Dogs are becoming increasingly common travel companions for Italians during the holidays. According to a survey commissioned by Facile.it and carried out by the EMG institute, 4.6 million Italians have gone on vacation with their four-legged friends this year.
However, traveling with a pet also brings a number of concerns. Chief among them is the possibility of the dog or cat getting lost — a fear cited by 38.8% of owners, which represents more than 5.2 million people.
Despite these concerns and possible unforeseen events, pet insurance membership remains limited.
Overall, 6.2 million owners (47.3%) opted for a policy; however, this rate drops to 40.9% among dog owners and 17.3% among cats.
Losing the pet is the main fear:
When traveling with a dog or cat, the most common fear is that the pet will get lost during the journey or on vacation. This concern reaches 38.8% of owners, reaching 50.9% among those aged between 45 and 54 years.
In second place is the fear that the animal will get sick during the trip, cited by 36.3% of respondents — the equivalent of almost 4.9 million owners.
This rate reaches 39.5% among men and 43.7% among residents of southern Italy and the islands.
The third concern concerns the adaptation of the animal to the place of destination: 28.5% of owners fear that their dog or cat will have difficulty adjusting to the new environment. This rate rises to 36.3% among people aged 35 to 44 and to 42.3% among residents of central Italy..."
