New Consumer Study Reveals 50% of US Pet Owners Don’t Travel Due To Inadequate Or Overpriced Pet Boarding and Kennel Options
Brighton, UK (PRWEB) May 05, 2016 -- Sparky and Muffin’s owners desperately want to get away… to sink their toes in the sand or hike that lush trail that’s been calling their name. But with no one to take care of Sparky and Muffin, and the cost of pet sitting services rising, that trip to the beach or hike will need to be put off another year.
And so goes the problem of nearly every pet owner in America, who will take care of the pets so the pet owners can play? A new study released today from TrustedHousesitters, the world’s largest house and pet sitting service, revealed that 50% of US pet owners, or 40 million households, don’t travel due to inadequate pet care solutions. With National Pet and National Travel months being celebrated in May, this new data emphasizes the needs of so many for a proper pet care solution.
The study asked 2000 US respondents a variety of questions related to pet care and travel. Highlights included:
Home Sweet Home
• Pets are happier at home. Nearly 88 percent of consumers agree that their pets are happiest at home in their own surroundings.
• For those pets that stay home, 60 percent of pet owners spend at least 20 dollars per day, per pet, for care.
Boomers Want To Take Off
• 70% of baby boomers say they want to travel more often.
• 82% of baby boomers say cost or pet care concerns are limiting their travel frequency.
More Pet Care Solutions = More Travel
• 59% of pet owners don’t agree with boarding their pets when going away
• 40% of pet owners travel at least once per year but almost 62 percent of pet owners would travel more often if they had the right pet care solution.
Not surprisingly, most pets don’t seem excited to be put in a kennel and neither do their owners. Compared to alternative pet care, 84 percent of pet owners prefer to keep their pets at home with their regular routine and surroundings, when traveling. For the 32% of respondents with exotic pets that simply can’t be boarded, the challenge of finding time for vacation is more pronounced. This is where TrustedHousesitters comes in – to help homeowners with pets enjoy a peaceful and stress-free vacation, knowing their pets are safe at home, cared for by someone who will love them as if they were their own – for free.
TrustedHousesitters, recently nominated for a Webby for Best Community Website, is a community of pet lovers, helping each other travel the world while saving money. They connect home and pet owners who need a sitter with trustworthy people who want to house sit; reliable pet lovers and experienced home minders who are happy to travel to your home and look after it while you’re away.
“Pet owners care about their pets’ happiness while they are on vacation, as much as they care about their own rest and relaxation, but many don’t realize there are options available beyond expensive kennels when they need to travel,” said Andy Peck, founder and chief executive officer of TrustedHousesitters. “TrustedHousesitters is a trusted community of people that provides pet owners with a simple solution to their pet care worries. The results of this survey further highlight why TrustedHousesitters’ business model is so successful in achieving high customer and pet satisfaction.”
More Travel & Pet Facts You Didn’t Know
When looking for a pet sitter, you think of the dog or the cat but the survey also found a number of unusual pet sitting requests and information about those looking to pet sit.
• Wild kingdom. The most unusual pets that have been “sat” in the U.S. include: deer, zebra finch, Nigerian dwarf goat, hermit crab, wild kinkajous, rose hair tarantula, and opossum.
• Pet care comes at a cost. When it comes to travel, pet owners often make financial concessions for their furry friends. Almost 40 percent of pet owners surveyed have paid for domestic and/or international travel.
• TrustedHousesitters members are well-traveled. Users have traveled approximately 56 million miles to pet sit around the world.
• The Top 10 most popular countries Americans travel to pet sit: 1- United Kingdom, 2 – France, 3- Australia, 4-Canada, 5- Ireland, 6- New Zealand, 7- Germany, 8- Spain, 9- Mexico, 10- Costa Rica
Building a Community of Pet Owners
As more people with pets look to travel, TrustedHousesitters’ will continue to give home and pet owners a reliable and convenient solution for their home-sit and pet care needs. Their mission is to continue building the community of pet owners and lovers they have created. Pet owners and vets agree that pets are less stressed and happier when they stay in their own environment and are much likelier to adjust to a new care-person than a new environment. In return, travelers have the benefit of staying in a welcoming home, at no cost, with new furry friends.
About TrustedHousesitters:
Launched in October 2010, TrustedHousesitters has grown to become the world's largest house and pet sitting website. The company has helped facilitate over one million house and pet sitting nights. TrustedHousesitters enables pet and home owners to find trusted sitters to care for their home and pets for free when they are going away, the sitter in return enjoys a free retreat. Cited as a new travel trend, thousands of people are realizing this new way to travel, saving a fortune in hotel costs. TrustedHousesitters has members registered in more than 140 countries. For more information, visit http://www.TrustedHousesitters.com.
About the Survey:
This survey was commissioned by TrustedHousesitters and conducted by Survata, an independent research firm in San Francisco. Survata interviewed undefined online respondents between March 04, 2016 and March 08, 2016. For further information, visit http://www.survata.com.
Media Contact:
Sparkpr for TrustedHousesitters
Philip Robertson/Amanda Wiley
trustedhousesitters(at)sparkpr.com
646.291.6018/415.962.8200
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Philip Robertson/Amanda Wiley, Sparkpr for TrustedHousesitters, +1 415-508-4320, [email protected]
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