Three rare red-footed tortoises have been found by bemused staff in the outdoor display of rabbit hutches at a Pets at Home store in Gloucester.

The staff called the RSPCA, whose officers collected the animals and took them to be checked over by a specialist vet. The vet found the tortoises were cold and slightly underweight but otherwise unharmed by their ordeal.

It's stull uncertain whether the animals were dumped or possibly stolen and then abandoned, as they are quite rare and appear to be in good condition.

Animal Welfare Officer Steve Davies said: “This was a very lucky escape for these tortoises, who require specialist care to keep them happy and healthy. If they had been left exposed to the elements for much longer this could have been a very different story.”

The RSPCA is urging anyone with information about how these tortoises came to be dumped outside a Pets at Home to contact them on 0300 123 8018.

The tortoises are currently being looked after at the Vale Wildlife Centre in Beckford, Gloucester.

These Red-footed tortoises are usually called Chelonoidis carbonaria and are from northern South America.

But the move is already paying dividends, with pet sales increasing sharply.

Coletta and Tyson's marketing manager Lauren Cocks said: "We just had a small pets section at the centre before and it had reached a point where sales had plateaued. We had to decide whether to keep it small or invest and let it grow.

"We have spent £100,000 on the move and it took two years of planning to set everything up.

"We knew there was a lot of growth in reptiles and fish and there is a gap in the market round here.

"We now pride ourselves on being a very good pet shop."

The garden centre decided the gamble to expand was worth it.

Ms Cocks said: "The increase in sales since moving has proved us right.

"The feedback we have had from customers has been excellent.

"We want people to know we are a serious pet shop and not just a small part of the garden centre."

Ms Cocks admits there was no point in investing in new facilities without having the right people in place.

Thirteen UK companies will learn their fate in the prestigious Pet Product Innovation of the Year category of the PeQuip Awards In Harrogate. Beaphar, Burgess Pet Care, Butch & Bess, The Canny Company Ltd, Christies Direct, Dorwest Herbs, Group 55 (Animology), Pet Munchies; Pet Revolution, Pooch & Mutt, Precious Pets, SureFlap, and Town & Country Petfoods will learn their fate at a special awards party on Sunday.

“Winners of awards last year have reported that the accolades have contributed to their business success since their wins and this could have had a bearing on the rise in applications this year," said Pat Flynn, PetQuip’s trade association manager. 

“A recent well-publicised example is Pure Pet Food. The company used its success in winning the PetQuip Pet Product Innovation as part of its impressive pitch to TV’s Dragon’s Den team, and cited the fact that they had won the award from the world renowned trade body PetQuip as a factor in their successful development. Interestingly, the Product Innovation award category has attracted over 50 nominations this year.

“The sheer number of this year’s nominations made it a real challenge to choose which companies or individuals should go through to final judging," Pat added, “and the finalists list reflects the very high standard of the entries we have received."

PetQuip Awards Finalists 

UK Pet Retailer of the Year

Betty & Butch, Manchester; Melbicks Garden Centre Pets Department; Baytree Garden Centre;  Pets & Aquatics; The Pet Centre (Shirley) Ltd, Solihull; Pets at Home.

International Pet Retailer of the Year

Animalis, France; Meiko, Switzerland; Petco, USA; TiendAnimal, Spain.

Supplier of the Year

Burgess Pet Care; Dorwest Herbs; Hagen; Nature’s Menu; Pet Revolution.

Wholesaler of the Year

Bestpets; Collarways; Pedigree Wholesale; Peregrine Livefoods; Vital Pet Products.

Pet Product Innovation of the Year

Beaphar; Burgess Pet Care; Butch & Bess; The Canny Company Ltd; Christies Direct; Dorwest Herbs; Group 55 (Animology); Pet Munchies; Pet Revolution; Pooch & Mutt; Precious Pets; SureFlap; Town & Country Petfoods.

