Photographic dog to front campaign

Thursday 3rd May 2012

A dog photographed on a family canal boat holiday has become the face of a national marketing campaign for a new waterways charity.

Welsh springer spaniel Jasper, from Church Lawton, South Cheshire, will front the campaign for the Canal And River Trust, the charity due to take over management of canals and rivers from British Waterways.

Jasper's picture was selected from more than 1,000 photographs submitted by dog owners of their pets enjoying canal life.

It was taken on the Avon Ring during a family boating holiday in 2011. Judges felt it was a bright, well composed photograph and Jasper looked happy and alert and clearly enjoying himself on the water.

His owners Ray and Sue Hasmall will also enjoy a 12-month subscription to a leading dog magazine, also Usborne children's book Barney The Boat Dog, a range of toys and treats and a bumper supply of dog waste bags.

Sue said: "We were surprised and delighted to win this competition; it will be great to see Jasper fronting the campaign for the new waterways charity. We all love going for our daily walks by the Trent and Mersey Canal, it's so relaxing and we all get some valuable exercise."

Jasper, now the official canine face of the Canal And River Trust, will be treated to a professional photo shoot at a classic canal-side location to capture his enthusiasm for waterway walkies.

Tony Hales, who will chair the Canal And River Trust, said: "This has been a fun and interactive competition which captured the enthusiasm of the many thousands of dog walkers who use their local canals and rivers every day."

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