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New pet store ‘is like a Polish prison’, says mayor
A new Pets at Home store under construction in Northumberland, has been likened to a Polish prison. According to the Berwick Advertiser, the view was expressed by Mayor Ivor Dixon at a Town Council planning committee meeting...
A new Pets at Home store under construction in Tweedmouth, Northumberland, has been likened to a Polish prison. According to the Berwick Advertiser, the view was expressed by Mayor Ivor Dixon at a Town Council planning committee meeting...
“It’s like a Polish prison at the moment,” he is reported as saying. “I think Pets at Home will be good for the town but a store like that should have been on a retail park.”
Cllr Georgina Hill added: “It’s quite a feat to make the building even more ugly than the half-derelict one that was there before.”
Their comments came as the committee made objections to an application by Pets at Home for advertisement consent for illuminated signage at the new store.
Osborne Crescent resident Lynette Dunn said: “I am very concerned about the illuminated signage. If they are on all night this will disturb neighbours’ sleep as it overlooks our bedrooms.
“As it is I am not happy that this building has been approved in a residential area and I already have office windows directly looking into my property.
“I simply can not believe that this building has been approved to start with and that they want to set up such large signs when other businesses in town have had them refused.”
Members objected to the proposal and called for discussions with applicant about its lighting. Councillor felt the signs should be switched off at night.
“You have to think of the people living in Osborne,” said Cllr Dixon. “Anyone crossing over the bridge and on to the roundabout will see these big green signs. I do think it should be stipulated that they are turned off at night.”
Pets at Home was given planning permission earlier this year to demolish the former DP Furniture Express store on the corner of Prince Edward Road and Ord Drive.
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 Natures Menu is recalling its ‘Country Hunter 80% Farm Reared Turkey with Wholesome Fruit and Veg’ frozen pet food, because the product contains Salmonella.
The Food Standards Agency issued the product recall notice because it is responsible for animal feed regulations and their enforcement through local authorities.
The agency said: “Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause food poisoning in humans. The product could therefore carry a potential risk through direct handling or indirectly for example from food contact surfaces. In humans, symptoms caused by salmonella usually include fever, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps.”In a statement on its website Natures Menu said:
“In September 2016, Natures Menu produced a batch of 900 bags of Turkey Country Hunter RAW nuggets. 280 bags were sent to Norway. 620 individual bags have been distributed in the UK.
“The Norway authorities have sent one bag of the product away for testing and it has come back with a positive result test for Salmonella. Whilst salmonella may effect some humans if ingested, it is also known that dogs and cat’s digestion is designed to eat raw foods. Natures Menu takes responsible raw feeding extremely seriously and is supporting the FSA with the recall of any bags of food left in circulation as a complete precaution.
“Natures Menu is the number one producer of safe raw pet foods and produces in excess of 18 million portions of raw food every year since 1981. We employ vets, offer CPD training about raw feeding and education to consumers about serving raw foods safely with good hygiene practices.
“Batch codes can be found in the form of a best before date to the left of the barcode. If you have a bag of Country Hunter Turkey nuggets with the code 13/12/17 and would like to return it as a precaution please message us or email customerservices@naturesmenu.co.uk and we will be happy to collect the product and refund your purchase.”
The statement can be found by visiting https://www.naturesmenu.co.uk/blog/country-hunter-raw-turkey-nuggets-bbd-13-12-17
Click here for the Food Standards Agency notice.
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A pet shop in Bromyard, Herefordshire, is hoping to reunite missing pets with their owners in time for Christmas through a unique festive window display.
Lorraine Allen, who runs Bonnie's Pet Supplies in Bromyard and also has a shop in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, considers it an annual tradition to put together a Christmas window display. But this year, she has taken an unusual approach by attempting to boost the profile of missing pets by creating a display in their honour. She posted on Facebook, asking people to provide information about their animals for inclusion in the display and had a huge response from people desperate for their missing pet to be featured. Each photo has been mounted onto a snowflake which includes contact information for the owner and is displayed in the window. There are now 91 snowflakes in place between the two stores. Lorraine, who named the stores after her own dog, Bonnie, hopes the display will lead to as many pets as possible being reunited with their owners.
Lorraine is photographed by the Kidderminster Shuttle outside her Bromyard shop window display.