Exporter of the Year

Baggee & Doggee; Christies Global; Group 55 (Animology); Pet Revolution; Spotless Punch (Get Off); Tasty Bone

Lifetime Achievement Award

The winner of this award will be announced on the night.

The winners will be announced at an Awards Party at the Majestic Hotel, Harrogate.. The event, being staged in association with Impact Exhibitions, the organiser of PATS, will combine a lively mix of industry competition with an element of fun that will include music from The Rockits, the resident band from the Cavern Club in Liverpool.

Tickets for the awards ceremony and party night are still available from PetQuip’s trade association manager, Pat Flynn on telephone (+44) 07778 313623 or e-mail:  pat@petquip.com; or from the PetQuip secretariat on 01959 565995 or e-mail:  info@petquip.com

Natural pet grooming product company Butch & Bess is set to launch a refillable point of sale starter pack for pet businesses this weekend.

The company, which manufactures a range of essential oil based grooming products, will offer retailers, groomers and vet surgeries a heavily subsidised and eye-catching point of sale display at PATS Harrogate between Sunday 14 and Monday 15 September. The new product is also available to order online. 

Containing a range of 33 products worth £318 at retail value, the starter pack is available to pet businesses for just £80, offering trade professionals a significant 70% gross margin.

“Artfully designed, our new and refillable display consists of 12 500ml conditioning shampoos, nine 50ml pet perfumes, six 250ml daily coat sprays, three 250ml detanglers sprays, and three 250ml pet bed and car deodorisers,” explains Mark Hirschel, co-founder of Butch & Bess.

“At normal trade prices these products cost £168, therefore retailers save more than 50%. Anyone interested in purchasing a POS display can order directly from Butch & Bess at PATS Harrogate, just visit Stand D21 in Hall B.”

Butch & Bess will also be launching its seasonal Christmas product - Santa Paws Festive Mists for Him and Her - in cheerful 250ml bottles which retail at £10. Pet businesses that pre-order the product by Monday 22 September will be able to achieve a gross margin of up to 70%, depending on the quantity ordered, with trade prices starting at £2.50.

 “Last Christmas, our Santa Paws Festive Mists - which can be sprayed directly on dogs, their beds and in the home - proved to be the perfect stocking filler for many furry family members and was featured as a top pet gift for Christmas in publications such as the Daily Mail, Sunday Mirror magazine and the Daily Telegraph,” adds Jo Amit, co-founder of Butch & Bess.

“Presented in ‘His’ and ‘Her’ bottles, Santa Paws Festive Mists evoke the joyful sensations of Christmas, while eliminating the smell of soggy doggy! The male scent contains uplifting notes of orange, precious wood and cedarwood, while the female scent is created from a delicate blend of aromatic bergamot, orange and ylang essential oils.” 

Visit www.butchandbess.com for further information about Butch & Bess products and their future trade show appearances. Alternatively, call 020 3004 5255.

Natural pet product brand Betty & Butch has announced that Dougal’s Den of Leek, Staffordshire, will soon be stocking their latest range of shampoo bars and fragrances for dogs.

The independent store is very excited to join the growing list of retailers who are already selling the ‘Wash the Dog’ range.

Betty & Butch, known locally for their unique products and friendly service, have not long been selling to trade, but interest has grown so quickly that the company have employed new staff and a national sales agent to cope with demand.

"Dougal’s Den is a perfect place to sell our range," said Angel Moore, Manager of Betty & Butch. "It’s a beautiful store which is popular locally. It promotes natural, healthy products like ours and we hope to be doing business together well into the future."

To celebrate the new partnership, Dougal’s Den are holding a competition to win pamper packs of Wash the Dog products.  Visit http://www.dougalsden.co.uk/ for details of the competition, and for wholesale enquiries visit http://www.bettyandbutch.co.uk/ or email sales@bettyandbutch.co.uk

An amazing 266 new products will be showcased when the doors to PATS Harrogate open on Sunday (September 14).

