As plans for the summer vacation began to take shape this year, many pet owners had to think about the big question – what to do with the pet. Boarding, leaving the pet with a friend, and using a pet sitter are all options and the choice of most people, but this year, more than previously, the choice for many people is to take the pet along. For them, the pet is part of the family, and the family vacations together.

Last year, according to a travel industry survey, fourteen percent of Americans said they had taken their pets on trips. Of these, 78% took a dog and 15% took a cat, with the remainder taking birds and other pets.

Part of the increase in people traveling with their pets may be attributable to the events of September 11 th. We had time to think about what is important to us, and family, friends and this great country we live in are at the top of most lists. A lot of people are taking to the open road to see this land, meet the people, and enjoy some of the natural wonders it holds, the national parks and scenic areas, and if bringing the family pet along makes the trip more enjoyable, so much the better.

Travel with a pet does involve more planning. A recent survey showed that only 40% of hotels and motels allow pets; that is down from 60% in 1990. The best chances of finding pet friendly lodging are at budget priced motels, where 60% accept pets. The odds are less at luxury lodging, where only a third will accept pets. And, in general, the higher priced the lodging, the higher the pet fee or deposit will be, often getting into the hundreds of dollars.

Finding a place to stay with your pet doesn’t need to be chancy; there are a number ways to plan ahead. One simple way is to stop by some motels that you feel comfortable with and pick up a copy of the guidebook listing all of their lodgings. Days Inns, Econolodge, Red Roof Inns, and Motel Six are all national chains where a lot of locations accept pets.

A good book to bring along is “Vacationing with Your Pet” by Eileen Barish. It includes well over 25,000 hotels, motels, inns, ranches and B&B’s in the U.S and Canada that welcome guests with pets. The list price is $19.95, and it is available at most bookstores, or they can order it for you. Online merchants may offer it at a discount. The book has over 100 pages of useful information on traveling with pets, but the information on lodging is kind of thin – just name, address, phone number and price range. But if you need to find a place that accepts pets in Panguitch, Utah at 10:00 PM, it has them all listed.

There are a number of places to look online for this information. Each hotel and motel has a web-site with lots of information. Some other sites you might try are www.dogfriendly.com and www.petswelcome.com, both of which provide listings of pet friendly accommodations.

Even if a place is listed in one of these sources, it is a good idea to call first. Things can change, and a location you were counting on may have changed its policy. Most hotels do not allow pets to be left alone in the room, which can be a drawback if you want to go out to dinner or a movie. Fortunately, pet sitters are everywhere these days, and it is usually fairly easy to find one. The National Association of Professional Pet Sitters has a web-site www.petsitters.org and a toll free number (800-296-7387) that you can use to find a pet sitter almost anywhere. Pet Sitters International also has a web presence www.petsit.com and can help you find a pet sitter in most parts of the country. Just for the record, neither of them are any help at all if you happen to be stuck in Panguitch, Utah.

Sales and rentals of recreational vehicles are way ahead of last year and previous years. Once thought of as the traveling home of retired people, RVs are in demand from younger families and couples who want the freedom to go wherever the mood takes them. Gas prices have been up and down lately, making it difficult to compare the cost to that of staying in hotels. An RV makes it easy to stay in the state and national parks and recreation areas, and it makes it possible to travel with pets without worrying about finding a hotel that will accept them.