Responsible dog ownership
Creating happier, safer communities, together
Owning a dog is one of life’s greatest joys. They bring companionship, comfort, and fun to millions of us across the UK. But being a dog owner also comes with a responsibility to help them stay healthy and happy, and keep your local community safe and confident around them.
That’s why we’ve teamed up with RSPCA to develop the Responsible Dog Ownership Framework.
Why responsible dog ownership matters
Every dog deserves the chance to live a safe, fulfilled, and enriched life. And every community deserves to feel confident around the dogs who share their spaces.
Responsible dog ownership helps keep dogs healthy and happy, and makes our communities safer, helping everyone feel more confident around dogs. It also means making sure dogs are cared for throughout their whole lives.
It isn’t about checking boxes, it’s about giving people the knowledge, tools, and confidence to support their dogs and the communities they live in.
The Responsible Dog Ownership Framework
We have created the Responsible Dog Ownership Framework as a supportive, practical guide for dog owners, as well as for organisations who work with dogs, owners, and communities.
The framework is designed around key themes that shape responsible ownership throughout a dog’s life.
These themes include:
- Good life
- Safe and secure
- Good citizen
- Lifetime commitment
- Community
It’s not a strict set of rules, it’s a flexible guide that knows that every dog, owner, and situation is different. Whether you’re preparing for life with a dog, already living with one, or you’re facing significant changes, the framework aims to make dog ownership easier, more rewarding, and safer for everyone.
And it isn’t just for dog owners. Local Authorities, community organisations, housing providers, and vet and behaviour professionals can all use the framework to support a shared understanding of what responsible dog ownership looks like in practice.
We want to hear from you
We want to make sure the Responsible Dog Ownership Framework works for everyone. We want to hear your thoughts, from what responsible dog ownership means to you, to anything you think might be missing from the framework.
Whether you’re a dog owner or not, your perspective will help shape the framework so it reflects real experiences and needs. Your input will help us create a framework that truly supports dogs and people across the UK.
What happens next
Once we’ve listened to people’s experiences and gathered feedback from communities, professionals, and organisations, we’ll take some time to reflect on what we’ve learned. This will help us refine the Responsible Dog Ownership Framework so it works for everyday life and feels meaningful to everyone who uses it.
We hope that over time, the framework will help keep us aligned on what responsible ownership looks like, supporting safer communities and better welfare outcomes for dogs everywhere.
Together, we can make a difference
Responsible dog ownership is about more than individual households. It’s about creating a positive future for everyone who shares our parks, streets, homes, and communities. Your feedback will help us make something that truly helps dogs, their owners, and the wider community.
Share your views now and help shape the future of responsible dog ownership.
If you liked this page, tell the world!
