Retail chain Pets Corner has been praised by leading welfare group RWAF for its care of pet rabbits and been named Pet Retailer of the Year by the organisation.

The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund was impressed with the level of consideration Pets Corner gives to rabbit welfare in their business practices. 

As part of its 'A Hutch is Not Enough' campaign, RWAF is constantly working with retailers and manufacturers to improve products on sale for rabbits and the care advice given to customers. 

The welfare group feel it’s important that credit is given where retailers show good ethical practices, and hold these up as examples to other members of the pet retail trade. With that in mind RWAF asked its members to nominate the retailer that they thought showed most consideration for the welfare of rabbits in their day-to-day business.

"The winner was a surprise to us because the store actually sells rabbits, something that does not usually sit comfortably with the RWAF and its members," said Rae Todd, of RWAF. "However, Pets Corner did receive the most nominations  from our members.

"Pets Corner, which has 80 stores across the UK, sells an average of five per store every year. Rather than having a stock of rabbits in the back replenishing those that are sold, the rabbits in the store are the only ones on the premises. 

"Pets Corner was nominated because it sell 6ft hutches and exercise runs, which at six feet, are amongst the largest for sale in any pet store. 

"The company guarantees the sex of the rabbits it sells, and always sells in pairs unless they are to be paired with an existing (neutered) rabbit. 

"Our members were also impressed with the quality of the care advice given at the point of sale and the fact that questions are asked of potential buyers to find out if the accommodation in which the rabbits are to be housed is to the right standard."

The RWAF said it didn't want to be seen as endorsing Pets Corner, but admitted the company won the Pet Retailer of the Year award because of the level of consideration it gives to rabbit welfare in its business practices. 

"We have worked closely with Pets Corner and noticed how keen they have been to make changes for the better," said Rae. "They have told us how thrilled they are to have been recognised in this way and will continue to improve the standard of their products and their focus on welfare."

Dean Richmond, of Pets Corner, was thrilled with the award. He said: "We put animal welfare before any other consideration at Pets Corner and it is amazing to have this recognised by such a respected organisation such as the RWAF. 

"We will continue to push the boundaries within our industry to encourage our competitors to constantly improve a pets entire life. We hope this is another step in the right direction for the trade to continually improve welfare."

This was the inaugural RWAF Retailer of the Year award and RWAF hopes the concept will gather momentum.

Rae added: "We hope that as word spreads, more retailers will be nominated, and more examples of good welfare standards can be used to improve the industry as a whole."

Whilst RWAF was keen to praise retailers who are moving in the right direction it said it could not ignore those stores who do not appear to be considering the welfare of rabbits in their business models.

"Nominations for the worst retailer were mostly what we expected - for independent retailers selling small hutches, no exercise runs and giving poor care advice to their customers. However, a much larger retailer was nominated for even more serious concerns. We will share this with you very soon," said Rae.

For more information about RWAF and its ''A Hutch is Not Enough' campaign visit  www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk

A new industry organisation – the Ethical Pet Industry Confederation – has been launched in the UK to help businesses safeguard the future of animal welfare while still delivering healthy profits.

EPIC, launched by Philippa Robinson, is aimed at developing commercial practices that are first and foremost built on high animal welfare standards and strong ethics.

Philippa has been involved in family businesses and retailing since the age of 19. Her work as a business advisor and management consultant began in 1991, and since then she has guided and supported clients, from small start-ups to international conglomerates on building better businesses and leadership programmes. More recently she worked for the government’s Business Link network and brings the world class business diagnostic skills learnt there to EPIC.

She feels strongly that the world of commerce can, and will, make a lasting positive difference to animal welfare, and she is designing processes and tools to demonstrate that to be the case.

It has been a busy few week for Philippa but she found the time to explain to Pet Trade Xtra why she has launched EPIC.

When was the Ethical Pet Industry Confederation launched?
We launched the website at the beginning of April and for the first three months we will be actively engaging with animal welfare organisations, business ethics experts and the pet industry itself, to develop a highly innovative “ethical pathway”. This will have animal welfare at its heart together with other important ethical dimensions linked to commercial practice fit for the 21st century.

