This Is The Mexican Airbnb For Dogs You Need To Know About

Going on holiday, or just taking a few days for yourself, can be tricky if you’re a dog owner, and even trickier if you don’t have family and friends close by who are willing to lend a hand. So what do you do if you need to leave town and your pet has nowhere to go? That’s where Mexico’s innovative new service, Host a Pet, comes to the rescue.

Developed in 2016 by Daniela del Olmo and Mariel Jiménez, the concept of Host a Pet came about after Daniela’s dog Rufo passed away after a disastrous stay in a traditional kennel. Worried about the safety of animals in such places, where they’re often locked in cages and surrounded by dozens of other dogs, lacking much human interaction, del Olmo realised there must be a better way to find care for your pooch if you need to leave the city for a few days. Enter Host a Pet.

Even cats can be taken care of via the Host a Pet service

The concept is simple. Those looking for someone to take care of their animal can sign up to the website, provide their location and tell the platform what services they require. Then, as with Airbnb, they’ll be given a range of options and price points to choose from (the average overnight stay costs just MXN$250 or US$14). Previously, this all had to be done online, but with the launch of the Host a Pet app in December 2017, the whole process just became a lot more streamlined.

As for the hosts themselves, not just any old animal lover is allowed to register with Host a Pet. Each person offering their services must register through the platform and prove that they are both certified and experienced in taking care of the animals they offer to host. To help out the host, pet owners are told to provide a ‘travel kit’ full of favourite toys and treats and any medication the animal may need, so they’ll immediately feel comfortable in their temporary home. Alongside that, insurance coverage is provided for all involved, and photos and video updates are sent to the owners at regular intervals.

Owners are told to pack toys for their pooch

Host a Pet isn’t just about overnight stays for holidaying animal owners though, as those who need one-day-at-a-time care can also use the platform. Take those who work long hours, for example, and don’t want their dog to have destroyed the house once they get home. To date, the vast majority of the thousands of users and hosts are women.

While Host a Pet started life in Mexico City, it has since spread to plenty of other major Mexican destinations, such as Guadalajara, Monterrey, Hermosilllo, Puebla and Cancún, with hosts in each place offering up their homes as temporary doggy daycares. This isn’t surprising when you consider that Mexico is the Latin American leader when it comes to dog ownership, with seven in every 10 households owning a pet.

So, Airbnb for dogs and cats – what a time for pets to be alive!

Who wouldn’t want to take care of this puppy?

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.