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Pets Corner has been honoured with Highly Commended for its customer service in the KPMG Customer Focus award category at the 2016 Lloyds Bank National Business Awards.
Announced during a gala dinner ceremony, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London last week, the award recognises those constantly striving to exceed customer expectations by providing industry leading standards of service and innovative customer care.
Dean Richmond, Managing Director of Pets Corner, said: “I am immensely proud that the team at Pets Corner have been honoured as Highly Commended and received recognition for our customer focus.
“As a company we strive to go above and beyond for our customers. I’d like to say a massive thank you and well done to everyone on the Pets Corner team – this recognition is truly well deserved.”
Over 1,200 business leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians and media representatives gathered at the Grosvenor House Hotel for the 15th annual National Business Awards, and together celebrated the Best of British Ambition.
The Awards were presented by BBC Breakfast’s Louise Minchin and welcomed Lord Hague as the headline speaker.
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Impressive number of new exhibitors at PATS Sandown
PATS Sandown is the place for pet retailers to see a host of new and international exhibitors as well as the industry’s big-name brands, all of which will be showcasing their 2017 launches over two action packed days on March 21-22...
PATS Sandown is the place for pet retailers to see a host of new and international exhibitors as well as the industry’s big-name brands, all of which will be showcasing their 2017 launches over two action packed days on March 21-22.
An impressive number of suppliers and manufacturers are appearing at the Sandown Park venue in Surrey for the first time. These include Higher Nature,
SAI Global, Edgard Cooper, PDSA, Loving Pets and Pet Adventures Worldwide. Primenove from Italy and Bowl & Bone from the Czech Republic will also be making their PATS debuts.
Edgard Cooper appeared at PATS Telford in September and were delighted with the response from retailers to their range of dog food.
“The show was a fantastic opportunity to introduce the brand to the industry and we’ve been very busy following up enquiries since the event,” said Edgard Cooper’s marketing executive Rebecca Owens.
“Due to how monumental PATS Telford was for us it comes as no surprise that PATS Sandown is firmly in our diary. We are hoping to build upon our success at Sandown and share our unique story with those attending for many years to come.”
US-based Pet Adventures Worldwide are another company appearing at Sandown for the first time after a successful PATS debut appearance at Telford. Ken Golisch, MD, PAW Europe, said: “The feedback on our retractable leads during the Telford exhibition was encouraging, and consequently it’s a natural next step to present our ranges to the Sandown audience. The UK is one of the most relevant international markets and exhibiting in Surrey is key to meeting British decision makers.”
Following its success as a first time exhibitor to PATS in Telford, leading veterinary charity, PDSA, has signed up to exhibit at Sandown. Paul Lilwall, PDSA Vet Care Sales Manager, said: “We were delighted to launch our Vet Care range to the trade at Telford and were pleased with the outcome. We’re already looking forward to exhibiting at Sandown.”
Italian company, Primenove, is excited to present its smart and innovative pet accessories at Sandown. The range includes: Beviqui, a drinking bowl that adapts to any plastic bottle; Noah, a foldable pet carrier; and Click Suite, an expandable habitat for hamsters. “PATS Sandown is the perfect springboard to broaden Primenove’s network and to open promising collaborations in the UK,” said Alessandra Catena.
Organiser Annie Foord said: “It’s great to see so many new companies choosing to exhibit at PATS Sandown for the first time. Together with our valued regular exhibitors, they are sure to make the two-day show one to remember.”
As well as seeing an unrivalled array of new pet products and speaking to top suppliers and manufacturers, visitors to PATS Sandown will also be able to witness demonstrations from the country’s leading dog groomers and listen to talks from prominent industry figures.
Parking is free at Sandown Park, and everyone will receive free tea and coffee, and a free show catalogue.
PATS Sandown in March is the only place to see the whole pet industry and all the latest products under one roof, and is designed to cater for both pet retailers and garden centres.
A full list of the exhibitors can be found at www.patshow.co.uk where visitors can register for free entry to the show.
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PetQuip offers great export opportunities at major shows
PetQuip has put in a bid for Government cash grants for UK firms exhibiting at the Zoomark International pet trade show in Bologna in 2017. The trade organisation has already obtained a new prime stand location for the British pavilion at Global Pet Expo in Orlando...
