Credit: Garry Kane
The South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA) is looking to support and promote businesses in the Borders to be more ‘dog-friendly’ after research showed it can boost trade by 20 to 50 percent.
The data comes from DogFriendly, which claims to be the UK’s largest, most up-to-date and longest-established database of dog friendly venues in the UK, and which promotes more than 60,000 businesses to dog owners.
DogFriendly Awards general manager James Waters said: “Our message to the business community is, it’s not just nice to have dogs, it’s good for business.
”... it’s not just nice to have dogs, it’s good for business
James WatersDogFriendly Awards general manager
“In 2022, we surveyed people asking them how becoming dog-friendly affected their business. Their replies, our statistics, show businesses will increase by between 20-50% if they open their doors to dogs.”
The SSDA has now launched a new toolkit to help more businesses in the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway to welcome more visitors and their four-legged friends.
Pet Industry Federation (PIF) chief executive Nigel Baker commented: “British businesses are moving in the direction of being dog-friendly, but there is a lot more that can be done.
”British businesses are moving in the direction of being dog-friendly...
Nigel BakerPet Industry Federation (PIF) chief executive
“There are people who don’t want to leave their dogs at home and want to get out and about, so the more places that are dog-friendly the better. The economy will benefit as well as people will get out and bring their dog to pubs and restaurants, which we know are being hit badly at the moment.”
