A pet shop owner is being forced to close down her Morecambe shop in Lancashire because of the pressures applied from retail chains, supermarkets and the growing trend of internet shopping...

Gina Loxam, of Pampered Pets, says she is sad to be leaving the pet trade but is now looking forward to a possible career in politics.

"I took over Pampered Pets Shop in December 2008," Gina told Pet Trade Xtra. "After working in offices all my life it was a dream come true. It was also my retirement plan.

"I slowly built up the business over the next four years and although it wasn’t making me a fortune it was paying its way and earning me a small living. The big plus was meeting the customers and their pets, especially puppies. Many of the customers became friends and it was my ideal way of life being an animal lover myself and meant I could take my four dogs to work with me.

"I searched for stock at good prices from different suppliers to increase my range and also to pass the competitive prices onto my customers.

"In the autumn of 2012 I noticed my takings starting to drop. I thought Christmas would sort this out. No, it was the worst Christmas I had ever had. Liaising with fellow businesses, this was what they were finding too.

"Things went from bad to worse, takings down 30% on the year before, and I began using my savings to put towards my rent. I had to let my part time staff go and  I was working full time for a pittance just to pay my bills.

Customers sympathised and said it was the Internet, the supermarkets, and the large pet retail chains. These factors hadn’t affected me before.  Then the austerity cuts hit the media, zero contracts, lack of pay increases, lack of jobs.  The customers just hadn’t got the disposable income they had before due to the recession.

"I am one of the lucky ones as my landlord has released me from my lease. My loyal customers are gutted and say they will badly miss me, as I will them. My future has been destroyed because of this government and their inability to boost the economy.

"My future now lies elsewhere and I will be standing as an Independent Candidate in the next General Election as we need real people in parliament who understand what it is like to live in the real world."

PATS Harrogate will achieve another first this year when it receives a Royal visitor in the form of Princess Maja von Hohenzollern on Monday, September 16.

Princess Maja von Hohenzollern is a German princess from the Royal Family of Hohenzollern/ Prussia, which represented the former Emperor in Germany and is related to the English Royal Family.

The princess has designed the world's first gender specific pet collection for “furry Prince & Princesses” exclusive for TRIXIE.

Princess Maja is a successful designer and dedicated animal rights activist for many years – she lives with 14 rescued dogs and four cats.

Her collection is the only one in the world that uses former stray dogs as models. All these dogs have been personally rescued by Princess Maja and live with her.

Her collection for “furry Prince & Princesses”offers from throne chairs and canopy bedsover elegant bowls to credit cards, high heels and prince& princess- wedding –mice beautiful products for dogs and cats and is designed with love and humor.  

On September16 at 11am to 11.30am Princess Maja von Hohenzollernwill bepresent at TRIXIE stand, E31 in Hall C, to personally present her collection.

Illegally imported corals and buying fish from unlicensed pet dealers are two of the risks of buying online being highlighted today by the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG). The group is comprised of representatives from the UK’s leading animal welfare groups, trade associations and specialist agencies, including the Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association, which have to deal with the fall out of inappropriate advertising on a daily basis.

PAAG is today launching a set of Minimum Standards for websites offering pets for sale. They have been developed to improve the welfare of the pets and to protect members of the public from the risk of ending up with sick, dangerous or even illegal animals. The standards have also been endorsed by Defra who gathered the leading online pet classified websites together today to discuss the need for urgent improvement.

Some of the worst online ‘pet’ adverts include:

• Illegally imported corals
• Mediterranean tortoises offered illegally
• Puppy offered for swap with a mobile phone
• Arctic fox for sale
• Very rare Zonkey (Zebra x Donkey) for sale
• Six week old Staffie puppy – a puppy shouldn’t be separated from its mother until it is a minimum of eight weeks old
• Male skunk for sale
• 4 Marmoset monkeys
• Pitbull puppy for sale – Pitbulls are illegal to sell in the UK
• A cat for sale in need of severe veterinary treatment due to a badly damaged eye
• An advert offering a ladies watch in exchange for a tortoise
• Golden Retriever wanted for swap with a Chihuahua

From underage animals, banned breeds, illegally imported or endangered species to animals offered in exchange for inanimate objects – online pet advertising is a dangerously unregulated market. PAAG members hope the standards will help improve the quality of websites’ systems to try to filter out unscrupulous advertisements.

People turn to their computers when looking to buy or sell almost anything, including pets. PAAG is working with the Government to remind consumers and websites that an animal is not a commodity like a washing machine or a car, and should not be advertised or bought in the same way.

Websites in compliance with the standards will be identifiable to consumers on the PAAG website as the ethical and safer choice when deciding to find a pet online. The group is encouraging the public to stay vigilant to ensure that websites meet the standards consistently, and not to use sites that don’t apply the Minimum Standards.

OATA Chief Executive Keith Davenport says: “The online selling of fish by the public is not something we would encourage but in this day and age we understand it happens and will continue to happen.