PetQuip has put in a bid for Government cash grants for British firms exhibiting at the Zoomark International pet trade show in Bologna in 2017.
The association has also been successful in obtaining a new prime stand location for the British pavilion at another major pet trade show, Global Pet Expo in Orlando in 2017.
Since PetQuip first organised the British pavilion at the biennial Zoomark show in 2007, the British group has grown each year and has brought high praise from the UK exhibitors that have returned home with valuable export orders from around the world.
As PetQuip’s director general, Amanda Sizer Barrett explained: “The Italian market for pet care products continues to expand at a faster rate than those of France, Germany and the UK; but Zoomark is not just about the Italian market. At the 2015 event, trade buyers attended from 85 countries, making it an excellent selling platform for UK companies aiming to expand into overseas markets.“
As with all of the international fairs where PetQuip organises the British participation, the association will be providing comprehensive support before, during and after the event to the participating firms within in the British pavilion and elsewhere in the halls.
 The association will also be organising and manning a British pet care industry information stand for the benefit of the visiting overseas buyers, from where the association will be providing information on UK pet care products and firms and gathering specific sales leads for distribution to its member companies.
The dates for Zoomark next year are 11 to 14 May 2017, and as demand for stand space is high, the early-bird deadline for applications is 16 December 2016.
Another major petcare trade exhibition where British exhibitors have secured valuable, repeat orders from overseas markets is Global Pet Expo in Florida.
Since PetQuip announced that it has won Government cash funding for eligible British exhibitors, the association has secured a prime, new location for the British pavilion at the heart of the show.
Amanda Sizer Barrett said: “This should result in even greater footfall for the British exhibitors, and could open doors for even more significant export orders for the UK participants. As an added bonus, eligible British SMEs exhibiting at this show can qualify for grants of £2,000 from the Department for International Trade, via PetQuip. The dates for Global Pet Expo are 22 to 24 March 2017.
British companies interested in exhibiting at either Zoomark or Global Pet Expo should contact emma@petquip.com or call PetQuip on +44 (0) 1959 565 995.
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A kitten has used up one of her nine lives but lost her tail after sustaining horrific injuries in a road traffic accident.
Brave ten-month-old JJ managed to drag herself back home following the suspected collision. Her owner, Natalie Joyce, from Longsight, Manchester, was devastated by her poor kitten’s injuries.
She said: “I heard her meowing outside, but she didn’t seem to be able to climb through the window like she normally does. I went to let her in and she just collapsed on the floor, it was horrific.
“I knew she was in pain so I rushed her to PDSA.”
JJ was given pain-relief and x-rayed, which revealed her tail had detached from her spine. Fiona Buchan, vet at PDSA’s Manchester Pet Hospital, said: “JJ had a separation at her tail base causing severe damage to the nerves leading to her tail and bladder, which can be life-threatening.
“We had to allow time to see if she would regain function of her tail and bladder so she was kept on strong medication to keep her pain free and allowed to go home for strict bed rest. Natalie brought her in daily for us to check her progress.
"She was struggling to urinate and we knew if she didn’t regain bladder control there would be a build-up of toxins which could be fatal. It was very touch and go for a while and we needed to monitor her carefully to prevent her situation worsening.”
JJ’s bladder started to show signs of recovery, but unfortunately her tail was too badly damaged and had to be amputated to prevent further complications.
“Cats are very adaptable so no longer having a tail won’t affect her quality of life,” said Fiona.
“JJ is just one of the lucky pets to benefit from PDSA’s A&E service which has received generous funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Thanks to their support we’re able to provide thousands of life-saving operations and care.”
PDSA is urging people to be aware of animals which could be hiding under vehicles for shelter or warmth at this time of year.
Fiona said: “The nature of JJ’s injury is consistent with her being hit by a vehicle. Cats like to hide under cars, especially in colder weather and they have also been known to get under car bonnets, so please check before you set off on a journey.”
Natalie, who has four young children, said the family were extremely grateful to PDSA for the care given to JJ.
She said: “PDSA have been amazing and we can’t thank them enough. The kids call JJ a magic cat because everyone thought she would have to be put to sleep but she’s still here. We’re so glad because she means everything to us.”
