8/16/13
More than seven in 10 pet owners (72%) who travel without their pets feel worried about them while they’re away, according to dog boarding and pet services company DogVacay. Almost half of dog owners (46%) and 37% of cat owners say it’s difficult to relax on trips because they’re worried about their pets.
Almost half of pet owners (48%) say they travel less than they would if they didn’t have pets. Most pet owners do travel, however; 79% take at least one trip per year that includes an overnight stay. The average is 3.6 trips per year, with a total of 15 nights spent away from home.
Most Americans with pets (82%) ask family members, friends, or neighbors to take care of their pets when they travel. Half of these pet owners feel guilty about asking, however.
More than four in 10 pet owners who travel (44%) use pet sitting services or kennels at least once a year. Those who use the services use them an average of four times per year. Almost three-quarters of pet owners (73%) who leave their pets at a kennel while they’re away feel guilty about doing so.
People who use professional pet sitting services or kennels are more likely to spend five nights or more away from home when they travel than those who have family/friends/neighbors watch their pets (79% vs. 71%).
Almost two-thirds (64%) say they encounter challenges when making travel accommodations for pets. Three-quarters of pet owners (75%) don’t trust airlines to keep their pets safe in cargo/checked baggage compartments. When people do travel with pets, they spend an average of $247 per year ($273 for dogs and $304 for cats) on pet-related travel expenses. When leaving their pets at home to be cared for by someone else, they spend an average of $486 per year on pet sitting or kenneling.
SOURCE: “State of Pet Travel in the U.S.,” June 2013, DogVacay, Aaron Hirschhorn, Co-founder, 225 Arizona Ave., #300, Santa Monica, CA 90401; 855-364-8222; help@dogvacay.com; www.dogvacay.com. Price: Contact for information.
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