Traveling Canines Take Top Honors in AAA PetBook Photo Contest

Dogs vacationing in the great outdoors selected to grace the covers of the next edition

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Results are in for the winners of the latest annual AAA PetBook® Photo Contest sponsored by Best Western, a AAA Preferred Lodging Partner. Winners from Tennessee and Massachusetts will enjoy a year of fame on the back cover and spine of the 13th edition Traveling With Your Pet: The AAA PetBook®, available this May.

Along with cover glory and star treatment in the AAA.com/PetBook photo gallery, winners receive additional contest prizes, including cash, pet treats, copies of the book and a Best Western Travel Card® usable at more than 1,900 pet-friendly properties worldwide.  

The first-place winner, a golden retriever named Twink from Chattanooga, Tenn., will be pictured on the book's back cover showing off a spectacular view of the rapids at the popular Ocoee River in Tennessee. Twink, an eager hiker and swimmer, delights in finding new places to explore, says her owner, Marylee Pope.

The second-place winners, a pair of Samoyeds named Siri and Ella from Blackstone, Mass., will be featured on the book's spine during a trek through Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. "We love to go places that we can do outdoor things with our dogs, like hiking, snowshoeing, sledding and exploring," said owners Arthur and Linda Everly.

Plus, as a special addition to first- and second-place winners, an exceptional photo from a previous contest will appear on the front cover of the 13th edition PetBook. Bailey, a black Lab mix from Orrville, Ohio, will be shown pausing for a rest while exploring the majestic Dolly Sods U.S. Wilderness Area in West Virginia.  "She loves to travel and we enjoy being with her and showing her new places and things," says Bailey's owner, Karen Smith.

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 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 outdoors, more than 400 AAA Rated pet-friendly campgrounds.

Photos of winners and runners up, contest rules and entry forms, and valuable pet travel tips can be accessed at AAA.com/PetBook. The next photo contest opens in May when copies of the 13th edition Traveling with Your Pet: The AAA PetBook hit the shelves at participating AAA and CAA offices, bn.com and fine bookstores. The cover price is $18.95 U.S.

About AAA

As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 52 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 INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Best Western International, Inc. is THE WORLD'S BIGGEST HOTEL FAMILY(SM), providing marketing, reservations and operational support to over 4,000* BEST WESTERN®, BEST WESTERN PLUS® and BEST WESTERN PREMIER® hotels in 80* countries and territories worldwide. Each Best Western-branded hotel is independently owned and operated. Now celebrating 65 years of hospitality, 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 biggest 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 globally, join Best Western Rewards®. 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