The record number of entries to the popular New Product Showcase is a positive sign that PATS exhibitors are really excited about their latest products and can’t wait to show them to visiting retailers and buyers.

All the products entered by 90 of the 170 exhibiting companies will be judged by a panel of independent pet retailers on Sunday morning, and the winners of each category will be announced at lunchtime.

“It’s great to see so many exhibitors putting their new products forward,” said organiser Annie Foord. “Speaking to visitors, we know that a lot of them head to the Showcase first. They can see all the latest items in one place, and once they’ve seen what they like, they then head off to the stand of the manufacturer or supplier of that product to discuss it in more detail.”

There are seven categories in the New Product Showcase – cat, dog accessory, dog food or treat, bird, small animal, pet care, and grooming – and past winners admit that winning an award can certainly increase the profile of the items to the trade.

The Showcase is designed to help visitors to find easily the latest and most exciting products to hit the pet trade, as they are gathered together in one, extensive display in Hall B. There is an information card beside each product, giving details such as suggested retail price and where in the show you’ll find the item’s exhibitor.

With a record number of new products and exhibitors attending PATS Harrogate this year, the exhibition is set to draw an equally impressive amount of visitors.

The organisers have also secured a strong line-up of speakers for two days of seminars designed to give pet retailers ahead-of-the-game ideas on new lines, new approaches and new profit potential.

The free-to-attend series of seminars will cover topics including: an insight into the life-saving abilities of medical detection dogs; pay-offs and penalties in the dog-human relationship; retailing RAW pet foods; 30 ways to improve your business in 30 minutes; and what customers are saying about your pet business online.

There will also be live grooming demonstrations from Groom Team England experts, and lots of show offers to complete two full days of activities for visiting retailers and buyers.

PATS features free entry, free catalogue and a free park-and-ride scheme. A full and up-to-date list of exhibitors is available on the website www.patshow.co.uk, where visitors still have time to register to attend.

Opening times

• Sunday, 14^th September 2014: 9.00am-5.00pm
• Monday, 15^th September 2014: 9.00am-4.00pm

The Pet Industry Federation has today announced the finalists in the sixth annual Pet Industry Awards. This year’s bumper crop of entries were particularly high-calibre and the judges will now focus on whittling these quality finalists down to winners .

This year’s finalists are:

Grooming Business of the Year – sponsored by Jelf

Dogs Delight, Chiswick, London
Grooming at Tiffany’s, Beccles, Suffolk
KD Grooming Studio, Wincanton Somerset
Ulti-Mutt Dog Grooming, Calne, Wiltshire

Kennel or Cattery of the Year

3Cs Cattery, Camberley, Surrey
Chequer Trees Cattery, Heathfield, East Sussex
Fairmile Cattery, Fairmile, Devon
Lea Wood Cattery, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
Pets Country Manor, Tarbock Green, Liverpool

Manufacturer of the Year - sponsored by PATS

Arden Grange
Danish Design
Marriages
Natures Menu
Pet Brands
SureFlap

Pet Service Business of the Year

Barking Mad, Northumberland
Chase Pet Services, Cannock, Staffordshire
Positive Animal Solutions
The Pet Butler, Portsmouth
Wagging Tails, Swindon

Retailer of the Year – sponsored by Harrison Clark Rickerbys

Food4Paws, Blackburn, Lancashire
Poole Farm Feed Centre, Great Yeldham, Essex
Pets Corner, Cheltenham
Williton Pet Centre, Taunton, Somerset
WuffitMix

Wholesaler of the Year – sponsored by PATSJK Aquatics
Pedigree
Scruffs
Sky Pet Products
Trixie

The Awards winners will be announced on Thursday 23 October at a glittering and memorable Monte Carlo themed dinner to be held at Whittlebury Hall Hotel & Spa, Towcester, Northants and the awards will be presented by boxing legend, Frank Bruno MBE. 

