Aug 7 2010
Pet Hotels – A Mans Best Friends, Best Friend
With the UK summer upon us, chances are youve already booked your holiday. Maybe you booked months in advance for a great deal, or perhaps you plan on leaving it till the last minute to grab a bargain only days before departure?
Regardless of how you decide to book your great escape, there is something important you need to think about.
Where do you leave poor old Bruno, the familys much loved pet bulldog?
Do you leave him at your Mums house where he is almost certainly going to be spoilt rotten? You return home to find Bruno 14lbs overweight and on a specially tailored crash diet because hes clinically obese and crapping frequently. Your waste management system (you) simply isnt streamlined enough to deal with the extra load.
Do you leave him with your best mate Dave, who cant even look after himself? You return home and quickly realise Dave didnt know he was meant to be looking after the dog and Bruno evidently didnt get the plan either, seeing as he went walkabouts for most of the week.
Or do you edge towards the third, unthinkable option; Dropping him off at the Kennels with a bunch of doggy strangers? Surely Bruno hasnt done anything too naughty to deserve such abandonment?
So, it appears you dont really have a choice. In case you were still reviewing your options, think about the kids!. They would cry tears for the entirety of the trip and swear blind that they hate you – not really pleasant things to hear while youre on your well earned break!
You need to pack an extra bag for Bruno!!
Now for the difficult part: Pet travel. How do you transport your furry little canine friend to the holiday destination?
Why not consider the following:
- Drive to France. Eurotunnel offers a fantastic service from Dover to Calais. Drive on the shuttle in Folkestone and drive off in Calais. The journey takes approximately 35 minutes, which is no time at all! Once youre out of the Tunnel, the open road is your oyster! Bruno can pop his head out of the window and watch the world go by, or sleep quietly in the back (whilst dreaming of his perfect holiday). You and the sprogs can have a whale of a time enjoying the start of your holiday.
- Jump on a Ferry. SeaFrance and Brittany-Ferries both provide a Ferry service to Calais. Drive aboard, relax and jump off about 1h 30mins later. Just make sure you have your sea legs – you dont want to get seasick halfway across the Channel with no exit route.
- Get a Plane. With airport taxes and ash clouds, you can never really be too sure how much youll be paying, or if youll even reach your final destination. For convenience, flying is great with the family, but factor in Bruno and it becomes a less suitable option.
At this stage youve probably decided on the best option?. Youve decided to take the car. Youll book tickets with Eurotunnel – its cheap, its quick and its super reliable!
But theres something else you need to be aware of. You dont want to travel hundreds of miles to your dream holiday spot only to be told pets arent allowed. Do your homework before you go to avoid a nightmare situation- find out about Pet Friendly Hotels.
These resources and websites should be useful:
- Eurotunnel.com – lists a range of Pet Friendly Hotels in France and Europe.
- Petfriendlyhotels.com – provides access to a range of Pet Friendly Hotels across the globe.
- Pettravel.com – has information about pet passports, pet quarantine and pet friendly hotels.
- Defra.gov.uk – explains the Pet Travel Scheme if you are bringing pets into, or back into, the UK.
So there you have it, some useful tips for planning a holiday with your family pet. Not only will Bruno enjoy the journey, but once hes at the hotel hell have the time of his life, and so will you and the kids!
Start planning your family holiday now and enjoy the good times with all the family.
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