Year: 2020

The Violet Eared Waxbill

I have a deep love for the family of finches known as ‘the waxbills’ or otherwise known as Estrildid finches. The common name refers to the colour and apparent texture of the beak, in reality the appendage is not wax-like at all.  Much of this family of birds have been…

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Pets Corner shows support for Canine Partners

Animal goods retailer Pets Corner has announced that it is supporting Canine Partners this Christmas, a charity that “helps people to overcome life-limiting conditions through the help of their highly trained assistance dogs”. To raise money for the organisation Pets Corner is now asking customers to donate 30p with their…

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IPN site achieves ‘Grade A’ BRC status

Inspired Pet Nutrition’s wet pet food facility at its IPN Kinmel manufacturing site has achieved ‘Grade A’ accreditation from the British Retail Consortium (BRC).  According to the manufacturer, the entire process was completed in under four months and was done without the need for a pre-audit.   The accreditation means that…

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The humanisation of the pet industry

What does ‘humanisation of the pet industry’ mean? By many, pets are seen and treated like family members. Owners want happy and healthy lives for their pets as much as they do for their children, and this has seen the emergence of new products and trends in the industry, with…

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Karen Whitworth exits Pets at Home

Pets at Home has announced that Karen Whitworth, independent non-executive director and chair of the audit and risk committee, intends to stand down from her position on 20 May 2021.  According to the company, Whitworth made the decision to resign as she has “decided to accept the role of non-executive…

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PetQuip webinar delivers advice for UK exporters ahead of Brexit

A webinar for UK exporters has been organised by PetQuip, Gardenex and  the Commercial Horticultural Association in a bid to provide “invaluable” insight into how they should be preparing for the end of the Brexit transition period.  The webinar reportedly gave companies the latest information on the steps that exporters…

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Monitoring diabetes in cats and dogs during the Covid Crisis

Royal Veterinary College clinicians and researchers have long been at the forefront of advancements in the understanding of canine and feline diabetes mellitus, as well as improvements in the way these conditions are managed. Dr Ruth Gostelow is a clinician, researcher and teacher at the RVC and has a particular…

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Third of people willing to ignore puppy smuggling, study warns

Almost a third of puppy purchasers would be willing to “turn a blind eye” to the smuggling trade to get the dog they want, a report by Dogs Trust has found.  According to consumer research conducted by the charity 30% of people have admitted that they would be willing to…

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Royal Canin partners with Kathryn Thomas for pet obesity campaign

Royal Canin has partnered with TV broadcaster and wellness expert Kathryn Thomas in a bid to raise awareness of pet obesity and help pet owners manage their pets’ weight. Thomas is the host of an Irish TV programme that aims to help people to improve their own health, lose weight…

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Pet food, animal welfare, and the Agriculture Bill

In 2018, PFMA launched its Pet Food Vision. The vision was developed following the EU referendum when as representatives of the UK pet food industry we considered where we wanted to be as a global player following the UK’s exit from the EU. The PFMA Pet Food Vision focused on…

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