Travel Essentials - Pet Friendly Travel Tips

Traveling with Pets - Traveling with your Cat or Dog

More and more people see their animal companions as members of the family and want to bring them along when they travel. Hotels have taken note of this growing trend and increased their pet friendly lodging by 8% according to a recent study by AAA.

According to the Travel Industry Association of America, there are 62 million dog owners in the USA, and 29 million of those hit the road with their dogs in tow. An American Express Leisure Travel survey, released in October 2003, found that 13% of its respondents described an ideal vacation as one that is "pet-friendly".

Traveling with your pet can eliminate boarding costs which can reach $100.-200. for boarding your cat or dog for one week. Add to that extra charges, such as flea spray/dip (obligatory in some kennels before admittance), taxes, etc. and the final bill can become hefty.

Even with the extra pet fees that some pet-friendly hotels charge, it is still usually cheaper to take your cat or dog along for the ride than to board your pet. The savings over boarding are even greater if you are a multi-pet family.

But it is not cost but the well-being of their pets that motivates most pet owners to bring their animal companions along on the family trip. Knowing that your dog or cat will be safe and happy with you instead of feeling abandoned and cramped in a strange kennel makes the decision to travel with your pet easier.

As reported by CBS Marketplace, a leading pet-friendly lodging directory, BringYourPet.com, recently polled thousands of its website visitors, newsletter subscribers, and random households regarding their travel and purchase habits. All who participated in the survey own at least one pet. A portion of the results were as follows:

• 72% stay at designated pet friendly hotels or lodging more than 3 times a year.
• 58% would be more likely to lengthen their stay if given the opportunity to travel with their pets.
• 87% travel with dogs.
• 47% purchase over 10 gifts a year for their pets.
• 67% visit the veterinarian or animal hospital more than 3 times a year.
• 46% have their pets professionally groomed more than 3 times a year.