Is the war in Israel unleashing pet-friendly hotels?

Pet lovers treat their dogs and cats like children, siblings, or grandchildren. There is no doubt that most dog and cat owners think of their pets as family. It is also not surprising to learn that in 2024, two out of three households in America own a pet, while in Israel it is estimated as one out of three. 

If furry friends are part of the family they surely deserve to join its members on a vacation in hotels. However, this family desire is tricky and certainly challenging. While some hotels warmly welcome pets, others have strict rules against dogs and cats accompanying guests.

The primary reasons behind international hotels implementing no pets allowed policies are to maintain cleanliness and hygiene standards. Pets shed fur, leave behind odors, or even cause damage to furniture or carpets. They might create an unpleasant environment for other guests. 

By enforcing this unfriendly policy, hotels can ensure that their rooms remain clean and odor-free for all visitors. Additionally, some guests may have allergies or sensitivities to pet dander or fur. Allowing pets in hotel rooms could potentially trigger allergic reactions in these individuals. Hotel managements wish to provide peace of mind to guests with allergies by ensuring that their rooms are free from allergens. 

Minimizing noise disturbances for their guests is yet another reason. There is always a possibility of barking or other noises that could disrupt neighboring rooms. Hotels have a responsibility to ensure the safety and comfort of all their guests. This includes considering those who may have fears or phobias related to animals. Even if a pet is typically well-behaved, unfamiliar surroundings and the presence of other guests could potentially trigger anxiety or aggression.

But sometimes, usually in times of crisis, even rules are mostly made to be broken. When the war in Gaza broke out on October 7, hotels in Israel faced an unexpected challenge. More than a quarter million people were evacuated from their homes on the southern and northern fronts. They found shelter in hotels in safer areas all over the country. 

Not leaving pets in times of crisis

Many left everything behind but did not agree to leave their pets unguarded. They wanted to take them along in this time of crisis. Not everyone was allowed to bring their dogs or cats to hotels that provided a haven. In response, the Lawyers’ Forum for the Protection of Animals in Israel appealed to numerous ministers. They demanded to urgently solve this, assist the evacuees with their pets, and urgently deal with the issue. 

“It turns out that some of the hotels that the government made available to the evacuees refuse to allow them to bring their pets that were evacuated with them. The pets are disconnected from their owners. They need them. This causes real harm to the pets and the refusal is a violation of the Animal Cruelty Law. They should be recognized as animals that provide mental support to evacuees, and therefore the law established for guide dogs applies to them,” stated the appeal.

Dani Shahar, director-general of the Tourism Ministry, supported the request and called the hoteliers in a letter to allow the pets to live with the evacuated families. 

“Past experience in the world shows that evacuation with the animals is the most correct way for national resilience, public and animal health and their well-being,” he requested and the majority of the hoteliers indeed ignored their own policies and allowed pets in their properties.

When asked in a recent podcast what was the weirdest thing he had to handle during the Gaza war, Lior Raviv, managing director of  Isrotel, revealed: “There are endless cases, but what stands out is that it is the first time in the company’s history we have hosted hundreds of dogs. Suddenly we have a new type of guest that we didn’t know. We even opened a kind of a dog care department,” he said.

Is the war inspiring a rise in pet-friendly hotels?

“Once the war started and we hosted evacuees, we accepted their pets without hesitation, as we believe they are part of the organic family,” reveals David Tucker, general manager of Ramada by Wyndham Jerusalem Hotels and the voluntary chairman of Jerusalem’s Hotel Association. “It wasn’t at all easy to face pets in the hotel facilities, but we understood that it is part of a major crisis. We made sure that dogs must be on leashes at all times, barking dogs are never left alone, and entrance to restaurants was forbidden. But once the war is over and hotels in Jerusalem will return to routine, they will also return to their core policies. Most of them are not pet-friendly, excluding service dogs.”

Itamar Elitzur, head of the Eilat Hotels Association, explains that accepting pets in hotels during the war was due to the emergency situation, however, it created challenges. “In some cases, dogs were left for hours alone in guestrooms, which led to disturbances. Fear from pets by other guests became evident. As most Eilat hotels are in big closed structures, it created a difficulty. I can’t see a change in the pet-friendly policy of the hotels once we return to normality. I am not aware so far of a single hotel that changed its official pet guidelines,”

Raviv points out that the Isrotel, with its 23 hotels, will certainly return to its no pets allowed accommodation. 

“Is it because of the operational challenges you experienced during the war?” I ask.

“The main reason is because hotel guests here are less fond of vacationing with dogs around them. In the US, due to distances, there is a greater openness to animals because the guests arrive for relatively long periods. The hotel business model in Florida, for example, is suitable for such a reality. In Israel, vacations are short and pet owners are keen to find the appropriate short-term pet solutions at home,” he explains.

Optimistic views are also heard. Atlas Hotels is an Israeli brand with 16 urban properties and is a family business co-founded by Danny Lipman, with his sons Yaron and Lior now carrying the torch. This brand is exceptionally pet-friendly. 

“It all started with our other co-founder Leslie Adler, who arrived daily to work with his Labrador named Trixie,” says vice president Yaron Lipman. “Most hoteliers adopt a conservative approach towards pets, however, we do not see any obstacles. I can safely say that in most cases, dogs are better than human beings. We have no problem hosting guests with pets and we even supply beds and snacks for the animals. We hosted thousands of pets over the years and the problems were negligible. I am optimistic. During the war, hotels hosted evacuees with pets and they noticed that the problems were minor. Regardless of traditionally being against this, this experience will be positive and more hotels will accept the challenge.”

In the US, during the COVID-19 crisis, pet-friendly hospitality also made headlines. Booking.com reported at the time of the pandemic that “the pet-friendly filter was the third most-used filter in the hotel facilities section, behind swimming pools and parking.”

“While in the US, the trend of pet-friendly hotels continues to grow, the supply of such hotels in Israel remains limited,” says Eran Ketter, head of the Department of Tourism and Hotel Management at Kinneret College. “Presenting a pet-friendly offering is an effective way for accommodation venues to create market differentiation, enhance customers’ loyalty, and increase revenues. However, what works well in the US doesn’t necessarily work well in Israel. Most hotel rooms here are in large buildings that don’t have the facilities to host pets, unlike cabins and lodges in the US. 

“Israeli clientele are not well known for following regulations, and having pets in local hotels might increase the level of chaos, which is already quite high. Israelis are much more open than Americans to leaving their pets with family/friends or having a dog-sitter coming into their homes, leading to a lower level of demand. 

“Lastly, many hotels in Israel, especially in a leisure destination like Eilat, already enjoy high occupancy rates, and don’t need to make the extra effort in hosting pets.”

When I am urging Ketter to envision the future of pet-friendly hotels here, he says: “Perhaps this is a trend waiting to happen, and when enough hotels will operate in the Israeli market, the demand will follow.”

The writer is the Travel Flash Tips publisher.