Pet owners looking to go on vacation often find themselves in a bind when it comes to deciding what to do with their furry companions. In Jakarta, however, this is becoming less of a problem, with the city seeing a rise in services from pet hotels to pet transportation agencies.

Pet hotels are popular as they give owners the option to leave their pets behind without constantly worrying about their safety and comfort.

A cat owner in Bintaro, South Tangerang, Banten, Andena Rafli, said she would hand her cat off to a pet hotel during the Idul Fitri exodus because she trusted it would treat her pet well.

“One of my cats, named Scooby, is suffering from a kidney problem.” she said, adding that she had been using pet hotel services for more than 10 years every exodus.

One of the popular pet hotels for cats during the exodus season is Hoema Cat, Bintaro.

Inside the pet hotel are 75 spacious multistory rooms. Cats at the hotel are given food, clean water and a litter box.

Hoema also has a separate playing room, complete with scratching boards, climbing steps and small houses and beds where the cats can play and relax.

Julian, the caretaker of the kennel, said renting a room cost Rp 90,000 (US$6.27) per day if the pet owner provided their own food and Rp 95,000 with food provided by Hoema.

Meanwhile, in Kemang, South Jakarta, lies Vodka & Latte, a 108-room dog hotel, cafe and grooming salon. Established in 2014, Vodka & Latte also has a grooming salon, pet shop, lounge, café and veterinarian service. Other services on offer include washing and trimming, styling, spa, daycare, coloring and tattooing.

Vodka & Latte rooms are divided into three categories: standard, superior and deluxe. The hotel is fully air-conditioned and provides aromatherapy and relaxing music in deluxe rooms. Pet hotel “guests” also have access to a dog pool and a playground.

Before checking in to Vodka & Latte, all pets must be vaccinated and go through a full checkup at the salon to make sure they have no fleas and open wounds that might contaminate other pets.

The price is Rp 125,000 for a standard room, Rp 175,000 for a superior room and Rp 275,000 for a deluxe room.

Even though pet hotels provide safe and comfortable spaces for pets, some pet owners still choose to bring their pets with them when traveling.

“I brought my dog along because she seemed to be getting restless at home. I thought a change of pace would calm her down and make her happier,” said NK, an Indonesian residing in the United States who chose to bring her 11-month-old beagle on a flight.

“She interacted with other dogs during my trip and when we returned her behavior improved.”

Veterinarian Gustav A. Mueller said pet owners needed to consider several things before bringing their pets on trips, such as the size of the kennel, food and water during a trip, air circulation and the temperature inside vehicles.

"The maximum temperature for cats and dogs is 25 degrees Celsius, but for long-haired dogs the ideal temperature sits at around 15 to 18 degrees. Under no circumstances should you ever put your pets in the trunk because they will be at risk of getting a heatstroke" Mueller said.

Mueller added that different types of pets also had different preferences. For example, cats prefer dark surroundings inside the vehicle while dogs tend to love a well-lighted setting.

"If you travel by car, it would be better to put your pets in your laps instead of putting them inside a cage. You could also play special music to help them relax," he said.

If pet owners wish to bring their pets to travel by train, they can use a delivery service provided by Kalog, the logistics subsidiary of state-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia.

Before a trip, pet owners must send their pets to the nearest Kalog office, which will send pets to the final destination within 24 hours. The pet owners will then have to pick up their pets at the Kalog office in the destination city.

Another option to transport pets is by using pet transportation agencies such as Groovy Pet Transport in Kemang.

Established in 1997, Groovy provides airplane services in and out of the country, including assistance at airports.

During the holiday season and the summer, Groovy sees a 200-percent increase in customer traffic from the usual 30 number of pets transported per month.

Groovy requires the pets to have rabies vaccinations and get blood tests and microchips before being transported. The owners also need to apply for entry and exit permits with the Agriculture Ministry at least two weeks before the departure date.

The pricing ranges from Rp 6 million to Rp 8 million, depending on the size of the animal and their traveling container and the destination.

The high price is due to Groovy’s credibility, as it received official certification from the government and the International Pet Animal Transport Association (IPATA).

If pet owners are willing to go the extra mile, they can buy insurance policies for their pets as Kalog and Groovy do not provide pet insurance.

PT Sinarmas Insurance, for example, provides pet insurance for dogs and cats under Simas Pet Insurance.

“The pet insurance policy covers death caused by accident, theft, and responsibility for damage caused by the pets to third parties,” said marketing officer Anastasya Citrawati.

The insurance amount ranges from Rp 2.5 million to Rp 15 million. (dmy/bry/nal)

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