For further information about PDSA and free pet health advice visit www.pdsa.org.uk
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Celebrity pet owners including George Michael and Morrissey have called on the British government to act over animals kept in horrendous conditions.
The singers are among the stars who have signed a letter to British newspaper The Times demanding U.K. politicians take action against unlicensed breeders and sellers of animals.
Citing a new report by researchers at the Blue Cross pet charity, the letter asserts that overstretched officials are struggling to police pet business owners who keep animals in unsatisfactory conditions.
"Local authories are missing horrific welfare issues in pet shops and breeding premises, and that unscrupulous online sellers are slipping under the radar entirely," the letter reads.
"The report's findings include pet shops not being inspected for two years, maggots in animals' drinking water and puppies having no access to daylight."
According to the Blue Cross report, thousands of puppies are imported illegally from European countries each year and sold online.
Despite U.K. local government authorities possessing the power to investigate unlicensed breeders and sellers, according to government figures obtained by the charity, no checks were carried out by almost half of U.K. councils last year (15).
The missive, which is also signed by veteran rocker Rick Wakeman, chat show host Graham Norton, actress Joanna Lumley and model Twiggy, calls on Britain's government to introduce new laws to provide authorities with more resources, training and powers to crack down on businesses which do not maintain welfare standards.
It concludes with the words, "Only with these changes can Britain start to live up to its reputation as a nation of pet lovers once more."
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The RSPCA has hit back at calls from MPs to strip the organisation of its prosecution powers over animal welfare and urged the decision makers "not to throw the baby out with the bathwater."
MPs say the RPSCA should no longer carry out private prosecutions as a first resort and it should be for the Crown Prosecution Service to take the lead on pursuing animal cruelty cases.
Last year the RSPCA investigated 143,004 animal cruelty complaints in 2015, including: 81,146 cruelty incidents against dogs; 33,844 against cat and 15,965 incidents against horses.
Responding to the EFRA Select Committee's recent report on domestic pets, the RSPCA's assistant director of public affairs David Bowles issued the following statement.
"There was a great deal of focus on the role of the RSPCA in enforcing animal welfare legislation following the publication of the EFRA Select Committee report on domestic pets. Yet little note of the majority of other conclusions and recommendations which could make a real improvement to animal welfare in England.
"The criticisms of the RSPCA are well documented both in the report and online. However the RSPCA urges politicians and decision makers not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
"We have never claimed to be a perfect organisation that gets everything right all the time. We have a 92% success rate on prosecutions which of course means that sometimes we get it wrong. But we are committed to improving our processes and in particular improving our transparency.
"We have already completed 24 of the 33 recommendations from our independent prosecutions review in 2014. Of course there is always more to do and we will study the report closely and where necessary review our practices. However, at a time when resources are scant in the public sector we still raise the questions: if we stopped prosecuting, who could realistically take it on, and how would this better animal protection?
"It is a shame that the other 29 recommendations made in the report got forgotten as we agree with the vast bulk of them. As it is inevitably the RSPCA that has to pick up the pieces of poor animal welfare we applaud the recommendations to improve dog breeding practices and get better monitoring and regulation.
"This is something we have long called for and stand side by side with the Committee calling on the Government to take the necessary action. They can do this as early as next year when they issue their licensing legislative proposals.
"Likewise we are extremely pleased the Committee has picked up on the issue of equine identification - something many put in the ‘too difficult pile’. Horse welfare remains a serious problem and not being able to identify who owns them is a major problem for us and other horse welfare charities. We recognise the Government are taking steps in this area but it is long overdue and from an animal welfare perspective we hope the recommendations in the report help to ensure measures are put in place so horses can be traced more easily. "A recent debate in Westminster highlighted the interest and support for tougher sentences for those convicted of animal cruelty. The RSPCA is well aware of the number of members of the public who express their dismay as seemingly small sentences for some abhorrent acts of cruelty against animals. Once again the Committee has identified this as an important issue and put its weight behind those calls. Again the RSPCA supports these recommendations and we know from the recent Commons debate that the Government is looking seriously at this issue.
