Two-thirds of pets tag along on summer holiday this year

A survey conducted by Dutch pet retailer Pets Place shows that 21% more animals are going on holiday compared to pre-COVID.

Three years after the first survey, the Dutch retailer asked their customers what their plans are: Leave their pets at home? Or take them with them on holiday?

Of the 800 Dutch pet owners that responded, 67% are planning to bring their pets along. In 2019, 46% pet owners were planning to do so.

Why the increase?

Dieke van Triest, paraveterinary and marketer at Pets Place, suspects a direct correlation with COVID: “Because of the pandemic, people were often forced to go on holiday closer to home. It’s likely that people had a good experience bringing their pet on those closer-to-home holidays. And repeating it again this year.”

And that’s not the only possible explanation.

As more people got a pet during the pandemic and more people are travelling this summer, boarding houses are often booked out – leaving owners with few options but to take their pets.

Philippe Vanderhoydonck

Managing Director GlobalPETS / PETS International