Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - One of the great joys of traveling is sharing the experience with loved ones - including pets. Whether traveling with a pet for companionship, service or comfort, visitors will find Puerto Vallarta's pet friendly atmosphere and infrastructure, as well as a diversity of offerings and services, make it easy to bring along four-legged friends.

Many hotels and resorts across the city are pet friendly and offer convenient pet packages and doggie day camps; including the Westin Resort & Spa Puerto Vallarta located in the Marina area, Hotel Puerto de Luna and the Sheraton Buganvilias in the Hotel Zone; Casa Cupula Hotel and Casa Kimberly in Old Town; and Casa Iguana Hotel and Vallarta Shores, both located in the South Zone, just to name a few. Visitors should confirm rules and availability with hotels when booking.

Pets are allowed on some of Puerto Vallarta's many beaches and visitors will often see dogs accompanying their owners on a run or meeting up with local residents and their dogs for some playtime.

One of the most popular activities is walking the pedestrian-only El Malecón, Puerto Vallarta's iconic boardwalk and open-air gallery featuring dozens of sculptures and statues. The Malecón's wide cemented path, approximately 1.5 miles in length, is an ideal place to go for a stroll, a meal or a bit of shopping accompanied by one's pets. Many restaurants, cafes, sidewalk eateries and bars along the Malecón and the historic downtown area welcome four-legged companions to join at an outdoor table and will serve them a bowl of cold water.

The city also has a number of resident veterinarians and 24-hour pet hospitals in case of an emergency and local stores such as Wal-Mart and Sam's Club carry most pet food brands found in the US and Canada.

There are hundreds of direct flight to Puerto Vallarta from the US and Canada on a weekly basis; it is recommended that travelers check regulations and requirements for travel with dogs and cats as they vary from airline to airline.

Mexico is amicable to pets and does not quarantine cats and dogs arriving from the United States or Canada. However, pets must travel with an International Certificate of Good Health that has been signed by a certified veterinarian stating that they are healthy and free of internal and external parasites. Pets must be current on rabies, hepatitis and distemper vaccinations. A copy of the Rabies Certificate should be included, and they should also be tested for ticks & tapeworm prior to traveling to Mexico. All documents must be presented to an officer at the SAGARPA-SENASICA office located inside the Puerto Vallarta International Airport upon arrival.

For a complete list of pet-friendly hotels, restaurants and activities, go to VisitPuertoVallarta.com.