There could soon be a shortage of top talent in the pet trade because senior figures are becoming disillusioned, according to recruitment expert Lynda Ward. She says lack of motivation is one of the causes of poor employee morale...

Lynda, of Pet Trade Solutions, says there is a worrying waste of top talent in the trade. In the past two years she has noticed an increase in the number of senior figures in the industry becoming disillusioned with their current role and seeking a new challenge.

For these people the opportunities for change are few and far between as there are fewer senior roles than mid-line or junior roles.

Plus there has been a recent trend of employers taking on senior staff from outside the industry, offering less opportunity for people to move around.

The net result is there are frustrated people in positions which they do not enjoy and therefore struggle to give of their best and others who have either left or are looking to leave the industry.

“Employers need to be aware that all staff, from junior to top and from inexperienced to very experienced, need to be motivated in the long-term, not just when they join the company," says Lynda.

"They should all have annual reviews where full and frank discussions are held, ideas listened to and objective future plans put in place.

"Additionally, when filling a senior position it surely makes sense to look first within the industry for that special someone who can hit the road fast, utilising years of experience, knowledge and contacts. We have many of them in the pet industry but are in danger of losing them.”

For further information contact Lynda Ward on 07946 743784 or by email: lyndaward@pettradesolutions.com

Pet food company MPM Products has secured a £10m funding package from HSBC.

The Macclesfield-based company said it planned to use the new capital to expand its footprint in the pet food market at home and overseas.

MPM Products achieved 56% growth in 2012, with total sales reaching more than £17m, and is expected to hit £24m by the end of 2013.

The £10m funding, which is part of HSBC's £5bn 'International SME Fund, will be used to fund a product development programme and geographical expansion and included trade finance facilities and invoice finance lines.

The MPM brands are already available in 33 markets across Europe, the US and Asia Pacific, including Australia.

MPM's finance director James Bracewell said: "This funding package will enable us to ramp up our growth strategy and ultimately allow us to achieve our mission – to feed as many dogs and cats as we can, wherever they are."

Jason Trigg, Manchester area commercial director at HSBC, added: "MPM Products is an extremely exciting company that has demonstrated significant growth potential over the last 12 months.

"With considerable demand for its natural pet food products, both here in the UK and internationally, we're confident the company will continue to go from strength-to-strength."

Pictured: Julian Bambridge, managing director at MPM Products

The Kennel Club Dog Photographer of the Year, which attracts international coverage and is viewed by tens of thousands of people from around the world, is now open and free to enter...

The organisers waived the entry fee in 2012 to encourage more people to enter. As a result, the competition saw almost 5,000 entries last year, more than double the previous year. Hoping to build on the success of 2012, the competition is again free to enter and the only criteria are that the images are of good quality and in high resolution.

Pictured above is the 2012 winning image taken by Catherine Laurenson.

Kennel Club Picture Librarian Heidi Hudson, who organises the competition, said: “Each year the quality of the images we receive really surprises us and they are getting better and better as the competition goes on. I always look forward to seeing the skill that is out there as the dog makes such an interesting subject and every image is unique.”

The Kennel Club launched the Dog Photographer of the Year competition at Crufts in March, with award-winning artist Jo Longhurst announced as this year’s guest judge.

London-based Royal College of Art graduate, Jo recently won the prestigious Grange Prize for Contemporary Photography at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, and is well known for her work photographing Whippets.

Jo follows in the footsteps of acclaimed photographers Tim Flach and Martin Usborne as a judge of the popular international competition which is open to both professional and amateur photographers. There are six categories in the competition: Man’s Best Friend, Dog Portrait, Puppies, Dogs at Work, Dogs at Play and, solely for under 16’s, I Love Dogs Because.

The overall winning photo will be published on the front of the Kennel Club’s monthly publication, the Kennel Gazette, the UK’s oldest dog magazine, and all images will be on display at the Discover Dogs event which takes place at Earl’s Court, London on November 9-10.

The winner of the 16 and under category will have their winning image painted by artist Sarah Abbott.

For more information, visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/dogphotocompetition

Collarways has been appointed UK distributor for US-based Cycle Dog, designers and manufacturers of a range of collars, leads, toys and accessories using post-consumer recycled materials.

“We found Cycle Dog at the Global Pet Expo, Orlando, in February and instantly loved their unique and innovative product line," said Collarways director Gabriela Lerner.

"Cycle Dog's philosophy and environmental ethos fit perfectly with those of Collarways and we're delighted to have been appointed their UK distributor.

"We are excited to be introducing these gorgeous, high quality products to the UK market over the next few months and are convinced that all pet lovers who love the outdoors will naturally gravitate towards the Cycle Dog recycled message."

The collars and leads are hand-sewn in Portland, Oregon, from recycled bicycle inner tubes that would normally end up in landfills. This unique material makes them quick drying, odour free and resistant to mold and mildew.

