Tips for Hotels who want to become Pet Friendly
While allowing pets will increase your vacation rental pool, it will also increase the wear and tear on your hotel rooms. If you are considering offering your hotel rooms, for people bringing their pets, you will likely want to do the following things.
1.Take Out the Carpeting
Dogs, cats, and other pets may tear up or otherwise damage your carpeting. To avoid having to repair or replace carpeting after a misbehaving animal destroys it, replace all, or at least most, of your carpeting in your home with wood-look laminate, tiling, or another flooring that is likely to better withstand your guests’ pets.
2. Create a Pet-Friendly Outdoor Space
Pets can’t read signs. They can, however, use their nose. A dog’s nose is 10,000 times more sensitive than ours. The pheromones from other dogs in an outdoor grassy spot indicates to another dog that this is a good spot to go to the toilet (instead of rooms).
When listing a hotel room, you will want to make sure to highlight this outdoor grassy area, even including a few pictures of it so potential guests can see why your property is a great place for them to stay with their pets.
3. Let Your Guest Know About Other Local Pet-Friendly Locations
PetCloud’s Apps have pet friendly locations across Australia, but if there are more to add near your hotel, please tell us: service AT petcloud DOT com DOT au
4. Establish Rules
To ensure that your guests and their pets treat your property with respect, you will need to establish rules. These rules should be included in the contract and should be posted somewhere on the rental property. You can frame the rules and put them on a wall in the living room or in another area where your guests can see them.
Your rules may include stipulations about how many pets your guests can bring, what types of pets are allowed in the rental, and any fines or fees you will charge, either for disobeying the rules or for any damage that their pets cause to the property.
Some hotel owners choose to charge a pet deposit if a person brings along a pet. Then you can return all or a portion of the deposit if the renter’s pet does not cause damage. Make it clear that this is a pet-friendly property. Those with pets, as well as those without pets (or those with allergies), will appreciate this courtesy. (Those who have pet allergies may want to bring their antihistamine tablets).
5. Don’t Discriminate against big dog breeds.
Quite often large dogs are often much calmer and quieter than their tiny, high-energy smaller breeds. Perhaps restrict based on breed, or whether they have been toilet trained and obedience trained instead.
6. Provide Awareness Training for Grounds Staff and Hotel Cleaners
Even though you will want to make sure that your hotel rooms are thoroughly cleaned after every guest with an enzyme spray to remove any pheromones, even just a few leftover dog hairs could cause a problem for someone with a pet allergy, or an outbreak of fleas. Pets absorb poison through their paws, so any cleaning and pesticides used on the property will need to be non-toxic for pets.
7. There is potential Liability with Offering Dog Treats
If you’re considering allowing pets in your hotel, you are likely an animal lover yourself. You may be thinking of leaving treats for the pets so they will feel like an appreciated guest.
You could have a cookie jar full of dog treats or include a package of treats on the counter for your animal guests to enjoy. Let your guests know that these are complimentary. You may even want to ask your guests about their pet’s favourite treats or any dietary restrictions so you can pick out the right treats for your new furry guest.
Just bear in mind that different pets do have vastly different diets according to their needs. Switching their diets can cause upset tummies, Upset tummies can cause dogs to vomit or have diarrhea. Vomit can ruin your carpets, stain, and leave smells and be a cleaning expense. If you are then blamed for any illness for treats supplied, you could be up for expensive Vet Bills.
Of course, these are just a few tips for hotel owners. The key really is to make your rental pet-friendly while also making it clear that you expect your guests, both humans and animals, to show respect toward your property.
8. Daily Dog Walks will promote relaxation, & relieve Dogs of Anxiety & Boredom
If guests are wanting to go to theme parks for the day, snow skiing, or National Parks or some Beaches, Marine Park protected Beaches, National Parks, and Theme parks don’t allow pets.
So, leaving Fido locked up in-doors all day may cause an excess of built up energy which may result in excess barking or room destruction. Enrichment treat toys, Doggy Day Care, & Dog Walks can prevent this. Caravans and Cabins in particular will also need ventilation and heating or cooling to be running all day to avoid heat stroke over summer if pets are left behind, increasing running costs.
9. Introduce a Mandatory Hotel Pet Policy
The Hotel Pet Policy Agreement should be reviewed and signed before the stay begins.
Example Hotel Pet Policy
- A Pet Deposit must be paid for before the stay begins.
- Do not allow your pet to jump up on any guests.
- Sufficient Pet Waste Bags should be brought to last the period of the stay.
- Sufficient rolls of paper towels must be brought to clean up any pet messes.
- For any dogs not toilet trained, a sufficient supply of puppy pads/wee mats must be brought to last the length of the stay.
- All poos must be picked up and disposed of in a rubbish bin.
- Any wee messes must be cleaned up using enzyme wee spray in room.
- No more than 2 pets per room.
- Owners must have full control of their pet at all times. Dogs must be on-leash or in-carrier outside of the room.
- No dogs allowed in indoor breakfast areas or by the pool.
- Do keep your pet’s noise level to a minimum.
- Please advise the front desk of times when away from the room so that housekeeping can be scheduled during that time, as they will not enter when your pet is present.
- Hotel management has discretion to deem a dog disruptive. If this happens while you’re away, they have the right to call you for removal and booking of an external stay at a Pet Sitter’s home at your expense.
- Damages to the room will incur additional fees.
(Some hotels charge a non-refundable pet fee and add this into their policy).
10. Email Tips to Pet Owners before they arrive.
Example Tips to Print out for Staying Pet Owners
- DO bring sufficient supply of Waste Bags to last the length of the stay.
- DO bring enough of their food to last the length of the stay.
- DO exercise them daily. This will help them relax.
- DO bring enzyme wee spray to clean up any messes
- DO bring their collar and leash and or carrier
- DO de-flea your pet before they come to stay.
- DO bring enrichment treat toys or meaty bones to chew (so they’re less likely to chew up the room).
- DO book a ground floor room: it makes bathroom trips easier, elevators can stress dogs out, and if they’re anxious or over-excited they won’t disturb the neighbours below.
- DO bring a familiar sheet or blanket for the bed or couch.
- DO bring a crate, enrichment treat toys.
- DO bring anti-anxiety chews (speak to your Vet)
- DON’T expect usual in-home behaviour. Travel anxiety causes all sorts of reactions.
- DO Use the “do not disturb” sign so any door-knocking housekeeping staff won’t get your dog barking.
- DON’T leave your dog unattended if they’re anxious and have not adapted to the room. Doggy Day care can be booked with a nearby Sitter (see PetCloud).
- DO slowly get them used to you leaving them with a short stroll to see how they react.
If you appreciated these tips, and think it has saved your hotel and staff, time, money, and stress, please consider giving a donation to the amazing folks at the RSPCA to help them continue their work.
