With vacation season upon us, it’s time to make those fun getaway plans for the whole family, including your furry best friend. We’re all keeping an eye on our finances these days and looking for ways to stretch our dollars. It can be a bit more challenging to make pet travel more economical when considering transportation and places to stay, so here are a few helpful hints for the budget-conscious.Pet Friendly TransportationTraveling in your own vehicle is obviously the most affordable way to go, and you don’t even have to venture very far from home to find a great pet friendly vacation spot to save on both gas and time. If traveling in your own vehicle (or a rental) is absolutely out of the question, unfortunately buses and trains do not allow you to bring your pet aboard. Get ready to fly the friendly skies in order to get to your destination with Fido. Most major airlines allow pets either carried on or checked for below-the-cabin travel. Your cheapest options for flying are AirTran ($69 one way), Southwest ($75 one way), or JetBlue, Spirit, and US Airways (each of them charge $100 one way). Delta and United come in with more pricey pet fare fees. Delta ($125 carried on/$200 checked one way) and United ($125 carried on/$250 checked one way).Pet Friendly HotelsLuckily, more and more hotels, motels, B&Bs;, vacation rentals and even condos are allowing us pet lovers to bring our four-legged family members with us. When trying to get more bang for your buck on the vacation front, it’s very important to do your research on where you will be able to stay and what their current rates are for pets.A great alternative for many families with pets is a vacation rental, condo, or cabin. These properties tend to have lower weekly rates when compared to the daily charges of hotels and motels, and it can be more like a “home away from home” for you and your pet. You can save even more money by bringing your own groceries and food for the duration, rather than eating out for every meal.If you’re looking at pet friendly hotels, there are some with very reasonable fees and others that are a little harder on the ole’ bank account. Some great chains with low rates AND low pet fees include: Best Western, Comfort Inn & Comfort Suites, Doubletree, Econo Lodge, Embassy Suites, Quality Inn, and Mariott Hotels & Resorts. This is definitely not an exhaustive list and you can certainly find a slew of pet friendly hotels and properties with low cost fees online.Take very special care to abide by the rules of the property you’re staying in and make sure dear Fido is properly groomed and de-flead before you travel…or it may cost you! Some places do not allow pets on the furniture or in the beds. It’s always best to bring their pet bed as well as something to cover the furniture with for good measure. If Fido leaves behind a mess of pet hair and fleas, you may be charged a hefty cleaning fee – not to mention showing a complete disregard for good pet etiquette when staying at vacation rentals.Pet Friendly ActivitiesLet’s face it. We want to spoil our pets just as much as we want to spoil our family and friends. When traveling to a new and exciting place, you’re likely to find some really cool pet friendly spots like grooming boutiques and shops filled with toys and clothes just for them. If you’re looking to cut back, why not give your pet the best gift of all? You know Fido would ask you to take him on more walks if he could. Plan ahead and locate dog parks, walking areas, and hiking trails that are available on your trip. These are free and fun activities that everyone can enjoy and bond you all even closer to your beloved furry friend. (Don’t forget to prepare for these outdoor adventures!). If you’ve opted to vacation at a rental property, you’ll most likely have these activities right at your doorstep: the beach, the lake, the mountains, the woods, etc. Make the most of your natural surroundings.Just because you’re tightening your wallet doesn’t mean you have to cut back on family fun!
Pet Travel on a Budget
Green Pets: Eco-Friendly Choices For Cats And Dogs
Family pets bring so much joy to the mother and father and especially the children! Dogs and cats are very precious members of the family and bring lots of joy and laughter to family life. Pet owners can do their part to help conserve the environment by making intelligent, informed and environmentally friendly decisions regarding their pet care.
For pet owners desiring to make their fun-loving dog or calming cat more green, read the following suggestions.
(1) If you and your family do not already own a pet, strongly consider adopting a sweet dog or cat from an animal shelter or humane society. You will be saving the animal’s life and they will be eternally grateful for it. There are thousands of homeless dogs and cats in your country who desperately need caring and loving people to rescue them. These adorable dogs and cats are usually free to a good home.
If you and your family have your heart set on finding a purebred dog or cat from a breeder, research any potential pet breeder very carefully. Find out how the breeders raise their puppies or kittens. Find out how much space they receive to live, play and exercise, how much exercise they receive, what food they eat and what veterinary care and vaccines they have received.
(2) Neuter or spay your cat or dog.
There is a troubling problem where animals are not being spayed or neutered and thousands of homeless dogs and cats are left to fend for themselves. When you neuter or spay your dog or cat, your animal will live a healthier and longer life and have a reduced risk of developing ovarian and uterine cancer in females and testicular cancer and prostate disease in males.
(3) Purchase good quality organic food for your dog or cat.
Many typical brands of pet foods contain alarming ingredients, including animal by-products, animal wastes, and ingredients that come from diseased or dying animals. Make sure that the pet food that you buy your cat or dog contains meat that is FDA-certified and good quality.
Support your cat or dog’s proper nutrition by purchasing quality food. Think about buying pet food that is organic and natural. Certified organic pet food must meet high quality standards and must not contain any pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, artificial ingredients or genetically modified ingredients.
(4) Utilize natural pet care products and cleaning products.
Avoid using any pet shampoo or grooming product that contains toxic chemicals. Use natural pet care products instead, that are environmentally-friendly and chemical free.
Avoid using pet cleaning products and overall household cleaning products that contain toxic ingredients. Green pet supply companies are now manufacturing cleaning products to use when your pet has an accident that are healthy for the environment.
(5) Purchase environmentally-friendly, organic pet toys and gifts.
a) Choose toys made from organic cotton or hemp, which are chemical-free.
b) Buy your cat or dog a new, natural hemp collar, which is biodegradable.
c) Purchase a comfortable doggie or kitty bed that is designed with organic materials and is free of toxic chemicals. Find one that has an easy-to-wash cover.
Remember Your Pet With an Engraved Pet Memorial
Pets, just like people are an integral part of many families and are loved just as much as a sister, brother, mother or father. Unfortunately, pets have a much shorter life span than us so we have to deal with the loss of a pet much more often than the loss of loved ones. This can be very hard and obviously very emotional on everyone in the family, especially when there are young children involved that thought their pet would be their best friend forever.
Families often struggle with what to do when you lose a pet. Do you bring it somewhere and have them take care of it? Do you get your dog or cat cremated and put its ashes in a jar or spread them on your lawn?
Do you bury your pet by a tree in your yard to have a special place to remember him? Whether you choose any of these options you can have a beautiful pet memorial rock created that you can put indoors or out for everyone to remember your special friend. These engraved pet stones will remind everyone what a good pet you had and create conversation and great memories.
Engraved stones make great pet memorials because they can be completely customized and come in any size. Create the pet memorial as a family, choose an image of your pet from a large selection of stock animal images, or provide a custom image, put your pets name on the stone and the date or a special name you called her, or even a quote that is special to your family. A pet memorial will not only last forever, but it will be something special your family and children can remember their special friend by. Depending on the number or letters or picture, you can get an engraved stone to use as a pet memorial or pet marker anywhere from 5″ across up to 14″.
Order an engraved pet memorial today from Serenityhealth.com. You will be amazed at the impeccable engraving and choices. You will also find many phrases from past pet markers that will get your ideas flowing.
