THE SOLO TRAVELLER
Your world. Your way.
Four Legs First – A ‘Plus One …’ Series
Four Legs First
A Plus One … Series
Photographer: Jamie Street | Unsplash
Recent travel data from the Tourism and Transport Forum has revealed that one in five Australian holidaymakers (a record number), are travelling with their pets. According to Margy Osmond, the Tourism and Transport Forum’s Chief Executive Officer, “Fewer Australians than ever before are leaving their pets behind, with many balancing family life, work and travel plans that allow their beloved animals to come along. With strong demand for new, pet-friendly flights, as well as an increasing number of road trips with furry companions, pets are no longer just passengers, they’re full-on holidaymakers.”
What begins as an instinct to include them in our travels is increasingly raising a more considered question – not whether they can come, but whether they should. From professional guidance to personal stories, these voices offer a more complete picture of what travelling with pets asks of us … and of them.
Travelling with a dog reshapes the experience of going, well, not really ‘solo’. Muriel Wang and Kobe, her adorable Pyrenean Mountain Dog, travelled together for enjoyment and for work producing their dog-friendly travel guide books. Muriel and Kobe travelled extensively throughout Australia, and here, Muriel shares her adventures with Kobe to help other pet owners experience the same joy of travelling solo with their pets.
A Q&A with Muriel Wang | 11 April 2026
What feels like a shared adventure for us may, for them, be a disruption to the stability and familiarity they rely on. Understanding that contrast is at the heart of travelling well with animals, and of recognising when a trip is truly in their best interest. To help us understand what this means in practice, we asked Petstock Head Vet, Dr Gloria Ebeyer where the risks and responsibilities really lie.
A Q&A with Petstock Head Vet, Dr Gloria Ebeyer | 14 April 2026
For Kerry Martin, the idea of a solo weekend away comes with a quiet adjustment. It is not entirely solo – it simply does not involve another human. As a dog photographer travelling around Australia with her dog, her version of escape is shaped less by distance or indulgence and more by something simpler: space, nature, and the kind of companionship that does not compete for attention.
A Q&A with Kerry Martin | 14 April 2026
Is taking your dog with you on your travels always the kindest choice? Or can staying behind offer something better? As more travellers look to include their pets, the question is shifting from whether they can come to whether they should.