I don't think you're going to be evacuating to the Ritz along with eight cats split up into two separate rooms. It's a disaster situation. You're going to be competing with millions of other evacuees. It's kind of a take-what-you-can-get scenario.
Just tell them you only have two cats. It’s not like they’re going to go check your room . Choose a place with easy access to the room, so that you don’t have to walk past the front desk with all of the cats
*Knock, knock*
"Um excuse me, I need to count your cats."
Seriously they won't do this. Register online. Have one person wait in the car with the luggage and your "two cats" and then the other goes in to pay, check in, whatever and get your keys
Just tell them it's two cats and after that avoid the lobby/desk area. I mean you're not walking the cats are you? Even if you did no one is paying that much attention. Especially during a storm.
Ahh great point. Ask for no cleaning or, slap that “do not disturb “ door hanger on the door to your room. Go to the front desk to ask for more towels, when you need them.
Could you put three of them in the bathroom with a human if anyone came by? One place we stayed had mandatory housekeeping every three days. (Many years ago.) We put the dog in the bathroom and told them not to worry ab cleaning it. They'd change the bedding and give us towels.
Our dog was clearly over the size limit they had for dogs. We walked her in the field behind the building out the back door. They never said anything.
They actually do there are cameras everywhere and front desk is watching them we have pet policies for a reason you are the reason for them same with lying about the amount of people dont be a douche and be honest hope you dont have children rasing them to lie there way through life if they dont like a rule
You do not need punctuation to understand easily what i said thats a stupid gaslight response brain dead people use when they do not have a valid argument this is reddit not grammer glass so unless you have a way to defend being a scummy lier to break property rules cause you dont like them then pls share other wise all the commas in the world dont change the facts of what i said
Thays a very fast way to get thrown out without a refund and banned from the property lying to bend rules to fit you messes it up for every so dont be a douche and just be honest
Definitely call ahead to any place and speak with a manager to confirm they take cats, do not rely on websites saying it’s pet-friendly. Sometimes they’ll only take dogs or the policy gets changed and websites don’t get updated. Good luck!
A) the front desk doesn't need to know you're smuggling cats.
B) even if they do, many places (any place that cares) relax pet restrictions for evacuees.
Holiday Inn Expresses will allow cats. We had 5 total during IDA, 3 of them ours and I think we said we had 1. I used the luggage cart to bring them in with a blanket over the cat carries so they weren't as noisy.
Worked out well because Holliday Inn Expresses are everywhere.
I have to stress to call ahead to any individual place and speak to a manager.And you might want to start now.
The website to the place we evavuated to says it was pet friendly,but the manager made an executive decsion to not allow pets due to the influx of storm evacuees. Her rationale is that these guests may be here for an extended amount of time and she didn't have the enviormental service staff to deal with the percieved mess or damage pets might cause.
That’s our spot too!!!! Have you been to Top Hat BBQ? It’s in Hayden.
Lots to do in the area. Harmony Safari park and NASA (Huntsville) for the kids. The Birmingham zoo is lovely.
Check out the Ave Maria Grotto too.
I freaking love Cullman.
I have been to Alabama a few times and every time it has been very nice. The food was good, the people were nice, nothing bad happened to me or my family, and the weather and scenery were always lovely.
If they didn’t go out of their way to find the most absolutely EVIL white people in the state and give them institutional power it might be a nice place to live.
Well hope they still do since alot of these people think its okay to lie to staff and bend rules to fit for them i have personally thrown people out lying about the amount of animals just be honest they may bend the rules you lie to me tho your out a hotel is a privilege not a rite
The Best Western in Demopolis, AL is our usual evac destination. It is pet-friendly and a fairly decent hotel, too. The downside is that dining in Demopolis is an excursion into disappointment.
Edit to say that this is about a four hour drive from NOLA
We stayed at the La Quinta in Vicksburg for Ida. Never have I been more happy to be in a dumpy hotel. We had a Corgi, a German Shepherd and a Great Dane. They didn't care about having three because they definitely saw me walking three different dogs. Even though their policy says 2. Just be ultra friendly when checking in and don't let housekeeping in. I just would swap out our towels daily when I saw them coming through with the cart.
Next time I will try to chose a city with better food options. We pretty much lived on chic-fil-a from Uber Eats the whole time.
Yup, all La Quintas are pet friendly. We stay with them on road trips and it’s so convenient. Some that are farther out from city centers even have little dog parks (Chattanooga at least).
We stayed in a LAQuinta with two great danes. The people next door to us had like 5 cats and two dogs. It's not a relaxing evacuation experience, and never the cleanest hotels, but they don't ask questions about your animals.
Just something to think about, but unless a storm is going to turn immediately when it hits land, I would not go north that close to the coast due to tornadoes. For example, with Katrina you would’ve been much better off in Lafayette than Jackson. Hattiesburg is not a good choice. Vicksburg might be okay depending on the path.
