We’re halfway through the summer, but there’s still plenty of time to squeeze a trip in.

If you plan on traveling and taking your pet with you here’s some good information from the Animal Health Care Center newsletter.

Traveling with your pet can be rewarding but challenging if not enough preparation has been made. Planning will help your trip go smoother and should include acquiring any paperwork that is needed, consideration of the temperatures to be experienced and how to deal with them, and obtaining equipment that will make the trip easier.

It is a good idea to first consult with your veterinarian. Make sure your pet is current on all vaccinations. Ask your pet’s doctor about the region to which you will be traveling and whether there are any diseases that require additional vaccines, i.e. Lyme or Lepto, or other measures, i.e. heartworm preventative. It is important your pet have identification; make sure the tag on the collar is current and the printing is legible. Your veterinarian should also implant a microchip into your pet as a form of permanent identification because collars can be lost easily.

Whether traveling by car or plane, you will need to take the current rabies certificate, a list of all other vaccines, and the microchip number. There is a law (rarely enforced), that any animal crossing a state line, by any means of transportation, needs a health certificate, with your veterinarian performing the exam within 30 days. Airlines do require a health certificate; most ask the exam be performed within 10 days of the flight. If your stay exceeds 10 days, you may need a second exam and health certificate for your return flight.

Not all airlines accept pets either in the cargo space or in the passenger section. You will need to call and ask for a reservation. If your pet will fit in a soft-sided crate that will fit under the seat ahead of you, it is better for your pet to travel in the passenger section. If the airline does accept pets, they usually will take only two per plane in the passenger section and they require one person to be traveling for each pet, i.e., one person can’t take two pets.

This is only part of the article, it can be read in its entirety on the Animal Health Care Center site. Located in Arlington, TX. it was  was founded in 1980 and offers a full-service animal hospital, including grooming and boarding, committed to providing the highest standard of veterinary care for pets.

* Photo courtesy AHCC

The following is from the Damn, I Wish I Thought Of That Email Newsletter. It’s part of the “Take Care of the Pets” issue.

We’re a nation of pet lovers: According to a 2005-2006 study by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, 63 percent of U.S. households own at least one pet. Here’s how to take care of them (and their owners):

1.  On the menu

If you allow dogs in your store or restaurant, why not take it a step further by putting something for them on the menu? Chef Eric May of Charcuterie — located in Sierra Madre, CA — created a special menu for the town’s second largest species of inhabitants: Dogs. In addition to the restaurant’s traditional lineup of sandwiches and pasta, they also offer special dishes and portion sizes for any pets that may be looking for a meal.

The Lesson: If you’re opening your doors to pets, why not offer them a few special dishes or products?

2.  On loyalty

If you’d like pets (and their owners) to keep coming back, try extending your loyalty programs to your four-legged customers. Red Lion Hotels recently launched a special loyalty program that awards pets 500 points for each stay that can be redeemed for pets-only gifts. And while their rewards program is fairly high-tech and involves a point system, yours could be as simple as a punch card or a series of coupons that frequent visitors and their pets can use toward future visits.

The Lesson: Keep pet lovers coming back with special incentives and rewards for regular visits.

Learn More: Red Lion Hotels

3.  On the outside

For some businesses, allowing pets on the premises is understandably not an option or isn’t applicable — but that doesn’t mean you can’t offer something special with pet owners in mind. Chicago’s Shirts On Sheffield, a designer clothing retailer, leaves a couple bowls of water and dog biscuits outside the store. Even though pet owners can’t bring animals inside, locals often make an effort to swing by the store during their walks. If a storefront isn’t applicable, other options include sending treats with mail orders (because even if they don’t own a pet, they’ll know someone who does), or equipping your service reps with a few pet toys for house calls.

The Lesson: Don’t let a “no pets” policy get in the way of doing something remarkable for the roughly two-thirds of your customers who own animals.

4.  TripsWithPets.com

If you’re a pet lover that likes to travel with your animal, try TripsWithPets.com com to find pet-friendly lodging throughout the country. The site also offers insight into airline pet policies, as well as some tips on traveling with your animal.

Check it out: TripsWithPets.com

Considering there are over 40 million dog owners those are some great tips for business owners to keep in mind.  Especially in today’s economy where being innovative can make the difference between closing shop or keeping your doors open.

* Pic from the Red Lion Hotels website.

We seem to be on a theme today, dogs who take the fall.

A Wisconsin teen on a class trip to Peru ran into a little trouble with customs before he even got off the ground.  Just like the story before this, involving the checkbook, the family dog got blamed.

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — A Wisconsin teenager using a classic excuse for evading schoolwork missed a class trip to Peru despite his tale being true: The dog ate his passport.

Officials at Chicago’s O’Hare airport told 17-year-old Jon Meier the chewed-on document was fine, but authorities in Miami rejected it and wouldn’t let him board the southbound aircraft.

His family’s 1-year-old golden retriever, Sunshine, chewed a corner of the document, obscuring some numbers. Meier couldn’t get another passport in time to join the trip with his Spanish class from Eau Claire North High School. The 12-day trip ended Monday.

Meier says he can’t blame anyone, not even Sunshine: “I love her too much.”

