Pet Friendly Vacations - 10 Tips for Hassle-Free Travel with Your Pet

Pet friendly vacations and travel planning make sense -- after all, pets are family members too! In the United States alone, over 60 million households have one or more pets. Pet owners in 15 million of those households travel with their pet, and the majority stay in pet friendly lodging. Fortunately, pet friendly hotels, condos and vacation home rentals do exist. If you will be planning pet friendly vacations, here are some tips for safe and trouble-free travel.

1 - When you make your reservation, double-check that pets are allowed. An important advantage of reserving online is that you can see in writing whether or not pets are permitted and any restrictions. Online, you can print out your reservation receipt that includes the "pets allowed" information. Verbal reservations leave more room for misunderstanding and miscommunication. If reserving by telephone, ask the reservation person to mail you a confirmation receipt that includes the "pets allowed" information.

2 - Is your pet an experienced traveler? If not, you should begin getting your pet more accustomed to traveling so that pet friendly vacations won't be something new. Begin by making your car a fun place for your pet. Get in the car with them, play with them, give them a treat ?- have them enjoy being there with you. Then take a short drive with them. Gradually increase the length of time and distance that you drive with them. Before making a long trip with your pet, the idea is to have them comfortable with being in the car for extended periods of time.

3 - Remember that securing your pet while traveling in the car is crucial for their safety and yours. Consider purchasing a dog safety harness for your pet to use while traveling in the car. If you have a station wagon or SUV, you can purchase a vehicle barrier that keeps your pet confined to the rear area. They are usually sold at pet stores or are available online.

4 - Pet friendly vacations planning should include taking steps to ensure your pet can be found if it accidentally becomes lost while on vacation. Be sure that your pet has an identification tag and wears it while on the trip. The tag should have your pet's name, your name and phone number. If possible, use your cell phone number, a home number and the number of where you will be staying.

5 ? Carry a photograph of your pet with you on your trip. If your pet should ever become lost, you'll be able to show others exactly what your pet looks like instead of just relying on a verbal description.

6 - Check with your vet for any recommended vaccinations appropriate for your trip -- exposure to ticks while hiking, exposure to other dogs while being boarded or heartworm prevention if your dog will be exposed to mosquitoes are examples of important preventative measures to take before your trip. If your pet is a dog, have an up-to-date rabies tag for your dog's collar. If you decide to day board your dog while taking pet friendly vacations, you may be required to show paperwork proof of the rabies vaccination.

7 - Once you arrive at the pet friendly lodging, inform the check-in person that you have your pet. You can inquire if there are any restricted areas where your pet should not be taken. Pet friendly lodging staff should be very accustomed to answering these kinds of questions and will appreciate your awareness.

8 - In your hotel room, condo, cabin rental or vacation home rental -- never let your pet use the furniture or beds to sit, lay or sleep on unless you've covered the furniture or bed with your own cover. Place your pet's food and water containers on a mat or newspaper in the bathroom, where cleanup will be easier. When staying in pet friendly accommodations, you may even choose to feed your pet outdoors.

9 - If you'll be leaving your pet alone in the room or vacation rental, make sure the front desk or rental agent knows. Be sure that you leave your pet secured in their travel container or crate if housekeeping staff will be entering the room at any time to clean. You certainly don't want a housekeeper to enter and be surprised or even attacked by your pet! A pet may also run out of the room when housekeeping enters if left unsecured.

10 - Be very careful while taking pet friendly vacations in warm or hot weather. Leaving your pet in the car can be deadly. Even when the outside temperature is only in the 70's or 80's, the interior of a vehicle can reach 100 degrees and higher, especially when parked in the sun. It doesn't take long at these temperatures to cause serious or even fatal harm to your pet.

Traveling with pets and staying in pet friendly lodging can be lots of fun -- after all, your pet is part of your family too. Just using common sense and planning ahead makes for enjoyable and surprise-free pet friendly vacations.

Copyright 2005 InfoSearch Publishing

David Buster is VP of InfoSearch Publishing and webmaster of http://www.bestvacationrentalsonline.com - visit the website to find pet friendly vacations lodging worldwide, log cabin rentals, vacation home rentals, places to get married, discount hotel rooms, adventure travel and more.

