Citizenshipper

If you are preparing to ship a pet long-distance, managing their travel anxiety isn't something that can be solved on the morning of departure. True stress reduction is a process that starts weeks in advance.

Coordinating thousands of successful cross-country moves at CitizenShipper has taught us that proactive preparation drastically lowers an animal's stress response. Here is the zero-click timeline to prepare your pet for a calm, safe journey:

𝟮–𝟯 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝗢𝘂𝘁: 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Introduce the travel carrier directly into your living space with the door open. Place meals, high-value treats, and favorite toys inside. Your pet must perceive the carrier as a rewarding, safe den, rather than a restrictive enclosure associated only with stressful trips to the vet.

𝟭 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗢𝘂𝘁: 𝗦𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴

Place an unwashed item of your clothing (like an old t-shirt) inside the carrier. Your scent acts as a natural chemical pacifier, offering comfort when you are not physically present. Additionally, execute short 10-minute "practice drives" to break the psychological pattern that a vehicle ride equals a veterinary visit.

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗗𝗮𝘆: 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

Engage your dog in a long, brisk walk or run a few hours before pickup, or initiate high-intensity laser play for cats. A physically tired animal possesses a naturally lower baseline for adrenaline and anxiety. During the driver hand-off, keep your own energy calm and routine—pets are emotional sponges and feed off your stress.

Head to our blog for more tips and info about transporting your pets across the country!

Ever wonder what it’s like to be a professional air nanny for pets? ✈️

Crystal Bizzell has plenty of experience and knows exactly what it's like. She doesn’t just "ship" pets; she accompanies them in the cabin, ensuring they have a friendly face and a comforting hand from takeoff to touchdown - and beyond!

At CitizenShipper, we’re proud to provide a community of experts like Crystal with a marketplace to find transportation work. When you choose a flight nanny, your pet stays by their side the entire journey.

What happens when you combine 30 years of mechanical expertise with a passion for transportation? You get a driver like Bruce J. Benjamin.

Before signing up on CitizenShipper, Bruce spent decades under the hood of vehicles as an auto mechanic. Now, he’s using that knowledge to ensure his passengers have the safest, most reliable journey possible.

For Bruce, transportation isn't just about the "what" is being moved. It's about ensuring the "how" is perfectly maintained.

Click here to read the interview: https://citizenshipper.com/blog/meet-bruce-j-benjamin-the-mechanic-turned-citizenshipper-driver/