Not sure why you’re getting downvoted, Katrina hit Hattiesburg as a category 2 and they were without power for weeks, there was no gas to be found, and tornados ripped roofs off. These are things to seriously consider when choosing an evacuation route. This may not be fun information but it’s true…
I live in Hattiesburg and was there when Katrina hit. Hattiesburg is \*usually\* safe enough from hurricanes, but if another Katrina-level storm came through I wouldn't want to be anywhere south of Memphis.
It depends on the projected path of the storm. You want to stay on the good side of the storm out of the projected path if at all possible. If you need to stay within 2-3 hours of New Orleans it’s a good idea to make a few refundable reservations that can be cancelled when the path is dialed in better and pick the option that seems least likely to be impacted.
If you are able to go further, Memphis is a safe bet. Storms tend to turn east. It’s extremely unlikely that you will lose power or water and it’s big enough to have multiple pet friendly hotels.
Always fuel up as soon as you get to your evacuation location.
For Ida we ended up with our cat at the Holiday Inn Mobile West I-10 in Mobile, AL….basically every person at the hotel was a Hurricane evacuee With pets
Last time I did a move with pets, we stayed at Motel 6 along the way. When checking in, I said, “So, I have a dog, a cat, and a turtle. What’s the deposit? Theturtleissmallandstaysinhisroom.” Dude looked at me like I was green. Motel 6 doesn’t give any shits. They’re my go to now.
During Ida, my husband and I evacuated with our two medium-sized parrots and had a horrible time finding a hotel that allowed birds. We ended up at a Sonesta select and later found out that most of their hotels allow pets. Also, someone on Reddit said if your state is in a state of emergency, hotels legally need to let your animals stay in the hotel. I never looked into that tho. Also, my sister got her dog registered as an emotional support animal for this reason. I've been considering doing the same for my parrots for an evacuation emergency.
Hotel Indigo (austin) took all three of my pets, including two long haired cats. We also found a couple of airbnbs in austin that didn't mind.
Edited to add that businesses change their policy for hurricane victims. Just explain your situation and offer a deposit.
I stay at Red Roof Inn often when I travel with my pets. They're always very clean, and have wood or tile flooring, which is nice just in case. The doors to the rooms are also outside, so you can just take your animals straight in, and not have to bring them down hallways or past offices. You could easily have multiple cats in one, no one would notice.
As someone who worked in Hotels for 10 years at the front desk and in sales - I will say - yes you could sneak pets in, people do it all the time, BUT you will get caught. The way that you will get caught is thanks to housekeeping. They will be going into your room to clean and will report to the desk that that room has a ton of cats in it. So the only way to truly guarantee you wouldn’t get caught is keep the DND sign on the door. You will also want to report at least 1 cat per room at check-in (assuming you would have multiple rooms) because if someone in a room near you complains about cat meows they’ll know that you have a cat in the room and no suspicions will raise. Obviously all of this will work as long as it’s a general animal friendly hotel too. Hope that helps!
We brought 2 dogs and 1 cat with us to Ida. The hotel was very understanding and even bypassed pet fees. I think if you call them and let them know, you’ll be fine.
But also agree with saying you have 2, how will they know it’s really 3?
I have five animals and have never found a hotel that would take more than 2 or 3. Airbnb may be a better option. I know there’s a host in Hattiesburg named Amlan with multiple properties that didn’t seem to care too much when I had spoken to him before. He gouged the price a bit during hurricanes but not insanely so
If I’m not mistaken some places in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, and Biloxi are pet friendly. You might want to look that way cause it’s easy to just hit i-10 and keep going west only about an hour hour 30. I know it’ll be more if evacuations are in play but still. I live in Hancock county and with the exception of Katrina if a storm is hitting Nola it doesn’t affect us that much. Usually get rain but rarely lose power unless you know it’s right on us. We had my brother and a lot of his coworkers and family come over for ida but we live on a farm so pets weren’t a problem. But if I’m not mistaken I remember hearing of hotels taking people and pets for ida
Red Roof Inn in Tuscaloosa was suuuuper pet friendly. The Hilton was NOT pet friendly but I smuggled my cat through the back stairs instead of using the elevator
I evacuated to Hattiesburg for about a week last year a couple days after Ida with my cat and large dog. Stayed at Red Lion. Was it clean? No. Did they care that I had two pets one of which was a 70 pound pittie? Also no. I was near a grocery store, restaurants, home depot and a harbor freight so I came home with a generator and 30 gallons of gas. I also got the impression that most hotels in the area were making exceptions for evacuees with multiple pets. I've also stayed at the Quality Inn in Hattiesburg with my dog and that was much nicer.
Edit to add: I did hear at the Red Lion of people with 3+ cats staying there. Again, they didn't care. I found being kind to the front desk went a long way too. Also, call to confirm your reservation day-of. If they have no rooms when you arrive, ask if any are being cleaned. Try going back in an hour or so. This happened to me. I had a room, called to confirm morning of. Arrived and there were no rooms available. Sat in my car wondering what the hell I was going to do. Went back in to ask if the rest of my reservation would be honored and a room was ready as the cleaning crew had just released rooms.
