Editorial

Feb- 2015 -

25 February

ARE ALL DOGS READY FOR MICROCHIPPING?

Compulsory microchipping for dogs in England is only a year away. New regulations come into effect from April 6th 2016. From that point onwards, all dogs must be chipped by the time they are eight weeks old. Owners will also be required to register their pet with an approved database.…

20 February

EXOTIC PETS UNDER REVIEW

Is the exotic pet trade facing a change? Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, has committed to a review of the trade and importations of exotic animals for the pet industry in Scotland. The Scottish Government has announced that Mr Lochhead plans to explore the effects…

12 February

IS PET THEFT ON THE RISE?

How safe are your customers’ pets? The Star recently revealed that over 70 dogs had been reported stolen within South Yorkshire over a one year period. In Wales, The Argus announced that a shockingly high level of thefts are thought to have taken place the Gwent area. The South Wales…

6 February

OVER BRED DOGS CALLOUSLY ABANDONED

It’s disturbing that in our animal loving country there are people who can force animals to become mothers over and over again. Battersea Cats and Dogs Home has launched a new campaign, End Backstreet Breeding, to raise awareness of cruel practices. It looks at the many devastating health and behavioural…

Jan- 2015 -

30 January

Fire Destroys Pet Shop Stock

As industries go, I’ve always felt the pet trade is made up of happy, hardworking team-players. Andie Freeston, the owner of Hart Pet Supplies in Thundersley, is a case in point. On January 14th a fire ripped through her business, destroying stock. The Fire Brigade Union had begun its strike…

23 January

RISING NUMBER OF ABANDONED CATS

The number of abandoned cats is on the rise, reports Keighley-based charity, Yorkshire Cat Rescue. In 2014 the organisation rescued 865 cats and kittens, compared with 688 the previous year. On some occasions as many as seven cats at a time were dumped in boxes outside the centre’s gates. Founder…

15 January

UK Spent Nearly $7 Billion on Pets in 2014

People in the UK spent a staggering $6.9 billion dollars on their pets in 2014, claims market research solution company Euromonitor International. The amount – which is almost equivalent to £4.6 billion – places Britain as the world’s second biggest spender on pets. Our animal owners are the most generous…

7 January

Britain’s Pets are Getting Fatter

Mince pies, mulled wine and sweets; for us humans the Christmas period was a time for indulgence. But, for pets, the food-fest may still be ongoing. The recently released PDSA Animal Wellbeing report (PAWS) revealed that 5.5 million pets are being fed fatty treats as part of their daily diet.…

Dec- 2014 -

11 December

Pets More Popular Than In-laws

It may be a very merry Christmas. Brits are expected to spend a staggering 47 million on their pets this holiday, says The Express. The total could be up to five times higher if you include festive foodie treats. For the pet sector these figures prove something we’ve known for…

4 December

Street Art Aims To Save Dogs

2010 is a year that always sticks in my mind. The RSPCA announced the shocking statistic that three dogs were abandoned every hour over Christmas. There’s a similar story every December as a percentage of pets bought as presents are returned or left without a home. Over 30 years after…