vancouversun.com
On a recent trip to Huntington Beach, Calif., Jen Reeder chose a hotel for one specific reason: the room-service menu. For dogs.
“It was called a ‘Yappy Hour’menu,” says Reeder, who is president of the Dog Writers Association of America and frequently travels with her dog, Rio, a six-year-old Labrador retriever mix.
She selected steak and vegetables from the menu for Rio, and his meal was served on a proper dish with a lid, just like human food.
“It’s sort of spoiled him,” Reeder says. “Now, every time we get room service in a hotel he expects that he’s going to get his own special plate.”
Reeder isn’t alone when it comes to her travel priorities. According to research conducted by the American Pet Products Association, dogs and road trips go together like, well, Kibbles ‘n’ Bits. In 2006, 19 per cent of dog owners took their pooches with them on a road trip. In 2014 (the most recent data available), that number nearly doubled to 37 per cent.
Hotels are responding with open arms and chef-made treats as doting pet parents look for pet-friendly brands when they travel.