Pooches Take Top Honors in AAA PetBook Photo Contest

Vacation photos of five dogs grace the new edition PetBook covers

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Results are in for the latest annual AAA PetBook® Photo Contest sponsored by Best Western. Five top dogs from Massachusetts, California and Colorado will enjoy a year of fame as "cover dogs" on the 12th edition Traveling With Your Pet: The AAA PetBook®, available this May. Additional contest prizes vary, including cash, copies of the book and a Best Western Travel Card® usable at more than 1,900 pet-friendly properties worldwide.

First-place winners Rosie, Belle and Ortiz, a family of mixed-breed dogs from Fairhaven, Mass., are pictured on the book's back cover visiting the Cape Cod Canal. "We travel with our pets because they are our family and we enjoy traveling with them," said the winning pups' human companion, Wendy Russell.

The second-place winner, Jack, a labradoodle from Santa Cruz, Calif., appears on the book's spine visiting Monument Valley in Utah. "Jack is such a great traveling companion, both on the road and in hotels," said owners Susan and Howard Schwartz. "He makes friends with just about everyone."

The cover features Yukon Jack, an Alaskan malamute from Bayfield, Colo., visiting the scenic Otter Cliffs at Acadia National Park in Maine. The photo was submitted in a previous year by owner Lisa Bourque who enjoys traveling with Yukon Jack because, "He is a people magnet and he thoroughly enjoys seeing many parts of the country. He goes wherever we go."

Many Americans view their pets as full-fledged family members. They long to hit the road with their canine or feline companions, but hesitate for fear of not finding accommodations that accept four-legged friends. Traveling with Your Pet: The AAA PetBook® provides listings for more than 13,000 pet-friendly AAA Approved lodgings and campgrounds in the U.S. and Canada.

The detailed lodging listings include fees, permitted pet sizes and conditions of stay for properties at every Diamond Rating level including -- for pampered pets -- AAA Five Diamond Award® hotels. The book also includes information about pet-friendly activities, planning tips, travel safety and, for those who love the great outdoors, more than 400 AAA Rated pet-friendly campgrounds.

Photos of winners and runners up, contest rules and entry forms, and valuable pet-friendly travel tips can be accessed at www.AAA.com/PetBook. The next photo contest opens in May when copies of the 12th edition Traveling with Your Pet: The AAA PetBook will be available at many AAA and CAA offices and better bookstores. The cover price is $17.95 U.S.

About AAA

As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 51 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

About Best Western

Best Western International is THE WORLD'S LARGEST HOTEL CHAIN®, providing marketing, reservations and operational support to over 4,000* independently owned and operated member hotels in 80* countries and territories worldwide. An industry pioneer since 1946, Best Western has grown into an iconic brand that hosts 400,000* worldwide guests each night. Equally committed to the business and leisure traveler, Best Western recently embarked on a mission to lead the hotel industry in customer care. World Vision is the charity of choice for Best Western in building the world's largest family, with our hotels and staff sponsoring children in need around the globe. Our partnerships with AAA/CAA, Michael Waltrip Racing and Harley-Davidson help guests make the most of every trip. For the fastest way to a free night, join Best Western Rewards®, the only hotel frequency program that's truly global. For more information or to make a reservation, please visit www.bestwestern.com

*Numbers are approximate and can fluctuate.

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SOURCE AAA