Feeling homesick? Tired? Need a break? For the veteran pet owner, the decision to take a vacation abroad requires finding somewhere for your pooch or cat to stay during this period. Finding a good kennel in Cyprus has become surprisingly easy, and there is an abundance of options. For a pet owner, leaving your pet in good hands is the norm for travelling with peace of mind, knowing that your best friend will be fed, sheltered and looked after as if you had never left in the first place.
If your are ever about to leave your dog for any amount of time - be it a weekend, a week or longer - I can personally recommend Rosewood Kennels in Ayioi Trimithia, a 20-minute drive outside Nicosia. Run by Jennifer, a cheerful animal-lover, the premises are clean, cosy with plenty of attention to detail, and with ample and comfortable spaces for her guests, both inside and out. There are limited amount of rooms, which is to your pet’s advantage and means plenty of individual attention and a very personal approach.
Also in the Nicosia area with just as good a reputation are Mount Olympus Kennel in Yeri, a family run business with boarding and grooming facilities, and Pet Travel and Care, a company offering a variety of pet services including pet sitting and home sitting, pet taxi, dog boarding and cattery, dog walking and dog license renewal.
In Larnaca, Pet Stop Boarding Kennels and Cattery is an English run kennel and cattery close to the airport where the owner is on site 24-7 to care of the animals. Paws For Thought at Kellia Farm is located just outside Larnaca and offers a pet export service and collection service.
In Limassol, A1 Petsitters are a reputable pet sitting, dog walking, house sitting, feeding, and overnight stays service. Pet City Dog Hotel in Yeroksiou, Paphos, and Dancy Dog Hotel in Ayia Napa and Doggie Tales Pet Care Kennels in Ayia Varvara, Agia Napa and the Famagusta area are all tried, tested and recommended kennels providing pets with a clean and safe environment while you are away. Most of the aforementioned offer transportation, grooming and even training sessions on site.
Cyprus may not yet be up to par with other European countries where pets are allowed in most public places, and where more and more hotels have become pet-friendly and provide facilities for our furry friends, but it has shown tremendous signs of improvement and there is a general consensus to move in this direction. With over twenty years of experience with pets in Cyprus, Beate Georgiou, owner of Mrs. Doolittle grooming parlour, best summarises the essence of what Cyprus can offer pet owners and their best friends: “Being with my dogs is a source of endless energy; they want little things in life, and we can learn a lot from that such as the joy of taking a walk in fresh air, sitting in a sunny spot and soaking up some sunshine. When I am in my shop and working with the animals, I am lost for the rest of the world. How rewarding it is to feel the connection, and make an animal feel really special while it's with me! Those moments are priceless.”