"We support the launch of these Minimum Standards which we hope encourage fish hobbyists to think about the origins of the flora and fauna they buy online – where are they coming from and who is selling them? This can be the danger for unsuspecting buyers if they shop online. There are species, including corals and seahorses, which can only be imported with a permit. If people buy from reputable pet shops then they can expect that all the legal requirements for ownership have been met. But can buyers be sure of this when they shop online? And therefore are they unwittingly breaking the law which could later land them in hot water?”

Clarissa Baldwin, Chairman of PAAG says: “Whilst we recognise that pets are commonly advertised online, it is still shocking to know that there are between 100,000 and 120,000 pet advertisements appearing on UK websites each day. The research undertaken by PAAG has revealed some truly terrible examples where animal welfare was clearly the last thought in the mind of the advertiser. Every day we hear from people who have bought an animal online only for it to fall sick or die soon after. 

“We hope that the Minimum Standards will be just that, a minimum standard that a website must reach before posting advertisements for pets. In an ideal world we would prefer people not to buy pets online but would advise that if you are doing so that you check the website adheres to PAAG’s Minimum Standards.”

Lord de Mauley, Minister for Animal Welfare at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, says:

“It is vitally important that advertising websites do all they can to ensure the welfare of animals sold on their sites and to prevent the sale of banned breeds. I fully support PAAG's Minimum Standards and would encourage all advertising websites to sign up to these."

PAAG is aware that the Minimum Standards are just the first step on the road to solving the problems related to the online sale of pets. In order to achieve this it will work closely with the websites including Gumtree, Loot and Preloved to provide support on the reporting of suspicious adverts and the moderating of such ads. A team of volunteer moderators will also be created to provide further support for the websites and ensure that if anyone is turning to the internet to buy an animal they can do so with more confidence that they are buying a healthily bred pet. 

PAAG has compiled a video of case studies showing the shocking impact of inappropriate online advertising on members of the public, the veterinary profession and animal welfare authorities. Please go to the following link: www.paag.org.uk  

Janine Tozer of Not Just Pets in Bath has won a night's stay at the Majestic Hotel, Harrogate, in a competition organised by PetQuip...

All pet retailers purchasing two or more tickets to the PetQuip Industry Awards in Harrogate were put forward for the prize drawer to win a night's stay at the Majestic Hotel. 

The PetQuip Industry Awards are set to be a strongly contested affair after the finalists for the September showpiece were announced.

The awards, sponsored by  Westland, Petface, Group55, Canagan and PATS, are aimed at bringing together suppliers and retailers in the UK and internationally.

List of Finalists
UK Pet Retailer of the Year

• The Natural Pet Pantry, Gosport, Hants
• Just for Pets, Nationally
• Diddy Dapper Dogs, Morecambe, Lancs
• Tails ’n’ Whiskers, Oakham, Rutland
• Scampers, Soham, Cambs
• Not Just Pets, Bath, Wilts
• Dobbies, Atherstone, Warks

International Pet Retailer of the Year

• Musti ja Mirri Oy – Finland
• Ranzijn Tuin & Dier – Holland
• Animax – Romania
• Aveve – Belgium

 Groomer of the Year

• Joanne Angus
• Colin Taylor
• Zoe Duffy
• Alison Rogers

Supplier of the Year

• Lily’s Kitchen
• Burgess Petcare
• Hagen
• Symply Petfoods
• Natures Menu
• Beaphar UK
• Gor Pets
• Wagg

Wholesaler of the Year

• Collarways
• Peregrine Livefoods
• Pet Revolution
• Vital Pet Products
• Pedigree Wholesale
• Bestpets

Pet Product Innovation of the Year

• EezyEat4Pets with the Eezy Eat Collar 
• Baggee & Doggee with the Baggee Lush range
• Animal Care College with their Pet Shop Assistant Course
• Group 55/Animology with Fox Poo Shampoo
• Pure Pet Food for their pet food range
• Pooch & Mutt for their Treats
• Pet Revolution with the Wildwash
• Westland for the Natures Feast range

Pet Product Exporter of the Year

• Dog Rocks
• Group 55 Ltd
• Litter Kwitter
• Get Off
• James & Steel
• Barking Heads/Meowing Heads
• The Canny Company

Visitors to PATS Harrogate can expect to see an impressive showcase of new products for 2014 with a record number of over 160 exhibitors keen to unveil their latest creations when the event opens on Sunday, September 15.

As well as being displayed on a vast array of exhibitor stands in three halls at Harrogate International Centre during the two-day show, over 140 items have been entered into the New Products Showcase – itself a record for this popular PATS feature.  

The Showcase is a great way for visitors to see and touch the new products, making it the ideal place to view the things they’ll want to stock in their store.

The Showcase has been given a prime position in Hall B, acknowledging its importance to both exhibitors and visitors, and all items entered by exhibitors will be put forward for the New Product Awards.

Once visitors have seen what they like in the Showcase they then have the opportunity of visiting the stands of the manufacturers or suppliers of those products to discuss them in more detail. There will be an information card beside each product, giving details, such as suggested retail price and where in the show the item’s exhibitor can be found. 

