Polly want a cracker?
At the World Parrot Refuge on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, winged residents get lots more than a mere cracker.
This non-profit, educational facility operated by FLOPRS (”For the Love of Parrots Refuge Society”) provides a “Home for Life” for previously owned pet parrots.  Parrots have a very long life span, so it is very likely that they will have a need for more than one owner over their lifetime.  Many parrot owners fail to foresee or plan for this, making it increasingly common to have parrots turn up in shelters.  The Refuge is a home for life for …read more

I’m a big animal lover.  I have two cats ““ adorably warm, furry, and cuddly creatures. 
When it comes to other members of the animal kingdom, with very few exceptions, they all trigger the “aahhhh” factor.  Judging from how frequently animals are turning up in movies and commercials, it’s clear that I’m not the only one with this reaction.
With that in mind, I understand the fascination of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.  It’s the “aahhh” factor a hundred times over.
This year’s show, the 131st, is February 12th-13th, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The current Madison Square Garden is …read more

What’s important to you when booking a hotel room?
Do you want a luxury suite?  Premium beds and linens?  Do you want a spa on premises where you can get a massage?  Do you like a stereo in your room and hundreds of channels on cable television?
Hotels are going all out to secure your business and your loyalty, and it seems like no amenity is out of the question.
Enter the Wag Hotel, a boutique hotel for pets, who are taking that same approach.
A hotel for the four-legged among us, the Wag Hotel takes pampering to the pet level.  Guests get twice …read more

As I’ve written about previously, as more and more dog owners are traveling with their pets, more and more business are rolling out the welcome mat to both two-legged and four-legged guests.
Still, until recently, there weren’t a lot of hotels that were welcoming large dogs, that is, dogs in the 30-plus pound range.
Enter Big Dogs Welcome, a website designed to provide information about hotels that are welcoming of larger dogs.  The site contains information about which hotels accepts larger dogs, along with specific information about the hotel and their pet amenities and restrictions.  These are hotels that don’t just “allow” …read more

Last week I wrote about Fido Friendly Magazine, a magazine focused on dog friendly travel. 
I haven’t (yet) heard about anything dedicated solely to feline travelers, but the U.K. budget hotel chain Travelodge is rolling out the welcome mat for feline guests, as well as canine ones, by providing bet beds in some of its British hotels.  The beds, sized for a cat or a very small dog, have a mattress, pillow, and duvet all matching the Travelodge color scheme.
“For a long time, we have allowed customers to bring their cats and dogs with them when they stay with us. Now we are …read more

We’ve definitely entered an era of niche travel:  Cruising, adventure, solo, etc.  So how about this one:  traveling with your dog.
Turns out that over 29 million dogs travel with their owners each year, and hotels have started to roll out the welcome mat to both two legged and four legged guests.
This month’s, Fido Friendly Magazine, The Travel Magazine for Dog, reports on the top 10 exclusive resorts that cater to pets and their owners.  When your dog is getting fresh gourmet dog biscuits, being walked by the bellman, and getting its own CD of music, you know that both of …read more

Here’s some additional information for flying with your pet, this time for people who may be traveling with their dog in a private plane:
Most private pilots wear ear protection in the cockpit.  Now, you can protect your dog’s hearing as well, with Mutt Muffs, an over-the-head hearing protection unit with foam-filled ear seals and adjustable straps to fit the curvature of a dog’s head.
While designed for use in the cockpit, they can also be used if your dog is going to be around other loud noises such as a lawnmower or fireworks.
Mutt Muffs retail for $52, and come in a variety …read more