PetRelocation Specialist Cara

“I love New York!” I smiled to myself as we touched down on the runway at LaGuardia Airport. The City really does have a magic about it. It’s an excitement that I’ve never felt in any other city before and it’s just as fresh no matter how many times I visit. It made me wonder if Mocha the Chihuahua I was in charge of picking up would miss New York once we took off for Tokyo to take him to his owners. Will Takarazuka Garden Fields or Uneo Park in Tokyo be any substitute for walks in Central Park? I came to the conclusion that it didn’t matter. I try to remind all of my clients who are moving or traveling with their pets that pets, particularly dogs, mainly live in the moment. Even if they’re temporarily feeling stressed or anxious, as soon as they’re back in the arms of their loving “packs” — their owners — most pets happily settle in, no matter where they are in the world. That’s what’s important.

Mocha’s caretaker Dan called just before I headed over to pick Mocha up and requested that I give him and his wife an extra hour. They had just gotten home from work and wanted to take Mocha for one last walk around the block. It really hit me then just how many people this little dog had an effect on. I could hear the trepidation in Dan’s voice – part happy for Mocha to be reunited with his family but mostly sad that he wouldn’t have the cute little face greeting him at the door at the end of a long day. And then I realized that after 48 hours of pet travel with Mocha, I was probably going to be in the same boat.

By the time I arrived at Dan’s to pick up Mocha, I was more than ready to meet the handsome pup. I knocked on the door and before Dan could even open it, there was Mocha, precious little Mocha. He ran up to give me a sniff with a wagging tail and apparently approved of me. I spent the next half hour chatting with Dan and his wife, gathering up Mocha’s belongings, asking about his eating schedules, and of course playing with Mocha. I found out that Mocha doesn’t really play with any toys, he prefers scratches behind the ears, Dan had never heard him bark, and he had more sweaters, coats, and belongings than I did. With a pup this cute, how could one not spoil him?

When the time came to leave, I took one last photo of Dan, his wife, and Mocha. As I gathered Mocha’s things Dan mentioned that he was now thinking of getting a dog. He had grown so attached to Mocha and hadn’t realized how much joy a dog can provide. I smiled and said, “That’s what PetRelocation.com is all about!”