Pet Friendly Holidays – Your Pooch Can Come Too

Here in Britain we are renowned for being pet lovers as the 14 million registered dog and cat owners will testify. And all those owners add up to over 20 million four-legged friends. A big figure even before we start to think about the gerbils, hamsters, horses, goldfish, parrots or pythons and many other creatures that are our much loved pets.

Many of those millions of pet owners face the perennial question of what to do with Fido or Felix when the family takes its annual holidays.

Putting your pet in kennels is probably the only option if you want to travel further a-field and don’t want the hassle of pet passports or quarantine. There are thousands of kennels to choose from, from small and friendly family owned businesses to larger, top notch dog hotels where your pet can have their own pampering holiday.

For the more adventurous pet travellers the Pet Travel Scheme makes it possible to take a dog or cat to many EU countries without having to endure a quarantine period on their return. PETS is all about stopping the spread of dangerous diseases and so there is still a need for controls and procedures. It’s great but is a lot of work and stress for both the owner and the pet. Okay if you’re travelling regularly or expect to stay abroad for any length of time, but probably not for the 2-3 week annual holiday in the sun.

For most people a holiday is time to be shared with every member of the family, and that includes Fido or Felix. So a very popular option with dog and cat owners is to stay in a self catering holiday cottage. Many allow pets to stay for free or for a small charge and as you have the place to yourself a dog friendly holiday cottage can be a real home from home for your pet. This option means it’s easy to dine in with family and friends, and invite Felix or Fido along too. Many holiday cottage companies will have specific dog friendly cottages and even go so far as to check whether there is an enclosed garden, plenty of kitchen space and somewhere for walkies to make everyone’s stay more enjoyable.

So what if you opt for a holiday cottage, but really do want to get away from it all? If you’re ready for a pet friendly holiday and want to experience something different we’d recommend taking the whole family to Ireland. The culture, heritage and history make it a very special place and as Ireland knows a thing or two about the great outdoors pets are very welcome. Why not find out more about the fantastic places to visit and dog friendly places to stay.