TripAdvisor(R), the world's largest travel community, today announced the results of its annual traveling with pets survey of more than 1,100 travelers (and more than 700 pet owners) worldwide, digging up that 53% of respondents with pets travel with their collared companions. Americans (56%) are more likely to travel with their pets, compared to 41% of travelers from the U.K.

Kowtow to Bow Wow

Fifty-two percent of pet owners said they will only stay at accommodations that are pet-friendly, when traveling with their furry friends. Pet-friendly accommodations are most important to dog owners, 64 percent, compared to 38 percent of cat owners. Thirty-seven percent of respondents with pets would pay more to stay at accommodations that are pet-friendly-this jumps to 50 percent for dog owners.

Short Leashes

Thirty-five percent of pet owners take shorter vacations, and 25 percent take fewer vacations because of their pawed pals and seven percent
will only travel to destinations where they can bring their pets. Twelve percent said their pets actually prevent them from going on vacation. Six
percent take vacation to get a break from the responsibility of their pet.

Pet Peeves

The biggest concern (29 percent) about traveling with pets is that their animal will get "stressed out," which jumps to 48 percent for cat owners. Twenty-two percent of those who travel with pets feel their biggest concern is that no one is able to look after their pet when they are sight-seeing or touring (this was the greatest concern among dog owners, at 27 percent). Twenty percent of respondents who own pets have smuggled their animal sidekicks into a hotel room.

Bone to Pick

Forty-eight percent of all travelers surveyed feel hotels should be more accommodating for pets. Pet-sitting was at the top of the list, at 27 percent, of services animal owners would like to see hotels offer. Separate housing/on-site kennel was the second choice at 16 percent, followed by pet bedding at nine percent.

Dog Bless America

The U.S. is the country pets most enjoy visiting, according to 61 percent of pet owners surveyed. Canada came in second, and the U.K. was third in the tally.

Best Western in Show

According to the survey, Best Western is the most pet-friendly hotel chain followed by Holiday Inn and Red Roof Inn. The top pet-friendly Best Western is the Best Western Lake Norman in Cornelius, North Carolina, based on pet-friendliness ratings on TripAdvisor. "Animal lovers might be even pickier about travel accommodations for their pets than they are for themselves," said Michele Perry, director of communications for TripAdvisor.

"B&Bs dominate our pet-friendly accommodations list because they do a great job catering to the most finicky pet owners."