It’s not at all bad being a dog. I think this to be especially true if you are a canine resident of Brighton & Hove, where our four legged friends get to enjoy a very dog friendly community. According to the Pet Foods Manufacturing Association, approximately 24% of UK households own a dog, so it’s certainly about time that we made the world around them a little more welcoming.
Brighton & Hove have done exactly this, with a great selection of dog friendly beaches and areas such as Preston Park and Stanmer Park to let your dog run free. There are a seemingly endless number of dog friendly pubs, which allow you to enjoy a cosy pint with man’s best friend (“he’ll have the water”) and then there are dog friendly hotels, dog photography, doggy boutiques, and even a doggy cafe. Yes that’s right, you can take your doggy out for lunch. Just don’t expect them to pick up the bill.
Up in Kemptown at the Metrodeco, which is a 1930’s styled tea salon, they even cater for our furry friends by throwing the occasional doggy tea party, hosting regular doggy fundraising events, and they also make doggy birthday cakes. Whatever next? Doggy fine dining? So as we can see a dogs life in this town really isn’t that bad at all. It may have been from reading Fluke by James Herbert many years ago that set my mind wondering just how our canine counterparts might well view the world around us.
With dogs now even getting their own TV channel, you have to ask yourselves… when has any animal ever had it so good? If I start coming home from a long day at work to find my dog slumped on the sofa and watching TV as they wait for me to serve dinner, I may have to begin to question who really is in charge here. Suddenly my thoughts turn to Planet of the Apes. Hmmm…
