Petfrendly boarding house that loves animals

Laura: The boarding house where pets are allowed was not first on the list. Passing from Bucharest to Brasov, I noticed that in Brasov there were no dog kennels or daycares, people who went on holiday and could not travel with their dogs had to leave them in dog kennels in Bucharest. So I went to the Veterinary Health Directorate to ask for information on the establishment of a dog boarding house. Although the staff was very kind, they could only give me information on the minimum requirements that a dog shelter must meet, not a kennel (they don’t have a guide for dog kennels). I started looking for land outside the city, not too far from services, ideally with services already present on the land, but still a little further from the houses so as not to disturb the neighbours. I needed a lot large enough to accommodate 2 buildings (the dog kennel and my future home), lots of space to run, etc. After months of searching, without finding something that met all the requirements and was within my budget, I focused on finding a tourist boarding house that obviously accepted pets. Having already had a dog, Dexter, I knew how difficult it is to find a pet-friendly facility. After several months of searching, I found what I wanted in Moieciu de Sus.

Petmax: do you have animals? Did you bring them before or after boarding?

Laura: Yes, I have 2 dogs, one before retirement and one after.

I have had Dexter for 7 years and opened the guesthouse 4 years ago. Dexter is a charming male fox terrier, we have known each other since he was about 3 months old and we have been spending time together ever since.
Milka arrived almost 2 years after I moved to Moieciu de Sus. She was hit by a car, taken into care by an association in Brasov that deals with dog rescue (ANU), operated on, then hospitalized for several weeks because she could not use her hind limbs. She needed a fenced yard where she could be supervised, safe from danger and recover with her (physical exercises, treatments, creams, etc.). After a month, Milka started walking and from a foster carer she became a failed foster carer and spends her carefree old age in Moieciu. Milka is currently about 12 years old.

Petmax: What is the area like where you retired? Is it a place where people care about their animals and are willing to keep them in their home/boarding house?

Laura: Moieciu de Sus is a wonderful area, a little airier and less crowded than the Prahova Valley, the landscapes are absolutely beautiful. People who come here for the first time are absolutely thrilled with the area and rightly so. However, Moieciu de Sus is a village where preconceptions about animals are deeply rooted in people’s minds. That is, the dog must only stay outside, possibly chained, to eat leftovers from the popular table, cats cannot enter the house and rarely receive food because otherwise they don’t catch mice. Unfortunately, people here, as in many other areas of the country, are not very attentive and caring towards their animals, especially those that produce nothing (milk, meat, etc.). Obviously here the dogs are not sterilized, much less dewormed or microchipped. Another problem is the dogs left loose in the village who inevitably get hit by cars. Locals look skeptically at people who live in apartments with dogs and go on holiday or go on holiday with them. As a result, few guesthouses accept pets, a similar situation throughout the country, not only in the Moieciu area. Of course there are exceptions, people who rescue dogs, sterilize them for free through free sterilization programs or at their own expense, or who give dogs up for adoption. Unfortunately, these people remain only exceptions.

Petmax: How was the idea of ​​accepting dogs in the boarding house received by tourists? Both those with dogs and those without dogs

Laura: Surely tourists who have at least one pet were enthusiastic about the existence of another pet-friendly guesthouse. Of course, there are people who, not having dogs, do not understand what a guesthouse that accepts pets means or that does not tolerate the presence of one or more dogs inside. To make things as transparent as possible, I inform all people who make a reservation with us that we are a pet friendly property and that there will most likely be dogs in the common areas and courtyard. Anyone who is disturbed by the presence of dogs is advised to go to accommodation that does not accept pets.

Petmax: What does a pet-friendly boarding house need in addition to one that does not accept animals?

Laura: I don’t know if this should be one of the basic requirements of a pet-friendly boarding house, but a large, fenced yard is welcome. The guesthouse is located close to the main road and therefore I consider the fence absolutely necessary. Furthermore, a powerful vacuum cleaner especially for animal hair, but also towels, bowls of water or food, feces bags, toys are welcome. Last but not least, I would like to mention that the existence of special regulation for pet owners is very useful. And obviously the patience to explain to everyone that we are a pet friendly guesthouse and what this entails.

Petmax: What problems did you encounter when placing people with animals?

Laura: The regulation for pet owners came after some unpleasant experiences, from peeing in the house, to gnawed or scratched doors, to excessive barking, to ornamental plants or trees being destroyed, to dogs being locked in rooms for hours or left unattended in the yard. Therefore, before making the reservation, the tourist is invited to read our regulations. Most fur owners follow the rule, but unfortunately there are exceptions.

Petmax: Besides dogs, what other animals are welcome in the boarding house?

Laura: All pets are welcome. We have hosted parrots, guinea pigs, hamsters and cats as well as dogs of all breeds and sizes. A lady came with the kitten in a special backpack with a porthole so she could take it for a walk. A couple was walking with a fish on a leash along the path. We love hosting people with their pets and, through our pet friendly policy, we encourage people to spend as much time as possible with their companions.

Petmax: Have you hosted various events involving animals?

Laura: The first event was the team building of those from ANU (Animals Need Us), an NGO in Brasov that deals with the rescue of stray animals and which also welcomed Milka after she had been hit by a car. Of course, all ANU members have at least one adopted dog or cat and came with them to the team building.
Subsequently I collaborated with a trainer from Bucharest who organizes 3-day training workshops with daily individual/group training so that people can improve their relationship with the dog and the dog can have fun with his humans and other dogs.

I cannot fail to mention the regular encounters that the “gangs” of border collies, golden dogs or Pomeranians have.
There are also events that happen on their own, without prior organization, when on a weekend every room booked had at least 1 dog, some 2 or even 3. There were about 12 dogs, of different breeds and sizes, everyone got along very well. But perhaps more important than the fact that there were no problems with the dogs was the fact that people (adults, children) who didn’t know each other before became friends and still keep in touch today. We called the event Great Escape because over the course of 2 days the dogs played and ran nonstop, people socialized, made friends, everyone felt amazing. From my point of view, this means a successful weekend. Very soon we will host the third edition of the Great Escape.

Petmax: Being able to welcome pets, does the guesthouse require a higher level of hygiene?

Laura: Obviously. As I said before, we have a great vacuum cleaner with special brushes for pet hair. In addition to other professional cleaning products, this is a real help. More time is certainly spent cleaning a room where a dog was also housed, but this doesn’t bother us in the slightest.
Petmax: Are you thinking of doing something more for the dogs, a playground?
Laura: Absolutely. The yard is quite large and there are plans to set up a dog playground with several agility obstacles. I would also like to have an indoor playground so, when the weather is not favorable, the dogs can have fun with their owners.

Petmax: How do tourists who don’t have animals reconcile when they wake up with dogs in the guesthouse, in the common areas?

Laura: As I said before, tourists are informed in advance that we are a pet friendly guesthouse. The reactions are totally different. Some do not understand what pet friendly means and ask for additional explanations. Most of them are very excited to have the opportunity to play with one or more dogs and are not bothered by their presence at all. Obviously there are people who, despite knowing full well where they made their reservation, are then annoyed by the size or number of dogs.

Like Pension Tara in Moieciu de Sus, there are countless other pensions and hotels that are eager to welcome our four-legged friends. A careful search on Booking or Facebook for groups with this specificity and nothing will stop us from planning the next holiday. Don’t forget, just by respecting the rules of the guesthouse/hotel and taking responsibility for our fur, more accommodation units will be willing to open their doors not only to us humans, but also to our friends dogs, cats or any other animal we have.