For years, visitors who wanted to bring their pets to Hawai'i faced a four-month quarantine for the animals — and they had to pay for it.

But the rules changed in 2003, making quarantine avoidable if requirements are met to ensure the animals are free of rabies.

As a result, arrivals of cats and dogs to the islands are up more than 30 percent in three years, and hotels are responding with amenities for traveling pets.

The hotel services, most of which are geared to dog owners, also benefit locals who want to vacation with their dogs in Hawai'i.

Elizabeth Taylor and Cameron Diaz are two of the higher-profile pet owners who've taken advantage of doggie services at The Kahala, one of O'ahu's most luxurious hotels. But Larry and Valerie Wilson, who live in Hawai'i, also used the pet program on a recent stay at The Kahala, where their bichon frise, Kea, was greeted by name by the bellman. The fluffy white dog was then escorted to his room, where fresh-baked peanut butter biscuits with "Kea" inscribed on top awaited.

"It's always been a hassle when we want a nice weekend away, and need to find a doggie-sitter," said Valerie Wilson, a government worker from 'Aiea. "He's like our child and we always want to bring him."

Nearly 9,000 dogs and cats arrived in Hawai'i last fiscal year, up from about 7,650 in 2005 and just over 6,800 in 2004, according to the state Department of Agriculture. Already more than 5,600 have come to the islands in the first seven months of this fiscal year, and just 311 went through the 120-day quarantine.

But the new rules involve expensive, complicated preparations that require pet owners to plan months in advance. Animals must have two rabies vaccinations at least three months apart; an implanted identification microchip; and a rabies blood test performed at least 120 days before arrival. The blood sample must be sent to a lab at Kansas State University for testing.

The fee for direct pet release at the airport is $165 if all paperwork is sent in advance. The charge for a four-month quarantine is $1,080. Quarantine for animals began in 1912 when rabies became endemic in California.

The Kahala resort manager, Tim Lee, started the dog program there last year after helping launch similar pet-pampering at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, where celebrities regularly bring their purse-sized pups.

"Even the dogs want to be pampered," said Lee. "It's all a matter of service."

At the W Honolulu-Diamond Head, cats and dogs under 40 pounds are welcome. Owners pay an extra $25 a day at the W plus a $100 cleaning fee at the end of their visit.

On arrival there, pets get a water bowl, a pet-size bed and a goodie bag with a rawhide treat or chew toy.