For many individuals, traveling with their pets is a great way to bond and undertake an adventure together. However, many hotels and motels don’t allow pets, which makes it difficult to find accommodation willing to let your cat or dog stay with you.
Here are a few top tips for how to find pet-friendly accommodation worldwide.
What Is Pet-Friendly Accommodation?
Pet-friendly accommodation refers to a hotel, motel, Airbnb, or guest stay area where pets are welcomed. You may find that you need to make a reservation well in advance for pet-friendly accommodation and that certain hotels or guest stays have fees and restrictions regarding their pet policies.
It’s important always to confirm any pet policies, extra fees, or rules surrounding your pet’s stay before you travel to ensure that you are ok with the rules and that your pet can stay in the accommodation with you comfortably.
Related read: A Guide to Renting a Holiday Home
Is Pet-Friendly Accommodation for Cats and Dogs?
Pet-friendly accommodation generally refers to dogs, as dogs are more likely to accompany their owner to different spaces; dogs are more suited to travel by their nature. However, the popularity of cats accompanying their owners during travel is increasing, and more hotels, motels, and even accommodations like Airbnb are willing to accommodate both cats and dogs.
It’s important to double-check what pet-friendly means to a specific accommodation, as the hotel, motel, or Airbnb might have specific rules about which pets they allow on their property.
Related read: Top Tips for Traveling With Your Dog
How to Find Pet-Friendly Accommodation
The best way to find pet-friendly accommodation is by directly visiting the websites of the places you wish to stay. VRBO listings, hotels, motels, and other guest accommodation areas typically have a dedicated portion of the listing or webpage that states specific pet policies. If you can’t find these policies listed, you should call the hotel or accommodation directly and verify whether or not pets are allowed and any applicable pet fees or restrictions.
We recommend using hotel websites and search engines like Google to figure out the best pet-friendly accommodations near your destination and to verify any pet rules or restrictions before booking and traveling.
Check out these pet-friendly rentals on VRBO.
Preparing Your Pet for Travel
Traveling with your pet can be complex if your cat or dog isn’t used to accompanying you on adventures yet. We suggest following these tips below to get your pet ready for traveling and easily settling into your pet-friendly accommodation.
- Train your dog or cat ahead of time to make sure they will listen to you, they are comfortable with traveling in a carrier or car, and they aren’t panicking or stressed during travel.
- Practice traveling with your pet to ensure they are used to the routine of road trips. Leash and backpack train cats so you can keep them under control and safe when it comes to taking bathroom breaks and pit stops.
- If your pet is a nervous traveler, visit your regular vet for recommendations on calming items and to receive calming medications to keep them mellow for the duration of your trip.
- Ensure your pet’s regular routine is kept as much as possible by packing their regular food and treats and allowing them to exercise and use the bathroom before long stretches on the road or on a flight.
At the end of a long day of traveling, make sure you have your pet’s favorite bed, blankets, and toys available to help them settle into your pet-friendly accommodation. This will put them at ease and ensure they are comfortable as they accompany you on a travel adventure.
Related read: Travel Benefits of Having a Psychiatric Service Dog
Do I Need Pet-Friendly Accommodation for My Service Animal?
While you can take your service animal to a pet-friendly hotel or other accommodations, you can also bring them with you to areas that might otherwise have pet restrictions. Your service animal is protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and they have wide-reaching public access rights because of this.
In order for your service animal to access any hotel or accommodation without restriction, they will need to be trained to complete tasks or services that directly relieve symptoms of a disability.
Register your service animal for easy traveling
Register your service animal, emotional support animal, or apply for a letter from a licensed mental health professional for housing with US Service Animals.
Benefits include:
– Registration is valid for the lifetime of your animal.
– Your service animal or emotional support animal will be placed in the official US Service and Support Animal Registry Database.
– Get access to their legal team.
Easy Traveling With Your Pet
If you’re traveling with your pet, finding a pet-friendly hotel, motel, or other accommodation is necessary before you set out on your journey. Fortunately, using our tips, you can easily find pet-friendly accommodation for your cat or dog.
Make sure to double-check all bookings and pet rules ahead of time, and ensure your pet’s vaccinations and training are up to date for easy traveling with your pet.