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As a human, flying is sometimes one of the most nerve-wracking experiences, even when you know it is safe, efficient and generally pleasant. If flying can be that troubling for humans, you can only imagine how tough it is on our pets. Both dogs and cats can be transported by plane, as can many other types of pets, providing they are in the correct and approved crates or cages.

Preparing your pet for a safe airplane journey does require some advance preparation that can help minimize the stress that your pet experiences. The tips that follow will work with dogs, cats and most other types of pets. Prior to the trip, a trip to the dog groomers is a nice way to begin

Food and Exercise
It is important to restrict both food and water for approximately 12 hours before a flight. This means that the pet should be fed normally and on schedule and then kept from food or water for approximately half a day. If you only feed once a day in the morning and if you are not flying out until the next afternoon you may wish to adjust the feeding schedule to the evening at least a week before the flight to avoid the pet going for over 24 hours without food or water. Withholding food and water for 12 hours will prevent messes in the carrier and will also prevent vomiting and possible choking concerns while the pet is in the air.




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Toyota Venza is taking its love of pets to an all new level, em-“barking” on a blitz of fun-filled events and promotions centered on everything pets – and, of course, their owners too. Designed for those with active lifestyles that often involve pets, the Venza offers a full line-up of canine-friendly aftermarket pet products through Toyota dealers that are already generating howls of approval from pet lovers everywhere.




says Bob Zeinstra, national product marketing manager for Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc., “and more than half of all dog owners consider their pet’s comfort when buying a car. Our goal is to inform these on-the-go pet owners that Venza is a great choice when it comes to creature comfort and pet travel safety options.”

The Venza, which officially went on sale last month, offers more than a dozen pet-friendly creature comforts, the most ever available through Toyota dealerships. Venza’s large cargo capacity and rear hatch allow for easy entrance and loading of pets. Available products include: a rear hatch pet ramp for easy loading and unloading, a leash tether for securing pets in the vehicle, a pet booster seat with harness, a first/second row or cargo area pet barrier, pet seatbelt buckles and rear seat zipline-style harnesses. Waterproof and removable hammock-style seat covers are also available to fit Venza’s bench and bucket seats. Venza, which combines the best features of a car and SUV, is also the first Toyota passenger car to offer Star Safety as standard equipment for all models.

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by John Chandler

Even before Men’s Health magazine announced in 2007 that Portland is “park heaven with the most dogs per resident,” and before Forbes the same year ranked us No. 2 among pet-friendly cities in America, we knew Portlanders were crazy for their four-legged friends. Evidence of our affection is everywhere: consider William Wegman’s dog-bowl art installation in the North Park Blocks or the Oregon Humane Society’s “Pet Cam,” which lets cat-deprived cubicle jockeys peek in on the antics of frolicking felines. In fact, according to our recent online pet survey, Portlanders simply don’t skimp when it comes to lavishing attention on their companions.

Take a look at some of these luxury canine activities Portland has got to offer  including pet-friendly boutique hotel suites, hydrotherapy treatments, deep tissue massages for your pooch, canine four-Star meals, and more.

Extravagant? Perhaps. But the unconditional love of a cat or dog? Priceless. Read more...



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It’s not just people who enjoy the good things in life; pooches too sometimes need a little pampering. For those feeling a little ‘ruff’, launching in August at the award-winning Holbeck Ghyll Country House Hotel in the Lake District, man and his best friend, can enjoy the ultimate in luxury with the Designer Doggy Package.

Celebrated as one of the Lake District’s finest country house hotels, Holbeck Ghyll promises exquisite luxury in a picture perfect setting. With clients including Hollywood actresses, footballers, singers, politicians and royalty, Holbeck Ghyll is used to catering for all needs, tastes and requirements and four-legged friends are no exception.

Priced from £150 per person, per night on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis (based on two adults sharing with one dog) the Doggy Designer Package is guaranteed to put a wag into any tail and includes:

-Stylish accommodation in a choice of rooms, many with ground-floor access
-A Michelin-star dog food menu with such delicacies as rabbit, beef and pork
-A tailor-made doggy bag with delicious treats and chews
-A special bowl for mealtimes
-A blanket for bedtime and a special gift for dogs to take home and treasure

With masses of woodland and beautiful Lake District countryside on the doorstep, Holbeck Ghyll will advise on the many walks that both owners and dogs will enjoy exploring and will also supply disposable bags for those necessary pit-stops along the way. A selection of the Lake District’s dog-friendly establishments can also be provided for those who want to go further afield.

After a day of discovery and canine capers, owners are invited to enjoy a gastronomic experience in the hotel’s coveted dining venue, Windermere’s only Michelin Star restaurant. Whilst canine friends, revel in their own equally exceptional Michelin-meal in the company of hosts, Brook and Solie, the hotel’s friendly Labradors.



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According to Streets.com, Travel Industry Association that "Some 29 million, or 14%, of U.S. adults brought the family pet with them on at least one trip in the past three years. Most travel with a dog (78%), while a few hardy souls traveled with cats (15%).

A few folks even travel with birds, ferrets, rabbits or fish. As the number of non-human guests is substantial, luxury hotels are catering to these animal guests in ways that many people won't experience at more budget-friendly accommodations".

Hostelries around the country are chomping at the bit to cater to pet toting customers whose demands range from standard, if extravagant requests such as a bed that "is fitted with an orthopedic pad, topped with a down-filled cushion" to the nearly farcical.

This includes something called "The Hound of Music," in which a dog is limo'd to a professional recording studio, with a voice coach, to "howl along with a musician or bark to their favorite karaoke beat," with the results preserved forever on a CD with a personalized CD case"! Competing offerings include the Arizona Biltmore's "Zen-Yo" where both cats and dogs get to order from the room service menu that has a hearty vegetable stir-fry with poached eggs & steamed rice, developed especially to help pets adjust to jet lag and altitude".




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