The rabbit who emigrated to Spain

Sometime ago I heard a story about a rabbit that emigrated to Spain. The family was planning an emigration to Spain and had to decide what to do with the family-pets. Mr Cat was allowed to come along. But the parents weren’t too sure about moving the rabbit as well.

Moving animals from one country to another can be a very stressful event for both owners and the pet. Mostly it involves having to go to the vet for a chip and various vaccinations, flying in an aeroplane, being locked up in a cage for a long time. All this costs the owner a lot of money and worries about how the pet will come out of this. And of course there are story’s about cats who were not allowed into the country for six long months because of changed immigration rules, dogs who got lost and so on.

A lot of owners decide for all the reasons that are mentioned above to leave the pet at home. They will find a nice foster home and leave without the pet to the new country.

In the above example the children stated that if the rabbit wouldn’t go they would not go either. The parents decided to listen to the children. They organised the flight and a special car-trip for the rabbit so that it could be reunited with its family in Spain.

It is always difficult to make a good decision in these kind of situations. Even when it seems that your children show very little interest in their pets you will find that for your children the pet is a very important and ‘equal’ part of the family. Children will not see your pet as just a pet. They see them as a part of the family just like the children and the parents. So leaving the animal behind can be very confusing for children.

On top of that: most animals are a great help during the difficult time of preparations for leaving and during the ‘settlement’ time in the new country. A lot of tears have been absorbed over the years by soft fur. Sometimes it is just difficult to express your feelings to your parents. Curling up on the couch with this warm and furry friend will help your child a lot.

But sometimes it is just not possible to take your pet with you. It is important to remember that for children the pet has a completely different ‘status’ within the family than you as a parent might think the pet has. So tell your children up front what your plans are for the pets. Listen to what they have to say about this matter and try to find solutions that suit you all.

If it is really not possible to take the pet explain your reasons to your child. Emphasise how important the pet is and why it would be best for him/her to stay with a nice foster-family. Involve your child in finding a new family for your pet.

Never try to comfort your child by saying things like we will buy you a new dog, rabbit, cat when we get there. Think about the message you give your child when a family member is that easy to replace. And…. most animals forget about all the things they experienced during the trip. They will just be happy to be with you again! This article will give you more information about moving abroad with animals.

Would you like to have more tips about how you can support your children during an emigration? Would you like to have a talk and ask all your questions? www.kindercoachcindy.nl