I Couldn’t Bear Leaving My Pets Behind. Here’s Why I Don’t Have To.
Making hotels pet-friendly means people and pets can stay together in happy times and in times of crisis.
After more than a year of staying close to home, like so many other families mine is eager to get back to traveling. Whether visiting family, going to my kids’ sports tournaments or recharging with down time at the beach, travel is a regular part of our lives.
Yet when I think about heading off and leaving our dogs Baxter and Jackson Ryder behind, my heart aches. First, because we have so much fun when we’re all together. We also get more exercise because everyone gets involved in taking the dogs for walks.
But second, as we come out of the pandemic, this is also a time when many dogs and cats are suffering from separation anxiety as people leave home more often. I don’t want to add to that for Baxter and Jackson Ryder.
47% of pet parents said they’d cancel a vacation that isn’t pet friendly to avoid leaving their pet behind.
I’m not alone! Mars Petcare research found that 85% of pet parents plan to travel within the next year and 65% say they’ll bring their pets along. Importantly, 47% also said they’d cancel a vacation that isn’t pet friendly to avoid leaving their pet behind.
And that’s even more true of younger pet parents. 70% of Gen Z and 77% of Millennial pet parents said they’re more likely to travel in the future if they can bring their pet along.
Happily, traveling with pets is getting easier.
At Mars Petcare, we’ve been advocating for pet-friendly places for years. Our BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program helps cities with best practices and policies across shelters, housing, parks and businesses. We support “pets on patios” legislation that allows restaurants to welcome patrons with pets. Our PETS WORK AT WORK™ toolkit helps businesses responding to the huge demand for pet-friendly workplaces.
Yet traveling with pets remains a major pain point for many families. If you’ve ever done it, you know how frustrating it can be — from limited hotel options, to unexpected fees, to not being able to find a nearby pet relief area.
That’s why I’m so excited about the exciting milestone we reached this week. We announced a partnership with Hilton to redefine and set a new standard for pet-friendly travel, informed by insights from our BETTER CITIES FOR PETS program.
By January 1, Hilton’s extended stay brands Homewood Suites and Home2 Suites will be 100% pet friendly. That means nearly 1,000 hotel options in the U.S. and Canada where Baxter and Jackson Ryder are as welcome as I am.
Importantly, these hotels are also making pet cleaning fees consistent and harmonized so you can plan a trip with no surprises. And my friends who are cat parents tell me it’s exciting that their feline friends will be welcome too, since too often “pet-friendly” refers only to dogs.
It’s not just about vacations — pet-friendly hotels help keep people and pets together.
I love this new initiative for what it means for me and my pets, but it’s bigger than just fun vacations. Making extended stay hotels more pet-friendly also helps more people enjoy the benefits of pets and supports pet parents who may be facing housing challenges.
Think of a traveling nurse or engineer who moves from one location to the next for two- to three-month assignments. When extended stay hotels welcome pets, that means the chance to have a pet along, reducing loneliness and enabling all the health and mental health benefits pets bring for people.
Making extended stay hotels more pet-friendly also helps more people enjoy the benefits of pets and supports pet parents who may be facing housing challenges.
Then think about all the families who have lost their homes in 2021 due to wildfires, Hurricane Ida or other natural disasters. Imagine the heartbreak of losing so much and also realizing you can’t find somewhere to live short-term that will welcome your pets.
Welcoming pets is a welcome change.
No one should ever have to choose between a home and a pet, and our new partnership with Hilton is yet another positive step in that direction.
With eviction moratoriums expiring, and millions of families risking a loss of housing, the need for pet-friendly temporary housing is more important than ever.
At Mars Petcare, our purpose is A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS™. We’re constantly looking at how to help pets be healthier and happier, how to end pet homelessness, and how to keep people and pets together.
I’m so grateful to our partners at Hilton for taking this transformative step for the travel industry. Now … I have travel reservations to make! Soccer season is in full swing and my kids and I can’t wait to hit the road — this year, happily, with our pups by our side.
