Pet Travel Safety Takes a Front Seat as Partnership Kicks Off Summer Safety Campaign

Pet Travel Safety Campaign - Raleigh, NC - July 1, 2013 - In an effort to bring pet travel safety to the forefront of pet owners' minds this summer, TripsWithPets.com will be partnering with the AKC Canine Health Foundation, or CHF, to launch the Safe Summer Pet Travel Campaign.

According to TripsWithPets.com, 65 percent of pet owners surveyed plan to take their pets along when they hit the road this summer. The Safe Summer Pet Travel Campaign is designed to educate pet owners on how best to incorporate safety into their travel plans.

"It's such an important subject," notes TripsWithPets.com President and Founder, Kim Salerno. "People love their pets, and want to do everything they can to protect them. But they may not be aware of all the steps they could take to ensure their safety as they travel."

The partnership is a natural fit. TripsWithPets.com, a website dedicated to helping pet owners find pet friendly lodging, restaurants and beaches throughout the United States and Canada, is a long-time leading pet travel safety advocate. CHF is an organization committed to funding scientific research that promotes canine health and wellness, and to providing health and safety education programs for dog owners.

Salerno is excited to be working with CHF. "I have so much respect for everything this organization does to promote the health of dogs, and I am so pleased and honored to be a part of this campaign," she notes.

CHF Director of Development & Communications Erica Kitchen is thrilled as well. "Providing educational resources for dog owners is integral to our mission to help dogs live longer, healthier lives," she notes. "TripsWithPets.com does so much to promote the safety, comfort and well-being of pets. We couldn't be happier to work with them. It's a perfect partnership."

The main focus of the campaign will rest on car safety, highlighting topics such as properly securing pets in vehicles; avoiding distracted driving; dealing with pet car sickness; and the dangers of leaving pets in hot cars.

The campaign will run throughout July and August, during which time pet safety tips, articles and other resources will be available on http://www.tripswithpets.com. The site will also offer deals on pet travel safety items for purchase, such as pet carriers; pet car seats, pet seat belts, and vehicle pet barriers.

In addition, as part of the campaign, CHF will extend their regular podcast program to encompass the Safe Summer Pet Travel campaign. The program is currently released bi-weekly at no charge to listeners, and covers topics related to canine health. On July 25th the foundation will release a travel safety podcast featuring Kim Salerno. Those interested in this podcast - or in the complete CHF podcast series - can find it on the CHF website, located at http://www.akcchf.org, or at the iTunes store.

For more information on the Safe Summer Pet Travel campaign, please visit http://www.tripswithpets.com or http://www.akcchf.org.

About TripsWithPets.com:

TripsWithPets.com is the #1 online resource for pet travel. Named BEST pet travel site by Consumer Reports, TripsWithPets.com's mission is to offer resources that ensure pets are welcome, happy, and safe while traveling. The website features a directory of pet friendly hotels and accommodations across the United States and Canada, as well as airline & car rental pet policies; pet friendly restaurants and beaches; a user-friendly route search option; pet travel tips; pet travel supplies; and other pet travel resources.

About AKC Canine Health Foundation:

The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping dogs live longer, healthier lives by funding research that helps prevent, treat, and cure canine disease. Established in 1995, CHF's mission is to advance the health of all dogs and their owners by funding sound, scientific research and supporting the dissemination of canine health information. Through the generous support of the American Kennel Club, Nestlé Purina PetCare, Zoetis, dog clubs, and dog owners worldwide, CHF has dedicated more than $39 million to canine health research projects and education programs. Visit CHF online at http://www.akcchf.org for more information.