Features

Measom Freer: A day in the life

DESCRIBE YOUR AVERAGE DAY “On an average day I’m up at about 6.30am. I need to have a cup of Earl Grey tea – that’s essential! Then I get the kids ready and off to school and make sure the rabbits have been fed and cared for. I go to…

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PIF boss Nigel Baker gives his opinions on licensing

We live in a strange and unpredictable world. As of January 2017 the Nuclear or Doomsday clock was set at two and a half minutes to midnight, due to the rise of ‘strident nationalism’ worldwide; the United States’ President, Donald Trump’s, comments over North Korea, Russia, nuclear weapons and the disbelief in…

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Reptile: impaction explained

Over the past 18 months we have been looking at the intricacies of ‘nutrition’ within captive reptiles. By reptiles we refer, of course, to the wider trade term used for those that retail ‘reptiles, amphibians and insects’. Yes, it’s a very loose term but each of these groups have roughly…

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Avian: Kakarikis as pets and aviary birds

During this series we have been looking at some of the species of cage and aviary birds that are available to us to keep, breed and trade. The good news is that the UK bird trade is going through a welcome revival with sales of birds and the required accessories…

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Humanisation in the pet food industry

As more owners consider their small companions as to be their direct equals and impose their own lifestyles and preferences onto them, this change in ideology has trickled into the pet trade and led to a ‘humanisation’ process of the manufacturing industry. Pet owners now aim to give them a…

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Playtime regulation

Constantly, pet manufacturing and retail professionals are reminded of how owners are beginning to think of their pets as more than just a pet, reinforcing the special bond between them and their owners. Research by Natures Menu found that half of the nation views a dog as their best friend,…

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Business advice: Home Office errors grounds for retailers to challenge illegal working fines

UK employers have a legal duty to carry out document checks on all employees, confirming their right to work in the UK. If the Home Office alleges an employer has failed to perform these checks properly, they can issue a civil penalty for illegal employment to the business for up…

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An interview with Vet on the Hill TV star, Dr Scott Miller

How did you join the veterinary profession? I’ve always had a love of animals from a child which made the choice very easy. Why did you decide to pursue your career in the UK and Europe? My parents are English and although I was born in Australia I was lucky…

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Reptile: Shade dwellers

Reptiles and amphibians, like all animals are highly adapted to life in the wild state. Vast periods of time have passed within this long process of slow adaptation, leaving us with each species as we currently see it. I do not refer to the evolutionary process of species change at…

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Anti-vaxxing, pets and the community’s fears

The idea and concept that preventative vaccinations may be doing more harm than good is not a thought which is too uncommon amongst humans. More recently, some of those reservations and fears have crept into the animal community – namely in the pet world – with some claiming that vaccinations…

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