Traveling with Bunny
Bunny Boo, our Himalayan Netherland Dwarf, is not a pet. He is a family member. To call him a pet would be an insult! As a house rabbit with about 800 square feet of home to call his free-roam territory, this little two and a half pound furball made his way permanently into our family’s heart five years ago.
So it’s unthinkable that we would leave him behind on our family vacations! Yes, he joins us on our overnight visits to a 5-star hotel. Cashing in our hotel loyalty points, we love staying at the Wentworth by the Sea Resort in seacoast New Hampshire. Bunny Boo is a regular there. This gorgeous hotel, which hosted President Teddy Roosevelt at the turn of the century, allows pets, or rather “family members” of the furry kind less than 30 pounds. We would often see well-heeled matrons and stuffy looking gentlemen walking their little Yorkies and Shitzus down the marble hallways, so why not a Netherland Dwarf? The trip takes less than an hour by car, and Bunny Boo is well behaved in his carrier – no accidents. Hotel guests are curious when they see his carrier in the elevator and when they find out it contains a lagomorph, they joke that they will bring their guinea pig or hamster next time.
One time, a hotel employee in the grand lobby confronted us. We thought for sure we would get kicked out because Bunny Boo isn’t a dog. She asked, “What’s in your carrier?” My husband, daughter and I hesitated. So the staffer asked again, louder this time, “I say, what is in your carrier?” I was all set to say something like, “A hopping terrier!” figuring we could pass off Bunny Boo as a small dog. My daughter, who was seven years old at the time, took the honest route and said it was a bunny. I was sweating bullets. Then the employee said, “Oh, wonderful! I have a rabbit! Do you want another one?” We were so relieved and went up to our room.
Bunny Boo grooms himself and makes himself right at home
in the hotel with his human, Francie.
Once in the hotel room, we set up our daughter’s old playpen. It’s about four feet by three feet, plenty of room for Bunny Boo. All his comforts of home go in the playpen – his litter box, a cardboard box to hide in, food, water, and plenty of hay. He never roams the room, so there is no danger of him chewing cords or furniture. He is totally contained in the playpen, except when we let him out to hop on the fine bedsheets.
I believe Bunny Boo is happy we bring him along. The one time we left him at home for a weekend (thinking he’d be okay with extra food, water and litter) he was so upset he sprayed in the house and when we came home it smelled like a skunk family had moved in. He definitely missed us and taught us not to leave him alone for too long again.
If we didn’t bring him along, I would worry and miss him the entire trip. So I’m grateful to the hotel for letting our Bunny Boo join us. After all, he is truly a family member!
by Robin Long