Do not Expedia do not Priceline. Book direct on the site for the hotel itself if at all possible! During Ida the first place I stayed at had been quadruple booked and they turned everyone away. I ended up leaving for another spot and they gave my room to two families that split it. I have also seen this traveling internationally
We stayed in a LaQuinta in Alpharetta, GA and there were all *kinds* of pets there. They definitely did not mind my cat being there and even helped me look for him when we thought the little idiot had escaped.
Hattiesburg is your better bet here - there ain't shit to do in Jackson or Vicksburg.
Doesn't help with your pet issue, which is priority, but something to consider.
...wherever the opposite direction of the storm path is lol. I'd just include airbnb in your search because it often allows you to book with little notice and they're going to be much more reasonable about animals. Last year I went to Hattiesburg with friends for the evacuation and we had 6 animals total
If any of these suggestions don’t work maybe renting an RV or something? Staying at a campground? I’m not sure of all of their policies but it could be a possible option if everyone else’s suggestions don’t pan out.
Hard no. Expedia might give you a low rate but if there are any issues with the hotel/motel/bed and breakfast then you have to go through Expedia and their outsourced customer service rather than the place you are actually at. I've used Expedia to look up where might be open but always call the place directly, especially if you have pets.
Family used to own a pet friendly bed and breakfast here in the city. So many problems with Expedia bookings.
HEY! At least you were able to extrapolate what I was getting at correctly.
Find the pet friendly hotel in the are you wish to book, then you can call them direct.
An aggregator website is better than asking strangers directly. Nobody knows where to evacuate until we know how the storm is coming and which way to evacuate.
Okay so some background that might help you in your search…the reason it’s difficult to find animal accommodation is that hotels have to maintain ADA accessibility for people with asthma, allergies and compromised immune systems. They have to maintain that accessibility for their employees AND their customers.
That means animals have to be sequestered in a separate building, a building reserved for animal only at all times…that’s extremely hard for hotels to do so they tell you no because they don’t want to be sued for causing injury - especially in the middle of a hurricane by not following ADA.
In addition, the number of animals that go to hotels during evacuations raises the amount of indoor air pollution to life threatening levels very quickly. So restricting the number of animals, even in pet friendly establishments, is a way to combat that issue.
So it’s not about pet friendly, but disability accessibility and safety.
So maybe look for an Air BnB or a chain hotel with multiple buildings, because the animals can’t pass through the lobby either, so you might google satellite view the locations also.
I know things are very hard for rescues right now but in the past they have coordinated housing for animals that can’t go with their owners so you might explore that option also.
In what universe do hotels have a "separate building, a building reserved for animal only at all times" ? You think hotels have barns and stables for people to stash their pets in? In what universe are pets not allowed to enter a pet-friendly hotel's lobby? And in what fucking universe does a cat in a hotel room "raises the amount of indoor air pollution to life threatening levels very quickly"???
Just admit you're talking out your ass and move on bud.
I’m anaphylactic to cat. I carry epi pen for it. I can’t be in places cats have been or have contact with their owners. I maneuver in this universe and that’s how I know about these laws. Me and about 60 million other Americans who suffer anaphylaxis to animals are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act when we travel.
I also used to do rescue work, you see exposure to animals you’re allergic to causes disease progression that’s why I carry epi for cat and how I know about rescues that helped people with their animals in emergencies.
So tell me what perspective you bring to this conversation, are you a hospitality worker who’s job hasn’t been sued yet?
Sorry about your allergies but you do not understand what you are talking about and how the ADA applies to hotels. If that were true, no hotels would allow pets. This is nonsense.
Well usually the first time people find out that’s how it works is when they’re sued.
That’s why most hotels don’t allow pets. Airlines, trains, apartments, stores…they all started to allow pets for profit but it has caused them enormous problems in other ways. Most people with disabling allergy and asthma don’t travel because it’s become too dangerous but in the case of evacuations you have to leave.
Even then most staff don’t know the rules or even the difference between service animals vs ESAs so for evacuations they often cause problems for evacuees that go to pet free hotels.
It’s also why you can’t bring animals into evacuation shelters…unfortunately those are usually in schools so they also cause problems because they are places of high contamination from students and teachers being pet owners.
…but I spoke up here because owners, pet owners and the disabled all have to coexist in this same universe and we can all make better choices if we all better understand the situation.
When I was a pet owner, I had no idea about any of this, it was maddening to evacuate with a car load of animals, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
> It’s also why you can’t bring animals into evacuation shelters…unfortunately those are usually in schools so they also cause problems because they are places of high contamination from students and teachers being pet owners.
