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Travelling with Pets There are a lot of misconceptions about travelling with pets; dogs in particular. Here, the GoodPooch.com Pet Travel Advisory Department hopes to help dog owners avoid some of the myths and common pitfalls of pet travel. Often the first misconception is that of "quarantine". In reality, there are few countries that actually require dogs to be quarantined. Most of those are island nations that don't have many rabies cases, along with the occasional landlocked state. Because it is extremely rare for a rabies vaccinated dog to acquire or transmit rabies, and because most regions legally require regular rabies vaccinations for all dogs, your dog can freely travel with you to pretty much all of Europe and the Americas. However, you may have additional paperwork on the trip home, if your pooch has joined you in a country with a high rate of other communicable canine disease. Simply check with the consulate or embassy of the country you intend to visit, as well as reviewing your own government's re-entry requirements, before making any plans. When travelling within one's own country (or continent), there really should be no need to exclude your pooch from your itinerary. Common sense will take care of most of the bumps in the road. What you should know about Discrimination: It's not fair to single out the travel industry. Any person or business, it seems, will discriminate as long as they are legally allowed to do so. Until anti-discrimination laws were passed, members of certain races, women, the handicapped, the elderly, etc., were all discriminated against by anyone or any business that chose to do so. Only once a law is passed, requiring individuals to be treated fairly, do we see a drop in discrimination incidents. Dog owners await these same rights; waiting for the opportunity to be treated as normal, law-abiding individuals, not part of a mythical group of irresponsible people. As in all areas of life, some dog owners are stellar citizens, and others border on the criminal. It is simply not possible to know for sure which type of person someone is, based solely on his/her ownership of dogs. Author's note: As an avid traveller, I would not consider leaving my dog in the hands of anyone else. She is simply too important, too innocent, too helpless. Besides, I absolutely love travelling with her. My own experience with the travel industry has proven that most of the attitudes we encounter regarding dogs are not based on experience or knowledge, but rather myth and selective memory. As someone who spares no expense on travel, my well-behaved dog and I compete with the often unfortunate image the average person may have of dog ownership. While we're happy to tear down those stereotypes (and we do!) it does become a bit tiresome, always having to prove our innocence. Air Travel: Be aware of all the dangers of flying one's dog in the cargo compartment of a commercial airliner. While too numerous to mention here, follow the guidelines of experienced air travellers and:
Unfortunately, the rate of death for pets on commercial airlines is approximately 1%. For many pet owners, that statistic is reason enough to stay at home or drive. There are new pet carrier services, though. The most promising may be Companion Air. Still in the approval stage (2003), Companion Air hopes to make pet travel safer and more relaxing by allowing pets in the cabin (although in a special crate area most of the time), and flights from secondary airports, where travel and wait time is significantly reduced. To learn more about Companion Air, go to: www.companionair.com Car Travel: Planning ahead will make your road trip with your pooch that much more enjoyable. We know that all-too-many businesses unfairly discriminate against all dogs, so there will be occasions where you want to stop but can not bring your dog inside. How will you deal with these situations? You can leave your dog in your car, but only when it is safe to do so. (Click here for a guide to cars and dogs.) However, you shouldn't leave your pooch in a vehicle longer than 30 minutes, even when it may seem 'safe' to do so. Are you willing to forgo certain attractions in exchange for your pet's welfare? Your vehicle should have a safe place for your pet to ride. For some, this will mean the dog rides inside a crate that is strapped down to the seat or floor. For others, this means the dog will wear a safety harness (seatbelt) while sitting on the seat or in the cargo area. For others, this means the dog has his/her own secure area in the vehicle, in which s/he has just enough room to stand up, turn around, and lay down, but won't be knocked about during travel. Still others will devise equally safe and secure ways for their dogs to travel in their vehicles. Note: Dogs should not travel loose inside a moving vehicle, for all sorts of safety reasons. Dogs should never travel in the backs of pick-up trucks. Hotel Stays: The very first rule of staying at a hotel with your pet is this: "All future pet policy will be based, in part, on how your pet behaves and the condition in which you leave your room." If you keep the above statement in mind, you will probably make better choices than those of irresponsible pet owners.
