Historically, travellers and accommodation providers have been overwhelmed with hundreds of fragmented resources claiming to represent "pet-friendly" accommodations, but offering no consistent set of standards and guidelines for pet policies or services. With no single resource at their disposal, many accommodation providers were forced to experiment with various marketing initiatives and trendy products in an effort to target this specialty market.
In response to the growing need for a one-stop solution, Pets Can Stay established a national program with a clearly defined set of standards and guidelines for accommodation providers that accept pet guests. Through its pet guest policy recommendations, which were developed during three years of research, and a one year pilot project with Tourism British Columbia in 2003, Pets Can Stay guidelines ensure that the properties that welcome pets are safe and enjoyable for all guests and staff. The research and pilot project also revealed that travelling with pets is no longer a niche market; but is the fastest growing segment of the North American travel market.