In Taipei, Taiwan there are a few luxury hotels that have gone to the dogs, literally. In an attempt to help keep people from dumping their dogs due to lack of time and space you can now bring them to a hotel complete with suites and pools. This isn’t quite as altruistic as it sounds, there is a price.
To get your dog a day of fun you’ll pay the equivalent of $14 a day, which is quite affordable to the more affluent Taipei family. The price includes food, swimming, walks, and more.
Here are the details from Reuters.
It’s just like day care for children,” said Kevin Lin, a former Wall Street employee who now owns the luxury Pet’s Dream Park hotel. “A major reason I opened this business is to ease the stray dog problem.”
Rescue shelters and private individuals in Taipei also offer basic pet boarding services, but Pet’s Dream Park and its suburban competitor, Little Treasure Pet Lodging and Comfort School, offer a deluxe alternative.
“I’ve seen small dogs kept in cages and wondered why if people can live in such nice surroundings dogs can’t also,” said Yao Pen-thun, owner of the Little Treasure hotel.
Some customers leave their animals for months at a times as business travel requires long stays outside Taiwan. There are between 30 and 60 dogs, and the odd cat, at each property.
At Pet’s Dream Park, dogs spend hours paddling in an indoor pool or getting groomed at a beauty parlor. Nervous pets get their own VIP rooms at no extra charge.
Little Treasure takes its dogs for nature walks, and makes them listen to stories to help their mood, its website says.
I wouldn’t mind spending a day at either of those places, if it were closer I’d have Lisa drop me off in the morning and pick me up at night.