Additionally, guests will also discover the recipient of the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by PIF Telecom, and will find out which pet products pet owners simply can’t live without, as voted for by the dedicated readers of Your Dog/Cat magazines. A very special auction will take place later in the evening, along with a raffle, both to raise funds for The Pet Charity.

Tickets, which includes pre-dinner networking, wine, three-course dinner, music, a disco and the thrilling awards spectacle are strictly limited and are available from £80.00 per ticket – or book a table of 10 for a discount. Call the PIF team on 01234 273933 or visit www.piffa.co.uk. Discounted accommodation is also available at Whittlebury Hall.

The Awards are presented in association with media partner PBW News and sponsors PATS, Burgess Pet Care, Pedigree Wholesale, Jelf Insurance Brokers, Harrison Clark Rickerbys, PIF Telecom and Compton Hall and take place against the backdrop of the Pet Industry Forum – a conference and networking event, tackling cutting-edge issues and business topics.

 The Pet Industry Federation Forum begins on Wednesday 22 October with a selection of ice-breaking events, including rally driving and a charity golf tournament and an evening buffet, before talks covering merchandising, the UK economy, consumer trends and Google take place from Thursday 23 October, alongside plenty of opportunities for networking.  Lead sponsors of the Forum are: Crown Petfoods, Nestle Purina, Mars Petcare and Hills Pet Nutrition.

A range of ticket options is currently available, and delegates are advised to book now to avoid disappointment. A higher ‘late-rate’ will be applied to tickets bought after 20 September.

The Pet Industry Federation (PIF) has two tickets for its forthcoming Forum & Awards event in October to give away to visitors to this week’s PATS trade show in Harrogate.

To be in with a chance of winning tickets to the Forum, PATS visitors simply need to visit PIF’s stand (G26) and leave their business cards in the box provided. A winner will be selected at random at 3pm on Monday afternoon.

Nigel Baker, PIF CEO said: "We’re very much looking forward to attending PATS once again. Visitors to our stand will have the chance to find out all about the fantastic new range of benefits that we can offer members, including a brand new voucher scheme that we’re launching there. Feel free to ask us about our education courses and seminars, as well as the forthcoming British Dog Grooming Championships and the Pet Industry Forum & Awards."

The Pet Industry Forum & Awards take place on Thursday 23 – Friday 24 October at Whittlebury Hall, Towcester, Northamptonshire.

An impressive  array of speakers, including top US retail expert, Bob Phibbs; Mark Berisford-Smith, HSBC’s chief economist; and animal welfare expert Tim Wass MBE of Animal Kind will provide delegates with inspirational and fascinating talks.

New for this year is a range of smaller breakout workshops designed to offer more specific tips and advice for pet businesses, and as ever there will be great opportunities for delegates to network and make new connections.

There’ll be a celebratory feel in the evening as the Pet Industry Awards will be announced on Thursday 23 October with winners receiving their trophies from boxing legend, Frank Bruno MBE. Further details and booking are available at www.piffa.co.uk

CANAC has developed a range of six odour-neutralising shampoos that have been specifically formulated for the most popular breeds of dog in the UK, including Border Terriers, Labrador Retrievers, Cocker Spaniels, Yorkshire Terriers, German Shepherds and Staffordshire Bull Terriers.

CANAC Odour Neutralising Shampoo banishes odours and smells, leaving the dog smelling fresher and for longer. The unique non-irritant formula strengthens fur from root to tip, leaving his coat healthy, glossy and smelling fresh.

"We all opt for shampoos that are formulated to suit our own hair type; why treat dogs any differently?" says Amy Laura Hepworth, marketing manager of Beaphar UK.

"With a significant increase in the number of breed-specific dog foods available, it makes sense to offer dog-owners an affordable shampoo that has been tailored to suit the most popular breeds of dog."

