Taking pets on business travel a no-no

By Anna Vander Broek

updated 12:25 p.m. ET March 20, 2007

Got an overnight business trip and no one to dogsit? Before you take Fido with you, try to see traveling from his point of view.

If he could speak, chances are he'd tell you to go alone.

Although airlines, hotels and even restaurants are increasingly turning pet-friendly, allowing your canine companions to bed down, eat at the table and even fly with you, this does not mean your pooch is going to enjoy the adventure.

“Traveling is stressful for a pet,” explains Dr. Rodger Mahr, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association. “Many times we see some conditions that flair up due to stress.”

Leaving On A Jet Plane
Nineteen percent of dog owners traveling for more than two consecutive days took their canines along last year, according to 2006 data to be released next month in the 2007 to 2008 National Pet Owners Survey, released by the American Pet Produce Manufactures Association.

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And no wonder, with major carriers making it tempting.

On Continental Airlines, the cost of flying with your pet isn’t too steep ($95 per flight), but there are some limitations. Fido must be able to fit under your seat, which requires him to squeeze into a hard-sided, 17-by-12.5-by-8-inch kennel. Too big? Time to purchase another seat.

“Even if you carry a very small pet on board, you have to take it out of the cage and take it through security,” says Barbara DeBry, president of Puppy Travel, a pet travel agency in Salt Lake City. She specializes in helping pets travel when their owners are relocating, or taking them for extended stays abroad. “And what if your flight is delayed? Your pet will [still] have to go to the bathroom and eat."

© WagHotels Open 24 hours a day and offering pet pick-up and an online registration service, WagHotels provides overnight and daytime care for dogs and cats. Pets take part in supervised playgroups twice a day, and for an extra fee can have a la carte services such as individual swimtime, playtime and a massage.

Surviving the hassles of airline travel is only part of it. Once you arrive at your destination, Fido still needs to be looked after, while you are stuck in meetings.

So what do you do with your furry friends when you have to part for a few days?

“When I’m going on business I take my dogs to doggie day care,” says DeBry. “They know two blocks before I get there. They love it, they are happy there and well cared for.”

Doggie Day Care 101
Specialists at overnight day care facilities walk Fido, play with and feed him, often for around $40 per night. Prices, of course, vary.

At more deluxe pet hotels, Fido can live like a prince.

Some dog hotels such as Central Bark, in several locations nationwide, have a staff trained in canine first aid and CPR. WagHotels, in California, assign pets playgroups so they can make friends, and also have a pool for their enjoyment. Many hotels offer pet massages, grooming, even a pet Webcam so you can see what your favorite sidekick is up to.

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There are dog hotels across the country, so next time you get the call to hit the road, don’t force Fido onto the terror of traveling. Send him for a little R&R with swimming pools, dirt to roll in and doggie haircuts (with a blow dry and hot oil treatment, of course).

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