Cotswolds Dog Friendly

This dog friendly section of Cotswolds.Info will provide you with all the necessary information to enable you to visit and holiday in this beautiful and unique region of the UK with your canine friend; also included helpful information on dog training.

It goes without saying the Cotswolds is a paradise for outdooor pursuits and walking in the rolling wolds countryside is high on the list of activities and well suited for visiting with your dog.

This section of our website will allow you to choose your dog friendly accommodation, details of attractions that welcome dogs; dog friendly places to eat including restaurants, inns and pubs. We also even include a list of events taking place throughout the year that are designed to be enjoyed with your canine companion.

The Cotswolds region is well endowed with public rights of way over the rolling hills and hidden valleys and an overwhelming choice of visitor attractions that you can share with your dog.

TIPS ON HOLIDAYING WITH YOUR DOG

When planning to take your dog on holiday please remember to mention to the holiday accommodation proprietor that you will be bringing him with you.

If you have more than one dog, or if they are of a particularly large breed, then do remember to mention this at the time of booking.

Do follow the countryside code and ALWAYS keep your dog on the lead when in the vicinity of farm animals.

Consider what to do with your dog whilst visiting attractions or eating in restaurants that don't welcome pets. If possible support pubs & eating places that do!

You may like to consider using the services of a local pet sitter or kennels if you decide that you want to take a full day out to see a major tourist attraction where dogs are not allowed.

Ensure you have access to water for your dog to drink - carry some with you if neccessary.

Never leave your dog unattended in a vehicle when it's hot or even just warm outside. Remember the temperature inside your car will be much higher than outside as the glass will act like a greenhouse. Not only will the heat already inside be retained but it can increase to DOUBLE the outside temperature. Dogs will quickly suffer from heat exhaustion and CAN DIE.

If you do see a dog left in a car and it appears to be in distress call the RSPCA or police immediately.

It is always best to exercise dogs in the cooler hours of a hot day - early morning and late evening are often the most agreeable times.

When going on holiday it is a good idea to use a temporary name & address tag in case you loose your dog. Include details of the address of your holiday accommodation and, if appropriate, the telephone number – if you have a mobile phone then that number could also be included.

In case of a holiday emergency you might like to consider taking note of a veterinary surgery that is local to your holiday accommodation, your accommodation provider will help with this.

ENJOY YOUR COTSWOLDS HOLIDAY

DOG FRIENDLY NEWS BOARD

The domestic travel industry should be gearing up to offer pet-friendly holidays, according to research issued at Word Travel Market.

The UK pet population is estimated at 49 million, with spending on pet food and pet care products forecast to reach £2.7 billion this year based an annual growth of 4% a year. 

The report forecasts that pet travel looks set to grow by an estimated 6% year-on-year for the next five years. Dogs represent almost 80% of all holidaying pets in the UK.

"Demand is growing for pet-friendly holiday packages and facilities, definitely a niche market to watch as pet-power becomes the new pester-power," the WTM Global Trends report says.

"It presents opportunities for additional revenue growth of up to 30% per year for hotel and travel agents which choose to incorporate pet services," the report, prepared by Euromonitor International, says. "Players catering to pets will be best placed for dynamic returns in the next five years."

The report suggests that the trend towards treating animals as family members means that consumers are no longer content in leaving pets behind when on holiday. This trend is driving demand for more pet-friendly facilities and travel products.

The UK trends report predicts that the UK domestic tourism industry will be the "biggest beneficiary" of growth in the pet travel sector as overseas travel continues to present much more hassle to owners due to strict quarantine policies, vaccinations and other tests.

"The emergence of pet travel is therefore good news for domestic tourism players. Which have suffered from the industry's underperformance since the onset of foot-and-mouth disease in 2001," the report adds.

But only certain accommodation providers cater "enthusiastically" to the needs of travellers with pets, while transportation companies tolerate pets at best if at all.

"There remains no transportation or tour operator service specifically targeted towards this consumer group. Pet owners are prepared to pay a premium to guarantee the health and well-being of their four-legged friends, up to over 30% on standard prices," the report discloses.

The next two years will see many more hoteliers coming onto the scene offering pet-friendly services, Euromonitor predicts.

"Considering the success of pet services enjoyed in the US such as PAW (Pets are Welcome) offered at Starwood's W Hotels, it may not be long before other international hotel chains, such as Inter-Continental Hotels and Hilton also introduce similar pet schemes in the UK," according to the report.

Dogs Welcome in the Cotswolds