Current Affairs

Feb- 2017 -

1 February

New goldfish expansion from Tetra

Tetra has expanded its Goldfish food range with its FunTips concept offering an interactive way for owners to feed their fish. The adhesive tablets stick to the glass or decorative items within the aquarium allowing fishkeepers to get closer to their fish by watching them nibbling away. Containing shrimp with…

1 February

PIF announces new chairman

The Pet Industry Federation (PIF) has today announced the appointment of Steve Fowler as its new chairman. Steve has been a director within the organisation for 17 years, having seen the transition of the PIF from a charity to a membership trade association. Steve was the worthy recipient of the…

1 February

Warnings after ‘sham animal charity appeals’

An alert has been issued to warn the public of ‘sham charity appeals’. The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has issued a statement alongside information based on reports made during the past month, to Action Fraud. The National Fraud Investigation Bureau (NFIB) has gathered…

Jan- 2017 -

31 January

Investment for pet tech company Pitpat

Pitpatpet Ltd (PitPat) has received equity investments from Royal & Sun Alliance (RSA) and Neovia. PitPat’s activity monitor is a simple and unobtrusive device that securely attaches to any dog’s collar. Working with a free app, it provides owners with an activity goal tailored to their dog, and measures how…

30 January

£3m investment for natural dog food company

Naturo Pet Foods has undertaken a £3 million investment in its plastic tray manufacturing facility in Moy, N. Ireland, enabling it to more than double production of its natural dog food. Everything in the Naturo range is made with 100 percent natural ingredients and 60 percent meat using predominantly Irish…

27 January

Charity signs landmark agreement with Kabul

London based animal charity, The Mayhew Animal Home, also a registered NGO in Afghanistan, has signed a landmark agreement with Kabul City authorities to halt dog culling in the city and introduce an animal welfare strategy incorporating a sustainable and planned rabies vaccination programme combined with a humane dog population…

27 January

Pet store inspectors need ‘broad knowledge of species’

East Hampshire District Council officials hosted a Promotion of Animal Welfare Seminar on 18 January 2017. The event was sponsored by the animal handling equipment experts MDC, among others. Delegates listened to presentations from various speakers. In an overview of pet store inspections and licensing, animal health inspector Sharon Edwards…

27 January

Dragons’ Den appearance boosts sales for UK company

A Dragons’ Den appearance has boosted sales and enquiries for UK company HandiScoop®. On 8 January John Nicholls, the inventor, presented his product to the Dragons. The product gives the owner the ability to attached a standard size poop bag and ‘scoop up the poop’ hygienically. The Dragons liked the product, however…

25 January

Dogs can suffer winter blues

Dogs can suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D), new research reveals. According to findings over half (61 percent) of UK dog owners say that they notice a considerable difference in their pets’ behaviour over winter months. Symptoms include increased appetite, a reluctance to go outside, low mood and lethargy. The study,…

25 January

Children love pets more than siblings, says new study

Children get more satisfaction from relationships with their pets than with their brothers or sisters, according to a newly published University of Cambridge study. Children also appear to get on better with their animal companions than with siblings. The research adds to increasing evidence that household pets may have a…