Looking for something else?

Pet Friendly Travel – 10 Tips For Hassle-Free Travel With Your Pet

by David Buster

In the United States alone, over 60 million households have one or more pets. Pet owners in 15 million of those households travel with their pets, and the majority stay in pet-friendly lodging. Fortunately, pet friendly hotels, condos and vacation home rentals do exist. If you will be traveling with your pet, here are some pet friendly tips to remember for safe and trouble-free travel.

When you make your reservation, double-check that pets are allowed. An important advantage of reserving online is that you can see - in writing - whether or not pets are permitted and any restrictions. Online, you can print out your reservation receipt that includes the "pets allowed" information. Verbal reservations leave more room for misunderstanding and miscommunication. If reserving by telephone, ask the reservation person to mail you a confirmation receipt that includes the “pets allowed” information.
Is your pet an experienced traveler? If not, you should begin getting your pet more accustomed to traveling. Begin by making your car a fun place for your pet. Get in the car with them, play with them, give them a treat – have them enjoy being there with you. Then take a short drive with them. Gradually increase the length of time and distance that you drive with them. Before making a long trip with your pet, the idea is to have them comfortable with being in the car for extended periods of time.
Remember that securing your pet while traveling in the car is crucial for their safety and yours. Consider purchasing a dog safety harness for your pet to use while traveling in the car. If you have a station wagon or SUV, you can purchase a vehicle barrier that keeps your pet confined to the rear area. They are usually sold at pet stores or are available online.
Be sure that your pet has an identification tag and wears it while on the trip. The tag should have your pet's name, your name and phone number. If possible, use your cell phone number, a home number and the number of where you will be staying.
Carry a photograph of your pet with you on your trip. If your pet should ever become lost, you’ll be able to show others exactly what your pet looks like instead of just relying on a verbal description.
Check with your vet for any recommended vaccinations appropriate for your trip - exposure to ticks while hiking, exposure to other dogs while boarding or heartworm prevention if your dog will be exposed to mosquitoes are examples of important preventative measures to take before your trip. If your pet is a dog, have an up-to-date rabies tag for your dog's collar. If you decide to day board your dog while on vacation, you may be required to show paperwork proof of the rabies vaccination.
Once you arrive at the pet friendly lodging, inform the check-in person that you have your pet. You can inquire if there are any restricted areas where your pet should not be taken. Pet friendly lodging staff should be very accustomed to answering these kinds of questions and will appreciate your awareness.
In your hotel room, condo, cabin rental or vacation home rental - never let your pet use the furniture or beds to sit, lay or sleep on unless you've covered the furniture or bed with your own cover. Place your pet’s food and water containers on a mat or newspaper in the bathroom, where cleanup will be easier. When staying in pet friendly accommodations, you may choose to feed your pet outdoors.
If you'll be leaving your pet alone in the room or vacation rental, make sure the front desk or rental agent knows. Be sure that you leave your pet secured in their travel container or crate if housekeeping staff will be entering the room at any time to clean. You certainly don't want a housekeeper to enter and be surprised or even attacked by your pet! A pet may also run out of the room when housekeeping enters if left unsecured.
Be very careful in warm or hot weather with leaving your pet in the car. Even when the outside temperature is only in the 70’s or 80’s, the interior of a vehicle can reach 100 degrees and higher, especially when parked in the sun. It doesn’t take long at these temperatures to cause serious or even fatal harm to your pet.

Traveling with pets and staying in pet friendly lodging can be lots of fun - after all, your pet is part of your family too. Just using common sense and planning ahead makes for an enjoyable and surprise-free vacation.

About the Author: David Buster is Vice-President of InfoSearch Publishing and webmaster of www.bestvacationrentalsonline.com - visit the website for more on pet friendly lodging and to find vacation home rentals, condos and chalets, places to get married, discount hotel rooms, adventure travel and more. Source: www.isnare.com

Other articles you may find interesting:

Top Money Saving Budget Travel Tips

by Daniel Moorcroft

All that is required when looking to travel on a budget, is a bit of planning. For instance, a great place to find a budget hotel is the internet. They often give you a discount for booking online.

Here are some more budget travel tips: -

Set yourself a maximum spend amount on a daily basis.
Consider staying in a hostel if you are on a real budget. They are much cheaper than hotels. You could even take a tent - the ultimate cheap accommodation.
Go off-season. Because there is less demand at this time of year, the prices for accommodation are lower.
Read this article in full

e-Travel FAQs: Great Vacations Made Easy Using The Internet

by Gary W. Griffin, Ph.D

e-Travel FAQs

Vacation! It provides memories, relaxation, and exhilaration – a time to gather experiences and stories to share with others. When planning your vacation, the Internet offers you the opportunity to explore your options – and there are literally thousands of them available. The Internet places you in the unique position of being your own travel agent. As such, you can customize a vacation that suits your needs – whether it’s basking on the beach, sightseeing in an exotic place, or a family adventure to remember.

Where Do You Start?

With your keyboard as a control panel, you begin your planning by zooming in on
Read this article in full

Cheap Travel – How To Save Substantially On Travel And Vacation Packages

by Ross Belgrave

An increasing number of individuals utilize the internet to make travel reservations. Potential travelers often make their arrangements through the company or website offering the lowest prices. Popular sites such as Hotwire offer highly discounted rates on various types of travel packages. However, these types of sites do not disclose certain information such as name of hotel or airline until after the customer has made the non-refundable purchase. Alternative travel agents generally offer similar rates to one another. However, it is possible to save significantly on your travel, vacation packages and entertainment.

Every day, thousands of tickets and fares become
Read this article in full

Trip Packing List — What to Take on Your Vacation

by Debbie Overstreet and Sus Daniel

Packing for a trip can be a hassle. You're afraid of forgetting something or it won't all fit.

Here's a great packing list.

Clothes — Use a "mix-and-match" philosophy. Pick out two basic colors such as black and grey. Then pick out three colors with which to accessorize such as white, pink, and royal blue. Don't forget a jacket and/or swimsuit (and related items) if needed.

Pajamas/Intimates

Shoes and Socks/Hosiery — You will need business shoes (if a business trip), sneakers for working out, walking shoes, and heels for evening. Also include house slippers for walking around the hotel room. Bring socks for your sneakers, and hosiery for others.

Accessories — Scarves
Read this article in full

Going On Vacation With Your Children

by Andrew Westforth

After you have decided that you are going on a family vacation, the next step is to decide where to go. The tourist industry offers many destinations that will welcome you, but certainly there are better and there are worse choices. Since you have decided to go on vacation with your children, it is clear that this must be the primary consideration in choosing the destination.

The most common travel mistake with children is Las Vegas or Reno in Nevada. While the tourism industries of both cities have been trying to make the towns into family vacation destinations (Las Vegas a
Read this article in full