Dogs enjoy leisure time at hotel in Taipei

Modern Taipei was once teeming with stray dogs that sniffed commuters on crowded sidewalks and rummaged through trash. But now the city has canines living in hotels with their own VIP suites.

A Taipei-area proprietor has opened a large-sized hotel with a pool, a salon, classes and recreation rooms. These luxuries, however, are not for human beings.

As pro-dog awareness has spread in Taipei and pet boarding services taken off, pet owners pressed for play time or space at home have begun to look toward the budding hotels.

The Pet's Dream Park lets dogs spend hours jumping in and paddling out of an indoor pool to lose weight. A beauty parlour awaits them in the next room.

Nervous, anxious pets get their own VIP rooms at no extra charge to keep them out of other dogs' way.

Tsai Shu-Ling, dog owner, said, "It is mostly because of the spaciousness and a rather clean environment. Accommodation is also OK, it's not like a cage, there is ample space. They will also inform us when it's time to give the dogs immunity injections or when to check them for parasites."

Dogs that spend their days exercising in the hotel, rather than sleeping at home when owners are away, are also likely to better control their weight.

Happy, for example, a slightly over-weight Labrador retriever, lost 6 kilograms in the last 12 months, through daily swimming sessions.

The hotel owner says the major reason for starting the business is to ease the stray dog problem.

Kevin Lin, owner of Pet's Dream Park, said, "We regularly help stray animals. They need help from people. We also offer cats and dogs for adoption. We hope these animals can find better homes."

Official figures show there are about 180-thousand dogs living on the island of 23 million people. The hotel's room rate is 14 US dollars a day plus food, which is more expensive than home care but affordable to the average Taipei family.