---

Google News Updated : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:06:59 GMT Dell May Shrink Its Network of Factories - New York Times DailyTech Dell May Shrink Its Network of Factories New York Times - 11 hours ago By STEVE LOHR Dell, in a government filing this week, strongly suggested that it planned to shrink its network of factories as part of the computer company’s drive to reduce costs. Dell Trades Factories For Money Forbes WSJ: Dell could sell off Winston-Salem plants Bizjournals.com guardian.co.uk - Wall Street Journal - Seeking Alpha - Bloomberg all 239 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 02:57:22 GMT MTV's VMAs: DOA? - E! Online MTV's VMAs: DOA? E! Online - 34 minutes ago MTV's Video Music Awards are this weekend, and we're lukewarm on the whole affair. Russell Brand as the host? We've only seen this Brit bloke once before, in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which feels like eons ago, and those VMA commercials costarring ... Kanye West to Close Video Music Awards New York Times Russell Brand looks to make big splash as VMA host Boston Herald eFluxMedia - ABC News - Singersroom News - Columbus Dispatch all 1,185 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 13:32:57 GMT Serena, Jankovic will duel in final - Boston Globe ESPN Serena, Jankovic will duel in final Boston Globe - 6 hours ago By Cindy Shmerler NEW YORK - Maybe someone put a Whoopie Cushion on Richard Williams's chair. Because there he was, jumping up and down after every point, high-fiving everyone around him. Video: Serena Williams Tries for 3rd US Open Title AssociatedPress Williams has edge in semis Washington Times Washington Post - Bob Larson Tennis News - Sports Network - Houston Chronicle all 4,138 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 07:34:34 GMT NetSuite Says Chrome-optimized Apps Are Flying - PC World eFluxMedia NetSuite Says Chrome-optimized Apps Are Flying PC World - 16 hours ago It was in line with the likelihood of summer following spring that somebody would declare an application optimized for Google's Chrome, the new web browser that has dominated the geekier end of technology news this week. Google Chrome Hit With Another Security Bug CRN NetSuite boasts of Google Chrome support CNET News eFluxMedia - Financial Times - Waukegan News Sun - Motley Fool all 206 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 21:39:42 GMT Use of 'Barracuda' for Sarah Palin nets GOP a Heart attack - New York Daily News Use of 'Barracuda' for Sarah Palin nets GOP a Heart attack New York Daily News - 11 hours ago BY NANCY DILLON They put the "amp" in campaign and get voters tapping their toes to the ballot box - but hit songs can be tricky territory for political campaigns. Heart Wants To Be Ripped Out Of Republicans’ Campaign eFluxMedia Wilson sisters slam GOP's use of Heart's "Barracuda" Seattle Times E! Online - TMZ.com - San Francisco Chronicle - Boston Globe all 186 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 02:19:34 GMT Palins on move The Palin story . . . - Chicago Sun-Times ABC News Palins on move The Palin story . . . Chicago Sun-Times - 4 hours ago Sarah Palin and her hubby, Todd, went separate ways Thursday night after John McCain's speech. • • To wit: While Sarah Palin headed with McCain to Cedarburg, Wisc. Poll on Palin: GOP likes her, Dems don't Houston Chronicle Sarah Palin will be missing from action Sunday am Los Angeles Times Lawrence Journal World - Austin American-Statesman - ABC News - San Francisco Chronicle all 1,406 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 09:07:37 GMT McCain pledges change, touts experience in convention address - Detroit Free Press Telegraph.co.uk McCain pledges change, touts experience in convention address Detroit Free Press - 3 hours ago ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Preaching a message of bipartisanship and insisting he's the man to throw the "me-first, country-second" crowd out of Washington, a buoyant John McCain steered his Straight Talk Express into its biggest berth ever Thursday night ... Video: McCain Vs. Obama: Got Change? AssociatedPress Reuters Politics Summary Washington Post BBC News - Financial Times - Christian Science Monitor - New York Daily News all 1,491 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 10:41:29 GMT Datafeeds For Blogs Amazon Tool

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

Need a Low-Maintenance Pet? Try a Tarantula!

If you're like me, then you don't really have the... Read More

Cockatiel Illnesses

Cockatiels are one of the most lovable pets in the... Read More

Reincarnating Pets

It is always sad when a beloved animal family member... Read More

Distemper in Dogs - Home Detection Tips

Distemper: Spotting This Dog Killer Before it's Too LateCanine distemper... Read More

Secrets of Kitty Body Language

Kittens communicate in a very distinct way. Did you know... Read More

4 Things Frustrated Dog Owners Should Know

You've probably had a day or two when you felt... Read More

Clown Loaches

Scientific Name: Botia macracanthus Other Scientific Name(s): Cobitis macracanthus, Botia... Read More

Raw Feed? Are You Joking?

Let's think about this for a minute: God did not... Read More

Protecting the Smallest Member of Your Family: A Step-by-step Guide to Pet Insurance

Let's face it ? Fido and Fluffy are an important... Read More

Breeding Clownfish

Thanks to Disney's Motion Picture 'Finding Nemo,' almost everybody is... Read More

What Type Of Food Should You Really Feed Your Cat?

What should you feed your cat to make sure he... Read More

Small Dogs - Different Breeds, Different Personalities

Small dog breeds are great pets, but since their personalities... Read More

Putting A Dog To Sleep

I was talking to a friend of mine today and... Read More

The Need for Pet First Aid Kits

Even if you have the perfect first aid kit for... Read More

Broken Trust

The large animal organizations and the public money.It is said... Read More

Pet Food Label Secrets Revealed! Know What You Are Feeding Your Dog And Cat

Reading a pet food label, how difficult can it be?... Read More

Essential Oils and MRSA

Natural preventative pet care isn't a new thing but it... Read More

My Fathers Daughter

My dad was an avid animal lover. We grew up... Read More

Universal Principles For Successful Dog Training

Dog training is not rocket science and is not as... Read More

Why Does My Dog Have Bad Breath?

"Doggy breath" ? that unpleasant odor emanating from the mouths... Read More

Do You Enjoy Watching Your Dog Wear Handmade Dog Scarfs Just To Suit Their Personality?

Yes! We love our wonderful and dear Pooches! We care... Read More

One Of The Benefits Of Using RecoveryPets.Com

One of the benefits of registering your pet with a... Read More

The Story Of My Amazing Dog Shandy

This is the story of my dog called Shandy. He... Read More

How to Create Your Own Monster

"You've created your own monster, you know", my mother said... Read More

House Rabbits are Fun and Cute Pets

House rabbits are a perfect pet for many people, regardless... Read More