Home or away for the holidays: Pet parents including the whole family

With the holiday season upon us it’s time to start shopping, planning, and getting excited for all that much needed family time and love. Some of the most deserving of this family time are none other than the family pets, of course! The ones who love you unconditionally all year and want to be included in your holiday plans just as much as you want to include them.

TripsWithPets.com recently polled pet parents to learn how they intend to include their pets in their holiday plans and traditions…and the results are in!

When it comes to who to spend the holidays with, pets certainly rank! According to the survey, a whopping 85% of those polled plan to spend their holidays with their four-legged family members. A large percentage of those, 49% to be exact, plan on traveling this holiday season and bringing their pooches with them.

Families plan to include their pets in more than just travels during the holidays. Pets will be a part of many holiday traditions. Nine percent of pet parents polled indicate that their pets will join the family in picking out the Christmas tree, half said their pets will be a part of the holiday greeting card, and 14% will take their pet to sit on Santa’s lap and tell them what they want for Christmas!

And gifts they will receive! Nearly 75% of respondents plan to buy gifts for their beloved furry family members this year. What’s more, 23% of pet parents polled said they would even take their pet holiday shopping with them to pet friendly stores.

“The bond between pet parents and pets is incredibly strong, just as any family relationship.” says Kim Salerno, President & Founder of TripsWithPets.com. “Pets are truly members of the family — bringing so much joy and love to our everyday lives. How can we not share with them the most wonderful time of the year?”

About TripsWithPets.com: TripsWithPets.com is the premier online pet friendly travel guide — providing online reservations at over 30,000 pet friendly hotels & accommodations across the U.S. and Canada. When planning a trip, pet parents go to TripsWithPets.com for detailed, up-to-date information on hotel pet policies and pet amenities. TripsWithPets.com also features airline & car rental pet policies, pet friendly activities, a user-friendly search-by-route option, as well as pet travel gear. For more information, visit TripsWithPets.com.