Dog traveler: New Mexico’s Travelin’ Jack Speaks Out
August 01, 2011 • Travel •
BY: Jill Lane
Travelin’ Jack, New Mexico’s pre-eminent canine tourism guru and roving bulldog reporter takes Albuquerque and New Mexico to a national level. Travelin’ Jack’s blog report on Pet-Friendly Travel Tips has been selected for publication in the national dog magazine, Fido Friendly in their August 2011 issue with an article entitled “NEW MEXICO WELCOMES FIDO!” In addition to pet travel tips, he touches on the scenic beauty of New Mexico and the many outdoor adventure opportunities that await tourists and their pets. It’s an honor for Travelin’ Jack and a benefit for New Mexico Tourism to have a dog from New Mexico selected for a national pet magazine.
But that honor is DOUBLED with Travelin’ Jack ‘s inclusion TWICE in this same magazine. Travelin’ Jack also showcased one of New Mexico’s local restaurant chains, Flying Star Café in a photo presentation of their pet-friendly dining “Petio”. His inclusion of Flying Star Café’s annual April promotion “Buy A Cookie Save a Pet” (when Flying Star donates a portion of the cookie sales to Animal Humane of NM ) helped set the restaurant apart from many other pet-friendly restaurants. The Flying Star Café was selected as one of five restaurants in the U.S. to be showcased in their “Fido Al Fresco” article in this same issue.
Click: Check out Travelin' Jack and his mom, Jill (we love it... Jack and Jill) on KASA-TV
But this recent publicity is not the 1st public appearance for this traveling New Mexico dog. He has recently been selected as the official “Spokes-dog” for the Hilton Resort at Buffalo Thunder’s summertime promotion called “Dog Days of Summer”. Travelin’ Jack is credited for convincing Buffalo Thunder to waive their pet fees for the entire 2011 summer, encouraging travelers to visit New Mexico with their pets. Concurrently with the promotion, Travelin’ Jack will be hosting special events at the resort, such as “Yappy Hour” on August 12th, with proceeds of the promotion going to support Santa Fe and Espanola Animal Shelters. Buffalo Thunder Resort recently welcomed over 70 pets with their families during the Las Conchas fire evacuation from Los Alamos...and they extended the ‘Pets Stay Free’ program to all the evacuated families. (see separate press release from Hilton). The goal of the resort’s “Dog Days of Summer” promotion is to raise moneys for animal shelters and raise awareness of the benefits of traveling with your pet.
Additionally, Travelin’ Jack will also help inaugurate DOG FRIENDLY status to one of Albuquerque’s premier B&B’s, the Bottger Mansion of Old Town. After meeting with Travelin’ Jack, and reviewing the growing pet travel market statistics, owners Kathy and Steve Hiatt made the decision to convert one of their inn’s rooms to a “dog-friendly” room. Accordingly, Travelin’ Jack will be ‘breaking in’ the William Hazeldine Room at Bottger Mansion as the first dog to test their new dog-friendly status.
Travelin’ Jack will also be visiting with the Los Alamos Firefighters in the near future. He will bring the people-version of his “pupcakes” to the firefighters to express appreciation for their valiant efforts during the recent Las Conchas forest fire. Later this autumn in Los Alamos, Travelin’ Jack will be reporting from the “NEXT BIG IDEA” festival where he will be videoing the conference live with a special “Jack-Cam” head-mounted camera.
In August, Travelin’ Jack will be hitting the highways enroute to Washington D.C. where he will be part of a speaker panel at a national pet conference, BlogPaws. He will ‘speak’ to the benefits of pet travel and the publication of pet travel information through the success of his dog-blog-travelogue. Travelin’ Jack’s dog-blog-travelogue, begun in August of 2009, has garnered followers from around the U.S. and the world. He has also appeared on a series of TV shows in his own travel segment called “Jack’s Tracks” on the New Mexico produced television show “Travel Guide New Mexico”. Other accomplishments by Travelin’ Jack include:
• The first Dog to be named an award recipient at the 2010 New Mexico Governor’s Conference on Tourism..for his work promoting tourism through social media outlets.
• In November,2010 Travelin’ Jack was ‘elected’ by 798 animals as the first so-named Dog-Governor of New Mexico. The write-in votes on his ‘petition’ were all part of a statewide Canine Campaign to raise moneys and awareness for New Mexico’s many animal welfare organizations.
• During his month long Canine Campaign Travelin’ Jack helped 12 animal welfare organizations raise moneys totaling over $6000 as well as adopting pets to new homes;
• In 2010 he was the Star subject on a national pet web story created by Veterinary News Network, a leading national/international veterinary-based media organization.
• Late 2010, he published his first book, a children’s coloring storybook, entitled “Travelin’ Jack’s Story…From Shelter to Star”. Sales proceeds from the book (which promotes shelter adoption) are donated to New Mexico’s animal welfare organizations. To date over 500 books have sold, with over $1250 donated to various organizations.
• Participated in a local Ford TV commercial.
• Pet Model for several magazines and tourism destinations.
Travelin’ Jack-- a 3- year young Olde English Bulldogge-- began his public career from humble beginnings when he was adopted from a Colorado Animal Shelter in January 2009. Travelin’ Jack’s career goal is to educate everyone on the benefits of pet travel while promoting New Mexico tourism. His secondary goal is to promote shelter pet adoptions and assist New Mexico’s animal welfare organizations with fundraising.
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