Industry News

Gov confirms new pet microchipping rules

The government has announced new pet microchipping rules which will aim to ensure that lost or stray pet cats are more likely to be reunited with their owners and returned home. Under the new plans, all keepers must ensure their pet is microchipped before they reach the age of 20…

Read More »

Jollyes to invest in Northern Ireland market

Jollyes has announced plans to invest £325,000 in Northern Ireland to open new stores and support key Irish suppliers.  The pet retail chain, which already has 12 stores in Northern Ireland, will begin the new investment programme on 11 December, opening a new 6,700 sq ft store at Longwood retail…

Read More »

RSPCA raises concerns over rising abandonments this winter

The RSPCA has announced welfare concerns as the charity “braces” for a surge of abandoned and neglected animals this winter as pet ownership soared during lockdown. Last December, the RSPCA said it still received one call every minute, one report of an abandoned animal every hour, and took 70 rescue…

Read More »

IPN takes action for National Tree Planting Week

Inspired Pet Nutrition, the company behind the Harringtons and Wagg pet food brands, is supporting National Tree Planting Week by planting 100 trees at the Thorp Perrow Arboretum in North Yorkshire.  As part of its overall target of planting one million trees, it is also planting a tree for every…

Read More »

Bark and Birch expands into Brazil

Bark and Birch has announced its expansion into Brazil, Sao Paulo, with turnover at just above £6m in the second full year of business. It revealed the brand is looking to recruit dog trainers and staff in the Brazilian City. The Board and Train model of Bark and Birch will…

Read More »

Black Friday fails to boost November footfall

Footfall in UK retail destinations worsened slightly in November to -14.5% from 2019, from -13.4% in October, as Black Friday failed to give a much needed boost. However, this is still an improved result from July when footfall was -24.2% below the 2019 level. Footfall decreased across all three destination…

Read More »

Black Friday online sales drop after re-opening

With no lockdown yet enacted this autumn, online retail sales for Black Friday were down -14.3% year-on-year (YoY), according to the latest figures from the IMRG Capgemini online retail index, which tracks the online sales performance of over 200 retailers. This was slightly more than the anticipated -10% drop, and…

Read More »

OATA board welcomes two new directors

OATA has welcomed two new directors to its board, with the appointments unveiled at the trade association’s Annual General Meeting which was held on 24 November.  Dr Sean Evans of Wharf Aquatics and Rob Peck of The Coral Centre were voted onto the board after several vacancies were created when…

Read More »

Pets at Home colleagues to benefit from potential £11.7m payout

Pets at Home has revealed that its colleagues can share in a potential £11.7m payout from the company’s Sharesave Scheme. Under the scheme, all colleagues were given the opportunity to save between £5 and £500 a month to purchase Pets at Home shares at a fixed price of just over…

Read More »

PDSA pet hospital taking shape amid roof completion

Leading vet charity PDSA has celebrated a milestone, as the roof is installed at the new PDSA Nottingham Pet Wellbeing Centre, which is due to open in Spring 2022. It revealed a ‘topping out’ ceremony was attended by a charity vet nurse, as well as clients and pet patients. Located…

Read More »