Looking For Dog Friendly Holidays?
Once you’ve welcomed your new addition to you family, you won’t really want to leave your dog behind when you go on your annual holiday.
After all, a family holiday would be incomplete without your dog, but thankfully, there are plenty of dog friendly holidays available which mean your dog can have a great break away too.
In years gone by, taking a dog abroad was a risky business; Britain is free from rabies but it is prevalent in countries abroad and so on return to the UK, British dogs had to be quarantined for six months to ensure that they wouldn’t bring rabies into the country. This was obviously traumatic for both dog and owner, not to mention expensive.
It’s now possible to take your dog abroad, and the UK government allows dogs to re-enter Britain from certain foreign countries without having to be put into quarantine providing it has been micro chipped at least eight months before you want to take him out of the country, vaccinated against rabies at least eight months before leaving the country, had a blood test by an approved laboratory and had its passport certified with a successful result.
It takes up to four months for the rabies blood test results to be returned, and if everything is successful, your dog will be issued with a pet passport by the EU.
Your dog would also need to be treated against certain parasites approximately 24 - 48 hours before it re-enters the UK, and this must be certified also in its passport.
So if it’s just a family holiday you are looking to take, it’s not really worth all the hassle of taking a dog abroad with you, not to mention the extra trauma for the dog itself.
Luckily, there are many dog friendly holidays available right here in the UK. Certain holiday parks allow you to take your dog with you for the duration of the stay, and there are holiday cottages in great locations that offer dog friendly holidays.
Staying in a cottage somewhere where there is plenty of countryside to explore is the epitome of an English family holiday. You have non of the hassle associated with family holidays abroad; airport security drama, upset holiday tummies and having to get up at an unreasonable time in the morning in order to catch a flight.
Dog friendly holidays in beautiful country cottages are holidays the whole family will love; allowing all of you to enjoy quality time together without the strains of modern life.
Dom Donaldson is a travel expert.
Find out more about Dog Friendly Holidays and the cottages that await.