Thousands of Brits will sacrifice a holiday this year because of their pets, according to new research.

A new survey has found that the rising cost of kennels and sitters will prevent a quarter of families with pets from taking a vacation this summer.

Many say they are unable to rely on the goodwill of friends and family to help out, or are too embarrassed to ask.

Others feel guilty about 'abandoning' their pets, even on short breaks, and worry about their welfare in cheaper boarding.

The figures were released this week by the free pet-sitting service Petaround.com, which polled 1,250 pet owners about their holiday plans.

Founder Phil Harris said: "Pets bring so much joy to people, but they do require constant care and as the survey shows, this can cause problems when planning to go abroad.

"Family members and friends aren't always there to help, and a professional pet-sitter or boarding can prove very expensive.

"There's also the issue of trust. Pets are part of a family and like with children, you wouldn't entrust them into someone's care without being certain it's the right environment for them.

"Finding a service or professional that ticks all the boxes can be a time-consuming task and stressful task. With all these obstacles in the way, it's no wonder that so many pet owners are planning to stay at home this year."

While a majority of dog owners agreed that changes introduced by DEFRA to the Pet Travel Scheme in 2012 had made it 'easier' to take pets abroad, many still felt that travelling with pets remained impractical.

Phil added: "PetAround.com is a new approach to pet-sitting and has been launched specifically to help people make contact with other pet owners who are happy to look after their animal - often for free.

"When it comes to animal care, the real experts are the pet owners themselves so leaving your pet - be it a dog, cat, bird or more exotic animal - with someone who currently owns, or has owned, the same animal is great peace of mind and a win-win situation for everyone."

For more information about pet sitting go to www.PetAround.com