Vacation Rentals Community

I have a 8 lb. Pomeranian rescue dog named Anna.  We've just retired, love car trips and want to take her with us.  In January we stayed in a place that said they were "dog friendly".  We stayed in the cabin for 2 nights and the charge for the dog was $75!!!  I hadn't asked what they charged for being dog friendly.  I was told their policy is $75 per stay whether its for 1 night or 7.  That is the most unreasonable and expensive charge I have encountered.  Some places don't want the animal left alone in the property so you want to know that up front.  Some limit the size of the animal and some only allow dogs and don't allow cats.  Anna is crate trained so I can assure hosts that she will be crated if left alone.  We are taking her to the Black Hills in May, to a place I found through VRBO.com  (vacation rentals by owner)  We are renting small house in Deadwood and the charge for Anna is just $40 for the week and she can be left alone if crated.  By the way we only leave her alone if we go to dinner or somewhere that doesn't allow dogs.  She will be riding with to Mt Rushmore, Devils Tower, Crazy Horse.......      

It seems that more and more property managers are not allowing pets or charging more. The reason is simple. If the home is to be rented out ideally for 52 weeks in a year it needs to be as allergy free as possible. You as a rentor might not see this as a problem but for the next family it could be a living hell. Perhaps Pet Friendly Rentals might help you out next time.

Best advice though, get a pet sitter and go out and enjoy yourself, thats what vacation is all about! If your ever in Orlando and need a great deal on a home check out Advantage Vacation Homes for a great deal by Disney

I would agree with the other person that replied that vacation rental companies do need to have a home professionally cleaned to remove any pet hair from the home in case the next guest has any allergies to animals.  It does cost extra to do this and most companies charge that to the rental guest as a pet fee.  The fee should be clearly posted online and expressed again over the telephone at the time of the reservation.

I agree with you that many vacation rentals claim they are pet friendly when you are making the booking to only later have many limitations.

Before booking a pet friendly vacation rental I would ask the following questions.  Do you charge and pet fee and if so for what purpose?  Do you have details of a local emergency vet near the home?  Do you offer a dog walking service if I am running late back to the property?  If the property has a swimming pool do you have a safety fence for the dog?  What are the local pet friendly parks and activities near the vacation rental?

If the company cannot answer those questions than I would say they are not very pet friendly.  To really be a pet friendly accommodation a company needs to understand very dog deserves a vacation too!

I hope this helps.  In Orlando many companies offer pet friendly homes for guest.              

It appears as though pet friendly policies differ from country to country, as cultures do. For example, in France (which is extremely pet friendly), most accomodation operators will allow dogs for a small fee - usually 5 euros per night. Of course individual owners have the right to make their own rules, but generally across Europe, pets are welcome for a lower fee than in the US.