It has become evident that many hotels do not have up-to-date pet policy information at their reservations departments. Surprisingly often, someone calling the hotel directly will be transferred to the reservations department, and be given incorrect information about the hotel's pet policy. (I.E. the hotel does not allow pets, even though they do; or they only accept pets under a certain weight, when no weight limit applies) If you believe a hotel will accept your pet, but the reservations department has said, "No.", it is worth the extra time to call the hotel's front desk, and ask about their pet policy directly. Pet policies, whereby dog owners are saddled with more restrictions that other guests are, for the most part, a relatively new phenomenon. Of course there have always been those companies who refused pets. (In Europe, by comparison, the pet-friendly hotel guides tend to list only those properties that do not accept pets; given that nearly all do.) As recently as the 1970's, it was not especially difficult to travel with one's dog in North America. Every now and then, we see evidence of this history of acceptance, such as a 1930's short film starring Bob Hope, where it just so happens the female lead is staying at the Grand Hotel with her dog. The dog is not part of the plot. It just happens to be there. Some hotels, especially smaller motels, and independently owned hotels, do not discriminate against pets at all. Do everything in your power to patronize these establishments, and tell them why you stayed with them. Write a letter of praise for the comfortable stay both you and your pet experienced. Emphasize how you appreciated the fact that the hotel welcomed your pet the same as it would any other guest. Recommend this property to others. Many larger hotel chains have some sort of (discriminatory) "pet policy". Sometimes these policies are the direct result of irresponsible dog ownership. But, equally as often, they're the result of myth and hyperbole; having nothing at all to do with real world canine guests. It is of tremendous help in furthering the cause of pet acceptance when someone writes to a hotel to explain why s/he didn't stay there. Only once hotels see how much business they're losing by unfairly restricting pet owners, will they consider changing their practices. The most common discrimination you'll face at the hands of hotels are: Fees for pets, in hotels where children stay free. In fact, humans, including children, do infinitely more damage and cause more disruption than do pets. Hotels are certainly within their rights to charge fees for every guest in a room. However, it becomes discrimination when they charge for some guests (like pets) and not others (such as children). In fact, pets use very few hotel resources (if any), whereas children will use water, electricity, linens, etc. Signing a waiver. Since any damage to your room must be paid by you, it is remarkable how many hotels require pet owners to sign a separate waiver regarding damage their pets "may" cause. This is blatant discrimination, given that humans do the most damage to hotels, yet humans are never required to sign a separate waiver for themselves, their guests, or their children. Only pet owners face this "special" policy. Staying in a smoking room. This is a common "pet policy" of many hotels. The theoretical premise is that some guests have allergies or strong sensitivities to pet dander, so the hotel keeps non-smoking rooms also "pet dander free". The absurdity of this policy is apparent when we consider that 80% of the population are non-smokers. This means that, statistically, 80% of the pet travelling populous is forced to stay in a hotel's stinky smoking rooms, simply because they have their pets with them. What is also silly is the premise that disallowing pets from non-smoking rooms will keep them allergen-free. There are all sorts of allergies around. Why are people with dog allergies so special as to require unique hotel policy? What about those who are allergic to certain fabrics or solvents contained in the cleansers used to clean the room? What about those who are sensitive to the glue used in making the carpet? Do most hotels have hardwood floors because of this? When we look at all the common allergies, it is apparent that singling out dogs is discrimination at its most basic level. 'We can't keep people from renting rooms simply because they wear perfume or certain fabrics, but we can refuse to rent to pet owners.' If you can, avoid spending your hard-earned dollars in this kind of hotel. This policy is a clear indication they don't really want your business, anyway. Not allowed to leave the pet alone in the room. This particular policy is probably the direct result of irresponsible dog ownership. All too many dog owners think it's okay if their dogs bark when someone comes to the door. (If this describes your dog, you should not stay in a hotel.) Others have poorly socialized dogs who feel threatened by anyone they don't know. (If this describes your dog, keep him/her at home until a trainer has helped you better socialize your pet.) However, these facts should no more be used to discriminate against ALL dog owners, than discriminating against a particular racial group because a certain percentage of them has caused problems in the past. As responsible dog owners, it is important we assert our rights as consumers. If an individual hasn't done anything wrong, s/he shouldn't face punishment or restriction. (That's like not allowing people in stores because some people are shoplifters.) We should hold people responsible for their own actions, not the actions of others. If your dog is well-behaved and quiet, you should be able to leave your pet alone in your room, if necessary. Dogs must be caged. Some hotels may "allow" dogs to be left alone in the room, as long as they're caged. Since rational, ethical, responsible people don't cage family members, we hope the people who write these policies never have children. It's sick, sick, sick...requiring people to cage their dogs... For some dog owners, travelling with a huge cage big enough for their dogs is out of the question, anyway. A simple 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door is SUPPOSED to keep hotel staff out of your room. If it doesn't, you have a much bigger problem to deal with. Only dogs under a certain size allowed. This is breed discrimination based entirely on myth. There is no reason to believe a small dog will cause any more or less inconvenience than a larger dog. It is discriminatory (and inaccurate) to assume anything about a dog's behaviour based on its size, breed, reproductive status, gender, colour, etc. Those stellar responsible dog owners who happen to own larger dogs would be denied a room, whereas completely irresponsible dog owners and their pint-sized terrors are left to wreak havoc. "Some of our guests don't like dogs." When hotels use this excuse, they're forgetting that many people don't like a lot of things...not just dogs. Some guests are racist, and don't like seeing certain 'types' of people in the hotel. Some people are afraid of heights, and wish everything could be at ground level. Yet hotels only cater to the dog phobias. Again, they do this because they can, not because it is necessary. They can't restrict guests based on race, even if it would make some guests more 'comfortable'. But they can still legally restrict pet owners. So, what is a responsible dog owner to do? Here's how to stay in a hotel and be welcomed back again and again:
Remember, your dog wants to be with you. Knowing some of the common pitfalls of pet travel should help you plan ahead to ensure an exciting vacation for both you and your GoodPooch. Happy trails!
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