Hurricane Matthew evacuees turn to BringFido for knowledge, expertise on animal-friendly accommodation for pets in time of crisis
October 17, 2016
BringFido, which began as a website to help animal lovers find places to bring their pets on vacation, has become a trusted resource for pet parents in times of crisis. That was all too evident last week when pet owners along the southeast coast were forced to evacuate their homes in preparation for Hurricane Matthew. The company’s call center was inundated with record call volume and booking requests beginning Monday evening and stretching through the weekend.
“When a hurricane threatens the U.S., we implement an ‘all hands on deck’ procedure in our office, assigning our entire team to help callers find pet-friendly hotels and shelters,” said Jason Halliburton, chief operating officer of BringFido. “Last week, we experienced six to seven times normal call volume over a four day period. By Thursday afternoon, virtually every pet friendly hotel in South Carolina, Florida and Georgia were completely booked.”
BringFido reports that the surge of calls resulted in four times normal booking volume for the company, with evacuees fleeing as far west as Louisiana and as far north as Tennessee. “Many hotels place limits on the number of pet friendly rooms they will make available to travelers,” said Halliburton. “During an evacuation, pet friendly rooms are the first to sell out, but we are often able to locate accommodations that pet owners wouldn’t be able to find on their own.”
BringFido’s extensive directory provides unbiased reviews, detailed pet policy information and online reservations at more than 50,000 pet-friendly hotels worldwide. The brand’s website and mobile app give customers the scoop on thousands of restaurants, events, dog parks, beaches and other places to ‘bring Fido.’ The company’s toll-free number and in-house call center team provide real-time help during emergencies like Hurricane Matthew.
BringFido also powers the pet-friendly hotel section of the American Red Cross “Pet First Aid” app, helping pet parents find nearby hotels in the event of a disaster. The company works with hotels to expand availability during storms like Hurricane Matthew or other weather events, such as last year’s floods in and around Columbia, SC.
About 40 percent of all households in the United States have a pet, according to the American Pet Products Association. The rising demand means pet-friendly options are sometimes limited. But, as BringFido reports, many local emergency shelters now offer pet-friendly storm shelters, and some hotels are willing to relax their pet policies during times of need.
According to the Charlotte Observer, John Thompson, general manager of the pet-friendly Le Méridien and Sheraton hotel complex in Charlotte: “Really, the idea is to do the right thing,” Thompson said, “and treat people the way you want your family to be treated in a stressful situation.”
“So many people leave their pets behind because they don’t know what to do,” Halliburton added. “BringFido wants to remind pet parents that there are options, especially in times of crisis.”
About BringFido
BringFido is the world’s leading pet travel company. Since its launch in 2006, the company has helped more than 25 million people take their dogs on vacation. In addition to providing online reservations at 50,000 pet-friendly hotels worldwide, the brand’s website and mobile app give customers the scoop on thousands of restaurants, events, dog parks, beaches and other places to ‘bring Fido.’ For more information, visit www.bringfido.com or call 1 (877) 411-FIDO.