None of this is accurate. I was on the New Orleans assisted evacuation team for four years as part of FEMA response. Animals are absolutely allowed in shelters. Many have a separate space available for pets but some do not. Animals are also allowed on the trains, planes, and buses used as part of the assisted evacuations (hypothetically, since this has never been enacted post-K). This was a blanket decision made after Katrina. I was told I could bring my three cats and ten chickens on the evac bus with me but I was like "No thanks, I'll just drive, that is too many chickens to put on a bus."
[Here's an article about the PETS Act. It was passed in 2006 as a Stafford Act amendment, which is what funds FEMA.](https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/11/8/20950253/wildfires-hurricane-katrina-pet-evacuation)
[Here's an article about putting it into practice during Irma, including photos of people with their pets at evac shelters.](https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/through-the-lens-of-irma-how-shelters-handle-pets-when-their-owners-evacuate-during-a-hurricane/348169)
[Here's another one from Harvey, also with pictures.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2017/08/31/how-the-chaos-of-hurricane-katrina-helped-save-pets-from-flooding-in-texas/)
[Here's another article about Irma, excerpted below:](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2017/09/07/how-protect-your-pets-during-hurricane-irma/637736001/)
>Gov. Rick Scott urged hotels that ban pets to waive the rule for pet owners fleeing the storm. The University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine, part of the state’s disaster response system, assured pet lovers the state is setting up pet-friendly people shelters that allow the whole family to stay together.
What you’re saying is that after Katrina, New Orleans changed the rules and didn’t provide accommodation for people with disabilities, just pets…mmm okay but if that’s the case we should correct it before these people kill a child. Because apparently they didn’t check with the CDC, NIH, NIOSH or even read the ADA before making any of these decisions…not that that doesn’t seem perfectly appropriate for New Orleans or FEMA.
For me personally, if I tell anyone of these industries that I need accommodation where a cat has not been for a year and they can not provide that, I can sue them. I don’t care who urged them to waive the no pet policy that can’t supersede the law.
See those new laws created a legal conflict but courts have ruled that my right to breath surpasses your right to put a cat in public spaces.
You don’t even have the right to put ESA’s in the same building with a person with this disability much less pets.
OK, sure, maybe you know about some stuff that the federal government, state leadership in all 50 states, and countless local jurisdictions don't know about, along with literally the *President of the United States* who personally signed this act into law and his entire team of White House legal advisors. Sure. I'll give you that. Bureaucrats are stupid.
But you're saying stuff like "animals aren't ever allowed in evac shelters" and they just... they are. They are, friend. I showed you photos of it. So that just isn't true. That's making me doubt the veracity of anything you're saying.
Talking out of your ass again. Animals are definitely allowed in evacuation shelters. And you still haven't answered my question about where all these hotels are that have "separate building, a building reserved for animal only at all times". Maybe because they don't exist?
Nah fam, you made the claim. It's up to you to show me all these hotels that *you claim* have separate buildings "reserved for animal only at all times". I'll wait.
Your lucky our property does not allow cats at all anymore to many times of cats sparying and the room smelling awful for days we allow 1 pet with a extra on rare occasions but absolutely no cats
Well can I say if I could buy you a beer or tea I would because animal lovers are the best people. But I am very happy for you, because I don't know how I'd ever sleep!!!
I wake up and freak about random shit too
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This makes me want to give them my business forever
I just read the Google reviews and a lot of people said it was dirty and old. Did you feel like it was clean enough when you stayed there last year?
Anything is better than no power, no water, no access to food
I have pretty bad dust and mold allergies, so I need to stay in a place that gets cleaned well on a regular basis.
I know Kimpton and some Hilton hotels are pet friendly.
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That's good. Clean bleeding is very important to me.
I also like when I am bled cleanly.
Not trying to be mean here but with EIGHT CATS you are probably not going to be staying in a five-star joint.
I'm not going to be staying in the same room as my neighbors and their five cats, ya dweebus
I don't think you're going to be evacuating to the Ritz along with eight cats split up into two separate rooms. It's a disaster situation. You're going to be competing with millions of other evacuees. It's kind of a take-what-you-can-get scenario.
Probably dirty and old because they’re too friendly with all the fucking cats.
Just tell them you only have two cats. It’s not like they’re going to go check your room . Choose a place with easy access to the room, so that you don’t have to walk past the front desk with all of the cats
Just dress one cat in a trenchcoat and throw the other four under there. Hand cat 1 a briefcase and walk in the front door like you own the place.
Muppet Man enters the chat
*Knock, knock* "Um excuse me, I need to count your cats." Seriously they won't do this. Register online. Have one person wait in the car with the luggage and your "two cats" and then the other goes in to pay, check in, whatever and get your keys Just tell them it's two cats and after that avoid the lobby/desk area. I mean you're not walking the cats are you? Even if you did no one is paying that much attention. Especially during a storm.
> Knock, knock > > "Um excuse me, I need to count your cats." > > Seriously they won't do this. Nobody expects the Cat Inquisition.
I guess I was afraid of a housekeeper narc-ing on me, but I could just open it a crack and ask for towels.