Who came up with the idea?
I did. Following the publication of a blog piece I wrote for CASJ (http://www.casj.org.uk/blogs/grappling-political-attention-case-dog-welfare/) I was invited by CARIAD and Marc Abraham to meet them and find out more about their work. We met at the end of October. I was blown away by what I heard at that meeting. Their passion and energy for transforming animal welfare is inspirational. It is also clear from the evidence they collect on pets, that there is a massive opportunity, for the industry to address animal welfare issues more directly and a massive opportunity for the trade to do real, meaningful good for pet welfare. On my journey home from meeting Marc and CARIAD, I started thinking about the business gurus who have so much to say about environmental and sustainability issues, people like Peter Senge and Tim Jackson, and I realised immediately that the world of commerce has not been saying much about animal welfare. Or if it has been talking about animal welfare those messages are being lost. So then I got thinking about how we could create a means for business to get much more involved with the ethics around pet ownership and companionship.

Who's the driving forces behind EPIC?
At the moment it is mainly just myself. But over the coming weeks, in consultation with the industry, we will put together a governance framework that will include some keen and passionate major players from the industry.

What are your aims and objectives?
Our aim is to support a pet industry that demonstrably puts animal welfare at its heart. It is about producing an ethical pathway that signposts all pet related businesses to practices and protocols that continue to deliver profit for them and their shareholders, but that also deliver the highest possible standards for pet welfare. Profit and ethical pet ownership are NOT mutually exclusive concepts.

Who can become a member of EPIC?
Any business that derives all or part of its revenues from the activity of owning a pet is eligible to get involved.

What benefits do you offer to members?
An innovative and supportive membership package will emerge during the consultation process over the coming few months. So although I cannot tell you the detail of that right now, what I can tell you is, it will offer members a very exciting opportunity to demonstrate their ethical and social responsibility credentials. There will also be a portfolio of more traditional support such as leadership and management development and strategic signposting.

Is animal welfare becoming more important in the public's eyes?
My research in preparing to launch EPIC shows that animal welfare is of huge importance to many parts of our society. There is more animal welfare science now emerging from our Universities than ever before. There is inevitably going to be more legislation around the world, focused on securing better animal welfare, and the trend in ethical consumerism is upward. The public have expressed their concerns over animal welfare issues in their hundreds of thousands through the many animal related e-petitions they have signed. The public are expressing their concerns more loudly through the communicative abundance that is social media. Any enterprise carrying out traditional SWOT and PESTLE analyses will explore these issues in relation to their business plans. They may well allocate these societal shifts to the “threat” category of their SWOT. At EPIC, we want to support those enterprises and help them understand that those “threats” can easily become “opportunities” for business, and the trade needs to listen to the growing concerns about pet welfare held sincerely by the public.

What challenges does the pet industry face?
Challenges for the pet industry are similar to those faced by all industries. Pressures on costs, increased competition, much of which is global (even for small businesses), the speed of technological change, everyone being forced to do more with less, lack of capital, and of course there are the environmental issues. In addition to all those the pet industry has one other dimension to the challenges it faces. That dimension is animal welfare. The single biggest threat to the industry is poor animal welfare. Society is shifting in its views about how we use animals, and you have to include pet companionship in that too, the expectations now held by the public are, quite rightly, much higher than ever before. EPIC is all about helping our members navigate those shifting sands around animal care, health and welfare. We are determined for good businesses to prosper, but most of all EPIC wants the pets themselves to share in that prosperity by safeguarding all aspects of their wellbeing.

Can you see any conflict of interests with other pet industry organisations?
I would hope that the aspiration to secure higher pet welfare standards doesn’t clash with anyone in the industry.

