Take your Pet on your Timeshare Vacation for National Pet Month

May is National Pet Month! Hooray for the furry critters we all know and love! National Pet Month "celebrates the benefits of pet ownership and supports pet adoption." This month is the official time to "celebrate the joy your pet brings to your household." For those of you who have pets and love them as the members of your family that they are, you don't need a "national month" to be reminded of what those little dears mean to you, but it's always fun to have an excuse for a celebration and a great time to think about including them on your timeshare vacation.

Since those of you who are among the over 82 million pet owners in the U.S. really celebrate National Pet Month every day of the year, you'll be glad to know you can consider taking your cat or dog along with you when you vacation, by staying in a pet friendly timeshare. RedWeek.com has a special "pet friendly" link under its "Features and Attractions" section, where you'll easily find timeshares that allow pets.

The American Pet Products Association (APPA) numbers indicate that the pet industry continues to defy the current recession. America’s spending on pets has grown despite the recession, with a 5.4 percent increase in 2009, and the APPA projects another increase of nearly 5 percent in 2010. In honor of National Pet Month, here are some more fun statistics.

• 90% of pet owners surveyed say they consider their pet a member of the family.


• 63% of dog owners and 58% of cat owners surveyed said they give their pets presents at Christmas.


• 36% of dog owners give their pets presents on their birthday, as do 20% of cat owners.


• 64% of surveyed pet owners said they include news about their pet, and 36% include a photograph, in their holiday cards.


• About a third (37%) of dog owners and a similar proportion of cat owners (31%) have their pet's picture prominently displayed in their homes, and 14% and 10%, respectively, display it at their place of work.

In the U.S. over 43 million households have at least one dog, and over 37 million households own at least one cat. That represents a lot of vacationers - and who wants to go off and leave Fido or Fluffy at home alone? Many timeshare rentals and timeshare exchanges are pet-friendly. Check them out!