Pets Can Stay Pet-Friendly Travel Services

How To Travel With Your Pet The Easy Way - Part I

Handy tips for setting up a worry-free trip with your furry or feathered traveling companion

As virtually any seasoned pet owner can tell you, taking trips with your pet is not always an easy feat. It can often be difficult enough to locate an establishment that meets your own requirements for amenities, location, price, etc., let alone all of the other variables that come into play when your pet is part of the equation. Finding the right property, making the booking, preparing for the journey, and actually traveling with your pet can each yield unique challenges that will cause unnecessary stress for you and your pet if you're not careful.

So how does one set up a worry-free journey with their favorite traveling companion? Simple - by dispelling some common pet travel myths and learning a few handy tips, you can avoid some common pitfalls experienced by many a pet-toting traveler.

Myth #1: If an establishment claims to be "pet friendly", then they will welcome my pet.

Unfortunately, the term "pet friendly" is one of the most misused terms around. There are a countless number of web sites that boast directories of hundreds or thousands of "pet friendly" accommodations, yet with no consistent definition of what the term actually means.

The sad reality is that unless you prefer smoking rooms, feel that money is no object, and own a non-shedding dog that weighs under 10 pounds, the term "pet friendly" will offer you little in the way of guarantees that you are going to receive the accommodation you desire. To drive home this point, here are some actual policies carried by certain lodging establishments that are listed on some of the "pet friendly" web directories:

• Pets allowed in smoking rooms only (fairly common policy)
• Pets allowed during off-season only
• Only non-shedding dogs allowed
• Dogs under 10lbs only
• Pets must be kept in vehicle or tied up outside

Keep in mind that most lodging establishments that accept pets have specific policies concerning the type and size of pets they allow, what rooms/areas they allow pets in, and what they will charge you for bringing your pet. Even when they will allow your particular pet, there can be considerable variance from property to property as to the reception you receive when you stroll your dog into their lobby, as Libby Hopkins recently found out:

"Well, the hotel we picked as PET friendly...was anything BUT.....
We had to sign a 5 page memo about the dog! If he incurred any damage, barked etc, etc. The front desk was immediately unfriendly at the sight of our little King Charles. We had to wait 1-2 hours for a bowl. Despite being a 'higher-end' property, the room we were assigned to was dirty....not vacuumed...and the dust ruffle obviously worn and dirty. I would never recommend this hotel..."

Despite these cautions, don't get discouraged. If you want certainty as to picking the right establishment for you and your pet, there are a couple of tried and true measures to take. First, choose a reputable resource for finding accommodations that welcome pets. For example, Pets Can Stay's web site (www.petscanstay.com) only lists properties that are enrolled in the Pets Can Stay program, a national certification program with member guidelines regarding pet-related guest policies, and provides considerable detail on each property's pet policies. Some state/provincial tourism guides also carry some information on which properties accept pets, and under what conditions.

Second, make direct contact to get the information you need. Call the property directly and ask very specific questions to determine whether the establishment can accommodate you and your pet. Alternatively, Pets Can Stay Travel Services offers a free accommodation booking service where you can contact live agents via phone or online request, to get details onestablishment pet policies, and which property would be the best match for you, along with availability and rates. These two methods, reputable resources and direct contact, will serve you very well in your travels by removing a lot of unnecessary guesswork and hassle.

Myth #2: Making my reservation online is the cheapest and most fool-proof method of booking accommodation for myself and my pet

When done properly, online booking can be a convenient method for setting up your trip. However, a healthy awareness of the different online booking options can put you in good stead when it comes to making your travel reservations.

Third Party Booking Engines

The world wide web is abound with online booking companies that claim to offer the best available rates and easy methods of booking travel. While sometimes they do offer a good deal, they don't always offer the cheapest rates available, and may charge additional service fees and strict cancellation penalties that can add to your bill. Virginia Skurchak recently used one of the larger online booking companies to set up accommodation for a trip to Florida, and later discovered that not only could she save close to $40 on her hotel stay via Pets Can Stay Travel Services, but she was also hit with an automatic $25 penalty from the booking company for canceling her reservation (despite the fact that it was only the day after she made the reservation, and over a month before her scheduled date of arrival)!

Direct Online Bookings

Many lodging operators have online reservation systems built into their web sites to allow travelers to book their accommodations directly. Although these systems are often very convenient and offer good rates, the main cautionary note here is that these systems are generally not adapted for travelers with pets. The booking form will likely not provide you with a separate field to indicate that you are bringing your pet, so you should definitely indicate this fact in any available special comments/details section. Moreover, most properties set aside a limited number of pet-designated units, so even though the property may be showing availability for your scheduled dates, their pet-designated units may not actually be available. To make sure you can be accommodated, call the property directly either before or immediately after you place your online booking, and put your mind at ease.

Overall, a little effort in the planning stages goes a long way. Do your homework when selecting a "pet friendly" establishment, to ensure that it will welcome your particular pet. Second, if you want to get the best possible deal and ensure that you and your pet will be properly accommodated, either contact the property directly or use a free specialized service like Pets Can Stay, and let them take care of all of the legwork for you.

In our next newsletter, Part II of our feature on successful pet travel will provide tips on what pet-related travel items you will need, and do's and don't's for creating a smooth and enjoyable hotel stay.