"So while the media has inevitably focused on the areas of disagreement the RSPCA very much hopes we can move forward on the areas where we do agree as they are far greater. It would be a real backward step for animal welfare if all the positive recommendations supported by the vast majority of MPs and animal welfare organisations were overshadowed and ignored because a few controversial recommendations stole the headlines.
"The RSPCA hopes to sit down with politicians and decision makers in the coming months to discuss this important report. We are of course happy to listen to concerns about how we work and if there are areas we can improve on then we will look at those. But the bottom line for us is we want to work with our partners in the animal welfare sector, the veterinary world, the enforcement world and government to improve animal welfare."
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Winning the war against unlicensed breeders
An initiative called the 'Capone Campaign' between the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund and retailer Pets Corner is winning its battle to stamp out unlicensed rabbit breeders...
Possibly the biggest threat to rabbit welfare right now is the huge upsurge in unlicensed breeders appearing on classified advertisements on the internet.
These breeders are not subject to any regulations, legislation or welfare checks and they provide no care advice to their customers thus endangering the lives of animals across the UK.
To start to tackle this problem, the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF), with support from ethical retailer Pets Corner, launched the Capone Campaign.
Using bespoke software, the charity has analysed thousands of ‘rabbit for sale’ adverts to identify unlicensed pet retailers allowing its Welfare Officer to provide robust evidence to the relevant local authority to catch the culprits.
By reporting traders in this way the RWAF aims to
- Identify unlicensed sellers where welfare standards are potentially poor
- Make local authorities aware of the problems that unlicensed sellers cause
- Make it more difficult for these sellers to operate so that it is less appealing and less rewarding
- Uncover poor welfare standards that can then be reported to the RSPCA and action taken
- Make a log of responses and actions taken by local authorities and identify idle areas or those requiring improvement
- Gather information to build a sound basis for lobbying for better welfare or resources in local authorities
To date two online sellers have been licensed by their local authorities as a direct result of the campaign – a first for England and a hugely encouraging coup for the campaign. As well as a warning to other back yard breeders, retailers will be inspected annually and be required to follow set conditions to help to improve rabbit welfare.
Rae Todd from RWAF said: “The RWAF hope these examples will set a precedent for local authorities to interpret the act in a way that reflects what is happening in today’s society. Where this doesn't happen, we are keen to enter a dialogue with DEFRA to tighten the guidelines.
"We are eager for a change in the law to help regulate and control online sellers of pets, but until then we will continue to work with the tools we have. If more sellers can be uncovered and licensed it all helps in the battle for positive animal welfare.”
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Meet the Buyer event is hailed as a great success
Overseas buyers representing retailers with a total of around 180 stores in five different markets across Europe met with UK suppliers in the latest ‘Meet the Buyers’ event organised by Gardenex and PetQuip...
Overseas buyers representing retailers with a total of around 180 stores in five different markets across Europe met with UK suppliers in the latest ‘Meet the Buyers’ event organised by Gardenex and PetQuip.
The retailers included pet product chains, garden centres with pet departments and country stores offering a wide range of garden and pet products. The event also featured a leading distributor of pet products from Slovakia.
All of the buyers praised the event format, the meeting sessions and the retail tour that was also part of the programme. Nearly 80 meetings were held with suppliers on the day and these brought the following enthusiastic reactions from the buyers.
Spanish garden centre: “We believe that we could potentially be doing business with four or five of the suppliers seen on the day."
Czech pet retailer: “We identified at least three companies where we hope to do business, and also saw two other products of interest from other potential new suppliers from the UK during the retail tour.”
Portuguese and Spanish buyers: “We found the event particularly rewarding and useful and had very full meeting schedules. We normally have so little time to evaluate incoming emails from potential suppliers in our day to day business and it is impossible for us to visit and see such a broad spread of products and suppliers in such a condensed time. Therefore, the PetQuip ‘Meet the Buyers’ event provided a very focussed and time effective format.”
Dutch retailer: “We were participating in a PetQuip ‘Meet the Buyers’ event for the third time, and had the busiest day ever and look forward to receiving detailed quotes. We have also requested contact with a PetQuip member whose product we saw at some of the shops during the retail tour.”
Slovakian pet product distributor: “The event was extremely effective and comparable with three or four days spent at a trade show. We are interested in products from the majority of companies that we spoke to and now await detailed quotes. We wish that we had a proactive organisation like PetQuip in our country.”
