Making your property available to pets as well as people is a great way to increase bookings. If you’re happy to do this, ensure that you have the necessary facilities within the property such as water and food bowls as well as an enclosed garden or courtyard.
One of the fastest-growing sectors of the UK holiday market is in pet-friendly holidays. More and more people want to take their beloved pets away with them - not just because they enjoy the company of their pets, but because leaving them at kennels can be expensive.
Some advise that by not catering to the demand for pet-friendly cottages, you could be missing out on a lot of bookings. About a quarter of holidaymakers take their pets with them on breaks - and by not catering to this demand for pet-friendly cottages, you could be missing out on a lot of bookings. This could be turned on its head, by opening up to that extra 25% you may equally lose out on a similar percentage of people who select property based upon there being a no-pets policy.
From the outset I decided on a no pets policy, since I myself suffer with mild allergies and seasonal asthma. For others this can be quite accute and they have a hard time finding suitable accommodation, especially since 'allergy-free' is something not often posted in accommodation details.
Even if you made a spring clean every week you cannot guarentee to remove all potential allergic reactions. We have many holidaymakers booking our cottage because they feel secure in the knowledge that we have done our best to create allergy-free accommodation. No pets, no smoking, HEPA filtered fresh air using a heat recovery system, vaccuum cleaner with HEPA filter and no carpets.
The loss of income from not accepting pets is debatable since we would have lost out on a percentage of bookings made by allergy sufferers and would have an increase of extra cleaning and repair costs. After all, pets can cause damage - some are poorly trained and others may become disorientated by new surroundings - and this can leave owners facing substantial cleaning and/or repair costs.
Dog and cat allergy (extracts from allergyuk.org)
Dog and cat allergen is found in the animals' saliva, sweat and urine. Animals frequently groom themselves so the allergens coat the hair and skin cells (dander), which, when shed, spread throughout the home. Once the saliva dries, it becomes airborne very easily.
These allergens can be very persistent in the environment, with detectable levels found in homes where no pets have lived for many years, and dog allergen can be found in schools, having been brought there on the clothing and shoes of pupils and teachers. Cat allergen in particular is very 'sticky' in this way.
Despite popular belief, all dogs possess the allergenic material known to produce allergic reactions in humans, and therefore reported differences of sensitivity to different breeds probably relates more to level of exposure. Even breeds that are described as 'hairless' still have allergens found in dander from skin sources. It is possible that longer hair may harbour other allergens such as dust mite, pollens and moulds, to which an individual may also be sensitive. Other persons may be sensitive to substances found on the dog, such as flea powder or soaps.
Also, many dogs (and cats) have skin problems such as eczema, so because of their dry skin and irritation, spread larger amounts of dander.
Exposure to cats during a child's first year of life is an important factor in the development of sensitisation to this allergen. Some studies have shown that children who grow up in homes with pets have more severe symptoms than those in homes without pets; other studies have shown that there may be a protective effect from growing up with pets. However, for those who have eczema, hay fever or asthma, removing pets is the best advice, even if there is no obvious allergy to them at present.
Asthma (extract from allergyuk.org)
Asthma is a common and long term lung condition that requires ongoing management. In asthmatics the airways are sensitive and become inflamed and narrow on exposure to certain triggers, leading to difficulty in breathing. Asthma commonly starts in childhood but it is possible to develop asthma at any age. The causes of asthma are not fully understood, but what we do know is that both the environment and genetics have a role to play in who develops asthma.
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