Japanese pet owners can now embark on their
foreign travels safe in the knowledge that their
pampered pooches and moggies will be living in the
lap of luxury at a five-star "pet hotel"
that opens on Thursday at Tokyo's Narita airport.
The Pet Inn Royal boasts 170 well-appointed rooms
- not kennels - for up to 250 animals, as well as
veterinary and grooming services, an exercise field
and staff who are on hand to see to their
four-legged guests' every need, 24 hours a day.
The service is not limited to dogs and cats: rabbits, hamsters and even ferrets
are welcome at the inn.
After checking their pets into the
hotel, owners are allowed to stay with them until
their flight number is called.
"Enjoy your travel overseas knowing that
your pet is in good hands," Pet Inn Royal says
on the airport's website.
The service is not limited to dogs and cats:
rabbits, hamsters and even ferrets are welcome at
the inn. The rate for a standard cage starts at
about 4 000 yen (about R210) a night, rising to
20 000 yen for a deluxe suite - about twice the
price of a room at a mid-range hotel for humans. All
rooms are fitted with air conditioning and purifiers
to leave them smelling sweet for the next occupant.
The operators of the inn, located in Narita's
Terminal Two car park, are hoping to cash in on
Japan's pet boom. The country is home to an
estimated 19-million pets - more than the number of
children under 15 - and a $9-billion pet-care
industry.