Initial reaction from UK suppliers was also positive with Pet Rebellion saying that the events produced consistent results for the company during the three years it had attended, and this had helped the company grow across European markets.
Another supplier, HOWND said that it chose to meet three out of the five available buyers and came away with interest from all of them. They added that the meetings provided a very cost effective way of seeing a number of buyers in one place.
PetQuip and Gardenex member company, Assured Products, said that the discussions had been fruitful and they expected them to lead to export orders.
Commenting on the continuing success of the buyer meetings, director general of the Federation that runs PetQuip and Gardenex, Amanda Sizer Barrett said: “Much of the continued success of these events is due to the meticulous planning carried out by the associations to identify buyers with a genuine interest in UK products and then matching them with British suppliers that can satisfy their requirements.
"The format ensures that serious sales negotiations can commence as soon as the two parties are introduced in the one-to-one meetings and the teams in our associations provide information and advice year-round to turn buyers’ interest into long term international sales.”
The next ‘Meet the Buyers’ events are scheduled for 23 February 2017 (pet sector) and 15 March 2017 (garden sector) and the associations are already in discussions with several international buyers who have expressed their intention to take part. Contact Gardenex and PetQuip to register your interest in attending.
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The Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association has welcomed Dr Tracey King as its new Assistant Chief Executive.
Tracey joins OATA from the charity sector having previously worked in university administration at the University of Oxford, in local government and the BBC.
She received her bachelor’s degree in zoology from Cardiff University, where her research projects focused on time budgets and dietary conservatism in birds, before being awarded her PhD from Cardiff University, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, in fish parasitology. She then went on to undertake a Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Animal Behaviour at the University of Lincoln.
Her PhD research focused on the fish ectoparasite, Gyrodactylus spp., investigating host-parasite interactions among tropical freshwater ornamental fish and UK native fish species. She is considered a founder member of Cardiff University’s CRIPES parasitology group (Cardiff Research into Infection & Parasites in Ecological Systems) and has looked after a large number of ornamental fish, particularly guppies, platies, mollies, swordtails and zebrafish.
She has had scientific papers published on fish-gyrodactylid infections and has co-authored a scientific paper on the response of fish to novel prey. At home, she has previously kept coldwater fish and an Oscar.
OATA Chief Executive Dominic Whitmee said: “I am delighted to welcome Tracey to the team. She brings an impressive background in the technical and scientific knowledge of fish and fishkeeping that we were looking for and which will be invaluable to us in addressing the wide range of issues facing the industry today.”
Tracey said: “I’m very pleased to be joining OATA. During my time as a student I was helped by OATA which provided information for some of my research so it’s great to finally get to work for the organisation. I’m really looking to getting my teeth into the projects that OATA is currently working on.”
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Tetra has launched myFeeder, a new automatic feeder which contains unique technology to maintain food quality by protecting it against light, air, and moisture.
Providing a reliable and safe way to feed aquarium fish, the Tetra myFeeder, with its triple protection technology, helps food retains its nutrients and consistency for several weeks helping fish to stay happy and healthy.
Complete with a 100ml food compartment and transparent window, fishkeepers are able to quickly and easily check the fill level and using the clear digital display, programme feeding for up to three times a day with the food quantity per feed being adjusted mechanically.
Manual feeding is also possible with the touch of a button and for those wanting to provide fish with a varied diet, TetraMin Flakes, Crisps and Granules can be added alone or mixed together.
 The myFeeder can be easily fitted onto any aquarium, either directly on the glass using the flexible clamp mounting or on the top of the aquarium lid using the four rubber, individually adjustable support feet that also keep the feeder secured on uneven surfaces.
Ashleigh Pope, Marketing Manager at Tetra comments “At Tetra we’re passionate about making fishkeeping as easy as possible in order to encourage more people to the hobby. Our new automatic feeder offers ultimate flexibility to busy fishkeepers by helping them to ensure their fish are able to receive fresh, nutrient rich food even when they are not around.”
To help retailers communicate the new launch, Tetra has developed a range of POS including a display which can be placed in the equipment section or on the counter to highlight the new product.
