It’s no secret that pet owners love their animals like family, but sometimes that responsibility of having a dog or cat can get in the way of your life. A new survey finds that’s especially true when it comes to travel.
According to a survey by TrustedHousesitters, 49% of American pet owners have not traveled outside the country since getting their furbabies. And that’s not all. Another 33% of owners say they will change their travel plans because of their pet.
Now sure there are family members and even kennels that can watch a pet while their owner’s gone, so that’s not necessarily the reason many pet owners aren’t traveling. In fact, 68% of pet owners say it’s the guilt of leaving their pets behind that keeps them from going anywhere, with 82% of pet owners worrying about their pet when they travel.
And it’s not just travel that pet owners are missing out on. The average pet owner actually skips out on 30 social events a year because of their animal, which comes out to about 300 missed events if their pet lives to 10. But the truth is animal lovers also use their pets as an excuse to get out of social gatherings at least once a year.
Meanwhile, if pet parents actually do decide to go away, they are very particular in how their animals are cared for. The survey finds that 47% leave them at a friend or family member’s house, while 30% would pay for a pet sitter to stay with them so they could be in their own environment and not disrupt their routine.