Many People Planning Holidays and Other Activities with their Dogs

It has already been reported on that British pet owners are taking their animal friends into account when they book a holiday, with Tesco Pet Insurance highlighting figures that 1 in 4 dog owners are staying the UK so they can take their canine companion for the ride.

However, according to research revealed by the RAC, not enough consideration is going into the safety of pets when they are inside the car.

The Tesco report highlighted the growing ease with which pet owners can take their pets to foreign destinations, with a pet passport possible for travelling within the European Union, however many people are still choosing to drive to their holiday destination with their dog in the car.

44% of those surveyed by the RAC said that they would stay in the UK for their holidays. This was in a study of 2,000 British pet owners carried out by 7-point in August 2009, which also revealed the reasons behind this trend.

The obvious reason that might come to mind when considering people’s reasons for staying the UK is the cost of paying for a kennel. However, only 1 in 7 people cited this as their reason, with 35% of dog owners considering their canine friend as a good travel companion for their holiday. In some cases, people prefer the company of their pet to the company of their loved ones, such as partners and extended family. But people should factor the journey to their destination into account.

“There is no legal requirement for owners to secure their pets when travelling,” Phil Ryan, of RAC patrols, points out, “however this should be considered given that, at 30mph for example, an unrestrained 50lb border collie would be thrown forward with a force equivalent to almost nine 12 stone men [According to RoSPA, ‘Carrying Pets Safely' 2006] and also considering the high regard that owners give their dogs – no longer ‘pets’ but ‘partners’”.

The results also highlighted how pet owners would choose their place of accommodation based on their pets, choosing pet-friendly hotels and as little as 1 in 5 opting for camping trips or similar outdoor activities.

Source: Aviva Press Release Aug 2009

Tesco Pet Insurance Points to rise in Women Claiming their Pet as a Companion

Over the years, pets (in this case dogs in particular) have carried out many role in society and as a result they have earned themselves the name of ‘man’s best friend’ – a phrase that transcends social, cultural and language barriers.

However, a Tesco Pet Insurance-commissioned study has found that 1 in 3 women consider their pet to be their best friend, which compares to 1 in 5 of men. Of the women consulted, they also found that 76% talk to their pets as though they were a human companion and 34% would prefer their pet’s company as opposed to a fellow human being.

Perhaps it should be made clearer that dogs are in fact ‘mankind’s best friend’ rather than simply ‘man’s best friend’? After all, the results suggest that fewer men actually consider their pet to be their closest companion.

The Press Release from Tesco Pet Insurance does not indicate the reasons as to why these results might have presented themselves. As such it can only be speculated as to why more women prefer the company of their pets.

However, one thing is certain – if people are feeling closer to their pets than ever, then perhaps they should ensure they have adequate pet insurance to cover the costs of emergencies.

They are thoughts echoed by Rachel Cutler, head of Tesco Pet Insurance: “Owning a pet can be a very rewarding experience – many people consider their cat or dog to be part of the family and even, as our research shows, their best friend. We also understand that it can be a costly experience.

“To enable pet owners to manage the costs of their pet insurance, our policies start from £4.50 a month for cats and £8.00 per month for dogs and we don’t change policy conditions as a customer’s pet gets older.”

Customers are, of course, urged to shop around for adequate cover. With many different pet insurance policies on the market, there are various different levels of cover available, all at differing prices. It means that research can make all of the difference in finding a pet insurance policy that suits the needs of the pet owner.

Source: Tesco Pet Insurance Press Release 2009

Tesco Pet Insurance Finds a Quarter of Pet Owners Take Their Pets into Holiday Consideration

Tesco Pet Insurance carried out a poll in May 2009 that found a quarter of British holidaymakers are taking their pets into consideration when heading away on their holiday breaks.

In particular, 1 in 4 dog owners are known to stay at home in the UK rather than head to a foreign destination, meaning that their canine companion can travel with them.

However, Tesco points out that in some cases, this might not be necessary as certain schemes allow pets to travel with owners throughout the EU.

The Pet Travel Scheme allowed over 46,000 pets to travel across the continent in 2008, with EU passports being administered to vets by the government.

Wherever dog owners plan to take their holiday, 83% of dog owners said leaving their pet behind in a kennel was out of the question, with 12% of those polled by Tesco Pet Insurance planning to take their pets with them.

The survey was conducted with One Poll towards the end of May 2009 with 4,000 British pet owners consulted as part of the poll.

Commenting on the results, the head of Tesco Pet Insurance Rachel Cutler said “As a nation of animal lovers, it is telling that a quarter of us organise our holidays around our pets.

“We’ve provided cover because our customers have told us they would like to share their holiday experience with their pets.”

However, pet owners thinking of taking advantage of rules allowing them to take their cats or dogs abroad must take certain steps. These include getting blood tests, treatment for ticks and tapeworms, vaccinations against rabies (and other conditions) and micro chipped. Owners must also ensure they have a PETS passport and have checked foreign import requirements for the location at hand.

“It may seem a daunting prospect, with health checks and a flight,” says Gillian Lewis of Airpets, “but more than a million pets fly safely world-wide each year. Pets travel comfortably in the livestock hold of direct passenger flights in kennels large enough for them to lie, stand and turn around in.

“Pet owners can pick up their pets after clearing customs.”

The study links to a recent Sainsbury’s Finance survey that found a large number of pet owners were leaving their pets at home for extended periods of time, causing behavioural problems. However, this study suggests that when taking holidays, British pet owners are taking care of their pets.

Source: Tesco Pet Insurance Press Release June 2009