A BUSINESS has teamed up with airline easyJet to form a partnership that will make it easier for animal lovers to travel the world.

Under the new deal with Brighton-based TrustedHousesitters, easyJet customers will be able to choose a free, verified house sitter for their pet or find free accommodation as a house sitter when booking flights on easyJet.com.

The service is due to become available early this year.

TrustedHousesitters managing director Tim Lyons said: “There are millions of pet owners in desirable locations all over the world without adequate pet care.

“We can now enable them to travel more often with peace of mind, boosting tourism while giving people more authentic travel experiences.

“This helps make travel easier and more affordable all round.

“Our speciality is connecting people with authentic and amazing places to stay which include the company of an adorable pet.

“EasyJet’s speciality is getting people there – I think we will make a great team.”

The unlimited house and pet sitting available through TrustedHousesitters comes with an annual membership fee of £89 a year.

When an average family holiday can cost thousands of pounds, with a week of kennels and catteries adding hundreds on top, the savings offered to pet owners boosts tourism as they travel more frequently with greater peace of mind.

As no money changes hands, house sitters can travel the world without having to worry about the often prohibitive cost of accommodation.

TrustedHousesitters now has almost half a million members in more than 130 countries and is estimated to have saved them more than half a billion dollars in hotels, kennels and catteries over the past seven years.

Members of TrustedHousesitters travel up to three times more often than regular pet owners.

Andy Peck, founder of TrustedHousesitters, said: “Pet owners struggle due to a variety of reasons, the biggest of these is peace of mind and the cost of kennels and catteries.

“Vets tell us that pets are happier in their familiar home environments.

“But it doesn’t always work to ask busy friends and family to pop in to check on pets, or to pay hundreds on top of your holiday for live-in pet care.

“We’re here to help people enjoy more travel and it’s great that easyJet sees the importance in this.”