Calling itself the world’s first full service travel club for dog lovers who want to travel with their dogs, DogTravel Company boasts that no dog ever travels in a cargo hold, or on a cargo plane, train, or truck. In this travel club, dogs are treated just like family members. DogTravel, established in 2007, is made up of dog lovers themselves and makes sure all dogs remain beside and within the care of their owner throughout the trip.
A visit to the DogTravel website shows happy dogs riding in the passenger cabin, secured by a safety harness in a seat next to the owner. They are served with entertainment and snacks catering to their special tastes and diet just like any other family member.
How DogTravel Works
For a small yearly fee, DogTravel gives members access to request and book charter plane flights, train services, cruise services, and vacation packages including dog-friendly hotels, bed and breakfasts, and auto rentals. Club member fees cover one person and one dog but additional persons and dogs can be included for a small extra charge.
Members can browse the dog-friendly business directory and take advantage of significant discounts on many products, accommodations, and services. There are also Ride Share and Travel forums where members can meet other “dog people” and arrange shared travel to save money. And to wrap it all up nice and neat, a percentage of membership fees goes to dog charity.
Travel Plans with the Dog
Arrangements can be customized for private travel to certain destinations on certain dates, by any mode of travel including auto trips. Travelers may choose to minimize expenses by opening their trip for other DogTravel members to share. DogTravel is also happy to coordinate group trips such as a dog club traveling to a dog show.
Destinations may be global or domestic with current samples of Los Angeles to Nashville, New York to Sweden, and Toronto, Canada to Warsaw, Poland.
Dog Friendly Vacation Packages
Perhaps the most exciting are the vacation packages DogTravel offers, such as the Scottsdale Arizona and Camelback Mountain Weekend Getaway where travelers and their dogs relax in a luxury hotel at the foot of Camelback Mountain and dine at dog friendly restaurants in the area. Or members can create their own custom dog-friendly vacation with DogTravel.
Benefits of Traveling with Your Dog
Members of DogTravel can look forward to a beach vacation, a national dog show, or even an ocean cruise, knowing their beloved pet will be right beside them.
Dogs are family to many people these days and many dog owners feel more comfortable traveling with their pet in the cabin beside them instead of in cargo where temperature and pressure fluctuations, and even lost cargo, can be a worry. They have the comfort of knowing their best friend is not locked away in a crate in a dark cargo department with fuel fumes or waiting somewhere in an unfamiliar boarding kennel but instead traveling right alongside them, safely and happily.
Joy Butler - Writer, retired lab tech, mom, and animal lover with over 20 years' experience rescuing, kenneling, training and showing dogs.
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