You?ve packed up your bags, set up your ?out of office? email and
thrown on your favorite pair of shorts. But there?s one minor problem
staring you in the face: Fido, his floppy ears and big, dark eyes.
What?s a pet lover to do with their furry family members when they go away on vacation? Scott Giacoppo, vice president of external affairs for the Washington Humane Society, recommends taking your pet with you on your getaway if travel permits.
D.C.?s Hotel George, part of the Kimpton Hotel chain, welcomes pets to its facilities. Dogs and cats are greeted with biscuits and water and special signs for their doors like ?Hounds in the ?hood? and ?Do not disturb? cat-napping? for private time they wish to have with their owners. They also get toys to play with during their stay.
?We even offer spa services similar to what humans get for our animal guests,? said Christopher Cannon, general manager for the Hotel George.
Before they arrive, pets are required to have their owners fill out a pet registration that includes their birthday, height, weight and other vital stats and whether or not they?ll need doggie daycare or grooming.
According to Cannon, the hotel gets about 500 pet visitors per year. Although most are ?better behaved than some kids,? Cannon said, there have been pets that have outsmarted the staff.
?There was a golden lab that managed to make its way out of the hotel room while their owner was still there, get on the elevator and started playing with our front desk staff,? Cannon said. ?We tried to train him to check people in,? he joked.
So why do Kimpton Hotels cater so much to man?s best friend?
?I think they?re just a real down-to-earth people,? Cannon said. ?They?re an upscale boutique company that caters to a real niche of people.?
That niche of animal owners includes mostly leisure travelers or single travelers looking for companionship. Kimpton does not charge extra for pets.
However, a traveler does not always have the luxury of bringing pets along for the ride.
Giacoppo recommends asking a family member or friend to care for your pet while you?re away. ?A reciprocal agreement might be best,? he said. ?It provides consistency and familiarity for your pets.?
If a friend or family member isn?t an option, hire a pet sitter and plan to meet with them beforehand, especially to see how they interact with your pet. Finally, if there is no other alternative, Giacoppo recommends a boarding facility.
?Showing up unannounced to tour the facility is good to do,? Giacoppo said. ?Make sure the facility is clean and every animal is up-to-date on vaccinations and the staff is knowledgeable.?
Del Ray Animal Hospital in Virginia, also a kennel for dogs and cats, has been in operation for 23 years. According to technician Kesi Chestnut, travelers should book a reservation for their pets as early as possible ? thanks to the facility?s reputation, they are booked most weeks out of the year, becoming very full around the summer holidays.
?Right now, 20 dogs and 12-15 cats can reside at our facility, depending on their size,? she said.
Most patrons are from the Virginia and Southwest D.C areas. Del Ray Animal Hospital offers open-ended stay times and two full-time kennel attendants.
Steven Williams, managing producer for WAMU?s ?The Animal House,? recommends packing a ?comfort bag? for a pet being boarded, including ?food, a favorite toy or an item of clothing or blanket with a familiar scent, as well as any medications.?
Unfortunately, there is a serious side for animals left behind from vacation. The Humane Society sometimes gets animals at their facilities as a result of pet-sitters or friends whose charges wandered away from them, or who simply didn?t show up to care for the pet.
?That?s why it?s so important to have an emergency plan,? Giacoppo said.
According to Williams, 78 million Americans own dogs and 86 million own cats, so ?it makes sense that people with pets will travel with them at some point? Williams added that there is an airline devoted entirely to traveling with your favorite four-legged loved-one: Pet Airways.
With more than 100 million cat and dog owners in ?the United States, it?s easy to see why some might go above and beyond for their furry friends.
Article source: http://thehill.com/special-reports-archive/1339-getaways-may-2012-/227627-caring-for-cats-dogs-when-youre-away
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