The holiday season is one of the year’s busiest travel periods. Those of us with pets have to make more plans and more reservations when we travel than those without pets. Whether we’re taking our pets with us or arranging care for them at home, we have to plan. And if our holiday guests are coming to visit with pets, we need to organize things for them.
Pet Reservations
You may be counting on your regular pet sitter for your Thanksgiving trip. However, that person may have already accepted a full schedule for the dates you’ll be away. Before you plan your trip, make sure you have the reservations you need for pet care or to travel with your pet.
Many of the hotels where we’ve stayed with dogs have a limited number of pet-friendly rooms or apartments. Airlines limit the number of animals they allow in the passenger compartment. Airbnb and other rental agencies do have filters for accommodations for families with pets. But again, these are fewer and may be gone if you wait too long. Even if Aunt Sally has always been able to take your dog when you go away, she may have other plans this year.
Visitors with Pets
While those of us with dogs have found pet-friendly buildings, they make up only a small percentage of Boston’s housing stock. As much as some animal lovers would enjoy having a canine or feline visitor, their landlord or condo association may prohibit pets.
Living in small spaces means that area hotels often serve as our guestrooms. If your guests are traveling with pets, they will find a wide choice of accommodations when they search for “pet-friendly hotels in Boston.” From the Four Seasons to the Midtown Hotel, options fit every price point. Remind them to check on the pet fees and whether they are allowed to leave their pet alone in the room.
Driving with Pets
We don’t have a car, so we use rentals. For safety’s sake, we’ve always used a dog crate in any car. In an accident, the crate helps keep your dog or cat safe and contained.
We’ve all heard horror stories of pets that escaped and ran away after an auto accident. A pet carrier can prevent that. It also gives you more control when you make stops along the way.
Dogs that are usually calm and collected at home can be very excited in a roadside rest area. A carrier lets you open the car door without giving your dog a chance to escape. Plan stops so your dog can stretch, walk a bit, have a drink, and relieve himself.
Identify Both of You
When you’re away from home, a good identification system can help your pet be returned if lost and arrange care for your pal if you can’t tend to her.
Our Poppy has a tag with both our cell phone numbers. That way, someone could reach both of us if they found her at home or away. We both carry “pet alert” cards, folded over our driver’s licenses, in our wallets. They list the names and numbers of friends who have agreed to take care of Poppy if we can’t. If we leave her in a hotel room, we add a note about where she is to that card.
Here’s hoping your holiday travel is smooth for you and your furry friends.
