accomodation for dogs

No public transport will allow dogs. Some drivers at the airport will take you and the dogs if you book the entire taxi, which I think is about $90 -- but there is no guarantee that anyone will be willing to take you. You can arrange a private taxi. There are some leads for this in the archives for this board as well as the vacation travel boards.

It can be challenging to find pet-friendly housing, especially if you are new on island and nobody knows you or your pets. Finding a short-term dog-friendly rental is not easy. With high-energy and larger dogs like yours, who tend to need yard space that can be hard to find on STT, it is even trickier to find a place short or long term. You would do well to line up housing before bringing the dogs down.

Another option is to board the dogs while you are looking, which could make for a difficult transition for them and might not save you money, either, if it takes a while to find a place.

You will need to find a private apartment and not any of the condos as most do not allow dogs. Many owners do not allow dogs, And if they do you will need to give an extra pet deposit of generally one month.

We may have a one bedroom available in the November to December time frame. But not sure if the current tenant will re sign their lease.

You will need to rent a car to transport the dogs. But you should have a job before you come down or o a PMV.

Bill

I'd definitely advise that you leave the dogs with family or friends until you settle in here and have a place for them to come to. As has been said, finding a rental which will accept one small dog is doable but finding a place which will allow two large dogs is another story altogether and it's quite possible that your only option will be to rent a free standing house. Hopefully you both have good jobs already lined up so you have an idea which area will best suit you where living is concerned. IF that's the case, maybe one of you could come down ahead and find a place to live with the other following with the dogs. Good luck.

In my opinion, your second option, although more expensive, is the best option. Your dogs are too big to even expect an accommodation, even like mine who accepts pets, to accept two large dogs. Taxis charge you for a private, which means anywhere from $50-$90 depending on where you are going. Best to do a pre move visit and find a place or one of you go back and get the dogs. You can also have them shipped in without you, however I think that option might even be more than if you carry them with you.

Another thing. Airlines don't accept dogs usually during the summer months. Heat is a factor.

I would bring the dogs and people all at once, to save time and money. I think some taxi drivers will do it if the dogs are crated. Try to find short-term lodging ahead of time that will accept large dogs. I know, it's easier said than done, and I don't have any specific suggestions.

Flying with dogs in summer is harder, but not impossible. Search this forum. There are plenty of discussions on the subject. Here are a few threads to get you started:
https://www.vimovingcenter.com/talk/read.php?4,179887
https://www.vimovingcenter.com/talk/read.php?4,142132
https://www.vimovingcenter.com/talk/read.php?4,124715
https://www.vimovingcenter.com/talk/read.php?4,99254

A google search on this site for fly+large+dog+cargo+summer: http://www.google.co.vi/#hl=en&output=search&q=site:vimovingcenter.com+fly+large+dog+cargo+summer

A google search on this site for dog+taxi+crate: http://www.google.co.vi/#hl=en&sclient=psy-ab&q=site:vimovingcenter.com+dog+taxi+crate

OP isn't planning coming until November/December so summer travel for the dogs isn't an issue.

Contrary to the above postings, unless something's changed in the last few months, taxi drivers are required to accept properly kenneled dogs:

"A taxi operator, while on duty, shall not refuse any passenger unless the passenger is intoxicated and disorderly, or in possession of a pet or animal (other than a seeing eye dog) that is not properly secured in a kennel case or other suitable container. There shall be no extra charge for seeing-eye dogs.

Kennel Charges: Large Kennel - $30, Small Kennel - $20."

I only have one 16 lb dog and I did have one driver get snooty about it once. All other times, they didn't bat an eye and they didn't even charge me extra (probably because she was in a soft case, which I held on my lap). I'm sure you'll get flack trying to take 2 large kennels, because they won't have enough room to pack enough people in with you to make them happy. But rules is rules.

Agree with Ronnie and others. Very difficult to find short term/PMV places that will allow large dogs.
Better to come, first, set yourselves up with a long term rental, first.
Many places will not allow large dogs, especially condo rentals. They are very few that do and if they do have a under 40lb. limit.
Find a home. Then bring the dogs. It will offer you some peace of mind as well even if it does cost more.
Check with airlines about rulles and regs for flying and when they allow dogs to travel, vet certificates, weight and breed issues, kennel types and sizes.

Do this in advance, in order to be prepared. Maybe your stateside family will keep your pets while you do your PMV and get set up.

Since you must have a vet certificate to fly, ask your vet to provide a letter of reference for your dogs regarding their temperment to show prospective landlords. Be prepared to pay additional pet security deposit at most places.
Heartworms are a problem here so be sure your pets are protected, if not already doing so.

Better to rent a vehical that can accommodate you and you dogs from airport. Some taxi's won't drive with them at all, plus they take other passengers from airport to all various locations all over island prior to getting you to your destination.

Good Luck.

My husband and I moved to STT with two large dogs. It *was* a challenge, but not impossible to find an apartment rental. As you may already know, most apartments available here are not in condos or organized developments but are located in private homes. Homeowners like to have an apartment or two for rent in order to supplement their income. As other posters have stated, some owners really don't want to rent to people with large dogs. On the other hand, we actually *prefer* pet owners in our apartment (unfortunately not expected to be available) as we think large dogs are great security plus for the property. Also, some people are nervous about dogs that may be considered aggressive but are much more open to lovable family pet-type animals, so if your dogs are gentle and friendly you could mention that when apartment-hunting. If you have some friendly-looking pics of your animals to share with prospective landlords, that might be a good strategy. Some owners might worry that people are not going to be honest about the actual size and temperament of the dogs, so if you can try to handle that up-front that might also help establish you as good prospective tenants. I would think that areas where the development is not as concentrated (bigger lots, fewer units per lot, etc.) would be more likely to be dog-friendly and perhaps more comfortable for your pets, too. Good luck!

