Tourism Department Targets Dogs
02.09.2006, 10:24
There is some good news for your pooch - there's room at the inn. The Vermont Tourism Department has a plan to attract four-legged visitors to Vermont to do some sight-seeing.
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Meet Keegan - a Labradoodle from the Boston area - was sight-seeing in St. Johnsbury with his owners. "If we can't find a pet friendly accommodation in a town we don't go there," said Kathleen Dolaher. "I mean we just don't leave him at home and we don't like to have to do kennels, we want him to come with us."
Dolaher used the Web to find a pet-friendly room for Keegan at the Echo Lake Farm Inn. The State Tourism Department has begun branding such properties with a new logo on the Vermont Travel Planner on their website. So far there are 248 statewide.
"While not all properties have the ability to be pet friendly many of them do and allocate about one to two percent of their guest rooms to pet friendly accommodations," said Steve Cook, the Department's Deputy Commissioner.
The logo is the handi-work of artist Stephen Huneck, who hosted his annual Dogfest this weekend. "It's just one of those little things that makes life better for our friends the dogs and consequently for us as humans," said Huneck.
"While we're not, you know, pushing any properties that aren't pet friendly at this time to become pet friendly, we think it's important to call out the properties that are." said Cook.
With the State Tourism Department now catering to Fido, Huneck hopes to convince the Vermont Health Department that dogs can be diners, too. "You know, every time I go to a restaurant all I can do is think, God wouldn't my dog love these scraps." said Huneck.
Huneck says Parisian restaurants welcome canines and thinks Vermont should follow the French lead. But for now, Keegan will have be satisfied with a bed, but no licensed breakfast.