How can pet businesses get involved with EPIC?
Any pet business wanting to get involved in the consultation process with EPIC would be welcomed. Contact info@ethicalpettrade.co.uk, visit  www.ethicalpettrade.co.uk, and follow on twitter @EPICpetsuk

Following a $10 million global investment into the behaviour category, Ceva Animal Health has launched the new and improved Adaptil and Feliway ranges to enhance their status as the world’s number one behaviour brands.

Ceva has brought innovation to the table again by further enhancing the brands’ efficacy through the improved technology of the diffusers and refills while also reducing their cost - ensuring an even better user experience for both pets and their owners.

Additionally, the products have gone through an innovative packaging update and will now come in bolder, brighter and more consumer friendly packs that clearly communicate the benefits of each of the products and how to use them.

The new Adaptil and Feliway all white diffuser plugs will release the improved formula at a lower temperature ensuring they are more efficient and last longer. Featuring a new LED light that indicates when the diffuser is connected to an energy source, the slim-fitting diffusers are available in 24ml and 48ml refill options and last for four and eight weeks respectively to support more cost effective, long-term usage and aid owner compliance. 

Ideal for use ‘on the go’ or around the home to support the diffusers, Adaptil and Feliway sprays will be available in convenient plastic bottles to avoid breakages (from June 2015). Offering temporary pheromonal support in areas, or on objects in contact with the pet, Adaptil and Feliway are available as 60ml sprays, with an additional 20ml spray for Feliway.

The new Adaptil collar is black, features deeper grooves and has a smooth buckle to enhance efficacy and provide extra comfort for wearers. It is available in two presentations of up to 37.5cm (to fit the necks of puppies and small dogs) and up to 62.5cm (to fit the necks of medium/large dogs). The puppy collar is also thinner to fit more comfortably on smaller necks.

For use during predictable short-term stressful events, Adaptil Express tablets (previously known as Adaptil Stress Relief Now) also benefit from updated packaging to clearly illustrate when they are best used.

To support the new and improved Adaptil and Feliway products, Ceva has produced a range of marketing materials to educate pet owners on the benefits of pheromones in comforting and reassuring dogs and cats at times of stress. Additionally, a suite of marketing materials is available to all retailers to help support merchandising, retailing and recommendation of the products.

“Transforming pet behaviour has been at the heart of Ceva’s expertise for over 20 years,” comments Emma Jackson, Adaptil and Feliway product manager at Ceva Animal Health. 

“With over 39 clinical studies and more in progress, Ceva is the market leader in the pet behaviour category with Adaptil and Feliway the only behaviour products that have been clinically proven to help comfort and reassure pets at times of stress.

"More than 15 million pets worldwide have used Adaptil or Feliway pheromone therapy and the new presentations will help ensure that even more pets can benefit.”

For further information on Adaptil or Feliway, please contact your wholesaler or visit www.adaptil.co.uk or www.feliway.co.uk.

Award-winning Pure Pet Food, voted Pet Product Innovation of the Year Winner by PetQuip in 2013, has launched a new ‘Meaty Sweetie’ treat range. 

Meaty Sweeties are a tasty and healthy low calorie treat which can be fed often. Made with nothing but fresh, human grade ingredients with a consistency that is not too tough and not too crumbly.

Meaty Sweeties contain a number of super healthy ingredients such as Coconut Oil, shown to improve skin and coat condition and prevent infections, whilst promoting a healthy metabolism.

Available in Chicken & Coconut and Duck & Apple flavours, Meaty Sweeties are a unique dog treat, more akin to a luxury truffle in both appearance and palatability.

100g units of Meaty Sweeties retail at £5.99 and come in outer boxes of 12 – however, within the boxes retailers can mix and match the different recipes so don’t have to buy a separate box of each.

Find out more now at www.purepetfood.co.uk or call on 01422 379 007

Willard Wigan, the globally renowned microscopic sculptor, has announced the launch of his own charitable Dog Trust to raise funds for the Kennel Club and Birmingham Dog’s Home.

Willard also announced that he is giving the chance to immortalise one lucky dog owner's four-legged friend - all in the name of charity.

