Mini partners with charity ‘to help dogs travel happier’

Mini and Dogs Trust have partnered up to help dog owners travel with their pets in the safest possible way.

The firm says there are 12.5 million dogs in the UK, with about one in three households having one.

To appeal to pet owners and make them feel more welcome, all Mini retailers will welcome dogs inside and will have bowls and mats to accommodate them.

With the help of Dogs Trust, Mini will also help to educate its customers on the best ways to travel with their pet to keep it happy and safe.

David George, director of Mini UK said: “Born from our entire team’s passion for dogs, we are so excited to be partnering with Dogs Trust, an organisation that is very close to my heart after we adopted our Lurcher, Harry from them three years ago.

“With more dogs in families now than ever before, we want to help make sure they travel safely and enjoy the ride. It’s just as important to us that our four-legged customers love being in a Mini as much as the drivers do and we have had a lot of fun letting dogs of all shapes and sizes put our cars through the ultimate tail-wagging tests.”

Dr Jenna Kiddie, head of canine behaviour at Dogs Trust, added: “As the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, we’re delighted to be part of Mini’s journey to becoming fully dog friendly.

“It’s really important that your car is right for the whole family, including your four-legged passenger, whose needs and safety requirements are slightly different to ours. It’s wonderful to see Mini, such an iconic automotive brand, considering the needs of dog owners, so they can make sure their beloved canine family members are safe and comfortable when on the road.”

Mini already sells a variety of dog-focused accessories for its cars, including a guard and rear compartment mat.