It’s no surprise that most of us consider our furry friends family (almost 94% in fact), but according to the latest Bureau of Transportation Statistics long-distance travelers who make overnight trips at Thanksgiving spend an average of just under three nights away. At the Christmas/New Year’s holiday, the average increases to nearly four nights away.
So how do pet parents juggle travel plans and doggie demands during the holiday season?
According to surveys completed by Rover.com (the AirBnB for dogs), some don’t! Their surveys found that many of us chose our travel plans our fur-kids.
Survey Result Highlights
Skipped Trips: 39% of American dog owners, including 60% of Millennials, have not gone on a trip because they couldn’t find a good dog sitter (Rover commissioned survey, May 2015)
Dog Sitters are in Demand: Over 55% think finding a great dog sitter would be more difficult than finding a great babysitter (Rover commissioned survey, May 2015)
Fido vs. Main Squeeze? 40% of those with a significant other, including 50% of Millennials, think their dog would be more difficult to leave for a week than their partner (Rover commissioned survey, May 2015)
Sit and Stay: Thirty-five percent (35%) of respondents with dogs have decided to host their family at their own home—just to avoid looking for proper dog care (Rover user poll, November 2014)
Nixing Holiday Presents: Forty-eight percent (48%) would give up their holiday presents rather than leave their dog in a kennel during the holidays (Rover user poll, November 2014)
This collective data is from two surveys Rover.com completed on holiday travel (inclusive for both summer and fall holiday travel), one was commissioned in May 2015 and the other was a Rover user poll from November 2014.
Holiday Plans With The Dog
Taking the dog with you can be just stressful too. 25% of survey respondents, in fact, claimed that taken the dog was stressful and/or complicated. Other responses involved things not turning out as planned, such as believing their dog would have been happier at home, missing out on activities that aren’t dog friendly, dog doesn’t travel well and dog ending up alone a lot of the time.
Looking to take your pup with you for the upcoming holiday travels and want to ensure none of the above happens? Check out BringFido.com for lists of place, activities, restaurants, airlines, even rental cars, all of which accept pets. They have reviews from other pet owners and all the resources you need to make sure your pet is as welcome as you are.
If you your plans do involve leaving your pet behind, Rover.com can help you find a reliable pet sitter. They are active in over 10,000 U.S. cities and have already connected pet owners to more than 40,000 sitters nationwide. Rover.com also offers free premium insurance for all booked services, access to 24/7 vet consultations, photo sharing, and sitter background checks so dog owners can feel at complete ease when they are away from their four-legged friends.
