BUSINESS - The ARK Animal Terminal Opens at JFK Airport

The ARK at JFK, the first privately owned, 24-hour animal terminal and airport quarantine center, opened its first phase last year and plans to be completely operational in 2017.

The ARK provides both airside and landside services to board, kennel, quarantine, import, export and transport large and small animals.

Dogs, cats, horses, birds, fish and even sloths will be able to have their own special accommodations at the center.

Additional services include transportation in dedicated climate-controlled vehicles to and from aircraft, terminals, cargo facilities and other airport locations.

The ARK facility occupies almost 80,000 sq feet on over 14 acres of land.

“Transporting live cargo by plane can be a complex and arduous process for owners and animals alike. Our goal is to create a more efficient and safe process by reducing the need for additional travel and offering trained animal care staff immediately pre- and post-flight. The ARK provides a healthy and comfortable environment, and sets new international airport standards for comprehensive veterinary, kenneling and quarantine services,” John J. Cuticelli, Jr. CEO, Racebrook and Founder and Chairman of ARK Development/The ARK at JFK, said in a release.

Phase 1 services, which began operating last year, include The ARK Pet Oasis, Equine & Livestock Export Center, and Aviary In-Transit Quarantine.

Pet Oasis assists in-transit animals left by their owners before they fly, or by pet shippers or airlines by providing pre- mid- and post-flight relief services.

Staff members groom, feed, water, walk and play with the animals. Just-in-time delivery ensures the pets don’t have long waits on the tarmac before flights depart.

For travellers whose pets need overnight or daycare accommodation, Paradise 4 Paws will be opening late spring or early summer this year.

Crate-free boarding, bone-shaped in-ground splashing pools, Cat Adventure JungleTM, large indoor grass play areas and on-site veterinary assistants are part of what Paradise 4 Paws offers.

(Photo by Anthony Collins.nyc)

The ARK at JFK Equine and Livestock Export Center provides essential resting stalls in a spacious, modern environment for horses and livestock departing the airport.

The In-Transit Aviary Quarantine provides isolation rooms in a bonded warehouse, enabling commercial shippers to schedule several hours to overnight rest stops for birds traveling through the U.S.

Other phases of the ARK due to open in 2017 include:

• Equine import quarantine - 48 state-of-the-art, independent quarantine stalls for horses entering the United States, fulfilling the need for mandatory quarantine.
• An avian quarantine center, providing facilities for 30-day quarantine of pet and commercial birds entering the U.S.
• A veterinary hospital available to treat illness or incidents that happen at ARK or inflight.
• A veterinary diagnostic laboratory.

The ARK website also has FAQ’s addressing many queries for those travelling with pets.

Airline passengers traveling with pets will not be required to use the ARK.

At less cost they can still arrange for their pets’ transport on their own, by flying them in cargo or the airplane cabin.

HEALTH - International Pet Travel Easier with new APHIS Website

(www.cdc.gov)

Finding country-specific requirements for international pet travel just got easier.

Simply enter the foreign destination you are travelling to from the US - or the country you are travelling from into the US - on the Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) new website.

Pet travel requirements pop up, making preparation for your journey with your pet very simple.

“We know pets are members of the family, and our goal is to ensure pets meet the requirements to relocate with their families internationally—whether temporarily or permanently,” stated Dr. Jack Shere, deputy administrator for APHIS Veterinary Services, in an announcement about the new site.

Information can be found for dogs, cats, birds, ferrets, rabbits, rodents, hedgehogs and tenrecs, reptiles, and amphibians.

Options to Bring Your Dog to Dinner - and Other Adventures - are Growing

More and more North American businesses are rolling out the red carpet to cater to customers AND their canine cohorts. From an art deco tour to ATV outings, historic walks, trolley rides, paddling adventures (dubbed 'sup with your pup') and beach-front or mountain-top resort lodgings – the list of possibilities for those wanting to hang with their hound are growing.

The Southern Nevada Health District doled out patio permits, (AKA, dog-friendly waivers) to make it possible for patrons to bring their pooch to dinner while ensuring rules are in place which include the low-down on what to do should the dogs, ahem, do their business.

Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, Las Vegas, requires basic manners from mutts (no biting, barking or begging) and offers entrees like grilled hamburger patties with brown rice and complimentary water for four-legged patrons served in bowls.

Across North America there are numerous dog-friendly locations (go to BringFido.com for a list) including numerous options in Canada.

Several years ago, Ranchman's Cookhouse in Calgary, Alberta, became the first drinking/dining establishment in Canada to open its doors to dogs who are welcome on the patio – owner, Harris Dvorkin, inspired to import the concept to after seeing it during U.S. travels to places like Las Vegas, Houston and New York.

The list of possible dog-friendly outings across North America doesn't end with dinner.

Want to travel with your dog? WestJet accepts birds, cats, chinchillas, dogs, Guinea pigs, hedgehogs and bunnies on its flights while Amtrak has a pilot program where small pets are allowed to ride in cabins, and a U.S. airport which has a terminal with a swimming pool for the pooch and stables for horses opening in 2016.

Wanting a fun vacation with your canine? Bars and restaurants in Key Largo, FL, take turns hosting Yappy Hour where dogs and owners can soak up the waterfront atmosphere and meet rescue dogs up for adoption, or there are wine tours in California.

Indeed, there are dozens of examples illustrating how rapidly the list of dog-friendly attractions is expanding across North America, says Becca Barnett, social media manager with BringFido.com. “We have a very busy call centre, especially during peak travel seasons,” Barnett told InfoStream. “There are over a million users a month and it's growing rapidly and there are many return users.”

Some of the options are interesting, to say the least. Some hotels cater specifically to pets, including one which hosts weddings “for a boy and girl dog to be married” and another with its in-house chef working with a certified veterinarian to create a doggie menu.

Dog-friendly establishments, from bakeries to pubs, seem to be more popular in Europe but Barnett says North America is increasingly Fido friendly. “While they are ahead of the curve, I would say things are changing,” she says. “As far as catching up, there are tonnes of things in the works right now. I think more and more we are realizing how intelligent animals are and travelling with them and sharing experiences increases the bond.”

By Nadia Moharib

Nadia Moharib is an animal lover who has adopted everything from birds to hamsters, salamanders, rabbits, fish and felines. She has written about all-things-pets for years and was a long-time editor of a pet magazine in a daily newspaper which featured a Q & A column, Ask Whit, penned by her pooch (ghost written, of course.) The serial dog owner lives in Calgary, Alberta and most days can be found at a dog park picking up after her rescue pooch, Scoots.

TravelCenters of America Welcomes 'Four-Legged Friends' to All of Its Locations

WESTLAKE, Ohio (Business Wire)

TravelCenters of America LLC ("TA") is adding to its full-service benefits by welcoming back-seat drivers of the furry kind to all travel centers within the TA and Petro Stopping Centers network.

Drivers will see a designated pet area at each location, inviting them to let their pets stretch their legs. And, while the canine and feline species can't be allowed inside, drivers can find a growing area of pet products on our travel store shelves.

"A lot of truckers take their pets on the road," said Tom O'Brien, President and CEO of TA. "We recognize the need for drivers to have a place where they and their pets are welcome," he added. Mr. O'Brien's dog, Smokey, added, "Woof!"

Taking full-service to an even higher level, the Iowa 80 TA in Walcott, Iowa even has a 24- Hour self-serve Dogomat™ Pet Wash next to the Truckomat(R) Truck Wash.


About TravelCenters of America LLC

TravelCenters of America LLC (TA), headquartered in Westlake, Ohio is a leading travel center business in 41 states and Canada operating under the TravelCenters of America and Petro brands. With convenient locations off interstate highway exits, TA and Petro offer their customers diesel and gasoline fueling services, full and quick-service restaurants, heavy truck maintenance services, 24-hour convenience stores, electronic communication (WiFi) and other services - all within large, high traffic facilities.

For more information on TravelCenters of America, please visit www.tatravelcenters.com.

For more information on Petro Stopping Centers, please visit www.petrotruckstops.com