If you want to place/move a building and in one part of the space there is an animal, by left clicking there, the animal begins to move away towards one direction. If it still is in range, preventing the building placement, you can click again and it begins to move again, either further, or towards a new direction.The easiest way to make sure things are clear is to move buildings on a rainy day when the Animals are inside or to go to the Wizard's after 6pm when the Animals are all back in the Barn and Coop. I never go to Robin's any more for building moves as the Wizard's Book is self-service so there's zero chance of Robin not being there, and it's open until 11pm so I can finish up near the end of the day with a clear Farm.
OK and there's probably time to get home and back to pickaxe the stupid Torch I left hiding behind a bush or building.