Competitively priced, CANAC Odour Neutralising Shampoo offers retailers great margins too: 

For information on the full CANAC product range (a Beaphar brand), 01440 715700 or visit www.beaphar.co.uk

Beaphar UK are exhibiting at PATS Harrogate on stand C1 in Hall M.

AmPet Products marketing director Alex Wilson will be giving visitors to PATS Harrogate advice on how they can help customers and their animals cope with the Firework Season.

On AmPet's stand C5 in Hall M, Alex, a Tellington TTouch practitioner, will pass on his extensive knowledge and experience of working with dogs with noise sensitivity. 

"The firework season can be a very stressful time for all animals – both wild and domesticated – but at least for our pets there are things that can be done to help. Tellington TTouch is a fantastic tool that anyone can learn and can offer genuine relief for animals during this season."

Alex will be around on both days to give advice for pet shop owners as this is often the first point of contact for many pet owners. AmPet also offers the Thundershirt, Tellington TTouch wraps, along with Thundercaps, all of which are useful tools to help stressed dogs.

AmPet Products distribute a range of dog products from the USA, and the latest products will be showcased at PATS, along with the Xtra Dog range of padded harnesses and leads.

For more information about Tellington TTouch, visit www.ttouch.xtradog.com and to find out about their anxiety products go to www.ampetproducts.com

A new study looking at oral care for small breed dogs may have dog owners thinking twice about their current oral care regime.

The study, conducted by the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition and published in BMC Vet Research, examined the progression of periodontal disease in miniature schnauzers and found that without effective and frequent oral care, dental disease developed rapidly and advanced even more quickly with age.

“We all want to do the very best for our pets’ health, and the study showed us that there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to small dogs’ oral health,” said Dr Stephen Harris, leader of the oral care team at Waltham, part of Mars Petcare. 

“The study findings help us better understand the way dental disease appears and progresses and underscores the importance of proper oral care, especially as our dogs age.”

To better understand the rate of dental disease progression, researchers replaced the regular oral care routines of miniature schnauzers with full mouth examinations. They found that, without regular oral care, the majority of dogs developed the early stages of periodontal disease within six months and dogs above the age of four developed periodontal disease even faster. The degree to which periodontal disease progressed varied based on the type of tooth and location on the tooth.

Furthermore, the study showed that periodontitis developed regardless of the visible signs of gingivitis, which had previously been believed to reliably precede it. Therefore while a visual inspection may be sufficient to detect a disease like gingivitis, it is not useful in detecting the onset of periodontitis and may not reveal the areas at greatest risk for dental disease.

“Some pet owners “lift-the-lip” and look at a dog’s gums to get a sense of its oral health, but this research shows they could be missing important early signs of dental disease,” said Dr Harris.

“The findings should encourage all dog owners to establish an oral care routine that consists of regular tooth brushing supplemented with dental chews and veterinary checks. It’s important for all dogs, but we know that small dogs like miniature schnauzers are at an even higher risk of developing severe dental problems.” 

The Pet Charity agrees with the sentiments expressed in Parliament on September 4 – that it is not a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the sale of puppies and kittens in pet shops.

Whilst the debate did fail to pin down just how many puppies and kittens come from the 2% of “high street pet shops” licensed to sell puppies and/or kittens, what did emerge were the issues The Pet Charity had previously highlighted:

• The need to tighten the Pet Travel Scheme. The Pet Charity suggests stricter enforcement of border control to stop the huge rise in these animals being imported from across Europe². From December 2014, the Minister announced that amendments will come into force to increase the age at which a puppy can be vaccinated prior to travel, effectively stopping all younger than 15 weeks old; a welcome change.

• Endorsement of the (currently) voluntary guidelines to limit advertising of pets for sale on the internet. The Pet Advertising Advisory Group has worked to put voluntary guidelines in place with regards to advertising pets for sale via the internet, which has successfully resulted in around 100,000 pet adverts being removed.

