May 16th 2024
The Rise of Proper Dog-friendly
Businesses seem to have finally cottoned on to what ‘dog friendly’ actually means. Just a few years ago a slimy rainwater filled dog bowl by a pub front door and a handful of Bonio’s on the bar was about the best you could expect.
Fast forward post pandemic when 3.2m households acquired a dog and hotels, holiday destinations and even shops are going all out to woo the £10bn a year hound pound.
Leading the retail pack is John Lewis who back in the summer of 2019 they open their stores to retail pooch therapy. That’s now evolved into dog-friendly Santa’s Grotto, tea pawties and doggy events.
As owners don’t like tying their dogs outside a shop, why not let them in? Stats from Pet Business world reckon it can add 20-50% extra revenue which is not to be sniffed at!
Upping your dog-friendly creds is now a must for hotels and UK holiday destinations. Our Dogstival survey 82% of you lovely people are influenced by where to go our stay based on a warm doggy welcome.
From welcome packs, personalised notes, luxurious dog beds and even a separate food menu. Which, if you’re up for a return visit to the New Forest you can tuck into the Montagu Arms Hotel’s ‘A La Bark’ menu where pampered pooches can tuck into fish pie or a chicken casserole. Woof!
Whilst that’s pretty epic, there’s another level of pet friendly out there. Hard Rock Café’s ‘VIP Unleashed Package rolls out the canine red carpet with swag bags full of handmade treats, velvet memory foam beds and curated Spotify playlists.
The Le Bristol on Rue du Faubourg Saint Honore in Paris personalises dog bowls and embroiders pets’ names to a welcome mat, with the 3 Michelin Star restaurant whipping up locally sourced and seasonal fish or meat dishes to your pets’ exact requirements.
If you’re thinking of taking your pooch overseas and budgets don’t stretch to a private jet, KLM, Lufthansa, and Air France allow dogs under 8kgs to sit back for some inflight entertainment. You could of course claim your Great Dane is an ‘emotional support dog’ and given in America (where else?) they’ve let ducks, a peacock and even a miniature pony in the cabin.
Back home, Animal Friends did a bit of research on the UK’s most pet friendly cities. They crunched data based on dog friendly places to visit, dine, and green spaces for walkies with Brighton coming out, followed by Exeter.
It’s not just leisure industries that are swooning over our pets, offices are taking the lead in allowing pets into the workplace reckoning it helps morale and reduces stress. Although I wouldn’t fancy taking our spaniel on the Piccadilly Line at rush hour!
So where not to take your beloved four-legged friend?