Barefoot, did you find a place before you moved? Or did you already have the dogs on island while you were looking?

Both, actually. We had a place lined up before we got here but hadn't seen it and there turned out to be some things we weren't comfortable with, so we pretty quickly were out apartment shopping. The owners were very understanding about it, fortunately. I definitely don't recommend long term renting sight unseen. Due to the lack of short-term places that will accept 2 large dogs, the advice of other posters to come down first without the pets and secure a place is really helpful. jwidjaja, it would be great if you did find a short term place through this board, hope you do!

Your experience is a great reminder for those with unrealistic expectations about the process of moving to paradise. There is always more to apartments here that cannot be conveyed without seeing them, from what it is actually like to live in a cistern-level apartment (drawbacks can be lack of privacy, noise from pumps, dampness), to the noise level of the surrounding area, to the traffic situation. Even an in-person visit might not be enough to determine what is happening nearby at other hours of the day -- for example, neighbor dogs roaming loose when their owners come home and let them out, or roosters that start their day at 3 a.m. When you are trying to find a safe place for animals, too, the need for an in-person visit becomes even more salient.

Lol - no unrealistic expectations here - we did a very thorough "working" pmv, but you are too right about seeing the apartment first. To be fair to the owners in our particular situation though, some things changed between the time they described the place to us and our actual arrival, which they could not have predicted. They really handled it gracefully and favorably to us, and it was never intended to be a truly long term arrangement. People like these are one reason we stayed despite the challenges of renting with large dogs, so I hope jwidjaja makes some great first contacts as well and wish them the best!

Thanks for all the input guys.

We were planning a PMV in September, but now due to work scheduling etc. that might not work.

How easy is it to rent a car from the airport?

Barefootdays, where and how did you stay here when you first came with the dogs??

Is there a guesthouse or short-term rentals or hotels that allow dogs in STT?

Josie

Hope I'm wrong, and if I am, I'm sure others will chime in, but,considering the size of your dogs, I don't think you will find short term options.

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Hope I'm wrong, and if I am, I'm sure others will chime in, but,considering the size of your dogs, I don't think you will find short term options.

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I agree. As far as taxis are concerned, there's a very efficient taxi system at the airport where the dispatcher puts you into the closest taxi van going to your destination. For taxi rates, go to the visitor's forum, scroll down "St Thomas" to "transportation" and you'll find the taxi rates along with other related helpful information.

It would be best to rent a car at the airport. Based on the law quoted above it should be okay to taxi however, I have seen that they make you pay the rate for private taxi which, depending on where you are going, can be as much as $90.

Contrary to the above postings, unless something's changed in the last few months, taxi drivers are required to accept properly kenneled dogs

That may be the case. They are also required to leave when you request (e.g., in order to make a ferry boat on time), not to wait until the van is full. And they don't do that either. Rules and reality differ a great deal in the taxi world, has been my experience.

Josie - if you are talking about renting a car AT the airport when you arrive, it is possible but much easier to reserve one in advance.

There are hotels on STT that allow dogs. Search the archives for details. Not a low-budget option, though.

If you do a google for "St Thomas USVI pet friendly hotels" you'll come up with a very small number but will have to check with them where size and number is concerned.

There is a Budget, Hertz and Avis car rental at the airport. You can also check www.dependablecar.com

Just be sure to rent a car that is big enough to accommodate the 2 large kennels, dogs, your luggage and yourselves.
I seriously doubt that IF you can find a taxi to take you from the airport, you won't have to pay a private rate as they shall not be able to accommodate anyone else.

In our case we had a contact on island who happened to have a unit available for the "medium term". It wasn't a regular short-term rental place.

Was told today that Best Western Emerald Beach accepts dogs, any size.

Contrary to the above postings, unless something's changed in the last few months, taxi drivers are required to accept properly kenneled dogs

That may be the case. They are also required to leave when you request (e.g., in order to make a ferry boat on time), not to wait until the van is full. And they don't do that either. Rules and reality differ a great deal in the taxi world, has been my experience.

Josie - if you are talking about renting a car AT the airport when you arrive, it is possible but much easier to reserve one in advance.

There are hotels on STT that allow dogs. Search the archives for details. Not a low-budget option, though.

They pulled that wait thing on us in STT. Told driver what the rules were and that he'd be reported (which he was - not that that came to anything). But off we went. With the one dog flack we had, same thing. I do know of one case where private van rate was going to be charged when it shouldn't have been. Passenger prevailed because he knew the rules and offered to call and wait for the cops to sort it out. My reality is that knowledge is key.

Personally, with two large dogs, I'd rent a car in advance. Less waiting. Smaller chance of no large vehicles available, More comfortable for the dogs - you'd get them out of the heat a bit faster.

Was told today that Best Western Emerald Beach accepts dogs, any size.

Thanks, Ronnie. Will keep that in mind.

Josie