• Clarification that anyone breeding dogs for sale, irrespective of the number of litters, must be licensed. The Breeding and Sale of Dogs Act (1999) has been widely misinterpreted that only persons breeding more than five litters per year must have a licence; the Minister clarified that anyone breeding as a business (i.e. selling the puppies) requires a licence.

• The existing legislation already allows local authorities to restrict animal types for sale within a pet shop premises if the facilities are not adequate for a particular taxa. The Pet Charity called for an improved resourcing model to allow local authorities to complete more thorough pet shop inspections. Alongside this, more training should be offered to help local authorities make decisions on a case-by-case basis using the existing Model License Conditions.

Further, George Eustace, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Minister, noted that the Model Licence Conditions and the Model Conditions for Pet Vending both cover the important issues surrounding socialisation. The Pet Charity would encourage all outlets for animals whether inspected or not to adopt these standards.

However, on one issue there is overwhelming agreement from MPs and charities; the public needs better advice to avoid being ‘duped’ into buying a ‘farmed’ puppy. Below is The Pet Charity’s Charter to guide the public in taking on the responsibility of a dog:

The Pet Charity will campaign to put this charter out into the public domain to raise awareness of these six simple checks that will help guide anyone acquiring a puppy. We seek collaboration from all the welfare charities to ensure that pet owners meet equal standards from all outlets and have this consistent message to guide them during what should be a most happy and joyful experience of bringing a dog into their family.

Product knowledge and even sales skills can be taught but a live list of contacts can’t, and are top of the wish-list when employing field salespeople, says Pet Trade Solutions owner Lynda Ward.

“Contacts are a key element in any salespersons armoury," says Lynda, whose business has been recruiting salespeople for the pet trade for the last 15 years. "A good contacts list can add up to £10k to the base salary offered by employers.

"It can be very difficult for enthusiastic and skilled sales people to break into our industry as most employers will give preference to those with those all-important contacts.”

So what is the answer? Lynda says: “There are exceptional salespeople who are quick to build a repartee with customers but the knack is in identifying the right people to join the trade.

"Having myself been in sales in the pet industry for over 20 years enabled me to build Pet Trade Solutions recruitment success on my own experience of sales and marketing roles, my extensive contacts within the industry and also understanding the type of person who has that special skill of quickly building sound relationships.

"We have to bring new people into the pet trade as people retire or (for some strange reason!) leave and it is critical that companies don’t waste their money, time, effort and sometimes reputation in selecting, hiring and training the wrong people.”

Lynda is always happy to personally advise on any aspects of recruitment and marketing strategy and can be contacted on 07946 743784 or at lyndaward@pettradesolutions.com

Police are investigating a suspected poisoning attack that killed hundreds of tropical fish in a newly-opened pet shop.

Around 300 fish were killed after a thick 'carpet of food' was poured into six tanks at Paws pet shop in Musselburgh, East Lothian.

Staff believe a suspicious couple who were left unattended may have deliberately carried out the sabotage.

Shop owner Sam Lawson, 24, faced the 'heartbreaking' task of spending six hours removing all the dead fish.

She said: "You wonder what goes through people's minds.

"Even if someone had a problem with me, there is no reason to hurt the animals. This has been an attack on Paws. 

"Whoever did this, it took thought and planning as they were in and out in a matter of minutes."

Miss Lawson said that the tanks were laced with toxic liquid and elevated levels of ammonia were detected in the water.

Staff claimed the water had turned an unusual orange colour and many of the dead fish were tropical cichlids worth up to £20 each.

Dr Martin Brammah, a tropical fish expert, said "an ammonia spike in the water" was one of many possible causes.

He added: "If you wanted to poison them you could do it quite easily.

"If you have too many fish and then more food is added, ammonia is produced. It could have been a problem with the water supply, or even a lose wire. 

"If someone poured something like a can of Irn-Bru in that could easily do it, particularly if the tanks are on a centralised system."

Jenny Quirk, 30, had been supervising the shop while Miss Lawson spent her birthday with her family.

