The nation’s pet-friendly hotspots for a summer staycation

With foreign travel back on the cards this summer, Brits are once again setting their sights abroad. For pet owners, of whom there are an estimated 14 million in the UK, this brings the return of a common and often worrisome problem – what am I going to do about my furry (or other) friend?

hoo, the hotel room offer platform, has looked into exactly what holidaymakers have to do in order to take their pet abroad, and how much of their holiday budget they’ll have to put towards doing so.

The research shows that: –

• When travelling from the UK into EU countries, pet passports are no longer required, instead they’ve been replaced by the Animal Health Certificate (AHC).

• An AHC costs £180, making it the largest pre-travel cost incurred and must be issued by an official veterinarian. It contains all of the pet’s details, including vaccination information.

• To take a pet to an EU nation, it must be microchipped, which costs around £15 for dogs and cats, and they must also have an up to date rabies vaccination which costs an average of £63 and must be renewed every three years in order to travel.

• Dogs must also receive standard booster and kennel cough vaccinations at a cost of around £83, and cats must be given booster and FeLV vaccinations for just over £50. Dogs must also be treated for tapeworm at a cost of around £25.

• All jabs must be given at least 21 days before travel and in total, the pre-travel cost of taking your pet abroad runs up to £652 for dogs and £603 for cats.

• Additional costs can also include the price of pet plane tickets, ranging from £12-£350 depending on the pet’s size and the airline, a travel carrier (£20-£100) and pet insurance.

• Finally, there are hotel surcharges – money that pet-friendly hotels will charge in order to allow the critters to enjoy the facilities. This will cost an average of £43 per night extra.

• Of course, those who want to holiday with their pets but also want to avoid all of these additional rules and expenses can choose to stay in the UK this summer and enjoy the ever-popular staycation.

• The UK’s most pet-friendly popular staycation destination is Brighton where 37% of hotels are listed as pet friendly, followed by the Cotswolds (36%), Devon (34%), Cornwall (34%), the Lake District (34%), Snowdonia (29%), and the Peak District (29%).