive cross-country, pick up the cats when we get to our new home.

Dogs:  Kenneled while we fly over and buy a house.  When we move, they'll come in the wagon or truck with us, driving cross country.

Birds:  Might have to find a new home for them with friends or family here.  Alternately, try to find some kind of insulated carrier that still lets air through.  It will be very difficult to attend to their needs (food, water, cleaning) without risking them getting lose and flying free.

Fish:  Purchase and set up a new aquarium in the new house we hope to buy while we are house-shopping in NH.  Leave keys to new house with a new friend or friendly neighbor.  Fly home, ship that neighbor the fish (overnight shipping) and ask them to put the fish in the new aquarium in the new house and feed them once every two or three days until we get there.

Any feedback at all?  Would certainly be appreciated. 

Does anyone know how much it costs and how much trauma it is to fly a cat or dog cross-country on a plane?

[Ron Helwig]

My experience with Otis, driving from Minneapolis, was OK.
I basically just stopped every hour or so to let him out. He liked it when we stopped at Burger King  (They have a veggie burger for me, regular burger for him)

When it was getting late, I exited the freeway and stopped at the first hotel I could find - a Day's Inn, IIRC. They were OK with dogs.

The hardest pet-related thing about the whole move was finding a place here that I could rent that accepts dogs. Cats seem to be widely accepted, and small dogs are accepted in many places; but large dogs can be a problem.

Of course I do see a LOT of pet care places around, so boarding will probably not be an issue.

[9thmoon]

The hardest pet-related thing about the whole move was finding a place here that I could rent that accepts dogs. Cats seem to be widely accepted, and small dogs are accepted in many places; but large dogs can be a problem.

Of course I do see a LOT of pet care places around, so boarding will probably not be an issue.

One of the reasons we're planning to buy a home right away is because - well, would you rent to us, with so many pets?     We would anticipate having problems finding a house to rent that would be okay with as many cats and dogs as we have (most people don't have a problem with birds or fish). 

I really need to talk to a real estate agent and see how realistic we are being in thinking that we'd like to buy a house and take posession within a week.  I realize, of course, that our options would be limited by needing such a quick close.

[Ron Helwig]

Talk to Freedominnh. He and his wife are in the biz and have been a lot of help to me.

I'd bet that a week is too short.

[9thmoon]

I will, and someone who just moved with the FSP a year ago from the Seattle area (dunno if he's on this forum?) had referred me to an FSP-friendly agent, as well, and then I saw a thread on here about another agent (I've forgotten her name) so it sounds like we'll be able to find someone to help.  Thank you, I'll go PM freedominnh. 

[Kat Kanning]

For real estate, try Dave Mincin 603-767-8935 (seacoast) or Dave Walthour 603-254-4052.

[ravelkinbow]

see if this website is of help to you:

http://www.petswelcome.com/

[9thmoon]

For real estate, try Dave Mincin 603-767-8935 (seacoast) or Dave Walthour 603-254-4052.

Thanks, Kat!
What is "seacoast"?  I've seen other folks using it and assume it means ... well... Portsmouth and the surrounding areas.  Would that be correct? 

[9thmoon]

see if this website is of help to you:

http://www.petswelcome.com/

Thank you ravelkinbow whose name always looks like "rainbowkin" when I'm tired... 
This looks like a very helpful site. 

[Kat Kanning]

Thanks, Kat!
What is "seacoast"?  I've seen other folks using it and assume it means ... well... Portsmouth and the surrounding areas.  Would that be correct? 

Yup, that's correct.

[ravelkinbow]

see if this website is of help to you:

http://www.petswelcome.com/

Thank you ravelkinbow whose name always looks like "rainbowkin" when I'm tired... 
This looks like a very helpful site. 

your welcome 

[davemincin]

For real estate, try Dave Mincin 603-767-8935 (seacoast) or Dave Walthour 603-254-4052.

Thanks, Kat!
What is "seacoast"?  I've seen other folks using it and assume it means ... well... Portsmouth and the surrounding areas.  Would that be correct? 

9thmoon....NH is divided into 7 regions, the Seacoast being one of them.  Porsmouth is just one of many small cities, Dover, and Rochester are the other major cities, at least by NH standards.  Generally speaking anything east of Concord and south to the borders is called the Seacoast Region.  I have also helped folks find homes in the Concord- Manchester corridor.

Buying and closing in a week, would be next to impossible, even if it was a cash deal, given the need for inspections and such.  Basicly they are to protect you as buyers. Of course you could wave some of these requirements, but I would not suggest it.

Securing a pre-approval letter from a lending institution would help speed up the process, and if you desire I could help with that.  Having an idea were you want to live would also be helpful.  I have a number of contacts in other areas, that I believe are good folks, and could also assist you, should your requirement be out of the areas I usually work.

Please feel free to give me a buzz if I can be of any further assistance. 603 767 8935.

Dave

[cathleeninnh]

Looks like Dave has reconciled with his "I"s.

Cathleen

[JonM]

Maybe he slipped into business mode by accident.

[KBCraig]

Looks like Dave has reconciled with his "I"s.

Maybe he followed Lloyd around, picking up excess commas, and redeemed them for a personal pronoun.