She believes that an older man and a younger woman went into the aquarium while she was busy dealing with customers in the front of the shop.

A Police Scotland spokesman confirmed a probe had been launched and called for witnesses to come forward.

He said: "Police Scotland officers responded to a complaint from the owner of a pet shop that someone poisoned most of the tropical fish in the shop by putting excess food into the tanks. Enquiries are ongoing."

Tyler Packaging has produced packaging for the launch of a brand of high-end pet food with luxury appeal.

Pet Food UK’s AATU brand targets health conscious consumers who are as keen to look after the health and wellbeing of their pets, as they are their own.

The flexible packaging company works in a range of industries, including human food, fitness supplements, garden products and the pet food industry.

Adam Kay, sales and technical director at Tyler Packaging, said: “We were tasked with developing and producing packaging that provided the optimum level of shelf appeal, whilst demonstrating the high end nature of the product to any prospective buyers.”

Paul Hunter, director at Pet Food UK, said he was pleased working with Tyler.

“The key was in the finer details. For example, they advised us to utilise as high a resolution an image as possible on the bags, promising us that it would make a huge difference to the overall appearance. They also advised on how we could manipulate different matt and gloss finishes to add depth and shine to convey that sense of quality.”

Almo Nature will be showcasing the latest addition to its vast line of natural wet food for cats and dogs – Rouge Label Wet Food, Classic Wet Food and Green Label Natural Soup – on its stand at PATS Harrogate.

Rouge Label Wet Food for cats is a delicious mix of 100% pure meat, fish and rice that originate from the human food chain. This line has been especially designed for fussy or selective cats, featuring gourmet recipes such as Chicken Fillet and Surimi or Tuna and Sole Fillets both prepared with natural jelly which also helps prevent hairball formation. This popular line which comes in practical single serve 55g pouches now features new tasty recipes such as Chicken Fillet with Apple and Tuna Fillet and Lobster to pamper your cat with something special.

Classic Wet Food for cats is the ideal every day choice, especially for multi cat households: this popular all natural line features a wide selection of single serve 55g pouches which also come in Value and Multi Packs, but also in practical 140g and 280g tins which are excellent value for money for those who have many cats.

Green Label Natural Soup for dogs is one of Almo Nature’s most innovative product: the soup is made with 100% pure meat and fish and is steam-cooked in the pouch to ensure full flavour and a rich, meaty broth that makes it ideal to be mixed with kibble. It’s pure and light composition makes Green Label Natural Soup a useful aid in case of food intolerances.

The company was founded by Pier Giovanni Capellino in 2000 and quickly expanded across markets globally. At the heart of Almo Nature’s philosophy is it’s of love for animals resulting in complete transparency about the ingredients used.

Pier Giovanni Capellino, Almo Nature Founder said: “PATS trade show is a great opportunity to touch base with all our existing customers as well as to present our vast assortment to new outlets.”

Almo Nature stand is located at Stand number E17

The latest addition to Rosewood’s Reflective Safety Range combines a water resistant dog coat with LED lights to keep dogs safe in all light conditions.

The jacket has been designed in conjunction with founder of The Crazy Light Company, Lin Forward, who felt there was a gap in the market for a product which not only helped dogs to be seen in low light conditions but also helped to light a path for dogs and their owners in areas where there are no street lights. Feedback from other consumers, who live in villages with little or no street lighting, also confirmed there is demand for such a product. 

The Night-Bright LED Safety Jacket has a water resistant outer shell with a machine washable, removable inner fleece and warm fleece collar. The LED light strip is battery operated and includes both static and flashing light modes. To cater for a wide range of dogs the jacket is available in four sizes and has adjustable Velcro fastenings for easy fitting and adjustment.

Retailers can contact Rosewood Pet Products on 01952 883408 or visit www.rosewoodpet.com for more details.

Johnson's has launched a new Counter/Shelf Display box for Fipronil Spot-on flea solution for cats.

