Pet Friendly UK Music Festivals.

There are numerous reasons why festival-goers may want to bring their dog to a music festival with the main motivation being that their pet is part of the family. Bringing a pet dog to a music festival because the owners cannot find suitable kennels or care is probably not the best reason to bring a dog. 

There are some great music festivals in the UK that claim to be pet friendly but for added peace of mind check the festival's information on provisions for dogs. Festival organisers will insist on owners taking responsibility for cleaning up any mess made by their dog and will likely provide a specific dog toilet area. It is also the dog owner's responsibility to keep their dog under control at all times to minimise disturbance to other visitors and to maintain safety. Also, in the interests of the dogs wellbeing festival organisers will insist that owners take care of their pets being hydrated and not left alone in locked cars in extreme heat for example. Organisers of pet friendly festivals often work closely with organisations like the RSPCA to monitor pet welfare.

For festival-goers considering taking their pet to a music festival for the first time there are some key factors to consider before making that decision:   

• Has the dog been to festival before and stayed in an unfamiliar environment?
• How does the dog cope with loud music, crowds, sun, mud and litter?
• Is the dog used to being left alone in a tent or camper van?
• Consider contingency plans for possible dog emergencies should it have an accident or fall ill, are there any treatment facilities on-site for example?
• Have a comprehensive plan in mind for feeding the dog and providing sufficient exercise and toilet time. 

If after all these considerations a festival-goer is still committed to bring their pet dog to a music festival there are a number of well-established pet friendly music festivals to choose from including: 

• Standon Calling (22nd - 25th July 2021) Hertfordshire.
• Green Gathering (29th July - 1st August 2021) Chepstow.
• Cropredy Fairport Convention (12th - 14th August 2021) Oxfordshire.
• Neverworld (July 2021 cancelled) Kent.
• Cambridge Rock Festival (June 2021 cancelled) Cambridgeshire.
• Good Life Experience (September 2021 cancelled) Flintshire.
• Farmer Phils Festival (13th - 15th August 2021) Shropshire.  
  

This is not an exhaustive list but just an example of some of the major music festivals in the UK that are pet friendly. These are also the festivals that have been pet friendly the longest time and therefore have extensive experience in managing common issues presented by festival-goers wishing to being their dog to the festival. For music festival organisers it is often easier to exclude all pets and children as this can make the festival logistics easier to manage. However, for organisers keen to make their events more inclusive for families by including children and pets in their arrangements they will benefit from wider audience reach.

For any event organiser planning their music festival using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their festival logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors guestlists and ticketing. 

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