Ryan Nicol
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) have worked to have hotels waive no-pet policies so that people seeking refuge from Hurricane Idalia can find shelter.
“Our members and Florida’s hospitality industry are committed to being a safe haven for visitors and residents during Hurricane Idalia,” said FRLA President and CEO Carol Dover.
“It is imperative that hotels across Florida relax their pet policies and welcome pets along with those evacuating. This is nothing short of a lifeline for families seeking safety. Thank you to those hotels which have already done this and we strongly urge all hotels to do the same.”
The FRLA has been reaching out to establishments this week as Idalia closed in on the state to urge owners to temporarily make policy changes. Idalia made landfall Wednesday morning just before 8 a.m. near Keaton Beach as a Category 3 storm.
The storm prompted the DeSantis administration to issue a state of emergency covering 49 counties in Florida.
“We are so happy to have the support of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association in ensuring that lodging establishments with no-pet policies are waiving those in order to help Florida families who have had to evacuate their homes due to Hurricane Idalia,” said Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly.
“Responding to a hurricane is a group effort and we are proud to have such strong private sector partners who are committed to helping Florida families.”
Institutions across the state have stepped up to help those seeking assistance during the storm.
Uber offered free rides to shelters for those in need, and Duke Energy mobilized responders and put forward funding to help with hurricane response. The Department of Children and Families made September SNAP benefits available early so people could stock up, and Rosen Hotels & Resorts lowered its rates for people evacuating. Rosen also opened all of its rooms to pets.
“Too often families are forced to make the difficult decision between evacuating safely and ensuring the safety of their four-legged family members,” said Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie.
“I encourage all hotels to make exceptions as Floridians around the state evacuate due to Hurricane Idalia and allow these families to bring their pets to the hotel without additional financial burdens.”
