Pet Hotel soon to come to ABIA

AUSTIN, Texas - You can find pet hotels all over Austin, but what about the airport?

It will soon be a reality, making things a lot more convenient.

Imagine a state-of-the-art pet hotel at Austin Bergstrom International Airport.

You'll drop off your cat or dog, they'll valet your car and then shuttle you to the entrance.

Now when you go on vacation, your pet can wait for you at the airport.

It was about two years ago when Austin Bergstrom International Airport was seeking bids for developers and operators to design parking and related uses.

Scott Airport Parking was selected with the idea of also adding a 13,000 square foot pet hotel.

They signed the lease March of 2014.

"You'll pull up. Let's say you were husband and wife, two children and a dog. One person will get the dog and go inside and get the dog settled. The other folks would get their luggage, be assisted by our attendents on our air conditioned shuttle bus," says Chris Von Dohlen, co-owner, Scott Airport Parking, LLC.

Then they'll be on their way.

Tom Vaughn says that would be ideal.

"I think it's a spectacular idea. Our animals are like extended family and they're kind of like our children. We love them and we want them in the best care possible while we are out of town," says Tom Vaughn, Buda resident.

The land is owned by the City of Austin.

It's just north of SH71 at Cardinal Loop.

"We have noise mitigation factors in our design, in our construction. Both in the type of walls that will be used, as well as operationally, when the dogs would be outside," says Von Dohlen.

Scott Airport Parking is working with Taurus Training and Doggy Play Day to make this all possible.

There will be plenty of outdoor space, a pool and playscapes.

"We'll have boarding, which will probably be the most popular service. We'll also have daycare out there for airport employees and people who commute into Austin that live out east, and we'll have our training. We have kind of a training camp, where the dogs stay for two weeks," says Melanie McLeroy, co-owner, Taurus Training and Doggy Play Day.

The facility would be open 24/7, 365 days a year.

Taurus expects to have about 20 employees and focus on both the physicial and behavioral health of all pets.

"Very carefully trained to be able to read dogs and know what they are saying to each other."

Phase one would allow for about 150 pets.

Phase two would double the capacity.

Scott Airport Parking will go before city council on Thursday.

They are hoping to get the property rezoned so that it would sufficiently cover all the needs of the pet hotel and covered parking.