Striving to Make Travel Truly Pet-Friendly

By Charu Suri

The article that I read last week in the New York Times Travel Section was very interesting and informative, especially for those with pets.  In it the author explains what made a college graduate student create a global resource for travelers with pets as she discloses details of an interview with Melissa Halliburton; president and founder of BringFido.com, and author of the book called “Ruff Guide to the United States”.

BringFido.com  is a dog travel directory that provides impartial reviews, detailed pet policy information, and online reservations at more than 25,000 pet friendly hotels through a partnership with Travelocity. Information is also available on thousands of bed & breakfasts, vacation rentals, and campgrounds that welcome pets in 150 countries worldwide. The site  offers up to date information on global hotels and beyond.

The idea of creating this directory came from the challenges that Ms. Halliburton had to face while trying to travel with her dogs, and the love that she was born with for animals. In one of Ms. Halliburton experiences she relates how she had to be towed to her best friend’s wedding after she got a flat tire and couldn’t find a pet friendly hotel that she could stay close to her destination.  She makes mention of how many hotel advertise that they are pet friendly when in reality they are not, and how difficult it is for traveler to bring their pets along with them. According to her company they estimate that over 30 percent of pet owners in the US travel regularly with their pets.

She stated that in the hospitality industry many areas needs improvement for travelers with pets; but that the one that needed it the most is the train system.  But that Amtrak is currently testing a pet friendly carriages in four markets and that hopefully this option will expand nationwide.  Finally, she provide some hints to make more comfortable the trip for the pets and the travelers.

In my opinion the advancements made in this area are very comforting for those that have pets and don’t like to travel without them and I am very glad a came across this information as I have friends and relatives that can benefit from it. As per Ms. Halliburton she sees a fast approaching golden age for pet friendly travel.