Fipronil Spot-on kills fleas and ticks on cats and contains the same active ingredient as the market leader and is exclusively available to the pet trade.

The display box is strongly branded in purple to match the attractive Fipronil Spot-on cartons, and contains two packs each of the one treatment and three treatment packs of six. The box also contains point of sale material, including Shelf Barkers, Shelf Wobblers and product information leaflets.

The reverse of the display box also shows the flea life cycle and important advice for pet stores and pet owners on how to avoid re-infestation.

It is important to treat pet bedding and regular pet resting areas eg. carpets, rugs and soft furnishings with a Johnson’s Household Flea Spray and Room Fogger, and vacuum regularly.

For more information visit www.johnsons-vet.com

With the rise in popularity of e-cigarettes, Pet Poison Helpline in America has encountered a sharp rise in calls concerning cases of nicotine poisoning in pets that ingested e-cigarettes or liquid nicotine refill solution.

Nicotine poses a serious threat of poisoning to dogs and cats and e-cigarettes back a powerful punch. The problem is that many pet owners don’t realize it.

Over the past six months, Pet Poison Helpline cases have more than doubled, indicating that along with their increased popularity, the nicotine-delivering devices are becoming a more significant threat to pets.

While dogs account for the majority of cases, nicotine in e-cigarettes and liquid refill solution is toxic to cats as well.

Nicotine poisoning in pets has a rapid onset of symptoms – generally within 15 to 60 minutes following ingestion. Symptoms for dogs and cats include vomiting, diarrhea, agitation, elevations in heart rate and respiration rate, depression, tremors, ataxia, weakness, seizures, cyanosis, coma, and cardiac arrest.

Because nicotine poisoning can happen so rapidly following ingestion, prompt veterinary care can mean the difference between life and death for a pet.

The UK’s Number 1* normal nutrition specialist brand is proud to announce the launch of the new BETA Breed Specific Range.  As dog breed groups have similar characteristics and needs, BETA Breed Specific products offer high quality and Complete Dry Dog nutrition tailored for the 4 most popular breed families – Spaniels, Shepherds and Setters, Terriers and Retrievers.

The Advanced Nutrition category is currently the only segment of the market offering tailored nutrition for a variety of different breed types.  Pet owners believe their dogs are special and those shopping for Normal Nutrition brands in the Specialist channel are likely to be looking for tailored, quality nutrition too.  PURINA, with its 85 years of expertise in dog nutrition and behaviour has carefully developed the Breed Group Specific range offering tailored nutrition for specific breed groups.

It is important for consumers to understand how each recipe is tailored to the individual needs of the different breed types and the new pack format allows simple communication of the benefits for each breed.  There is also a strong visual link on front of pack to the breeds they are developed for and the imagery used.

Here is a summary of how each recipe has been specifically formulated for each breed type:

• Spaniels are lively by nature which means they need a food that will sustain their energy needs throughout the day.  BETA Spaniels is specially formulated with high levels of protein and fat to help them maintain their extremely active nature and vitality for life.  Also suitable for hunting dogs.
• Shepherds and Setters are natural born explorers but they can be more prone to sensitive digestion.  BETA Shepherds and Setters is specially formulated with ingredients that are easy on dog’s intestines and contains all the right nutrients to help keep muscle mass in peak condition.
• Terriers are always on the lookout for adventure and love a good run around in the hope of finding it.  BETA Terriers formula is a balanced mix of nutrients designed to replenish energy, help maintain muscle mass and help keep bones strong and healthy.
• Retrievers love playtime – and they also love mealtimes.  BETA Retrievers is a specially balanced formula with all the nutrients needed for a healthy, active life but with reduced fat levels compared with BETA Adult to help keep optimal body condition.

For more information please contact your PURINA Business Development Manager or visit www.purina-beta.co.uk

*Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.

*IRI value share – Total pet specialist w/e 9^th Nov 2013 (excluding PAH)