Take your pooch on a holiday

With more hotels turning pet-friendly, you can now plan a relaxed vacation and let the pet out

June 28, 2017 03:52 pm | Updated June 29, 2017 03:47 pm IST - MADURAI:

A SPACE OF THEIR OWN: Pet-friendly hotels are an added advantage

A SPACE OF THEIR OWN: Pet-friendly hotels are an added advantage

Each time the Duttas firmed up a vacation out of their hometown Kolkata, the thrill of packing and planning was often short lived. The two small teenaged girls in the family would cry their hearts out as it pained them to part with their pooch, Lucy, an Indie. “We love to travel and each time we had to find a relative or a dog shelter to take care of our pet,” says Debashish and recalls how it used to be teary-eyed departure for his daughters till about five years ago. Now the children are away pursuing careers in different countries and Debashish is discovering places that welcome pets.

Yes, the sensible companies are no longer sniffy to woo the man’s best friend to a country cottage, boutique homestay, camping site, star hotel or a luxury resort. At Annapara Homestay in Vythiri, Wayanad, estate owner Zafar Salim is busy answering calls from an anxious guest scheduled to stay at his property next week. “This is a couple from Bangalore who have been referred to us by their daughter who in turn learnt about us from her friend in Pollachi who stayed with us last year with her pug,” explains Madurai-based Zafar Salim underlining how good and friendly services and word-of-mouth helps. The family is taking three of his five rooms and will be bringing along two dogs.

“We have also had families come over with the kennel of dogs and stay for an entire month,” notes Salim. “On request, we provide food for the dog and since many people love to spoil and pamper their pets, we allow them in the room on the condition that owners will have to clean the room,” he adds. And if there is a mixed crowd in his five roomed boutique hideaway in the lap of nature, then the pets have to be well behaved. “Pet lovers do get us extra business and at the same time we cannot afford to irritate our other guests,” says Salim, who on a friend’s request started allowing pets five years ago.

Earlier all his guests with pets came through reference and it is only now that he has started promoting his property as pet-friendly. It is people of his ilk who are ensuring that travelling with your four-legged best buddy is no longer out of the norm.

“Pets are an integral part of many families and slowly more hotels are opening up to the idea of making the vacation memorable for guests by allowing their adorable canines,” says Delhi-based Rukmini Vaish. Two years ago when she and her husband could not locate a place where they could also take their five-month-old golden retriever Kiki for a carefree fun-break outside the city, they sensed the problem faced by dog lovers like them. “We gave up our respective jobs and went on a road trip to search for places that would allow vacations with pets,” says Vaish.

While the road trip continues across the country, the duo set up collarfolk.com in February last year to connect with people looking for holidays with pets and making it happen. “In the first month itself, we got 20 bookings and in the last 18 months it has gone up to more than double, nearly 50 bookings a month and the queries in many more multiples,” she says.

The start-up is among the first and few sites providing a comprehensive list of 350 properties across India. Of these 40 are in Tamil Nadu. “The whole idea is very lucrative and majority of our clients look for the weekend getaways,” she says, adding, “Pet travel is a fast growing sector today and we are constantly scouting and updating on who is offering a better time,” she says. Collarfolk.com works on Airbnb model as a connecting online platform between travellers with pets and local hosts and properties that allow and help with the pets

Salim who enrolled with collarfolk.com in 2016 says it is fascinating to learn about the facilities offered for pets from plunge pools to village walks, squeaky toys, adventure games, water sports and dog sitters. There are specialised luxury services available too and finally at the end of the day it is all about who experiences the summer of content more!

Pet Joy @

Lakeside resort in Nainital

Tree of Life Resort and an adventure camp at Rishikesh

Homestay in Wellington and Kasauli

Hidden Retreat in Hosur

Camping and trekking in Mussorie, Lonavala, Kodaikanal

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