Dogs will be able to tour the English countryside by bus thanks to a new pet-friendly service being offered in Kent.
Austin Blackburn, who owns transport company Go-coach, has taken his dog-appreciation to a whole new level by devising special new bus routes for dog owners and their pets.
Mr Blackburn wants to encourage more dog owners to explore Kent, often dubbed ‘the Garden of England’ thanks to its coastline views and White Cliffs of Dover.
He hopes the service will encourage dog owners to travel further afield with their hounds to spice up their usual dog-walking routine.
He said: ‘The route will pass through amazing countryside and attractions – all perfect places for dog walks that beat boring walks around the block.
‘Dogs chill people out, make people happy and get strangers talking.
‘Having a bus route for them is just common sense.’
Mr Blackburn, who has three dogs including a chihuahua called Geoff, believes not all pet owners realise they can take dogs on the bus for free.
He said his beagle Primrose loved going on bus rides with him and got people chatting because she was so cute.
He hopes special ‘doggie tickets’ will inspire people to bring their dogs with them as they journey across Kent.
The dog tickets will be free and come with treats and litter bags, he said.
The services will run around Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge starting next month.
Dog-friendly cafes have become popular across the UK in recent years, but this will be the country’s first bus route devised purely for dogs.
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