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Planning A Pet Friendly Trip In The UK

Year after year when the family holiday comes around, certain members of the family don’t actually get the chance to enjoy it. You know, it really is a dog’s life when you see the rest of your ‘pack’ getting excited, buying new clothes, planning excursions, talking to friends about what a great time they are going to have on holiday when you know full well that you’ll be going to the equivalent of ‘Pet Boarding School’. There’ll be know ice cream on the beaches where you’re going, just the daily routine of slopping out, moaning about the service, the lack of a couch to lay on and no television to keep you occupied.

O.K. boarding kennels and catteries are not that bad and in fact lots and lots of pets actually enjoy staying at them but think seriously about the idea of a ‘Complete’ family holiday. Consider the enjoyment that you and your family will have by taking the pets away with you. Consider the enjoyment your pets will have by being with you on holiday. A well planned pet friendly holiday will ensure you are not restricted in what you can and can’t do on your trip, moreover it will enable you to include the family pets in all or most of your activities which will bring double the enjoyment to the holiday.

When traveling in either England, Scotland, Ireland, The Isle Of Man or Jersey there are no legal quarantine requirements for pets. This is obviously a major advantage over foreign, pet accompanied holidays where there are different regulations for different countries and certain mandatory requirements to adhere to when returning to the U.K. The pet passport scheme allows pets to travel between certain ‘approved’ countries.

Locating pet friendly accommodation used to be a lot more difficult in the past but now many hotels realise that by turning away pet owners they are cutting short their own customer base. There are several specific guides and directories that list pet friendly accommodation all over the United Kingdom, by using one of these directories you will be able to narrow down your search and draw up a shortlist of suitable hotels to contact. If you have access to the Web, a great place for finding pet friendly hotels is the suitably named: Pet Friendly Hotels.com. This website allows you to select your chosen destination and then it brings up a list of hotels and guesthouses that match your search criteria.

Always contact the hotel to gauge just exactly how pet friendly they actually are. In other words, are they a hotel that is content simply to allow pets to stay or are they actively encouraging pet owners to use their facilities? Ask if there is a near by area where you will be able to exercise your pets, how will you dispose of ‘pet-mess’?, ask roughly how many guests take their pets each year to the hotel, this will give you a good idea as to just how pet friendly the hotel is.

Ask some of your fellow pet owners if they have taken their pets on holiday with them and what their experiences were or if they encountered any unexpected problems. Bear in mind your pets naturally steady lifestyle and daily routine will be disrupted. This means you must be prepared for a possible change in behaviour. Some dogs have been know to run away when encountered with a new environment. Always be vigilant for any stress or unease your pet might be experiencing.

Make use of the Internet and some of the specialist pet friendly guides when planning your trip, these tools can prove to be most useful and will help you prepare for your holiday in the best possible manner. Draw up a shortlist of prospective destinations and accommodation then call them all with a prepared list of questions. You should be able to get a feel for the establishments attitude toward pets. Ask yourself, do they just want another paying customer and are prepared to tolerate a pet or do they really cater for the needs of family accompanied by their pet(s)? Ask about the surrounding areas and other pet friendly attractions. If they are unable to help you with this, it is more than likely that not many owners take their pets to this particular hotel.

Do your own research on your chosen destination. Cities are obviously going to be more difficult to include pet related activities, certain countryside destinations may have restrictions on the areas you are allowed to take your pets and seaside resorts may not allow pets access to particular attractions. Above all else, to make your holiday as enjoyable as possible for you and the four legged family members you must plan it well.

Here are some tips for a successful pet friendly holiday:

Ensure you fully research the pet policy of your chosen destination.
Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you need.
If the accommodation is not set up to accept pets but is happy for them stay you will need to ensure you have access to an area where you can exercise your pet and if needed, safely confine your pet at certain times.
Carry plenty of water and your pet’s normal food during long car trips or hikes.
If your pet has health problems, make sure there are qualified veterinarians in the area you’ll be visiting and don’t forget to pack any medication that your pet may be taking.
Ensure you have a list of the local vet in the area where you intend to stay
Observe proper etiquette when holidaying with pets. For example, always keep your dogs on leads in public and avoid leaving a dog alone in a hotel room. Remember, not everyone in the hotel is likely to be a pet lover.
Decide on a specific destination based on the availability of pet-friendly facilities.

Make best use of the specialist resources available such as websites like www.petfriendlyhotels.com