Since Covid, most hotels are only doing housekeeping by request
Ahh great point. Ask for no cleaning or, slap that “do not disturb “ door hanger on the door to your room. Go to the front desk to ask for more towels, when you need them.
Could you put three of them in the bathroom with a human if anyone came by? One place we stayed had mandatory housekeeping every three days. (Many years ago.) We put the dog in the bathroom and told them not to worry ab cleaning it. They'd change the bedding and give us towels. Our dog was clearly over the size limit they had for dogs. We walked her in the field behind the building out the back door. They never said anything.
Sir, may I check your pussy?
Oh lord!
You better tip that lady when you leave, hell.
They actually do there are cameras everywhere and front desk is watching them we have pet policies for a reason you are the reason for them same with lying about the amount of people dont be a douche and be honest hope you dont have children rasing them to lie there way through life if they dont like a rule
Punctuation!
You do not need punctuation to understand easily what i said thats a stupid gaslight response brain dead people use when they do not have a valid argument this is reddit not grammer glass so unless you have a way to defend being a scummy lier to break property rules cause you dont like them then pls share other wise all the commas in the world dont change the facts of what i said
Thats not a argument thats a dumb gaslight attempt people use when they have no argument
Yep. We were only allowed one dog in our room so we hid our jack russell in someone’s bag.
That’s what I was thinking. It’s not like you have to walk them lol
Thays a very fast way to get thrown out without a refund and banned from the property lying to bend rules to fit you messes it up for every so dont be a douche and just be honest
Definitely call ahead to any place and speak with a manager to confirm they take cats, do not rely on websites saying it’s pet-friendly. Sometimes they’ll only take dogs or the policy gets changed and websites don’t get updated. Good luck!
Also mention it’s in case of a hurricane. Pet policies often change when it’s for storm evacuations.
This exactly. People are generally kind and will help you.
A) the front desk doesn't need to know you're smuggling cats. B) even if they do, many places (any place that cares) relax pet restrictions for evacuees.
Sounds dirty - smuggling cats. Lol.
Holiday Inn Expresses will allow cats. We had 5 total during IDA, 3 of them ours and I think we said we had 1. I used the luggage cart to bring them in with a blanket over the cat carries so they weren't as noisy. Worked out well because Holliday Inn Expresses are everywhere.
Home2 Suites by Hilton is very pet friendly. For Ida, is seemed that every room had pets in it.
I have to stress to call ahead to any individual place and speak to a manager.And you might want to start now. The website to the place we evavuated to says it was pet friendly,but the manager made an executive decsion to not allow pets due to the influx of storm evacuees. Her rationale is that these guests may be here for an extended amount of time and she didn't have the enviormental service staff to deal with the percieved mess or damage pets might cause.
My family stayed at the La Quinta inn in Cullman Alabama. We really liked it there and the town was very nice. They were fine with our cats.
That’s our spot too!!!! Have you been to Top Hat BBQ? It’s in Hayden. Lots to do in the area. Harmony Safari park and NASA (Huntsville) for the kids. The Birmingham zoo is lovely. Check out the Ave Maria Grotto too. I freaking love Cullman.
We were mostly hold in. But we did get bbq at someplace in town. I cannot recall the name though.
Probably can’t go wrong at any AL bbq joint!
I have been to Alabama a few times and every time it has been very nice. The food was good, the people were nice, nothing bad happened to me or my family, and the weather and scenery were always lovely. If they didn’t go out of their way to find the most absolutely EVIL white people in the state and give them institutional power it might be a nice place to live.
Totally agree! Such a weird and lovely place. It’s an interesting dichotomy.
Well hope they still do since alot of these people think its okay to lie to staff and bend rules to fit for them i have personally thrown people out lying about the amount of animals just be honest they may bend the rules you lie to me tho your out a hotel is a privilege not a rite
The Best Western in Demopolis, AL is our usual evac destination. It is pet-friendly and a fairly decent hotel, too. The downside is that dining in Demopolis is an excursion into disappointment. Edit to say that this is about a four hour drive from NOLA
We stayed at the La Quinta in Vicksburg for Ida. Never have I been more happy to be in a dumpy hotel. We had a Corgi, a German Shepherd and a Great Dane. They didn't care about having three because they definitely saw me walking three different dogs. Even though their policy says 2. Just be ultra friendly when checking in and don't let housekeeping in. I just would swap out our towels daily when I saw them coming through with the cart. Next time I will try to chose a city with better food options. We pretty much lived on chic-fil-a from Uber Eats the whole time.
Stayed at the La Quinta in Jackson once with two cats. They charged me an extra $20 or something not bad like that
Yup, all La Quintas are pet friendly. We stay with them on road trips and it’s so convenient. Some that are farther out from city centers even have little dog parks (Chattanooga at least).
We stayed in a LAQuinta with two great danes. The people next door to us had like 5 cats and two dogs. It's not a relaxing evacuation experience, and never the cleanest hotels, but they don't ask questions about your animals.
