An overwhelming majority of people would like to see more Irish pubs, cafes and other businesses welcoming dogs.

A new Dogs Trust Ireland survey has found that 96% of dog-owners want to see more dog-friendly businesses – with the vast majority (86%) of non-dog owners agreeing.

The figures were similarly high when people were asked about their place of work – 88% of dog owners said they would like their office to welcome dogs and 81% of people who did not have a dog agreed.

Meanwhile, 94% of dog owners would like to take their pet on holiday.

The trust said the figures underlines a “huge increase in demand for dog friendly services”. 

One-year-old Collie sisters.

The survey was carried out to mark the sixth ‘Dog Friendly Ireland Day’ by Survey Hero and of the 3,480 respondents, 432 were non dog owners and 3,048 own a dog.

Surrender requests

Dogs Trust Ireland has recorded a record 1,654 surrender requests in 2023 and said many were linked to poor behaviour.

“This year, we want to help as many owners as possible to recognise if their dog is enjoying visiting dog friendly locations,” Dog School Ireland head coach Vonna Nolan said. 

“The most common reason people want to relinquish their dog is due to unwanted behaviour issues so, we hope our assessment tool empowers owners to decide if their dog might prefer to remain at home while they grab a coffee with friends. 

“Some dogs, just like people are social butterflies while others can find these situations quite overwhelming and that’s what we’re hoping to empower owners to able to recognise and avoid.”

Dog-friendly business

Ronan Flood, the owner of a dog-friendly bar in Dublin, recently told Lunchtime Live there is “definitely a demand” for places that welcome pets. 

“A lot of people want to go out, but during certain days of the week they don't want to leave the dog unattended at home,” he said. 

“Whereas now, you can go out for a few drinks.”

Mr Flood admitted there is a “risk” to allowing dogs into the bar but said, “There’s risk having humans as well.”

Main image: Dogs in a café. Picture by: Dogs Trust