Dog Friendly Travel

You can’t leave Rover behind! I face this battle every weekend when I wheel and deal ways to get my pooch to the Hamptons without smuggling her in my suitcase. For the record, you can take your pooch on the Jitney as long as he/she is crated. If the crate will not fit under your seat, then you must put the dog-in-crate on the seat beside you…and buy an additional ticket for that seat. Do you see the dog-owner dilemma?

Now if you have a small dog who can be toted in a carrier, you are fine. I actually could do it because Mia is only about 30 lbs, but she is a bitch – no pun intended. What if your Rover is a lab, or worse yet, a mastiff. Then how do you get Rover to the Hamptons? Truth be told, you need a car. You need a friend’s car or a pet-friendly driver to tote you to the Jers, Hamptons or Fire Island ferry if you plan to give your pup some beach time.  (Metro North allows dogs up to 65lbs for no additional fee as long as they do no disturb other passengers.) I’ve given up my seat in friends cars and taken the train so my puppy can go, but if you aren’t as generous and don’t want to leave the pooch, it’s going to cost you – either morally or financially.

Someone suggested asking my doctor for medical approval. There are many disorders, besides blindness, that require a “service” dog, such as seizure disorders and various forms of anxiety. I’m too chicken to ask my doctor but certain there are plenty Gotham MDs with shaky moral compasses.

Lucky for us, New York is the land of alternatives with services to fit your every need. For dog owners, there is Pet Taxi. Pet Taxi is serious about getting your pooch to the Hamptons or Fire Island. In fact, they have their own webpage for doing so called Hampton Petney (get it, like Hampton Jitney? so clever!). You an your pooch can travel to the Hamptons or Fire Island together! Genius!
Of course the most economical way is to leave pup at home with your neighbor, brother or friend. But then what fun would that be?  For  information on nationwide dog-friendly beaches, hotels and transportation issues, visit www.dogfriendly.com. Do not forget that dogs might also need some prior vaccination before traveling, be sure to keep a bottle of cough medicine handy. You can find it at kennel cough treatment website.

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Posted by Emma Dinzebach at 12:00 AM
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