The Birmingham-based artist, who made a microscopic crown for The Queen, was recognized by the Guinness Book of Records for his micro works of art. His endeavours have seen him awarded an MBE by HRH The Queen.

The sculptures that Willard creates are so incredibly small that he works under a microscope and employs ingenious tools, such as a fly's hair or an ex-girlfriend's eyelash for paintbrushes. This passion for the diminutive stems from feelings of insignificance in Wigan's childhood. He was severely dyslexic but undiagnosed, and his teachers' harsh words drove him to hide in a nearby shed where he made furniture for his friends, the ants.

"My work is a reflection of myself," says Wigan. "I wanted to show the world that the little things can be the biggest things. At school, I couldn’t express myself and felt like ‘nothing'. I wanted to experiment with the world that we can’t see."

On one occasion, whilst in his hiding place, Willard was found by a dog. The animal collected things for Willard and became a companion when he needed it most. This ‘man’s best friend’ scenario proved to be a fundamental influence on Willard’s love of dogs and the kindness shown by this particular dog caused an epiphany for the artist that would go on to inspire his charity and his latest masterpiece – and charity icon - Derek the Dog.   

Derek the Dog is an immortalized Bichon Frise. The sculpture is no larger than 1/3 the size of a grain of sand and took an incredible five weeks to carve, yet its impact on the dogs’ world could be gigantic, as it marks the first fundraising activity for Willard’s new charitable Trust.   

Wigan’s fundraising intentions are two-fold: the first is to invite the General Public to ‘Adopt Derek’ and help him to help other dogs in need.  A donation of £15 will buy you a share in Derek's ‘adoption’ and help him raise much needed funds for these incredible dog charities – many of whom rely solely on goodwill donations. 

Each ‘Parent’ will receive an adoption certificate and regular updates on Derek's Charity work and life. He will introduce you to some of his friends along the way, and you can keep tabs via a special link on his progress. 

To ‘adopt’ Derek and help him with his charity work simply go to antidoteart.com select ‘Adopt Derek’ and add the number of ‘shares’ you would like to your basket. Each Parent will get their adoption pack with unique information and a special link that will allow you to uniquely follow his progress. 

The second strand of his fundraising strategy is the unique chance to Immortalise Your Dog.  The General Public – a nation of dog lovers – are being openly invited to bid for a chance for Willard Wigan to create a truly unique piece of microscopic work based around their four-legged friend.  It is a legacy like no other that will live on forever more.  To get involved with this, head over to antidoteart.com for more information.

Wigan comments: “This has been a really important work for me as I have been looking for an opportunity to raise money for dogs in need for a long time. As someone who loves animals and dogs in particular, it made sense to launch my own charity, using my skills and profile as an artist to raise funds and awareness for local dog’s homes and charities that struggle to run on donations alone. As a nation of animal lovers, I’m hoping the General Public will help me raise some much-needed funds for these incredible animals – it will make a massive difference.” 

OATA’s Primary Authority scheme for pet shop licensing and health & safety has been given the official stamp of approval in Parliament just before it dissolved in readiness for the General Election.

In a written answer to MP Tracey Crouch, DEFRA minister George Eustice remarked: “Partnerships of this kind can make a valuable contribution to improving animal welfare. We are pleased that this particular industry is working closely with local authorities, and the City of London specifically, to improve the quality of inspections and look forward to seeing welfare improvements as a consequence.” 

For years OATA has been highlighting the inconsistency of pet shop licensing standards across the UK and this Primary Authority scheme with the City of London Corporation (CLC) is part of its work trying to bring some kind of uniformity for pet shops to show they work to high animal welfare standards. 

“We believe our co-ordinated Primary Authority partnership with the City of London Corporation is the first such scheme for animal establishments and the first to create an inspection plan," said OATA's Chief Executive Keith Davenport.

“The inspection plan is based on the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health’s 2013 Model Guidelines for Pet Vending Licensing guidance and enables both shops and inspecting officers to know exactly what to expect during the inspection. We believe it enables shops to show their customers they are operating to high welfare standards and gives councils the chance to give ‘earned recognition’ to well-run shops.

