And Pets Come Too

Here in Britain we are renown for being pet lovers as the 7.3 million registered dog owners and 7.2 million registered 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. Some build their holiday around their loved pet, others head for foreign climes knowing that their pet is safely lodged in kennels.  Either way there’s always the added worry of having to plan around the pet.

Home or Away?

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. Places such as the Four Paws Hotel or the Canine Country Club offer additional services such as dog walking and training, play time and 5 star accommodation.

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. The PETS scheme is all about stopping the spread of rabies and other dangerous diseases and so there's still the need for controls and procedures. To comply with PETS dogs and cats must first be micro chipped and then vaccinated against rabies. After 21 days from the date of their first rabies vaccination they can travel to another EU country but must not have visited any non-approved countries or territories for at least six months before they enter or re-enter the UK. In addition to this dogs and cats must have had a negative blood test result from an EU approved laboratory and then wait 6 months before re-entering the UK.  On top of all this Fido or Felix must have their own pet passport from their vet and also have been treated for tapeworm and ticks by a local vet, not less than 24 hours and not more than 48 hours before checking in with a PETS-approved carrier for the journey back to the UK. 

PETS is great but it's a lot of work and stress for both the owner and the pet – great if you’re travelling regularly or expect to stay abroad for any length of time, but probably not for a 2-3 week annual holiday in the sun.

So what are the other options? There are some companies that will dog or cat sit for you, these pet-sitting agencies tend to be locally based so a quick check of yell.co.uk or dogsit.com will help you find your pet sitter.  Alternatively by deciding to holiday closer to home and by doing some research it is easy to find great dog and cat friendly hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts. Some offer on-site kennelling others will allow pets in your room. These are great but you might still feel anxious about how your pet will cope with being in close contact with other holiday makers.

Your Pets Home from Home

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?  The great thing about Britain is it is surrounded by other islands such as The Channel Isles, The Isle of Mann, the Hebrides, Skye, Shetland, Orkney and of course Ireland. All of these beautiful places are great for dog lovers with miles and miles of dramatic and accessible walks for 2 and 4 legs alike. There’s no need for pet passports and getting to these wonderful places is easy with regular ferry services and the bonus of travelling with your dog in the familiar surroundings of the family car.

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.