Pet Friendly Holidays: Your Dog Can Come Too

Here in Britain we are famous for being pet lovers, as the 14 million registered dog and cat owners attest. And all those owners add up to more than 20 million four-legged friends. A huge number even before we start thinking about the gerbils, hamsters, horses, goldfish, parrots or pythons and many other creatures that are our beloved pets.

Many of those millions of pet owners are faced with the eternal question of what to do with Fido or Felix when the family takes their annual vacation.

Putting your pet in kennels is probably the only option if you want to travel further afield and don’t want the hassle of pet passports or quarantine. There are thousands of kennels to choose from, from small, friendly family businesses to larger, upscale dog hotels where your pet can enjoy their own vacation.

For the more adventurous pet traveler, the Pet Travel Scheme makes it possible to bring a dog or cat to many EU countries without enduring a quarantine period on return. PETS is all about stopping the spread of dangerous diseases, so controls and procedures are still needed. It’s great, but it’s a lot of work and stress for both owner and pet. It’s fine if you travel regularly or expect to be abroad for an extended period of time, but probably not for annual 2-3 week vacations in the sun.

For most people, the holidays are times to spend with everyone in the family, and that includes Fido or Felix. Therefore, a very popular option among cat and dog owners is to stay in a self-catering vacation home. Many allow pets to stay for free or for a small charge, and since you have the place to yourself, a dog-friendly vacation home can be a true home away from home for your pet. This option means it’s easy to have dinner with family and friends, and invite Felix or Fido too. Many vacation cabin companies will have dog-specific cabins and will even go so far as to check for an enclosed garden, plenty of kitchen space, and a place to walk to make everyone’s stay more enjoyable.

So what if you opt for a vacation home, but really want to get away from it all? If you’re ready for a pet-friendly vacation and want to experience something different, we 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 welcome. Why not find out more about great places to visit and dog friendly places to stay?