The Tetra myFeeder, which comes with two high-quality Varta batteries and a change level indicator is now available to order and has an RRP of £39.99. For more information about Tetra visit http://www.tetra.net/en
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Benyfit Natural has some tempting working dog turkey varieties which will get pets' tails wagging this Christmas.
The new turkey Adult Working Dog Complete Raw Food recipe contains human grade ethically sourced ingredients which include: Turkey with bone, Liver, Kidney, Heart, Broccoli, Carrot, Swede, Flaxseed Oil, Egg, Kelp, Celery Seeds, Alfalfa, Nettles, Rosemary, Psyllium Husks, Clivers and Wild Yam.
For dogs with more sensitive stomachs, Benyfit Natural has also introduced their Sensitive Diet which also contains turkey and is designed to tackle pancreatic problems or cater for dogs prone to forming bladder stones as it contains no offal, is low in purine and low fat (so also great for overweight working dogs).
Benyfit Natural also has a turkey variety in their Puppy and Senior Care ranges which means that any working dog this Christmas whatever its age can tuck in to the perfect Christmas dinner.
All recipes are available to buy in 500 g or 1 kg BPA free re-sealable tubs which are easy to store in the freezer. All the contents are blast- frozen to maintain their texture and taste.
For further information visit the website: www.benyfitnatural.co.uk or Tel: 01892 770 188 or email: info@benyfitnatural.co.uk
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Footwear retailer Footasylum has welcomed Danielle Davies as its new chief financial officer.
Davies will oversee the retailer’s financial tactics during its 2017 expansion plans, seeing 10 new retail outlets open their doors, adding to the 21 new stores over the past two years.
Davies will depart from a five-year stint at Pets at Home where she was financial manager.
Prior to that, she held a role as Matalan’s financial controller for three years, after a four-year career at Co-op as head of finance.
In the 12 months to February 28 Footasylum posted a 40% rise in sales to £110 million, with gross profits rising by 36.6% to £48.5 million.
New Graduate Academy for vets grows in size
The number of new vets fast-tracking their careers through the IVC New Graduate Academy has risen significantly since it was first launched in 2014, with 59 people starting the 2-year programme this academic year...
Independent Vetcare has announced that IMS Euro Ltd has renewed its commitment to supporting the New Graduate Academy, sponsoring the jackets supplied to all new starters on the popular programme.
The number of new vets fast-tracking their careers through the IVC New Graduate Academy has risen significantly since it was first launched in 2014, with 59 talented vets starting the 2-year programme this academic year, making the total number of vets currently progressing through the nationwide skills development programme 93.
Nick Shamot, Business Development Director at IMS Euro Ltd, explains his company's commitment to the partnership: "A key aspect of any successful business is its people, and so we're delighted to be able to reflect this through our renewed sponsorship of the IVC New Graduate Academy."
 The year one graduates were delighted to be presented with the Regatta jackets at their second two day CPD event since starting in September, which was titled Preventative Health & Coping in Practice and held last week.
Speakers and topics were reflective of the broad range of training the IVC New Graduate Academy provides during the programmes CPD events and included John Helps BVetMed CertSAM MRCVS, Senior Technical Manager at MSD discussing all things vaccines and Veterinary Coach and Mentor Carolyne Crow BVetMed (Hons) BSc, Dip Coaching, MRCVS, among others.
Darren Mackintosh, Operations Manager at IVC, adds: "We're so pleased that IMS International have chosen to continue their valued support of the New Graduate Academy's innovative and comprehensive career development programme.
"As IVC continue to invest in the future of the veterinary profession by building rewarding and sustainable careers for newly qualified vets, working alongside other progressive companies such as IMS International brings us closer to achieving our objective to be the veterinary employer of choice."
For more information on IMS Euro Ltd visit http://imsworld.org/
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It’s a fact – according to the World Health Organization – more than two billion people are infected with parasitic worms, including tens of millions of young children and pregnant women.
In the UK alone, it is estimated that up to 40 per cent of children under the age of 10 may be affected by worms at any one time.
Nearly 20 years ago, respected scientific studies argued that the impact of worms on human health was as great as malaria or tuberculosis and while the treatment of these diseases has advanced dramatically since then – the approach to worming has not.
Wanting to highlight the issues around resistance to wormers across both animals and humans, leading holistic vet, Nick Thompson has called for greater awareness of this global issue.