Okay, I guess in this case the dog is actually guilty. I’m sure Meier must have been very disappointed not being allowed on the flight, I give him kudos for being such a good sport.

*ADOPTABLE: Beethoven is a 12-year-old golden mix, he’s a  Muttville foster dog, they rescue senior dogs.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

I was reading the AJC this morning and came across an article offering advice on places to vacation with your dog.

Towles Kintz shares five dog friendly locations to visit and have a little summer fun. He goes from the beach to the mountains, and a few places in between.

1) Washington, DC

Although monuments and great museums might first leap to mind when you think of the nation’s capital, the city and its Northern Virginia suburbs offer a surprising number of dog-friendly and dog-centric activities. Take a boat ride with your pooch to tour Alexandria’s seaport with Potomac Riverboat Co.’s Canine Cruises (dogs ride free), hike the Mount Vernon Trail, which runs between Alexandria and Mount Vernon, take a hike on Roosevelt Island. Dog-friendly bars and restaurants abound here.

Dog Treat: There are more than 20 off-leash dog parks in the area, and open-air monuments mean that families and their dogs can take in great tourist attractions together.

2) Orlando, FL.

Disney may have a corner on the market in Orlando, but the city has recently been applauded for its efforts to become more dog-friendly. The Winter Park area, which is home to a great off-leash dog park and Sam Snead’s, a restaurant made famous when Gov. Jeb Bush signed the doggy dining law, is particularly welcoming to pets, and there are plenty of hotels – and even some posh resorts – that now accommodate families traveling with their canine companions. Add to that Florida’s natural beauty and state parks (there are eight in the Orlando area), and you’ve got yourself one happy dog.

Dog Treat: Lots of dog-friendly outdoor dining and more than seven off-leash dog parks in the area.

3) Asheville, N.C.

Walking trails and a dog-friendly downtown with lots of outdoor eateries make this a great vacation spot to share with canine companions. Asheville’s residents are known for their laid-back attitudes and carefree spirits, and they are particularly amenable to canine-accompanied tourists.

Dog Treat: Dogs are welcome everywhere, even the grounds of the Biltmore Estate, and the city also boasts two dog parks and a dog-friendly national park.

To find out the final two destinations, along with some great places to stay, read the full article on the AJC.

* Photo courtesy Joe Warwick

When Lisa and I moved to Atlanta from Albany, NY we decided to drive because we couldn’t stand the thought of putting Bo on a plane. There was no way we would let him be stuck in the cold cargo area, terrified and alone.

Nope, instead we drove the nineteen hours with Bo and our cat Moose,  who meowed for pretty much the entire ride. I was just reading about a brand new airline, Pet Airways, that has literally gone to the dogs. If they were around when we moved it’s something we definitely would have considered.

Pet Airways, which begins flights next month between five cities, is exactly what it sounds like: an airline just for pets. But before boa constrictor fans get any ideas, passengers are currently limited to dogs and cats.

Nobody flies in cargo on Pet Airways — it’s first class all the way for Fluffy and Buddy in the cabin of the airlines’ Beechcraft 1900. The plane normally seats 19 humans, but there are no seats for pets, just straps to hold animal carriers (supplied by the airline). The plane holds about 50 average-sized animals, two pilots and one pet attendant. Mind you, the pet need not be “average-sized.” Back in April, the Pet Airways people told me how thrilled they were to get their first reservation for a Great Dane.

Initially, the airline will fly between seven major cities mostly in the Northeast to Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles.

Animal lover and Pet Airways co-founder Alysa Binder says, the comfort and safety of pets is all that matters to them. “Pets will enjoy all the amenities we do,” she said, laughing, “except for cocktails!”

I’ve read about other small airlines where you could fly with your pet, the downside, a $5,000 ticket. While Pet Airways is priced higher than if you were to bring Fido with you on a commercial flight, it’s still relatively inexpensive for what you get. Flights start as low as $149 each way from New York to Chicago. Your pup will be monitored by a pet attendant, travels in the main cabin of the plane, and gets potty breaks.

Dog flight NY to Chicago: $298

Human flight NY to Chicago: $155

Knowing Fido’s safe: priceless

* Pic courtesy of Piere, his vision of Pet Airways?

I just came across this article which refers to Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, but I think this can serve as a good warning for dog lovers across the country.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport officials are warning the public about a scam in which customers spend upwards of a $1,000 on pets that will supposedly be shipped from overseas to the airport for pick-up, only to be detained while the sellers ask for more cash.

The scam, which typically originates in West Africa, involves online ads or unsolicited e-mails offering to ship pets such as dogs, birds and monkeys to the U.S., said airport spokeswoman Katena Carvajales. But once the buyer spends the cash, the seller, posing as an airport official, requests more money and claims the pet is sick and being detained at the airport until it receives vaccinations needed to pass through customs.

Airport officials first learned of the scam about two years ago, but it tapered off until about six months ago, she said. Now, the airport receives a couple calls a week from people seeking information on the pet they believe they purchased. Carvajales said the victims call from across the United States and are typically out about $1,000.

Call me crazy, but aren’t there enough homeless animals in the U.S. to choose from?

* Leroy is really on a plane, no scam here.