Does your pet tell you where to go - or how to get there

When it comes to holiday travel, pets are often in tow and have influence over their owners’ plans, according to a survey released today by PetRelocation.com.

The first annual Holiday Pet Travel Survey polled more than 7,000 pet owners worldwide about their holiday travel plans. It found that 63 percent of pet owners travel at least 50 miles with their pets during the holidays.

Of those traveling with pets, 85 percent said their pets influence how far they will venture for a holiday vacation. Many pet owners like to keep trips local, according to the survey, with 71 percent choosing to travel within their state of residence.
Most pet owners polled (85 percent) said their pets influence where they choose to stay during the holidays. While a third said they stay at pet-friendly hotels, 66 percent said they stay at the home of friends or family.


Pets have less of an influence on the length of the trip, the survey found. Fifty-seven percent of pet owners surveyed said their pets do not influence the trip length. Most of those surveyed (85 percent) said they take trips that last seven days or less, with the remainder of pet owners indicating that their trips can last up to two weeks.

Dogs appear to be the most popular traveling companions of the fur-kind, with nearly all of the respondents indicating they only travel with their pooch. When asked why they choose to travel with their pet, the majority of pet owners (71 percent) said it was “because pets are part of the family and should be with the rest of the family during holiday occasions.”

Traveling with pets does have it challenges, and 42 percent of pet owners polled said their biggest one is making sure their pets do not become stressed. Finding pet-friendly transportation or airlines was the second biggest challenge at 28 percent.

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