LODGINGS FOR FIDO.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 3, 4 January 1934, Page 9

LODGINGS FOR FIDO.

DOGS' HOLIDAY RESORTS.

Humans have no monopoly of Christmas holiday resorts. Dogs, too, go off in their hundreds to board during the season, and the Melbourne Society for the Protection of Animals at Christmas had many inquiries from people desirous of placing their pets while they arc absent from home.

Besides tlio society's own rest home for dogs there arc seven other resorts marked first-class in the society's roster of canine boaftlinghouses, and, failing a booking at a fashionable "guest house," holiday accommodation is usually to be found with veterinary surgeons.

Dog Rates—and Children's. | The proprietress of one establishment explained that rates varied, according to the eating capacity of the canine guests. Her scale was as. follows: — Guest. Weekly Board. Toy dog I .* 7/0 Terrier 10/6 to 12/6 Alsatian •• • • 15/ An interesting comparison, by the way, is afforded in the annual report of "the Children's Welfare Department, recently issued, which sets out that foster mothers of wards of the State are paid at the rate of 7/ to 12/6 for each boarded out child. Varied Menu. But to return to the canine guest houses. The menu is bountiful and even varied. For example, the bill of fare set before a toy dog is:— • Breakfast. —Biscuits and milk, bread and milk. Dinner.—Fish or (entree) rabbit (raw or cooked); joint, beef, lamb; legumes. Alsatians, as star borders, are given especially generous serves, and there is always a "piece" between meals for a hungry dog, every day's menu bearing the addendum —"Bones ad lib." The. proprietor of a dog guest house reported that little trouble was experienced with guests. No complaint was made.of the cuisine or the amenities of the house, and although guests sometimes wailed a little on first jeaving home, after the first dav or two they settled down, displaying little animus even to cats, which are also accepted as gueets at these resort 3.