“Since its launch to OATA members in November last year 121 shops, covered by 102 local licensing authorities, have joined the scheme and we hope more members will join as we approach the next inspection round.” 

Assistant Director in the City of London Corporation’s Animal Health and Welfare Services Rob Quest worked with Keith to create the partnership.

He said: “As a Local Authority, the City of London Corporation has operated a number of Primary Authority Partnerships in other business sectors. It has seen how they can benefit the aims of both partners in providing a more consistent approach to inspections and better compliance.

"Over several years, our officers have worked with OATA on various matters and when BRDO made changes to the categories for which Primary Authority Partnerships could be entered into, the City of London Corporation welcomed the opportunity to enter a co-ordinated partnership with OATA.”

OATA and CLC have also submitted the scheme into the Primary Authority Awards as an example of best practise.

For more information visit http://www.ornamentalfish.org/

During Spring and early Summer, numerous kittens will be leaving their birth homes and settling in with their new families. That makes it a busy time for pet retailers who enjoy an influx of customers who may be visiting their store for the first time with little or no product knowledge.

With that in mind, it’s a good time to hot up on cat litter knowledge so stores are able to give new customers advice in helping them choose the best litter for their new kitten.

Intersand City Classic was launched in the UK in October 2014 and is proving to be very popular with cat lovers and breeders alike.  It forms firm clumps immediately on contact with moisture and can absorb up to 400% of its weight in liquid.  The clumps stay firm and do not crumble over time so they can be easily and effectively removed from the cat litter tray.  There is no need to use litter liners and the tray can simply be topped up. 

Made of fine grains of 100% natural clay with blue zeolite make Intersand City Classic soft on a cats paws and 99.9% dust free in the home. Another great feature is that Intersand City Classic has low tracking which means no trail of litter from the tray throughout the home.

The fine clay absorbs, holds and neutralises odours.  Available in Baby Powder and Lavender, the clump neutralises the odour and, on contact with moisture, gives off a subtle scent of its own.  It is also available in Unscented.

Available in 7 kg and 15 kg bags. SRP £8.99 and £14.99.

For more information call BSB Products on 01737 767679.

Sussex-based pet food brand Arden Grange has won a ‘Cat Product of the Year’ accolade for its grain-free cat food, making a hat-trick of successes for the range.

The company's much prized fresh chicken and potato cat diet received the most votes in the cat product category at this year’s Pet Product Marketing Retailer Recommended Awards.

This new award makes a hat-trick of wins for this popular cat food, which has now won awards voted for by industry insiders, pet food purchasing consumers and independent retailers. The other trophies received are ‘Best dry cat food’ voted for by Your Cat Magazine readers and also ‘Cat food product of the year’ at the Pet Industry Awards.

The Pet Product Marketing Retailer Recommended Awards were voted for by the pet industry with results published in the April issue of Pet Product Marketing. The winning cat food product, ‘Arden Grange Adult Cat Food – fresh chicken and potato’ contains 26% fresh chicken and includes a blend of nutrients and natural supplements which help promote optimum health, vitality and condition. This award-winning cat food is available to buy in handy 400g bags as well as larger 2kg and 4kg packs.

Wendy Stephens, Arden Grange’s co-founder said "We are absolutely delighted to accept this award. Retailers will have the best idea of what consumers are looking for in a complete cat food so to receive this praise from them is wonderful and we are thrilled that they have taken time to vote for our latest cat food recipe.”

The Arden Grange range includes nutritionally complete cat food, dog food, treats and canned food for dogs in a variety of flavours. Every recipe is hypoallergenic and free from wheat gluten, beef, soya, dairy products, artificial flavours, colours and preservatives. 

Pets at Home has officially opened its 400th store – in St Albans, Hertfordshire.

St Albans Mayor Geoff Harrison and 30 pupils from Prae Primary School attended the opening of the new store in Abbey View Retail Park.

