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How to bring your four-legged loved ones on the family vacation.
by Rebecca Klein
Thinking about packing up your pooch or carting along the cat on this summer’s family vacation? Turns out there is a whole breed of websites dedicated to mapping out pet friendly destinations. No need for a hairy situation. In just a few clicks, sites such as PetsWelcome.com, BringFido.com, and DogFriendly.com allow you to book a room, fetch airline policy information, learn about pet friendly hot spots, and much more. The PetsWelcome.com “Watchdog” section will likely lure you to check out places you’re not even planning to visit. A quick search revealed dog friendly happy hours in DC, a North Carolina hiking shop specializing in dog gear, and news that you and your furry fashionista can hit Bloomies in New York City. The site even offers a database of pet sitter information as well as one for emergency care. There’s also a special cat section. PetsWelcome.com’s co-founder Chris Kingsley says the site started as a fun venture and turned into a full time business after Oprah featured it in 2000. In addition to booking your stay, BringFido.com includes travel guides for its top 20 pet friendly destinations, lists “Top Dog Events”, and offers links to “Fido’s Faves” dog gear. Founder Melissa Kendall shares how there are a number of destinations that are more pet-friendly than people may realize. Take Las Vegas. Kendall reports that some of the spa resorts even allow four-legged guests. On DogFriendly.com, you can access information on dog etiquette, highway stop suggestions, and on dog friendly parks, beaches, hiking areas, and more. There are also guidebooks available for purchase. The site’s co-founder Len Kain says he’s seen a big increase in people traveling with their pets over the past decade. “When we started doing this 10 years ago, you could find hotels that would allow your dog. Now you find hotels that welcome your dog, encourage you to bring your dog, and give you perks for your dog,” shares Kain, adding perks include anything from baskets with toys and gifts to grooming services to dog massages. We are inviting children to write in about what they did with their pets during vacation. (Did the pets come along, stay at Grandma’s, sleep at the kennel, or have a pet sitter?) We are curious to hear about your child’s experience. We may include your child’s submission in a future edition of Modern Babies & Children or online. We will only print your child’s first name, hometown, and age. All participants will also be entered into a give-a-way. Please send your child’s thoughts to orlando@ModernBabiesAndChildren.com.
BringFido.com is giving Modern Babies & Children readers a $5.00 gift certificate good at more than10,000 pet friendly hotels! Just enter gift code 'SPC7653423' during checkout to save $5.00 off your next online reservation at bringfido.com. Valid at select pet friendly hotels only. Participating hotels are indicated by a 'Blue Ribbon' icon. One use per customer only, please. Offer expires December 31, 2009.
