SKODA has been announced as the 'Official Automotive Sponsor' of this year's Crufts.
It's an entirely appropriate paw-tnership (sorry), given that Skoda's cavernous Superb and Octavia estate cars have long been popular transport choices for dog owners, who will shortly be able to combine their love of four-legged friends with a celebration of Skoda-badged four-wheeled transport at the UK's biggest celebration of all things dog.
The car maker will have an official stand in the main exhibition hall at this year's Crufts, which takes place at the NEC in Birmingham from March 9 to 12. This will include a special podium where visitors can take selfies of themselves with their dogs alongside the Skoda Kamiqs from the recent TV ad campaign in which the brand's compact SUVs took on a doggy assault course.
They'll also be able to check out Skoda's new Pet Pack: comprising a dog guard, rear bumper protector and a double-sided boot mat/rubber boot liner, it's now available for all Skoda models excluding the Scala, priced from £230 (excluding fitting).
Skoda also now offer a range of doggy harnesses designed to be attached to rear seat belts, thus allowing dogs and owners to travel in paw-fect (sorry again) comfort and safety. The Highway Code states dogs need to be suitably secured while travelling to avoid driver distraction and to prevent injury in the case of an emergency stop.
Worryingly, a recent survey by the car maker found that 12 paw cent (that's the last one, honest) of owners let their dogs sit on their lap while driving – with 9 per cent admitting that they allowed their dog to sit on the dashboard.
The team-up with Crufts is the Skoda's latest addition to its dog-loving credentials, which already includes a partnership with Dogs for Good, a charity established to support people and dogs working with the disabled.
Up with this sort of thing.
