Pet Friendly Vacations with IVHE

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For many of us, our pets are considered a “member of the family” and thus would be included in many offspring functions including a vacation! Many people travel with their pets, with both human and canine or feline enjoying new sights and a new place to hang their hat and leash, albeit temporarily.

A relaxing vacation with your four-legged buddy can be a wonderful experience, as well as pose some challenges. There are restrictions and rules governing travel such as those on airplanes and trains, and regarding overnight accommodations, too. When planning your trip, researching this information far ahead of time is key to a successful pet-friendly trip.  

There are a few additional points to consider before committing to taking Lulu, Buster, Brutus or Casey with you on your next vacation:

Is your pet a seasoned traveler or will all of it (a train voyage, a new house, strange scents and noises) be new to him or her?

Is your pet social and friendly with new people, or not?

Has your pet ever growled at or bitten anyone?

Is your pet old, have a sensitive constitution, or need special medications?

Is your pet happiest and most content in his or her own bed in their own home?

For additional ideas and reading, view this blog on Traveling with Pets.  

Ready to go? There’s still more work to be done. You need to make sure your pet’s vaccinations, licenses and tags are up to date. Check with your veterinarian on all of this. If you are traveling outside of your country, there may be additional rules and regulations to research and get completed before traveling. Make sure you have all of your pet’s paperwork with you when you travel.

Where to stay? The good news is many International Vacation Home Exchange properties are designated by the owners of the properties as “pets considered.” To find out if an IVHE property and its owners are open to pets in the house, click on the “House Rules” box under the photos of the property. Here, you will find any restrictions regarding pets and smoking, and whether or not a property is handicap accessible, suitable for infants, children, the elderly or the infirm.  The “House Rules” box joins other clickable boxes offering the property “Description,” “Location,” “Accommodation,” “Amenities,” and “Activities.”  Each of these areas offers a wealth of information on the property and whether or not it is suitable for your vacation needs.

In a quick browse through properties in England and France, for example, there are several locations marked as “pets considered” including properties #1081 , #0437  and #0986 in England and #0877 , #0552 and #0976 in France.

Remember to take lots of photos! Bon voyage to you and Fido.