PHILADELPHIA—Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia’s visiting pet program with local, no-kill shelter Saved Me has been so popular, that it is being expanded to the world of meetings & events. The new program, Pet Pals Playdates, allows groups to request a 30-minute “playdate” with a handful of adoptable dogs to lift spirits and relieve stress. The $100 fee for the visit goes directly to the shelter, making this fun break a win for everyone involved.
The original program at the hotel, Palomar Pet Pals, has seen many dogs get adopted since its inception in October 2015. Saved Me selects one shelter dog in need of a forever home to take up residency at the Palomar, getting quality face time with hotel guests as they greet check-ins at the front desk and lounge in the living room. Once the Pet Pal is adopted, a new pup in need of a home will be welcomed on board, and this continues on as part of the hotel and shelter’s ongoing partnership.
Both programs strengthen Kimpton’s Philadelphia properties’ relationship with Saved Me and continues a six-year partnership. An integral part of the local boutique hotels’ annual, pet-focused community events, such as the Palomar’s Santa Paws and the Monaco’s Dog Days of Summer, Saved Me is a non-profit adoption center enriching the lives of abused, abandoned, and neglected pets since 2011. They not only focus on adoption, but also rehabilitation and medical treatment through a partnership with The Pet Mechanic.
“The Pet Pals program is our chance to give back to a local shelter who has been an amazing partner over the past few years and our opportunity to take our pet-friendly policy one step further,” said Carol Watson, General Manager of Hotel Palomar Philadelphia. Having adoptable dogs greeting guests in our living room not only helps socialize them and give them a break from shelter life, but it increases their chance of finding a forever home. The Pet Pals program has received a very positive reaction from guests over the past few months, and we’re excited to see the mutual benefits of bringing adoptable dogs into our meeting breaks.”
Both programs are unique to the hotel, but pets have been at the heart of Kimpton for quite some time. Since its founding in 1981, the boutique hotel company’s ethos has always included a 100% pet-friendly policy; meaning, there are no size, breed, or even species restrictions, and there will never be any fees for checking in with a pet. It all started when Bill Kimpton used to bring his dog, Chianti, to work as he believed dogs had an innate ability to lift spirits. The Palomar’s Pet Pals program has achieved the same, as the Palomar Pet Pals greet travelers with a smiling face and wagging tail.