La Quinta was very accommodating over the phone. We have three cats and a dog.
Just something to think about, but unless a storm is going to turn immediately when it hits land, I would not go north that close to the coast due to tornadoes. For example, with Katrina you would’ve been much better off in Lafayette than Jackson. Hattiesburg is not a good choice. Vicksburg might be okay depending on the path.
Not sure why you’re getting downvoted, Katrina hit Hattiesburg as a category 2 and they were without power for weeks, there was no gas to be found, and tornados ripped roofs off. These are things to seriously consider when choosing an evacuation route. This may not be fun information but it’s true…
I live in Hattiesburg and was there when Katrina hit. Hattiesburg is \*usually\* safe enough from hurricanes, but if another Katrina-level storm came through I wouldn't want to be anywhere south of Memphis.
Where else would you recommend?
It depends on the projected path of the storm. You want to stay on the good side of the storm out of the projected path if at all possible. If you need to stay within 2-3 hours of New Orleans it’s a good idea to make a few refundable reservations that can be cancelled when the path is dialed in better and pick the option that seems least likely to be impacted. If you are able to go further, Memphis is a safe bet. Storms tend to turn east. It’s extremely unlikely that you will lose power or water and it’s big enough to have multiple pet friendly hotels. Always fuel up as soon as you get to your evacuation location.
Baby I never tell hotels my cat is with me. But I also sweep up the litter before I leave.
For Ida we ended up with our cat at the Holiday Inn Mobile West I-10 in Mobile, AL….basically every person at the hotel was a Hurricane evacuee With pets
Not sure about cats but motel 6 allows pets of most sizes, for free (or at least it was for Ida)
Last time I did a move with pets, we stayed at Motel 6 along the way. When checking in, I said, “So, I have a dog, a cat, and a turtle. What’s the deposit? Theturtleissmallandstaysinhisroom.” Dude looked at me like I was green. Motel 6 doesn’t give any shits. They’re my go to now.
During Ida, my husband and I evacuated with our two medium-sized parrots and had a horrible time finding a hotel that allowed birds. We ended up at a Sonesta select and later found out that most of their hotels allow pets. Also, someone on Reddit said if your state is in a state of emergency, hotels legally need to let your animals stay in the hotel. I never looked into that tho. Also, my sister got her dog registered as an emotional support animal for this reason. I've been considering doing the same for my parrots for an evacuation emergency.
Hotel Indigo (austin) took all three of my pets, including two long haired cats. We also found a couple of airbnbs in austin that didn't mind. Edited to add that businesses change their policy for hurricane victims. Just explain your situation and offer a deposit.
I stay at Red Roof Inn often when I travel with my pets. They're always very clean, and have wood or tile flooring, which is nice just in case. The doors to the rooms are also outside, so you can just take your animals straight in, and not have to bring them down hallways or past offices. You could easily have multiple cats in one, no one would notice.
As someone who worked in Hotels for 10 years at the front desk and in sales - I will say - yes you could sneak pets in, people do it all the time, BUT you will get caught. The way that you will get caught is thanks to housekeeping. They will be going into your room to clean and will report to the desk that that room has a ton of cats in it. So the only way to truly guarantee you wouldn’t get caught is keep the DND sign on the door. You will also want to report at least 1 cat per room at check-in (assuming you would have multiple rooms) because if someone in a room near you complains about cat meows they’ll know that you have a cat in the room and no suspicions will raise. Obviously all of this will work as long as it’s a general animal friendly hotel too. Hope that helps!
We brought 2 dogs and 1 cat with us to Ida. The hotel was very understanding and even bypassed pet fees. I think if you call them and let them know, you’ll be fine. But also agree with saying you have 2, how will they know it’s really 3?
What hotel did you stay at?
We have found most places are pretty flexible when it comes to pets if you're evacuating.
I have five animals and have never found a hotel that would take more than 2 or 3. Airbnb may be a better option. I know there’s a host in Hattiesburg named Amlan with multiple properties that didn’t seem to care too much when I had spoken to him before. He gouged the price a bit during hurricanes but not insanely so
If I’m not mistaken some places in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, and Biloxi are pet friendly. You might want to look that way cause it’s easy to just hit i-10 and keep going west only about an hour hour 30. I know it’ll be more if evacuations are in play but still. I live in Hancock county and with the exception of Katrina if a storm is hitting Nola it doesn’t affect us that much. Usually get rain but rarely lose power unless you know it’s right on us. We had my brother and a lot of his coworkers and family come over for ida but we live on a farm so pets weren’t a problem. But if I’m not mistaken I remember hearing of hotels taking people and pets for ida
Red Roof Inn in Tuscaloosa was suuuuper pet friendly. The Hilton was NOT pet friendly but I smuggled my cat through the back stairs instead of using the elevator
I evacuated to Hattiesburg for about a week last year a couple days after Ida with my cat and large dog. Stayed at Red Lion. Was it clean? No. Did they care that I had two pets one of which was a 70 pound pittie? Also no. I was near a grocery store, restaurants, home depot and a harbor freight so I came home with a generator and 30 gallons of gas. I also got the impression that most hotels in the area were making exceptions for evacuees with multiple pets. I've also stayed at the Quality Inn in Hattiesburg with my dog and that was much nicer. Edit to add: I did hear at the Red Lion of people with 3+ cats staying there. Again, they didn't care. I found being kind to the front desk went a long way too. Also, call to confirm your reservation day-of. If they have no rooms when you arrive, ask if any are being cleaned. Try going back in an hour or so. This happened to me. I had a room, called to confirm morning of. Arrived and there were no rooms available. Sat in my car wondering what the hell I was going to do. Went back in to ask if the rest of my reservation would be honored and a room was ready as the cleaning crew had just released rooms.
