Every year, millions of happy pets hit the road with their people for a fun and relaxing holiday. Fortunately, a varied selection of accommodations are available to pet-toting travelers, including bed & breakfasts, hotels, ski chalets, spas, and cottages. Not only do some of these lodgings allow pets... but they cater to them, too.

"Many people with pets consider them to be an important part of the family. When an accommodation makes a distinct effort to welcome their pets, then the guests feel genuinely welcome too. Happy guests are much more inclined to come back and to tell others, so it makes sense for lodgings to add that extra special touch," comments Angela Wu, founder of the PET FRIENDLY Canada directory and owner of four pets. Some of the extras available to people traveling with pets may include:

* Items for use during their stay, such as bowls for food and water, a comfy pet bed or blanket, pet towels for wiping paws, leashes, bags for picking up after the dog, and litter boxes for visiting felines.

* A "pet welcome basket" that may include such items as treats or a toy... perhaps even a doggie biscuit placed artfully on the pet bed before bedtime!

* The option of staying in ground-floor rooms, rooms that open onto gardens or green spaces, or rooms near elevators. Travelers with dogs sometimes prefer these types of rooms since they offer a quick, easy way to get outside with the pooch.

* Coupons for local pet businesses such as gourmet doggie bakeries.

* A list of nearby pet-related services including veterinarians, pet-sitters or doggy daycares, and parks or pathways where dogs are permitted, including some which may offer off-leash playtime.

* Some lodgings will even donate a portion of any applicable "pet fees" to a humane society or other pet charity.

The PET FRIENDLY Canada community connects pet-friendly accommodations with the pet-loving public, and can be found on the web at www.PetFriendly.ca.