ALL ABOUT DOGS and CATS   Resource Center for Canine & Feline Lovers
puppy and kitten
Pet Friendly Travel
Accomodations, Restaurants, Shopping
Having a great,  fun vacation with your pet consists of  much more than just getting there and finding
a pet-friendly lodging. It includes finding things to do and places to take your pet once you arrive.
French Dog in Restaurant
French dogs eat out at restaurants with
their owners and are often given their
own chair at the restaurant table, with
their own dish.
A dog sniffs its food in  'Tampopo' in the
center of Kiev. Tampopo is the first
restaurant for visitors with their pets in the
capital of the ex-Soviet Ukraine.
REUTERS/Gleb Garanich , April 15, 2004
Dog in restaurant in Kiev
car-travelling dog
Many people think of their pets as full-fledged family members. According
to the American Animal Hospital Pet Owner Survey (2004), 67% of pet
owners travel with their pets. A Starwood Hotels & Resort survey of pet
owners found that 37% of pet owners would travel more with their pets if
they knew more accomodations accepted pets.

Including a pet in your family vacation is not  difficult as long as you plan
ahead. Most pets (and especially dogs) respond well to travel. This fact is
now recognized by much of the travel industry.

Thousands of hotels and motels, coast -to-coast  in North America offer  
pet-friendly accomodations.  Airline bookings for pet passengers are also
increasing.  And more cities and states are adjusting or changing the laws
regarding dogs in outside restaurants.

Whether travelling across the country or internationally, by car or plane, you
will have to do some  advance planning. Click here for the Information you'll
need for Traveling With Pets

Accommodations

About 1/3  of all U.S. and  Canadian accommodations allow pets. Pet
owners are able to select among luxury and economy hotels, B&Bs and
vacation rentals.

Travel with your pet only at friendly pet hotels.
"The pub must serve decent
beer [and] be part of the local
community. The food must be
simple and good, but should not
eclipse the important business
of drinking. It should not be so
popular that the locals have
been squeezed out, nor so
exclusive that it did not welcome
the colonel and the cleaning
lady. Ideally, there should be no
piped music, no microwaves and
no electronic games. Dogs,
gumboots and smoking must be
allowed. Children could be seen,
but should not be heard......."
Source: Adam Edwards,
The Daily Telegraph, 2 2 02.
dog at table
dog eating at table
All dogs are fascinated
by the smells they
encounter when they
stick their noses out the
window of a moving car.
You can indulge him,
but never leave the
window  down so far
that your dog can jump
or fall out.  Roll the
window no more than
half way down.
Most Swiss restaurants
will let you bring in a
well-behaved pet.
However, it's considered bad
manners to have your dog
sit in a chair while eating
Unless, of course, it knows
how to use silverware.
(Switzerland with your dog)
Shopping

With the exception of butcher shops and fresh produce stores, most shops and department stores  
in Europe will allow you to take in your well-behaved, leashed dog.  Not so in Canada and the USA.  
With the exception  of assistance dogs and very small dogs carried in "tote bags," malls, stores and
shopping centers  generally do not allow dogs.

Some open-air markets, and individual stores  in "tourist" areas do allow dogs. These are rare.  (
Most Pet Stores allow vaccinated pets on leash, i.e
Pet Smart, Pet Value and other large pet food stores...and doggies love it))
Pet Friendly Shopping Malls in the U.S.
Beach Dogs
Indoor eating establishments in USA and Canada  ban all pets except assistance dogs.  Dining with
your dog is limited to outdoor restaurants, cafes and bars. At the time of this writing we could not find
any establishments which allow you to take your pet indoors.

Guides to Pet Friendly Restaurants, Cafes and Pubs
Pet Friendly Travel: Pet Friendly Restaurants (USA & Canada)
United States and Canada Dog-Friendly Outdoor Restaurant Guide

Dog Friendly Britain: Dog Friendly Cafes & Restaurants
Dining With Your Dog

Most of Europe has restaurants, cafes and pubs where your well-behaved
dog is welcome to be with you while you eat. ( Austria, Germany, France,
and  UK are especially dog-friendly)  And There is no problem with the
dogs other than the fact that some cat lovers don't like them.  The dogs are
all well-behaved, and the owners are equally well-trained. This is not the
case in North America.