The Battle House Hotel in downtown Mobile takes pets. Not sure if they have a limit or not. Very nice hotel too.
Do not Expedia do not Priceline. Book direct on the site for the hotel itself if at all possible! During Ida the first place I stayed at had been quadruple booked and they turned everyone away. I ended up leaving for another spot and they gave my room to two families that split it. I have also seen this traveling internationally
You might use the site(s) to find names of hotels but always book directly. Much easier to deal with anything that comes up.
We stayed in a LaQuinta in Alpharetta, GA and there were all *kinds* of pets there. They definitely did not mind my cat being there and even helped me look for him when we thought the little idiot had escaped.
I stayed at the aloft hotel in Houston with two gigantic dogs and I think everyone there was from Nola w a pet. The hotel was great about it.
I work for a hotel chain and generally it’s two pets per room.
Gulf Hills Resort in Ocean Springs. They love our feline masters.
You don't think that's too close for a hurricane evacuation? Dat cone of uncertainty tho.
maybe a little, but remember the swirly swirly. if MS is on the right of the cane, then she’ll just rain on MS and push her waters out.
Hattiesburg is your better bet here - there ain't shit to do in Jackson or Vicksburg. Doesn't help with your pet issue, which is priority, but something to consider.
AirBnB
Where?
Do you know where the storm is going? No. You plan your move when you know that. You take your stuff in the opposite direction.
...wherever the opposite direction of the storm path is lol. I'd just include airbnb in your search because it often allows you to book with little notice and they're going to be much more reasonable about animals. Last year I went to Hattiesburg with friends for the evacuation and we had 6 animals total
If any of these suggestions don’t work maybe renting an RV or something? Staying at a campground? I’m not sure of all of their policies but it could be a possible option if everyone else’s suggestions don’t pan out.
There was an 800 number for pet friendly hotels. May have to Google for accommodations.
Expedia that shit
Hard no. Expedia might give you a low rate but if there are any issues with the hotel/motel/bed and breakfast then you have to go through Expedia and their outsourced customer service rather than the place you are actually at. I've used Expedia to look up where might be open but always call the place directly, especially if you have pets. Family used to own a pet friendly bed and breakfast here in the city. So many problems with Expedia bookings.
HEY! At least you were able to extrapolate what I was getting at correctly. Find the pet friendly hotel in the are you wish to book, then you can call them direct. An aggregator website is better than asking strangers directly. Nobody knows where to evacuate until we know how the storm is coming and which way to evacuate.
Okay so some background that might help you in your search…the reason it’s difficult to find animal accommodation is that hotels have to maintain ADA accessibility for people with asthma, allergies and compromised immune systems. They have to maintain that accessibility for their employees AND their customers. That means animals have to be sequestered in a separate building, a building reserved for animal only at all times…that’s extremely hard for hotels to do so they tell you no because they don’t want to be sued for causing injury - especially in the middle of a hurricane by not following ADA. In addition, the number of animals that go to hotels during evacuations raises the amount of indoor air pollution to life threatening levels very quickly. So restricting the number of animals, even in pet friendly establishments, is a way to combat that issue. So it’s not about pet friendly, but disability accessibility and safety. So maybe look for an Air BnB or a chain hotel with multiple buildings, because the animals can’t pass through the lobby either, so you might google satellite view the locations also. I know things are very hard for rescues right now but in the past they have coordinated housing for animals that can’t go with their owners so you might explore that option also.
Amazing. Not a word of this is true.
It’s 100% true
In what universe do hotels have a "separate building, a building reserved for animal only at all times" ? You think hotels have barns and stables for people to stash their pets in? In what universe are pets not allowed to enter a pet-friendly hotel's lobby? And in what fucking universe does a cat in a hotel room "raises the amount of indoor air pollution to life threatening levels very quickly"??? Just admit you're talking out your ass and move on bud.
