DogBuddy launches Dog-friendly Pub Awards for 2nd year

A quarter of Brits say Paul O’Grady is their favourite dog owning celeb followed by Tom Hardy and then The Royals
97% of UK dog owners say their partner MUST get on with their dog
4 out of 5 would prefer an evening with their dog than without!
A quarter of Brits spend more than £100 a month on their pampered pooch
DogBuddy.com launches Dog-friendly Pub Awards – second year in a row!

A recent poll of over 3,000 UK dog owners, conducted by Europe’s leading online dog sitting platform DogBuddy.com, revealed that us Brits are truly canine crazy.

Two thirds (66%) of dog owners prefer to photograph their pooch than friends, family and kids, 1-in-10 (11%) have a social media account for their furry friend, with Instagram being the preferred channel (69%), and a quarter (25%) will spend more than £100 a month on their pampered pooches. The research conducted by DogBuddy also revealed that, animal loving Paul O’Grady got the top woof as the most favoured dog-loving celebrity for the second year running (25%).

Top 5 Dog-Loving Celebs

Paul O’Grady (25%)
Tom Hardy (13%)
The Royals (11%)
Britain’s Got Talent Judges – Simon, David and Amanda (7%)
Martin Clunes (6%)

Paul O’Grady said of the vote, "I am really flattered to be voted Top Dog Owning Celebrity especially when up against such tough competition. I would like to thank all the people who voted for me – thank you!"

DogBuddy, who this week launched their 2nd annual search for the UK’s most dog-friendly pub also found that nearly all (97%) of dog owners think that their partner must get on with their dog and more than 4-out-of-5 owners (82%) would rather spend an evening with their dog, than without! And whether they’re invited or not, two thirds (66%) of dog owners choose to bring their dog along on a night out with friends.

From the research, it also seems dog owners are helping to keep the UK pub trade alive - with 95% of dog owners stating they visit a pub, and more than quarter of them (26%) saying they pay a visit to a pub more than once a week. So, being a dog-friendly pub has never been more important.

Nearly two thirds (64%) of dog owners will search online for a dog-friendly pub before making a visit, and over two thirds (67%) are put off visiting a pub if it’s not dog-friendly. Nearly a quarter (24%) of dog owners have left a pub because it’s not been suitable for their dog.

From the survey results it’s clear to see that the UK cherishes its four legged friends and enjoys a visit to their local, which is why DogBuddy is announcing the launch of its 2nd annual Dog-friendly Pub Awards – to recognise and celebrate the UK pubs that go the extra mile to make dogs (and their owners) feel welcome.

Richard Setterwall, CEO and founder of DogBuddy comments; “It’s wonderful to see the passion that UK dog owners have for their pets, and how enjoying a drink at their local pub is still a special part of being a Brit. So, we’re delighted to be launching our 2nd annual search for Britain’s most dog-friendly pub on National Dog Day this year.

“It’s surprising to learn that over a third (34%) of dog owners have struggled to find a dog-friendly pub, and two thirds (67%) of them haven’t visited a pub because it wasn’t suitable for their dog. This all adds up to a lot of missed opportunities – for both publicans and for our four (and two) legged friends. In an ideal world, we’d love for every UK pub to be dog-friendly!”

DogBuddy is encouraging pubs across the country to embrace ‘paw power’ and welcome not just two, but four legged customers too. Not only will these awards show some well-deserved appreciation of existing dog-friendly establishments, but they also aim to promote dog-friendly values across all pubs nationwide, inspiring dog owners in the UK to discover and visit their local pubs.

Voting is open from Saturday 26th August 2017 - National Dog Day. Voting closes on Sunday 29th October 2017. Anyone can vote for their pub by visiting dogbuddypubs.com - if your local isn’t listed, nominations are open for pubs all over the UK at dogbuddypubs.com/addapub.

For every vote received in the Dog-friendly Pub Awards, DogBuddy will also donate 50p per vote* to the RSPCA who rescue, rehabilitate and rehome thousands of dogs every year.

DogBuddy was founded in 2013 and has grown exponentially to be Europe’s leading online dog sitting community, with more than 500,000 dog lovers already registered. With over 30,000 approved dog sitters using the service, DogBuddy matches dog owners with local and reliable dog sitters to provide Doggy Day Care, Home Dog Boarding, and Dog Walking across the UK, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Sweden and Norway.

* Up to £5,000