We find dogs are much better behaved than people. This was my first weekend getaway with my yellow Lab, Sparky, who has now joined the growing ranks of four-legged vacationers. The 1997 edition has 23,000 such accommodations. Hotels that welcome animal guests, meanwhile, have noticed more dogs in the past year or two. Perhaps new books and Web sites on the topic have inspired doting pet owners, who don't need much encouragement, to start traveling with Rover.
Most pet traffic is limited to dogs, for obvious reasons.
They want to be where their owner is, while cats typically prefer to stay put. While most pet trippers prefer to travel by car, many airlines allow dogs, cats, and sometimes birds and other creatures into the baggage hold. Animals small enough to stand comfortably under the cabin seat can usually fly in a ventilated carrier as carry-on baggage. No matter how a pet travels, veterans recommend affixing an ID tag to the collar with the vacation address. Dog lovers can opt for any number of itineraries.