The holiday season is officially here! We are just a couple days away from Thanksgiving and less than a month from Christmas (where does the time go!). Things are starting to get really busy with holiday parties, shopping, cooking, and of course holiday travel! Airlines are saying that this year is one of the busiest travel years ever and that means pet parents are likely trying to make plans for what they’ll be doing with their pup while they’re away. We wanted to find out more about pet parent holiday travel tendencies so we commissioned a survey (conducted by Harris Interactive) that revealed some insights.
WHY DO PET PARENTS WORRY?
In our survey, we heard that many pet parents find traveling with their pets to be a stressful part of the holiday season. Some of these reasons include:
- 49% cite the difficulty of finding a pet-friendly hotel
- 46% cite the prospect of their dog being anxious/afraid during travel
- 36% say it causes them stress that the people they are going to visit are not pet-friendly
- 24% are stressed because their pet is too large to travel on most forms of commercial transport
Furthermore, a large number noted that finding and arranging pet care during the holiday season is stressful. 58% said that it is difficult to find a trusted pet sitter or kennel, 22% are concerned because of “horror stories” about pet injuries or deaths while being cared for by someone other than their owners. And almost half are worried about their dog being anxious and also the added cost.
WHAT DO PET PARENTS DO?
With all these concerns, it’s not uncommon that pet parents are going to new extremes to ensure their pet is being properly cared for. We found that 16% of people reported that they have actually asked at least one family member to stay at home in an effort to relieve their holiday travel-related pet care stresses. Additionally, 48% said they have traveled with their dogs during the holiday season with 32% saying they have decided to drive instead of fly because of their pet, and 26% have selected a hotel because of pet-friendly policies.
Now there are some pet parents that have also decided not to travel with their furry friend and instead have hosted holiday festivities in their own home, took a shorter holiday trip, or have returned home early from a trip that was scheduled longer.
HOW CAN ROVER HELP?
We understand how difficult it is to find a trusted pet sitter and that’s exactly why we created Rover! We found in a survey of pet parents, that 80% of dog owners worry about the care of their dogs when they’re away and 66% are unhappy with their current boarding solution. That’s why finding a trusted dog kennel alternative is so important and we want to help you find the perfect dog sitter this holiday.
We’ve compiled a few tips for finding a great Rover dog sitter below. Additionally, if you’re looking for a last-minute sitter you can always reach out to our Rover Concierge team at: 888-453-7889.
Also – are you a first time customer? We’re offering first time customers $25 off their first stay with a Rover sitter with promo code HOLIDAY25.
TIPS FOR FINDING THE PERFECT DOG SITTER
1. Ask yourself what your sitter “criteria” is. Dog owners need sitters who are as reliable and loving as family. It’s important to outline the qualities your ideal dog sitter should have and make sure to also accurately represent your dog and be specific about his or her needs and behavioral characteristics. Check out this post to find out more about the questions you should be asking yourself.
2. Research sitters in your area. By using your criteria you will be able to narrow your choices. Rover offers a variety of choices beyond just price and location. Our sitters range from professionals who will come to your home, large families with other dogs, or doting elderly folks who will love your pup like their grandchildren. Search via your zip code, review sitter profiles, and read past client reviews.
3. Meet & Greets. Find a day that works for you and determine where you want to meet your sitter. Maybe this is at your place, at theirs, or is a casual walk at the local park – do whatever you feel is most comfortable and works with your schedule! Meeting in person will give you a good feel on how the sitter will interact with your dog while you’re away.
4. Book your sitter! Ideally, you would look through your calendar and book your sitter in advance, however, during the holidays people might be busier and unavailable. If you are having a difficult time finding someone please reach out to the Rover team, and we’ll be happy to help you find a fantastic sitter.
