GOING ABROAD WITH YOUR PET

The Pilot Scheme for Pet Passports (which allows travel to most European countries) is now in place.

By Verite Reily Collins   

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food have now introduced the pet passport pilot scheme allowing British dogs and their owners to visit Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway (not Spitzbergen), Portugal, San Marino, Spain (including Canaries but not Ceuta and Melilla) , Sweden, Switzerland and the Vatican.  Provided their vaccinations and papers are in order, they don’t have to go into quarantine.

Now that pets no longer have to stay behind when the family goes off to the Continent, PetPlanet.co.uk sent Rover the Roving Reporter off to sniff out some of Europe’s best dog-friendly hotels. And he warns to make sure you book your ferry or shuttle place in advance; there is no ‘turn up and go’ with pets - they have to be pre-booked.  

On the Continent it is normal for families to take their dogs on holiday, as long as the weather is suitable. Continental hotels are eager to accept British dogs (and cats) and in France, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands and Luxembourg almost every small country hotel welcomes well-behaved pets. But what happens if you want to stay in a city, or push out the boat for a celebration weekend?

Pas de problem (Rover is becoming very European). In large cities and up-market resorts Rover has found hotels that think dogs are part of the family. It is usual to make a small charge for dogs - but food is often included in the price. At the Hotel des Thermes in Brides-les-Bains there is even a special ‘Menu Chien’ (dog menu card), and Rover spent hours deciding if he wanted his meat minced or in morsels, and should he have chicken, or beef, or fish - and did he want rice and carrots, or green beans. Decisions - decisions. Eventually he ticked all the boxes and room service delivered a huge meal.

You might think international hotel chains are very snooty and won’t accept dogs, but Rover’s dog bone classification gave top marks to the Hilton and Novotel/Sofitel chain hotels. Instead of impersonal modern decor, many of these chain hotels are built in old houses with lots of local character. If you are looking for something extra special, Relais & Chateaux hotels are a consortium of small, up-market owner-managed hotels; most are very dog friendly, and allow dogs everywhere except in restaurants.   

Most hotels in the countryside and mountain villages will take dogs; many have hotel dogs of their own. However, some hotels in our guide only accept small dogs. Others may have changed their booking policy and no longer accept dogs - so please check first. Rover says he managed to make himself understood at all the hotels, but they do speak English as well.

Switzerland is very welcoming to dogs and dog owners, but there are penalties if you don’t clear up after your dog - and Swiss citizens will ensure this is carried out. Don’t forget if you go to Martigny in the summer to make time to visit the original Hospice where St. Bernard dogs used to rescue travellers. Swiss trains are an easy way of getting round the country, and dogs are welcome. Regulations say for each dog you would need to purchase a half price 2nd class ticket for your intended journey. If you hold one of the following: Swiss Pass, Swiss Transfer ticket, Swiss Card or Swiss Flexi Pass it is cheaper to purchase a second class version of that pass and in the space reserved for the passengers name you need to write "DOG". You can reserve a seat for the dog as well as yourself and the dog is allowed to sit on the seat as long as it has been covered with paper, a towel or a blanket.

Spain has always been very keen on paperwork, so make sure you keep your pet’s papers with you at all times. Remember, it can be very hot there in the summer, particularly in the south. 

Readers might ask why is Spitzbergen excluded? Because it is a special area of Norway, with links with Russia, which has not been subject to Norwegian veterinary controls so cannot be guaranteed to be rabies-free. 

Rover is a great fan of Lesley Schultz in the Tourism Flanders office; she told him to call up WOEF, the Belgian dog magazine, on www.woef.be. Her telephone number is 09001-887799 if you want more information about Belgium, one of the most dog-friendly countries in the world. The world’s first Police Dog force was founded in Ghent, and in this town they have animal fountains; a tall column with drinking bowl on the top for birds, a trough at waist level for horses and a bowl down below for dogs.

Don’t be surprised if you see dogs in restaurants, particularly in France and the Netherlands. As long as the dog sits quietly under the table, owners can bring them in to many places that serve food. 

So take Rover to the vet for his vaccinations and tests, then head off to Europe and try out some of the many dog-friendly hotels; there are all prices and types, and where possible we have put in email addresses.