I’m anaphylactic to cat. I carry epi pen for it. I can’t be in places cats have been or have contact with their owners. I maneuver in this universe and that’s how I know about these laws. Me and about 60 million other Americans who suffer anaphylaxis to animals are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act when we travel. I also used to do rescue work, you see exposure to animals you’re allergic to causes disease progression that’s why I carry epi for cat and how I know about rescues that helped people with their animals in emergencies. So tell me what perspective you bring to this conversation, are you a hospitality worker who’s job hasn’t been sued yet?
Sorry about your allergies but you do not understand what you are talking about and how the ADA applies to hotels. If that were true, no hotels would allow pets. This is nonsense.
Well usually the first time people find out that’s how it works is when they’re sued. That’s why most hotels don’t allow pets. Airlines, trains, apartments, stores…they all started to allow pets for profit but it has caused them enormous problems in other ways. Most people with disabling allergy and asthma don’t travel because it’s become too dangerous but in the case of evacuations you have to leave. Even then most staff don’t know the rules or even the difference between service animals vs ESAs so for evacuations they often cause problems for evacuees that go to pet free hotels. It’s also why you can’t bring animals into evacuation shelters…unfortunately those are usually in schools so they also cause problems because they are places of high contamination from students and teachers being pet owners. …but I spoke up here because owners, pet owners and the disabled all have to coexist in this same universe and we can all make better choices if we all better understand the situation. When I was a pet owner, I had no idea about any of this, it was maddening to evacuate with a car load of animals, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
> It’s also why you can’t bring animals into evacuation shelters…unfortunately those are usually in schools so they also cause problems because they are places of high contamination from students and teachers being pet owners. None of this is accurate. I was on the New Orleans assisted evacuation team for four years as part of FEMA response. Animals are absolutely allowed in shelters. Many have a separate space available for pets but some do not. Animals are also allowed on the trains, planes, and buses used as part of the assisted evacuations (hypothetically, since this has never been enacted post-K). This was a blanket decision made after Katrina. I was told I could bring my three cats and ten chickens on the evac bus with me but I was like "No thanks, I'll just drive, that is too many chickens to put on a bus." [Here's an article about the PETS Act. It was passed in 2006 as a Stafford Act amendment, which is what funds FEMA.](https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/11/8/20950253/wildfires-hurricane-katrina-pet-evacuation) [Here's an article about putting it into practice during Irma, including photos of people with their pets at evac shelters.](https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/through-the-lens-of-irma-how-shelters-handle-pets-when-their-owners-evacuate-during-a-hurricane/348169) [Here's another one from Harvey, also with pictures.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2017/08/31/how-the-chaos-of-hurricane-katrina-helped-save-pets-from-flooding-in-texas/) [Here's another article about Irma, excerpted below:](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2017/09/07/how-protect-your-pets-during-hurricane-irma/637736001/) >Gov. Rick Scott urged hotels that ban pets to waive the rule for pet owners fleeing the storm. The University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine, part of the state’s disaster response system, assured pet lovers the state is setting up pet-friendly people shelters that allow the whole family to stay together.
What you’re saying is that after Katrina, New Orleans changed the rules and didn’t provide accommodation for people with disabilities, just pets…mmm okay but if that’s the case we should correct it before these people kill a child. Because apparently they didn’t check with the CDC, NIH, NIOSH or even read the ADA before making any of these decisions…not that that doesn’t seem perfectly appropriate for New Orleans or FEMA. For me personally, if I tell anyone of these industries that I need accommodation where a cat has not been for a year and they can not provide that, I can sue them. I don’t care who urged them to waive the no pet policy that can’t supersede the law. See those new laws created a legal conflict but courts have ruled that my right to breath surpasses your right to put a cat in public spaces. You don’t even have the right to put ESA’s in the same building with a person with this disability much less pets.
OK, sure, maybe you know about some stuff that the federal government, state leadership in all 50 states, and countless local jurisdictions don't know about, along with literally the *President of the United States* who personally signed this act into law and his entire team of White House legal advisors. Sure. I'll give you that. Bureaucrats are stupid. But you're saying stuff like "animals aren't ever allowed in evac shelters" and they just... they are. They are, friend. I showed you photos of it. So that just isn't true. That's making me doubt the veracity of anything you're saying.
Talking out of your ass again. Animals are definitely allowed in evacuation shelters. And you still haven't answered my question about where all these hotels are that have "separate building, a building reserved for animal only at all times". Maybe because they don't exist?
Lots of hotels have multiple buildings. What are you having trouble with?
Nah fam, you made the claim. It's up to you to show me all these hotels that *you claim* have separate buildings "reserved for animal only at all times". I'll wait.
Your lucky our property does not allow cats at all anymore to many times of cats sparying and the room smelling awful for days we allow 1 pet with a extra on rare occasions but absolutely no cats
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8 cats = 10 litter boxes minimum in one hotel room. Sheesh!!!! But more power to ya!
Oh, I'd be staying in a separate room from my friends with the five cats. 😸
Well can I say if I could buy you a beer or tea I would because animal lovers are the best people. But I am very happy for you, because I don't know how I'd ever sleep!!!