A clear sky. Low 56F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph..

A clear sky. Low 56F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.

We sat at a shaded table, my husband with a flight of reds, me with a glass of sparkling rose. Harper napped on the grass beside us. Our view encompassed the on-site vineyards of Topa Mountain Winery and the Topatopa Mountains in the distance. A soft breeze blew. Bliss.

We were enjoying our first visit to rustic Ojai, California, long on my bucket list not only for its beautiful natural setting, but also for its dog-friendly attitude. With rare exceptions, the town’s shops, galleries, restaurants, wineries, hotels, hiking trails and parks cater to visitors with four-footed friends.

At 14.5 years old, Harper isn’t up for much hiking anymore, but she enjoyed strolling around town — sometimes on foot, sometimes riding regally in her stroller — and entering whatever shop caught her fancy, which was most of them. At her age, after all, she knows that shop owners dole out treats much more liberally than the people she lives with.

It’s nearly summer, and for many of us, thoughts are turning to vacation days. Whether your plans include a road trip to national parks, a beach or mountain stay, or a city visit, it’s easier than ever to find pet-friendly options so Rover can come over, too. Here are some tips on how to find a vacation rental or hotel that welcomes pets, as well as some suggestions for vacation spots around the country.

The websites BringFido.com, GoPetFriendly.com and PetsWelcome.com remain excellent sources for finding hotels, restaurants and other places where dogs are just as important guests as people. And Airbnb, Vrbo, Expedia, Tripadvisor, Travelocity and even cities themselves offer listings in all price ranges to entice people traveling with pets.

Saugatuck, Michigan, is one such city (saugatuck.com/plan/getaway-ideas/pet-friendly). Billing itself as the Art Coast for its attraction to artists and writers since the early 20th century, it’s also known for Lake Michigan beaches; biking, hiking and running trails; dune rides; boat rentals; and wineries and breweries — all of which have dog-friendly options. Michigan resident Leslie Bishop says Saugatuck is a great dog-friendly town with lots to do. “We stayed in a B&B that allowed dogs. It was a great little vacation.”

A quick Google search turns up Vrbo’s top 50 dog-friendly rentals in Provincetown, Massachusetts, a popular New England summer getaway on Cape Cod. Even off-season, it’s a lovely place for dogs and people to kick back. Adam Conn took his Bernese mountain dog Pomegranate there, and she enjoyed long walks on the beach, sniffing the seaweed and getting admired by the locals.

When they lived in Washington, D.C., Susan and Ken Rosenau enjoyed vacationing with their dogs Logan and Bacon at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, staying at the dog-welcoming Canalside Inn. On the other coast, Arizona resident Maryna Ozuna loves to get away with her German shepherds and shiba inus to San Diego, where they stay at the Ocean Villa Inn.

“It’s right on Dog Beach in Ocean Beach,” she says, describing it as “a funky ‘50s motel with immediate access to Dog Beach and miles of the San Diego River. There are great restaurants within walking distance, and the dogs can swim and swim and swim.”

Ojai is old-fashioned — in a good way — and doesn’t permit chain hotels or short-term rentals. Most of its hotels and motels are dog-friendly, but prices were high just before the holiday weekend, so we stayed at a Marriott in Ventura, about 20 minutes down the road, where staff cooed over Harper.

As always, Google is your friend. Search dog-friendly or pet-friendly hotels (or restaurants or parks), plus the name of the place you want to visit. Check the reviews on several sites to make sure it’s suited to you and your pet, and check the hotel’s website to confirm that it is still dog-friendly and that you can afford any pet fees that may be charged on top of the room rate.

Q: Should I get a cat or a kitten?

A: That’s a great question to ask during Adopt-a-Cat Month (American Humane) and Adopt-a-Shelter Cat Month (ASPCA).

Adult cats are often overlooked at the shelter, especially during “kitten season,” which is now. Kittens have “cute” and “fun” and “fuzzy” going for them, but we’d like to share some reasons to consider a cat.

With an adult cat, you know exactly what you’re getting: size, activity level, sociability and health. In a loving environment, they’ll bond just as tightly with you as a kitten will.

Adult cats know the drill. They have litter box habits down, they may be trained to use a scratching post, and they’re not as wild and crazy as kittens, being less likely to tear through the house and knock things over.

Some adult cats may come from a background that makes them suited to your household. They may have come from a family with kids or dogs, for instance. If possible, ask the shelter what information was provided by the original owners.

Kittens have a ton of energy. That makes them entertaining, but it also makes them something of a trial to live with until they become mature and mellow. They need extra time and extra training, and you’ll need extra patience to make it through their antics (Exhibit A: the roll of toilet paper that my recent foster kittens unwound during the night).

To get to know an adult cat at the shelter, ask if there’s a visiting room where you can spend some time together. After a few minutes, a calm, confident, outgoing cat should respond readily to your attention, becoming relaxed and welcoming petting.

Kittens are adorable, but we see lots of sweet, pretty and well-mannered adult cats at shelters. You just can’t go wrong with one of them. — Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

— A seven-year vaccination campaign in the Indian state of Goa resulted in 95,000 dogs being inoculated against rabies, according to a study published in Nature Communications. Goa is on track to eliminate the disease, thanks to a coordinated approach by Mission Rabies, the government of Goa, the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Dogs Trust Worldwide, Roslin Institute and other partners. The effort involved the use of smartphones to capture data on stray dogs, enabling pop-up clinics in areas where they were most needed, which in turn helped prevent the spread of rabies to humans from dog bites. The One Health approach — taking into account human, animal and environmental health — consisted of three core activities: dog vaccination, rabies education and intensified human and animal rabies surveillance. Goa was declared a rabies-controlled state last year, the first in India, following three years without any human deaths from the fatal virus.

— Although birds may become infected with human influenza-type viruses, those bugs rarely make a bird ill. Human colds and flus come and go, so it’s easy to imagine people thinking what looks the same in people and bird is, in fact, the same illness, but it’s usually not. If your bird is sick with what appears to be cold- or flulike symptoms, chances are high that something else is going on, and you need to call your veterinarian.

— Dogs have explored with humans from time immemorial, including to Antarctica. Admiral Richard Byrd was accompanied by more than sled dogs. Byrd’s dog Igloo, a smooth fox terrier, went along as well. He was equipped with fur-lined boots and a camel hair coat to help him stay warm. And like any self-respecting terrier, he reveled in setting off the sled dogs with his presence. On his gravestone are the words, “He was more than a friend.” — Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts. Veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker is founder of the Fear Free organization, co-founder of VetScoop.com and author of many best-selling pet care books. Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning journalist and author who has been writing about animals since 1985. Mikkel Becker is a behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/Kim.CampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

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