Last time I packed up my bags and went out of town I was guilt struck by my dog Chance. He looked at me with those big brown eyes and I knew it was going to be hard for me to leave him. If I had the opportunity to take him with me then why not. But traveling with your dog isn’t always that simple, not because of you but the hotels, transportation and the limited activities that are out there.
I started to think about it more after I read the 2008 Dog-Friendly Travel Report Card. If I had better services provided to me then heck yeah I would take Chance with me. I can see it now, shopping on 5th Avenue, lying on the beach in Hawaii sipping on Mai Tai’s or hiking through Yellow Stone. The possibilities could be endless. Like the report stated if I could purchase an airline ticket for him I would. I couldn’t stand thinking about him in a crate below me, while I’m watching a movie and eating yummy airline food. I was actually kind of shocked by the report. So many people have pets that they would want to travel with and they aren’t all small dogs. Chance is a big boy and wouldn’t fit under my seat. But I’m sure he would be happy to sit next to me.
You would think that more and more businesses would be going crazy to offer services for owners and their pets. I’m not saying that there aren’t places, just a limit to them. Shoot just in San Diego there are about 700,000 dogs. That’s almost a dog per household.
Receiving an F on their report card was Amtrak for not allowing dogs on the train…please every time I’ve taken the train I felt like I was in a ghost town. You think they would want the business. But who am I, just a consumer with a dog that is willing to pay to take my dog with me. Also Greyhound Buses, they have a greyhound on the side of their buses, surely that is a conflict in interest.
I guess until people get there stuff together Chance I will have to make due with beautiful San Diego as our vacation destination. Who am I kidding it is fabulous here!!!
Read Dog-Friendly’s Travel Report
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