A luxury hotel in Los Angeles is opening its doors to wildfire victims and their pets.
Man’s best friends, including chow chows, Cavalier King Charles spaniels and other dog breeds, have dominated the city’s hospitality industry in recent days, The Wall Street Journal reported. And since Los Angeles is America’s most popular city to own a dog, according to US News & World Report, it’s no surprise that these upscale locations also make for some pretty luxurious kennels for your pooch.
For example, more than 250 pets were staying at the Kimpton Palomar Hotel, and all 264 rooms were occupied after the Palisades fire. The front desk has started handing out treats to pets as they walk by. You might think that so many dogs would cause havoc, but that would have the opposite effect. The dogs help relieve stress for the facility’s guests. Many of them either lost their homes in the fire or were waiting for their arrival. Discover what happened to their estate.
“Suddenly you’re surrounded by all these animals,” Rosa Schrager, director of sales and marketing for the Kimpton facility in Los Angeles, told the Wall Street Journal. “It’s so nice to see the elevator open and a cute dog come out.”
The Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills hotel saw a significant increase in the number of pets during the fire, with dogs, cats and turtles arriving with their owners. The facility makes all dog food in-house and also has Wagyu beef options on the menu, Nahal Aghajani, senior marketing manager, told The Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, in addition to handing out free treats, the Beverly Hilton has set up dog-friendly spots on its rooftop and other areas.
Of course, the proliferation of pets also comes with challenges. Hotels are looking for more dog beds, food and toys to help ease the increased demand, while hotel employees are trying to prevent guests from opening cans of dog food or cleaning difficult places like under beds. They are actively working to help retrieve the cats from the location, the Journal reported. Housekeepers are also busy disposing of pet waste.
Dogs and other pets have recently carved out a niche in the luxury goods industry. One of New York City’s newest members-only clubs is exclusively for dogs, but a pup-first airline called Bark Air is ready to take to the skies while pampering man’s best friend. And in recent superyacht trends, owners are designing their vessels with their pets in mind.
For more information on how to help those affected by the LA wildfires, you can find resources here.
author
