Mexico is welcoming pets in more places. In August, Isla Mujeres debuted its first beach where pets are allowed. And around the nation, various hotels declare their love of canine and feline globetrotters with creative amenities and services.
“Mexico is very pet-friendly,” said Paula Prickett, a travel specialist at the appropriately named Black Dog Luxury Travel, a Coastline Travel and Virtuoso affiliate in Montgomery, Texas.
But Prickett warns that travelers with pets need to know the regulations.
“The key is to be educated on the restrictions and requirements to fly, enter and exit the country, as well as to utilize advanced planning,” she said. “Mexico will currently allow two pets per person to enter the country from the United States, but airlines will only allow one pet per person to fly. All pets must be current with vaccines, and health certificates must be obtained from veterinarians. Upon arrival to Mexico, your documents and pets may be checked to insure health quality.”
When organizing a vacation for clients with animals, Prickett qualifies both pet and human to make sure everyone will be happy.
Dog butlers and dog massages are offered at Las Ventanas al Paraiso.
Credit: 2018 Las Ventanas al Paraiso
“I like to look at what my clients want to do on their trip,” she explained. “Do they want to hike, swim and play on the beach with their dog? If so, they need to be in safe areas that allow dogs to do this with them and not be restricted. Or, if this a relaxing, chill time with man’s best friend, then I want to look at properties that will have the environment to cater to both Fido and his human. Mexico has a ton of options and opportunities when traveling with your dog. They have hotels, resorts, beaches, parks, wineries, restaurants and shopping that are all dog-friendly.”
Prickett also pays close attention to the traveling conditions for clients’ pets, including the estimated temperature of cargo holds for animals that will be below the passenger cabin.
“Unfortunately, the tarmac of the airport isn’t temperature-controlled, and I don’t want to put a pet into a potential situation where he/she might be very hot or very cold,” Prickett said. “All of the travel information needed is available online for anyone to access, from airline regulations to national requirements. But the more you know, the less you can avoid problems.”
Prickett also likes to advise clients to be conscious of food. If clients feed pets a raw diet, for example, “they will need to look at bringing freeze-dried food, or switch to another type of food as they cannot import fresh, frozen or refrigerated meat across the border.”
Top Pet-Friendly Hotels in Mexico
Prickett said that her top-selling pet-friendly hotels in Mexico are Nizuc Resort & Spa, on the Caribbean coast; Hotel San Cristobal in Todos Santos, Baja California; and Viceroy Riviera Maya, near Playa del Carmen.
A number of properties around Mexico have piled on the perks for four-legged vacationers. At the W Punta de Mita, guests traveling with furry friends receive a pet kit upon check-in, complete with a bowl each for food and water and a plush bed. At Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya, the housekeeping staff even sews a special “bone” amenity with the pet’s name on it, which the pet can enjoy in his or her own bed.
In Los Cabos, Las Ventanas al Paraiso, a Rosewood Resort offers a Canine Delights menu, with made-to-order dishes served in metallic bowls with faux gemstones, bone-shaped placemats for dogs and kitty-themed placemats for cats. Daily walks, specialized cuisine and even pet massages are among the services provided by the so-called “dog butlers” at the resort, where canine vacationers can also seek inner peace through “doga” (dog yoga) classes. The property can also organize birthday parties for furry revelers. The cake may not taste the same as what’s served at the typical birthday party for humans, but dogs will surely love it.
