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Pet policies at top amusement parks in North America

A visit to a theme park is a summertime ritual for many North Americans, however, keep in mind when planning your trip, Rover may or may not be welcome.

Canada’s Wonderland, Vaughan, Ontario – Grade: B+ 
Located about 25 miles north of Toronto, the park is home to the nation’s biggest roller coaster, the Behemoth. As for pets, for a daily fee of $6, the park provides an air-conditioned self-serve kennel facility equipped with a water faucet, bowls and kennel cages up to 28” height. Although it’s not exactly doggie daycare – guests are responsible for feeding, watering and exercising their pets – at least your four-legged family member will be cool and comfortable on a hot summer day. 

Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio – Grade: B+ 
Cedar Point, known as the roller coaster capital of the world, is similar to Canada’s Wonderland, with a self-serve kennel facility called Pet Chek. For $15 per animal, per day, your pet will be provided a cage or run, dry dog food and fresh water. Owners may return to feed their pet throughout the day; overnight lodging is not available. 

Knoebels Amusement Park, Elysburg, Pennsylvania – Grade: A+
Offering free admission since 1926, Knoebels is a classic theme park with a nearby campground of 550 sites and 36 log cabins. Dogs are welcome at the park: “It has long been the policy of the park to allow dogs to visit with their families,” according to an e-mail from the park. “We do insist that all dogs be on leashes and kept under control, and of course all pet owners are required to clean up after their pets.” 

Noah’s Ark, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin – Grade: D
Billing itself as America’s largest water park, Noah’s Ark offers 51 water rides, 2 giant wave pools, two rivers, and 4 children’s water play areas, however pets are not allowed and nearby pet boarding facilities are available. 

Schlitterbahn Waterpark, New Braunfels, Texas – Grade: F
Family-owned and operated, Schlitterbahn Waterparks operates three parks in Texas, but the best is in New Braunfels, according to Lonely Planet. Unfortunately, the onsite resort does not allow pets. 

Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, New Jersey – Grade: D
As the largest park in the Six Flags system, Six Flags Great Adventure – home of the tallest and fastest roller coaster in America. Other than service animals, pets are not permitted in the park. The park website offers information on nearby pet boarding kennels.

Universal Studios Hollywood, Los Angeles – Grade: A
From theme park rides and shows to a real working movie studio, visitors can enjoy a full day of action-packed entertainment. Complimentary kennel services are available during park hours. Only water is provided, so visitors are advised to bring pet food and toys or belongings to help make their pets’ stay comfortable. 

Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom, Orlando, Florida – Grade: C
Magic Kingdom theme park – Disney’s Orlando original – covers 107 acres including classic displays like Main Street, U.S.A. and Tomorrowland. Other than service dogs, pets are not permitted. Kennel facilities located across from Disney’s Port Orleans Resort offer accommodations, activities and amenities for pets like grooming and doggie day camp. 

Research your pet-friendly vacation online
Whether you choose to spend your summer vacation at the cottage or campground, or sightseeing on road trips, the main thing is enjoying quality time with your furry family members. For more information on pet-friendly vacations, check out websites like bringfido.com or dogfriendly.com.

Credit:  FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Pets Files

Summer safety tips for your pet

This summer, ensure your pets are safely geared up for summer heat, traveling and outdoor activity. Whether they’re lounging around at home alone while you’re slaving away at the office – 54 percent of us leave our pets home alone while we’re at work according to a recent U.S. survey – or hitting the road, keep these tips in mind to ensure furry family members enjoy a safe and fun summer.

Keep cool and hydrated
With temperatures warming up and pets spending more time outdoors, make sure they stay hydrated with fresh water throughout the day. For longer car trips, store a travel water bowl in your vehicle.

For longer walks, tuck a collapsible fabric travel bowl in your pocket – it can easily be filled at any public fountain or restroom, or put to good use while you’re relaxing and rehydrating on the outdoor patio. Or you can rely on the kindness of strangers by asking shopkeepers for a bowl of water for Rover.

If you spend a lot of time outdoors, you may want to invest in a pair of doggie sunglasses or “doggles” as one manufacturer calls them. Whether you’re camping, traveling, or swimming, take a look at some of these summer pet essentials.

