HOW TO PLAN A HOLIDAY WITH YOUR PETS IN AUSTRALIA

Perceptions toward pet-friendly holiday accommodation in Australia have shifted, with more tourism options than ever. Find out what is in your state.

Planning a holiday as a pet owner can be fraught with unforeseen glitches and costly bookings. From organising pet carers to securing boarding, worry about leaving a loved critter tends to compound the stress you’re trying to escape from.

Thankfully, perceptions toward pet-friendly holiday accommodation in Australia have shifted, with more tourism operators realising the benefits of accepting guests and their furry, feathery or even scaly buddies.

And with Animal Medicines Australia’s latest Pet Ownership Report revealing we spend more than $666 million a year on boarding and minding services for pets, up from almost $520 million in 2016, it is easy to see why.

Travelling with Pets on Australia’s East Coast: 5th Edition author Carla Francis says we are also seeing a broader range of pet-friendly accommodation offerings.

“After returning to Australia from Japan and seeing how pets are allowed in many places, I was struck by how un-pet-friendly Australia could be at the time,” she says of what motivated her to start sharing reliable pet travel information in 2013 through her Pet-Friendly blog.

“So, I started researching places for myself and my Japanese cat to travel to within NSW and often found that pets weren’t allowed in many places except caravan parks in your own van.

That has changed dramatically since the first edition [of my book] was published. Now, barely a day goes by when I don’t receive an email from a new pet-friendly company or dog blogger telling me about a cool new pet-friendly property or bar.”

Francis says while planning a trip with your pet requires extra thought and preparation, the rewards outweigh any negatives. “Nowadays pets are family and you want them to share all parts of your life,” she says. “Two years ago, we drove up from Sydney to Cairns in a campervan with three pets. This was a lot fun meeting other pet travellers on the way and sharing stories of the best places to stay with pets.”

She says however, finding pet-friendly accommodation can still be problematic, especially for larger dogs or other small animals like cats, birds or even rabbits.

“It’s always best to contact the property prior to booking to find what their rules are. It seems ‘pet-friendly’ often has a different meaning for different people. Checking out the property rules is also advised.”

Even top hotels are catching on to the pet tourism market, with The Langham in Sydney and Melbourne joining Fancy Feast to offer cat owners the chance to win a Valentine’s Day Cat Hotel package.

Animal behaviourist and Fancy Feast ambassador Dr Jo Righetti says as cats can be territorial the Instagram-led competition is an example of how to introduce them to travel.

“For some owners and cats, a long car journey or long vacations may seem too stressful to contemplate,” she says.

“In this case, it may be best to start with short but sweet stay-cat-ions. A short car journey or a night in a hotel close to home, for instance, will help your cat get used to travel. Making this a positive experience for your cat could be the start of many future happy vacations together.”

Once accommodation is sorted, researching pet-friendly businesses is a great way to get the most from your break.

Owner operators of Punting on the Lake in Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens, Ayami and Wesley Golledge have been welcoming dogs on their boats since opening seven years ago.

“We take dogs for free,” Golledge says. “I have even made a little tie and hat for them to wear. When we have dogs on the punt, we see how people smile.”

WHAT TO PLAN BEFORE YOU LEAVE

Carla Francis shares her holiday planning checklist.

– Ensure vaccinations, tick treatments are up-to-date.
– Check microchip details are correct.
– Each day pack fresh water and a collapsible bowl as well as snacks/treats.
– Make sure your pet has a well-fitting collar, ID tag and strong leash.
– Always have a supply of dog waste bags or litter tray for cats.
– While some places provide pet beds, a blanket from home can help pets settle in.
– Pack doggie sunscreen and pet first-aid kit.

WHERE TO START YOUR SEARCH

Ovolo Hotels in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra have VIPooch to allow dog-friendly hotel stays.

Victoria

Prime Tourist Park in Lakes Entrance and Best Friend Holiday Retreat in Yarram are purpose built dog-friendly caravan parks.

Zagame’s House in Carlton has a dog service with in-room dining menu for dogs and access to pet sitting and dog walking.

In Richmond, Element hotel has a doggie degustation menu, a pooch friendly minibar and you can hire a bike that fits your dog.

New South Wales

Fairmont in the Blue Mountains has pet-friendly rooms with food options for dogs. Other pet-friendly accommodation includes Little Albion by Crystalbrook Collection in Surry Hills and The Bungalows at Bondi.

Queensland

Pooch Packages are available at Spicers Tamarind Retreat in the Orchard Villa, Spicers Hidden Vale in the Chinese Cottage, Spicers Clovelly Estate in the French Cottage, Spicers Balfour Hotel in Balfour Suites 10 and 11 and Spicers Sangoma Retreat Bush Suite.

South Australia

The Yondah Beach House at Yorke Peninsula caters for pets large and small.