All entries in the Showcase will be judged by a panel of retailer judges for the New Product Awards on the first morning of the show. The results will be known and highlighted throughout the Halls B, C and M for the rest of the exhibition.

The panel of judges has already been chosen after retailers were invited to put themselves forward, and their identities are a closely guarded secret to ensure complete impartiality during the judging process.

“PATS Harrogate promises to be the best ever and there seems to be a huge amount of excitement building,” said organizer Annie Dyke. “With a record number of exhibitors showcasing so many new products under one roof, it’s definitely the place for retailers to be this autumn.”

Winning an award in the PATS New Product Showcase can be the launch pad to huge sales. That’s according to companies whose new products have been recognised at previous exhibitions.

Manufacturers can be confident that successful products have a great chance of becoming bestsellers because a panel of pet retailers decides the awards. Past winners admit that winning an award can certainly increase the profile of the items to the trade. 

The awards will be presented by Karen Pickwick, editor of sponsors Pet Business World, at the New Products Showcase display at lunchtime on Sunday, September 15. Visitors will be invited to attend and cheer on the winners.

Entries will be displayed under the following award categories

• Cat Product or Service
• Dog Product or Service
• Bird Product or Service
• Small Animal Product or Service
• Pet Care Product or Service
• Aquatics/Reptile Product or Service
• Grooming Product or Service
• Retail Resources Product or Service

Visitors are now being urged to register for free show entry by going online at www.patshow.co.uk. Benefits include free parking (park and ride scheme in operation), free catalogue, free seminars, free cup of tea or coffee, and many special offers. For those visitors arriving before 10am they’ll receive a breakfast voucher, which is redeemable at the Hall B catering points. The PATS hotline is +44 (0)1892 862848.

Sky Pet Products will be hosting a competition for £1,000 of free product at the Harrogate show.

To stand a chance of winning this star prize all visitors have to do is simply complete their name and address for entry at the Sky Pet Products stand D18.

Additionally Sky Pet Products have promotional offers with discounts of up to 30% and a £50 cashback gift for subsequent orders following any show order.

Crawley-based Pets Corner has secured funding to extend its head office and warehouse facilities...

The family-owned business has its head office in Queensway and central warehouse in Cobham Way, Manor Royal.

The first store opened in 1968 and there are now 80 stores nationwide after expanding rapidly in the past five years.

The company has secured £600,000 from Natwest and £750,000 from Lombard, which has enabled it to create 20 Crawley jobs and 75 more nationwide in the past year.

The directors expect the company's £25m turnover to increase by 10% next year which will mean it will be able to expand the warehouse again, sustain its recruitment drive and open 50 more stores over the next five years.

Ceva Animal Health has launched a new TV advertising campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of the number one veterinary behavioural product, Feliway.

The new advertisement will feature the new ‘Feliway’ purple cat playing happily in the home with its family.  The advertisement will appear on the major UK channels including More 4, E4, ITV 1, Sky Channels and the Discovery Channel for one week from September 16, with an additional three weeks coverage during October.

A Feliway video on demand and YouTube campaign will also be available to viewers between September 16 and October 21 and will be repeated between November 15 and December 2. 

An Adaptil video on demand campaign will be aired between October 21 and November 11 to raise awareness of Adaptil in the run up to and during the firework season.  The video on demand will be available across ITV player, Sky Anytime On Demand, 4oD and YouTube.

For more information, call 01494 781510 or contact your wholesaler.

Pets at Home is aiming to make a bigger difference to the local pet community by partnering with animal charities from the Doncaster area via its charity scheme, as it prepares to open a second store in the town in September.

Support Adoption For Pets, an independent charity supported by Pets at Home, will see the company’s new store at Thorne Road work closely with the selected local causes to provide as many abandoned animals as possible with a chance to be re-homed into new, loving environments.

Store manager Emma Baines said: “Our mission is to ensure that pets live a happy and healthy life. We’d love to hear from any animal charities and re-homing centres in the area so we can talk to them about our Support Adoption For Pets charity and how we can help them.”

Anyone with information on a local animal charity or organisation should contact Pets at Home via email on supportadoptionforpets@petsathome.comstating “Thorne Road” in the subject box, or alternatively through Support Adoption For Pets charity manager, Amy Wilson, on 0161 486 3774.

Support Adoption For Pets has raised more than £8 million since it was launched seven years ago thanks to the fundraising efforts of store colleagues and customers. The money has been used to provide financial support to more than 550 re-homing centres and animal welfare organisations in the UK since 2006.

The new store, which will open at Thorne Road Retail Park on Friday 20th September, will be home to an Adoption Centre, where pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and other small animals will be cared for until a new home can be found.

AXA Direct has stopped selling pet insurance following a strategic review.

It will continue to provide cover for existing customers while it looks for another insurer to transfer the business to.

AXA Direct has about 10,000 pet insurance policies and made the decision at the end of July.

“After a strategic review of our business lines, we have decided to no longer offer pet insurance through AXA Direct, and focus on our core product lines of home, motor and travel insurance,” a spokesman said.

AXA said it would transfer customers to a new insurer who could provide them with the same or similar levels of pet insurance cover.