For many pet owners, going on holiday without their beloved pet is simply not an option.

New Opinium research¹, commissioned by pet insurance provider Insure Your Paws, finds that more than one in four (27%) dog owners and more than one in twenty (6%) cat owners won't go on holiday at all unless their pet can join them. 

For those who do travel without their pet, more than a third (35%) would want to cancel their holiday altogether if their pet became seriously ill at home, and over a quarter (27%) would cut a trip short if their pet took a turn for the worse, rising to 31% of women, compared to 23% of men.  

Fifty of the 1,000 pet owners surveyed (5%) say they have missed a holiday due to an unwell pet, and the same amount (5%) have had to come home early for the same reason. 

Out of sight, but never out of mind 

One in seven (14%) check in on their pet every single day while away, rising to 17% of women compared to 11% of men. A further 21% love regular photo updates, and 7% want a video call with their pet. 

The logistics of leaving a pet behind 

Nearly one in five (19%) factor the cost of kennels or pet sitters into their travel budget, while one in ten (9%) admit they spend more time arranging trusted pet care than picking their holiday destination. 

Andrew Simpson, Head of Pet, at Insure Your Paws said: “With so many hotels, restaurants and beaches now welcoming four-legged guests, it's little wonder so many owners won't travel without them. However, pets can still get ill or be injured - whether they’re joining you on holiday or being cared for at home - and having the right pet insurance in place means one less thing to worry about.   

“We understand that many owners would want to cancel or cut a holiday short if a pet needed urgent lifesaving treatment, either whilst away from home or before the trip has begun. To support pet owners, we offer an optional extra ‘Away from Home’² which provides cover if you need to cancel or cut short your trip. It also includes cover for necessary treatment and emergency repatriation for your pet when travelling within the UK or EU.”   


Sources

¹ Opinium online survey conducted with 1,000 cat or dog owners in the UK from 3-6 March 2026.   

² “Away From Home” is an optional extra that can be added to an Insure Your Paws policy for an additional premium. This optional extra provides coverage for pre-booked trips within the UK and European Union (EU). The pet owner and their family members accompanying them on the trip, are covered up to a maximum of 180 days per policy year. There is no limit to the number of trips they can take.