Following a competition in the local newspaper, St Albans and Harpenden Review, the town has a new pet star.

Archie, a four-year-old Miniature Schnauzer, and his owner, Joanne Pasquale, from Harpenden, also took part in the opening celebrations, where they were welcomed by store manager John Gannon, who handed them their prize, £150 worth of Pets at Home vouchers.

Pets at Home in St Albans is home to an Adoption Centre, where pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and other small animals are cared for until a new loving home can be found.

Balderton Capital, which took control of online pet care product supplier MedicAnimal in 2012, is understood to be preparing to auction the company.

Both sales and profit at MedicAnimal have shown rapid growth in recent years thanks to an increase in consumer spending on pet care, which the firm was well-positioned to capitalise on.

The firm's owner, Balderton, a successful European technology business investor, has engaged bankers from Altium Capital to prepare to auction off the firm.

At the moment, prices of between £60 million and £100 million are being mooted as probably; a decent profit on the £10 million Balderton paid along with fellow investment firm Iris Capital just three years ago for a controlling stake.

Ivan Retzignac, MedicAnimal founder and chief executive, said after his firm took over Petmeds: “The average lifetime cost of owning a dog or cat can easily exceed £17,000 and so MedicAnimal is committed to offering the best products at the lowest prices.

"On average our products are 40 per cent cheaper than those sold by vets or high street retailers and, as we scale our business internationally, we can make first class pet care more affordable than ever.”

In terms of who is expected to bid, Pets at Home are a main contender, according to analysts. 

MedicAnimal is based in London and last year was ranked among Deloitte's choice of the Technology Fast 500 EMEA, which awards firms combining “technological innovation, entrepreneurship and rapid growth”.

Pet owners across the country are being asked to nominate their favourite veterinary nurse for an annual charity award.

Blue Cross said the award recognises the support that veterinary nurses offer not only to sick and injured animals but also to pet owners.

Last year's Veterinary Nurse Of The Year award was presented to Jo Hinde, of Basingstoke, who won the title after she was nominated for her campaigning work to improve the welfare of pet rabbits. Jo is pictured receiving her award.

Caroline Reay, Blue Cross chief veterinary surgeon, said: "Blue Cross is dedicated to the health and happiness of pets and our award recognises the hard work and commitment of vet nurses across the UK.

"They go the extra mile to help the nation's pets with a dedication and compassion that deserves to be recognised - and awarded."

This year Blue Cross is also introducing a student vet nurse category. The awards will be presented at the British Veterinary Nursing Association annual congress which takes place between October 9 and 11 at Telford International Centre in Shropshire.

To nominate a vet nurse or student vet nurse, visit www.bluecross.org.uk/BVNA2015. The deadline for nominations is September 11.

The Birmingham office of Clearwater International has advised on the €315m (£229.8m) acquisition of Partner in Pet Food (PPF) by equity investment firm Pamplona Capital Management.

Hungary-headquartered PPF was bought by Advent International in 2011 and has achieved growth through new product development and significant investments in research and development.

Pamplona has backed the pet food producers' current management team led by chief executive Attila Balogh, who will become executive chairman.

"Pamplona's investment in PPF is the start of an exciting new phase of our company’s development," he said.

Clearwater International's managing partner Phil Burns, partner Rob Britton and associate Mark Gillingham advised PPF on the deal. Eversheds also advised the company.

Burns added: "PPF are a fantastic business with an excellent history of growth, both organically and via strategic acquisitions.

"The acquisition by Pamplona will allow this strategy to continue at pace and we look forward to watching their ongoing international expansion."

The independent pet shop offers a wide variety of products, grooming, a pet hotel, and of course Pooch & Mutt treats!

Pop into Creature Company Pet Shop at 54 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1RQ. You can also call them on 020 8296 0600. 

Pooch & Mutt's hand-baked treats could be seen in the pet shop's makeover on BBC 2's 'The Fixer' last month.

The treats range is both ethical and wheat-free.