The City of London Corporation"s Open Spaces Committee hassigned an agreement with the Kennel Club - the UK"s largestorganisation dedicated to the health and welfare of dogs " in orderto encourage responsible dog ownership on its open spaces.

The two organisations will work together to improve people"shealth and wellbeing through dog ownership, whilst respecting thespecial qualities of its opens paces and the needs of othervisitors.

As part of this agreement, the City of London Corporation willensure that responsible dog walkers feel welcome on all its openspaces - and will use its powers in relation to dog control toreflect local requirements.

For its part, the Kennel Club will use its networks andinfluence to promote the opportunities that the City Corporation"sopen spaces offers for responsible dog walkers who keep their dogsunder effective control.

Bob Hall, Chairman of the City of London Corporation"s OpenSpaces Committee, said: "We are very pleased to have reached thisaccord with the Kennel Club, as a result of which we share acommitment to improve people"s health and well-being through dogownership, whilst respecting the special qualities of the openspaces managed by the City Corporation and the needs of allvisitors to them. That is why we have drawn up this agreement whichsets out what each side will do to encourage responsible dog use onour open spaces."