Date of Award

5-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management

Committee Chair/Advisor

Dr. William Noram

Committee Member

Dr. Lauren Duffy

Committee Member

Dr. Carol Kline

Abstract

During the Covid-19 pandemic, dog adoption rates skyrocketed, restaurants focused on outdoor seating, and travelers pivoted away from tightly packed planes out of safety concerns. This study surveyed dog owners in the United States to determine whether pet attachment levels could predict dog owners’ likelihood of traveling with their dogs. In addition, it used Um and Crompton’s (1992) facilitators and inhibitors to establish how different factors affect a dog owner’s likelihood of traveling with their dog. These facilitators and inhibitors were split into three dimensions: needs satisfaction, social agreement, and travelability. Finally, this study sought to learn what effect the Covid-19 pandemic had on the participants likelihood of traveling with their dogs after the pandemic. The likelihood of traveling with a dog was divided into four trip types: visiting friends and family, recreation trip, day trip, and overnight trip. Survey results show that pet attachment had a positive significant relationship with the likelihood to visit friends and family with a dog. Needs satisfaction dimension of facilitators and inhibitors also had a positive significant relationship with likelihood for owners to take any of the four types of trips with their dog.

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