Joint initiative teaches responsible dog ownership

The Kennel Club's (KC) joint initiative with local authorities in London and the south east has helped teach about responsible dog ownership.

The initiative has given thousands of dog owners and potential owners information about the importance of identification such as microchipping, cleaning up after dogs, the dangers of leaving dogs in cars, and the importance of training and exercising dogs.

At the beginning of summer, the KC wrote to a number of councils, housing associations and other bodies, encouraging them to hold special community days, in order to educate the public in a fun and informal way about being a responsible dog owner.

The KC attended as many of the areas as possible to talk to local people about the importance of taking certain precautions and the benefits of keeping dogs happy and healthy.

Caroline Kisko, KC secretary, said: “Too often, dog related issues are dealt with in a negative way, and the majority of responsible owners are penalised because of the actions of the irresponsible few. By holding an event that can educate dog owners in a fresh and fun way, councils can save costs and resources by avoiding the majority of problems that may arise in the first place."

Jill Spurr, of Vale of Aylesbury Housing, which held a responsible dog ownership day said: “With the support of organisations like the KC, we were able to give people access to good quality advice to help [our residents] resolve common problems or better understand what being a responsible owner entails.



“We would recommend that other councils, organisations and individuals hold these types of events as an effective way to promote responsible ownership of healthy and happy dogs.”