Keep Fido afloat
If you’re spending time a lot of time in or around the pool, lake or beach, dogs are like toddlers and need to be kept safe. Should a dog become exhausted or fall into the water, it’s important that the pet remains visible from the shore and boats, and a quality flotation device does the job.

Other wonderful inventions include special doggie steps that attach to the side of the pool, allowing pets to safely exit the pool. A specially-designed ramp-style boat ladder, which clamps onto the boat’s swimming ladder, allows your pet to easily climb back aboard after a cooling dip.

Buckle up on the road
When you hit the road this summer, make sure pets are properly restrained to prevent driver distraction and to keep pets, passengers and other drivers safe. According to the American Automobile Association, unrestrained pets cause more than 30,000 accidents annually.

With the average dog enjoying about five car trips per year, it’s crucial to keep pooches properly secure and comfortable. Before setting out, check out travel products like the Roadie seat belt for pets. The vet-approved adjustable device is made of the same type of webbing used in human seat belts, and easily attaches to any vehicle’s seatbelt system.

Keep pets away from the grill
With all the delicious scents in the air, make sure pets stay clear of hot grills and food. Instead, use an outdoor tie-out to ensure the dog is not sniffing around under the hot barbecue, and distract them with some of yummy treats of their own.

Load up on toys
Keep pets busy and entertained during long days and car travels by keeping plenty of toys on hand. Hint: For a relaxing trip, you may want to choose an ultrasonic squeaky toy that only your pet can hear. And don’t forget to get a few human summer toys of your own – like a state-of-the-art barbecue or a new chaise for the patio.

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Pets Files

Train travel rules for your pet

In a lengthy letter to the Ottawa Citizen, pop singer Jann Arden noted that as a musician she travels for a living, usually accompanied by her 4-lb. Morkie (Yorkshire Terrier and Maltese) named Midi, which has been on more than 175 flights since it was just a 9-week-old pup.

Unaware that Via Rail had a ‘no pets in passenger cars’ policy, the Insensitive singer noted that none of the rail company workers said anything to her as she and her very visible dog boarded the train, and that in Europe “there are more dogs than people on the trains. It’s so interesting and fun. Everybody puts up with everybody else’s surroundings. It was never a problem.”

Part way through the journey, Arden was suddenly told that her dog Midi would have to travel in a cage, which they would pick up at the next stop, in the train’s heated baggage compartment.

However, the singer preferred to disembark and travel by car with her pooch. The singer-songwriter said goodbye to her travelling companions and told them she’d “get to Ottawa somehow. The show must go on…..Like I said, I travel 250 days a year….”

She didn’t know where she was being let off, and apologized later for stating she was in the “middle of nowhere,” explaining “it was not meant to be an insult to the fine people of Oshawa. If you saw the train station and where it is located, you’d know exactly what I meant…there is a car dealership and 10 acres of parking lot… the station is under construction. … I am sorry if i made it sound like I didn’t like Oshawa…”

So what are the rules when you’re traveling by train with your pet? The U.S. has the strictest policy and Europe the most lenient, while Canada falls somewhere in the middle.

Pet policies for train travel in North America and Europe

U.S. – Amtrak
Amtrak has a tough pet policy: only service animals are allowed on the train. They do not allow any other animals whatsoever, not even in the baggage car. End of story.

Canada – VIA Rail
Pets, excluding guide dogs, are not allowed in passenger cars. As long as they weigh less than 32 kg or 70 lb, dogs, cats, and small rodents must travel in the baggage car, which means aboard trains that offer checked baggage service. Service charges for transporting an animal range between $15 and $50, but will not exceed the cost of a ticket at the adult regular fare.

Europe – Eurail
In Europe, the rules for bringing pets differ by country, and sometimes even per train, however, on most trains, you’re permitted to bring along a smaller pet, as long as they don’t take up a passenger seat.

In most countries, you can bring along small animals in cages or boxes for free. Sometimes, you have to pay a small fare, depending on the size of the animal.

As a general rule, passengers may take dogs without a box or crate, provided they are on a leash and muzzled. Special provisions may be applicable to guide dogs for the blind.

Eurail suggests travelers check the websites of the national railway companies for information about bringing pets on board.