Over the years, pets have become family members in their own right. So for some owners, it’s no longer acceptable to leave their furry friends home alone when visiting a museum or other tourist attraction.
As a result, certain locations in Europe are now offering pet-sitting services for dogs and other four-legged companions.
The Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia (MUVE), which manages Venice’s 11 municipal museums, has teamed up with a company called BauAdvisor to offer a dog-sitting service to art lovers in Italy. To use it, visitors must reserve a time slot on the BauAdvisor website, specifying the date and time of their visit to the museum of their choice.
A dog walker will then meet them at the entrance of the museum and take care of their pooch while they enjoy their visit in peace, all at a cost of €10 (RM48) per hour. Not a bad way to make money!
While this initiative may sound surprising, it’s a sign of how important pets are in the lives of many Italians. The daily newspaper “La Stampa” estimates that they numbered some 62.1 million in 2021, more than the entire Italian population (59.1 million).
No wonder the country is often described as one of the most welcoming destinations for dogs, cats and other domestic creatures. It also has a wide variety of hotels and restaurants that accept pets, and there are even some dog-friendly beaches, such as Baubeach near Rome, Dog Beach in San Vincenzo, and Bau Bau Beach near Venice.
Neighboring France is not to be outdone, with its 80 million pets. But, like Italy, France does not allow four-legged companions in most historical sites and attractions. That’s why Laetitia Lacote decided to launch Patchguard, a pet-sitting service for dogs at various tourist sites in the Eastern city of Strasbourg.
The idea is similar to that of BauAdvisor, in that dog owners can drop off their furry friend at specially adapted premises of 100 sq m, right in the heart of Strasbourg, while they visit the city’s Notre-Dame cathedral, the Opéra national du Rhin, or the historic wine cellar of the Alsatian city’s Hospices Civils.
Users simply have to sign up via an online form and present the dog’s health records to take advantage of this service, whose prices range from €10 for one hour to €45 for the whole day (eight hours).
All around the world, the tourism industry is innovating to satisfy pet owners who are increasingly discerning when it comes to the wellbeing of their four-legged friends, and do not hesitate to spend extra to ensure that their pet can join them on vacation.
In fact, 52% of pet owners say that they only stay in establishments that welcome pets, according to a TripAdvisor survey. And with nearly one in five (22%) pet owners reluctant to leave their pets alone while visiting tourist sites and attractions, pet sitting services are increasingly responding to a growing demand.