Pet Proofing Your Hotel Room
By Beverly Eschberger
Once you have arrived at your destination, you can’t forget about your pet. An unfamiliar environment can cause your pet to become agitated and frightened, or his curiosity might get the better of him.
When you check into your hotel room, be certain to inform the hotel staff that you will have a pet in your room. Do not be tempted to smuggle your pet into your room if the hotel does not allow pets. If the housekeeping staff does not know that you have a pet in your room, they might open the door and accidentally let your pet escape. For your pet’s safety, you will always want to let the staff know to use caution when entering your room.
If you are traveling with a dog that is territorial or high-strung, you might want to leave your Do Not Disturb sign hanging. That way, you won’t have a problem with the housekeeping staff being frightened or attacked by your dog. If your dog is nervous, keeping the housekeeping staff out of your room will help prevent stress (and “accidents”) in your dog.
If you will be out of your hotel room for any length of time, keep your pet in his carrier or kennel. This will help to avoid any problems if the housekeeping staff does enter your room. If you are not traveling with a companion, it is a good idea to keep your pet in the carrier while you are in the shower as well.
When you first get to your room, be certain to close any open windows or sliding glass doors. If you are staying in a room with a balcony, only allow your pet on the balcony when you are with him. If your pet becomes curious or agitated, he could possibly fall off the balcony and become injured, or run away.
You will also want to close the toilet seat to prevent your pet from drinking out of it. The housekeeping staff might use harmful chemicals for cleaning that could make your pet ill.
If your room has live plants, be certain to move them out of reach of your pet so he cannot eat something that will make him sick. Also be careful to remove any temptations from the garbage can, such as food or candy wrappers.
It is a good idea to set up your pet’s food (and litter-box if you are traveling with a cat) the bathroom. Since most hotel rooms are carpeted, the bathroom is the only room with a tile or linoleum floor, and keeping the food and litter-box in there will help minimize mess. Some hotels will charge a pet deposit, avoiding mess will ensure that you get your deposit back at the end of your stay!
Most hotel beds are designed with a solid base that your pet cannot crawl under, but there is usually a gap between the base and the wall that a small, frightened animal can squeeze into. A good way to prevent your pet from taking up lodging under the bed is to prop up extra pillows in front of the gap, or to place your suitcase in front.
If you follow these tips, your hotel stay will go much more smoothly, and you and your pet will both have an enjoyable time.
About the Author:
I live with my husband, Everyday Geology editor Geoff Habiger, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. We have three children of the furry variety--two cats, Motley and Nero, and an Irish Setter named Clancy Marie. By day I am a chemist with Abbott Laboratories.
When I am not writing about Paleontology or Travelling with Pets, I like to spend as much time as possible outside, I enjoy hiking, bird-watching, and gardening. I am an avid reader of "just about everything," and I love to visit museums of all types, especially those that feature science and natural history.
My husband and I enjoy travelling to all sorts of different places whenever we get the opportunity, and we like to take Clancy with us.
In addition to writing about science and travelling, I enjoy writing fiction and poetry, and I enjoy combining my love of science education with my love of the literary.
Beverly may be contacted by email at paleoartisans@hotmail.com.
Article courtesy of Suite101.com.