His campaign is underway with the production and development of two top-level films which highlight the problems we face today due to anthelmintic wormer resistance.
Says Nick: “These parasites cause malnutrition, diarrhoea, dysentery, anaemia and sometimes death in humans and animals alike.
“They also exacerbate many other medical conditions with the economic impact on the worldwide livestock production substantial.
“It is not surprising that treating pets, livestock and other animals regularly with a wormer has become the norm with worming now considered an essential part of owning a pet or farming livestock.
“Basically worming has become part of the responsible animal owner’s basic care routine but the drugs we rely on to treat worm infestations in both humans and animals are becoming less and less effective.”
To bolster the campaign and get people to take note of this serious issue Nick has launched two films which can be viewed on the Verm-X facebook or by using the following link http://bit.ly/2fgDgep
Nick adds: “The emergence of resistance to wormers as a serious problem is no surprise. In fact for decades the drugs used to treat these parasites have been based on only three types of chemicals, which all act in similar ways.
“Resistance to one type inevitably leads to resistance to another, with more and more worms developing resistance to all three which is commonly known as multi-drug resistance.”
Nick points out that it is understanding how current wormers work – or don’t work – that could be the key to finding a sustainable solution to wormer resistance.
“The major challenge is not the worm’s ability to survive a dose of a drug that would normally be lethal but the fact that this ability to survive can be passed on to its offspring.
“The flaw in all de-worming drugs is that they have never been 100% effective. There are always survivors and with less worms to compete against, the survivors do what they do best – thrive and reproduce, establishing a new generation of worms with the ability to resist the only drugs available to kill them.
“So the more often drugs are used, the easier it is for the survivor worms to thrive. It is widely believed that the routine use of wormer drugs in animals – food producing animals in particular – is a major cause of drug resistance. Multi-drug resistance is now a global problem because all the de-wormer drugs we rely in show significant resistance.”
Looking at the options to overcome the issue Nick highlights a number of ideas including making wormers ‘prescription only’, introducing strict quarantine measures for livestock, selective dosing of herds and introducing further herbal worming methods and techniques.
Concludes Nick: “Every pet owner, farmer, horse or poultry owner needs to rethink their approach to worming now. Anyone who owns or cares for animals needs to ask themselves whether they are helping to tackle this very serious problem or are, in fact, making it worse.”
For further information contact Dr Nick Thompson on (01225) 497778.
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 Equitop Myoplast, the leading nutritional supplement which supports lean muscle growth in horses, has signed up to sponsor father and son elite riders, Richard and Joe Davison.
Four-time Olympian and European medallist, Richard, has been at the forefront of the international dressage world for more than three decades.
His son, Joe, is one of Great Britain’s most stylish young show jumping riders. He regularly competes internationally and in 2016 has already represented Great Britain in senior Nations’ Cup competitions.
Joe learned his trade as former stable rider to Olympic gold medallist Ben Maher and from other show jumping greats including Billy Twomey, Michael Whitaker and Jan Tops.
Equitop Myoplast is also continuing to support the international showjumpers Scott Brash, Nicole Pavitt, Trevor Breen, Corinne Collins and William Whitaker.
“Equitop Myoplast is used by riders in all disciplines and the Davisons are unique in representing both dressage and showjumping at the top level,” comments Liz Barrett, equine business manager for Equitop Myoplast.
“Equitop Myoplast helps support muscle growth in thousands of horses in the UK and Richard and Joe have both been impressed after using Equitop Myoplast in their own horses, and were keen to spread the word about this supplement to other horse owners.”
"Every human athlete appreciates the importance of efficient metabolism for maximum muscle development and competition results. Horses are no different and I've also found that if they are coping with the physical demands of their training better then they are more relaxed and confident," says Richard Davison.
Equitop Myoplast has been designed with the aim of helping horses respond to the demands of training and rehabilitation. It is a unique amino acid supplement which provides horses with the building blocks needed for lean muscle growth.
It is recommended by veterinary surgeons and is the number one equine supplement sold by veterinary practices and pharmacies in the UK and is also now available from trade outlets and equestrian retailers.
For information on Equitop Myoplast go to www.equitop-myoplast.co.uk or www.facebook.com/equitopmyoplast
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