Are pets the paw-fect travel companions?
Pets are the paw-fect travel companions
Ferry industry reveals holidaying with your pet reduces stress
This National Pet Month, Discover Ferries, reveals that the ingredient for a relaxing getaway is a four-legged friend.
A new survey from the UK ferry industry body reveals that a staggering 63% of dog owners and 58% of cat owners(1)find it stressful(2) to leave their pet at home when they go on holiday. More than half (53%) of the UK population is a cat and/or dog owner and Discover Ferries is keen to highlight how easy and enjoyable it is to take pets away so owners can avoid the stress and make precious memories together.
Image credit Visit Isle of Wight
The emotional stress of missing their pet too much is the top reason (22%) that would encourage pet owners to holiday with their animal.
Finding suitable pet care was also a key factor in causing anxiety around leaving pets behind. One in five people cite the stress of leaving their pet alone as cause to take them away with them. More than a fifth (21%) of owners say the inability to find someone to care for their pet and 16% say the high cost of kennels, pet sitters and dog walkers would encourage them to bring their pet on holiday.
Pet-friendly travel
Ferry travel is one of the easiest ways to take your pet away with you. Depending on which route you travel on, animals and their owners can enjoy a range of facilities including designated pet areas, onboard pet-friendly cabins, and kennels. On many crossings, pets can stay in the familiar surroundings of their owners' vehicle.
On board Discover Ferries
Last year, P&O Ferries opened a pet lounge for dogs on its Dover-Calais service and Stena Line added pet-friendly cabin accommodation to many of its routes. This is in addition to Stena Line's heated kennels available on the North Sea vessels and the new pet lounges, which will open from May, on the Northern Ireland to Scotland route. The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company's new ship Manxman, launching later this summer will feature two pet lounges and kennels. There is also the option to "sniff in" the fresh sea air on some services with a walk on deck; Brittany Ferries, Stena Line and DFDS even have pet promenades for pet-friendly cabins and some kennels.
Free pet travel
The cost of taking your pet away is relatively small and, on some services, it's free!
Commuter ferry services, including Uber Boat by Thames Clippers' river boat sailings and Hovertravel's flights to the Isle of Wight, offer a quick and enjoyable way for owners to take their pets along for free for day trips and journeys into the office. It is also free to take pets aboard Isle of Wight ferry operators, Red Funnel and Wightlink, Caledonian MacBrayne's services in Scotland and selected Irish Sea routes. The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company also offer pet travel at no extra cost if the pet stays in the owners' vehicle for the crossing. Red Funnel even provides "doggy day care" during crossings to the Isle of Wight, with a dedicated dog lounge, which is free of charge to access.
Pet travel documents
To take your pet on ferries in and around the British Isles, it is as simple as notifying the operator when booking your ticket. This includes travel to the Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Isles of Scilly, and the Isle of Wight and now Northern Ireland. The Windsor Framework has secured the future for easy pet travel between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. This ensures that travellers avoid unnecessary health checks and processes. Visitors from Great Britain will just need to confirm that their animal is microchipped and will not move into the EU.
Red Funnel Ferries
To visit countries in the EU, including the Republic of Ireland, Discover Ferries has produced an easy-to-follow checklist so you know your pet is ready to travel. Requirements include microchipping, an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) and an up-to-date rabies vaccination. Discover Ferries also links to individual ferry operators' web pages detailing pet provision.
Abby Penlington, Director at Discover Ferries, says: "Holidays are for relaxing and spending time with loved ones, but the anxiety pet owners feel when leaving beloved family members behind will affect how much they enjoy trips away. Despite the proven therapeutic benefits of being with our pets, and the opportunities to explore new landscapes with them, few owners consider travelling with their pets.
"We want to highlight how easy and enjoyable it is to holiday with pets. We are a nation of pet lovers and thanks to our geography, we can easily access many popular holiday destinations in and around our waters that our animals would love just as much as we will. Ferries have the space and facilities to ensure every member of your family, even the four-legged kind, enjoys the journey. Easy check-in and boarding processes make travel straightforward and ferry staff are on hand to keep an eye on pets throughout the sailing."
Main Image credit Brittany Ferries, Pet friendly cabin
(1) Results based on a survey conducted for Discover Ferries carried out online by Censuswide. A panel resulting in 2,042 responses from general UK consumers was questioned between 20th and 23rd January 2023. All the research conducted adheres to the MRS Codes of Conduct (2010) in the UK and ICC/ESOMAR World Research Guidelines.
(2) Results calculated from the number of respondents who chose "Strongly agree" or "Somewhat agree" when reviewing the statement "When going on holiday, I find it stressful to leave my pet(s) at home".