Each collar features a Latch-Lock seatbelt-style buckle with over 750lb pull strength and both collar and lead come with an integrated Pup Top Bottle opener. There are over 33 exclusive Cycle Dog patterns, as well as a reflective option.

The Cycle Dog Retreads toys are made with Ecoplast, a composite of post-consumer inner tubes and natural rubber, a highly durable, non-toxic material. SuperFloat technology enables the toys to float above the water surface making them easily visible to swimming dogs. Tough squeakers add extra fun.

For more information contact Collarways Limited on 0845 4568395 or visit the website www.collarways.com

Important trade buyers of pet care products will be travelling from The Netherlands and Sweden to meet with British suppliers at the PetQuip ‘Meet the Buyer’ event to be held on June 19 at the export association’s head offices in Brasted, Kent.

Garden product buyers from Germany, Finland and Sweden will also be meeting with UK suppliers from the garden sector.

The one to-one format of previous events has brought glowing testimonials from UK suppliers and overseas buyers in recent years and has added significantly to export sales for the participating companies.

Quotes from British suppliers include: “The meeting was very successful and the buyer immediately said that they would stock our new product for next year. They have now placed an initial order for 10,000 units” and “We have not failed to get a new export customer from every ‘Meet the Buyer’ event we have attended”.

Similar accolades received from the attending buyers are: “We have added 21 new British suppliers to our customer base as a result of recent ‘Meet the Buyer’ events” and “I only expected to do business with one or two companies prior to the event but I was very impressed with the suppliers that I met on the day and now expect to list several products for full distribution and for my online shop.”

The pet product buyer from Sweden is from Granngården, a retailer with 109 outlets, specialising in items for the outdoors/countryside lifestyle and a wide range of pet products.

The company also operates a mail order catalogue and a web-shop. Its customer loyalty club has 700,000 members. The company is seeking to broaden its range of grooming, pet care and other pet items.

Looking to source products for The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg is AnimalFactory. The company is an importer / wholesaler of innovative, functional, high quality accessories for dogs, and supplies independent pet shops, vets, grooming parlours, pet physiotherapists, hydrotherapists and car dealers, along with a large number of web shops. AnimalFactory has experience of importing from the UK.

In addition to a pet product buyer, Granngården will have a specialist garden product buyer at the event, and other garden buyers will be Gärtner Pötschke, the German specialist mail order company, and Tarha-Tuote Oy, a Finnish importer/wholesaler.

The meeting on June 19 is open to members at a subsidised charge; non-members of PetQuip or Gardenex are also welcome should places remain. There are still some appointments available but they are booking up fast so interested companies should telephone either Charlie Parker or Eleanor Wigram on 01959 565995.

The annual Exo Terra herpetological photography competition, the Nactus Award 2012, has been awarded to Falmouth photographer Clare Greenwood for her visionary photograph of a green sea turtle in its natural environment.

The purpose of the competition is to discover the best reptile and amphibian pictures taken by photographers worldwide and to inspire their visionary and expressive interpretations of nature.

Now in its 7th year, the competition attracts thousands of entries from a mixture of both amateur and professional photographers entering across eight different categories. A panel of experts choose the finalists and then the public vote for their favourite.

Clare is a 20-year-old natural history photographer who is currently in her final year of her degree at University College Falmouth where she is studying Marine and Natural History Photography, combining her two passions of the natural world and photography.

The photograph was taken in January 2012 on a diving holiday to Marsa Shagra Diving Village in Marsa Ala where Clare visited Marsa Abu Dabab, a diving site famous for residents of green sea turtles.

Clare said: “It was a fantastic opportunity to be able to get so close to the turtles and watch them in their natural habitat. The turtles allow you to get very close to them without them caring and although the photo looks like I am quite a distance away, I was actually very close and it’s due to the use of the fish eye lens I used that creates this illusion.”

The award and prize was presented at the London Pet Show on the Exo Terra stand where Clare received the prestigious Nactus award and a Nikon D800 SLR Digital Camera to continue her photography hobby.

Clare continued: “I am really grateful for all those that voted for my photograph as the winning entry. There are so many talented photographers that entered and I hope everyone loves the photo as much as I do. I am very passionate about photography and to be chosen as the winner really makes it even more special.”

For further information on the Nactus award visit www.exo-terra.com

Ancol has launched a new range of festive dog toys which are now available for retailers to pre-order for the Christmas sales period.

The Christmas collection includes a plush squeaky Reindeer and Santa, which are based on their popular Floppet plush animal toys and a bouncing rubber Christmas Tree – similar to their bestselling hollow rubber ball.

There’s also a Christmas tug toy, a stuffed snowman with rope and squeaker, a pack of vinyl Christmas baubles and party dog collars with jingly bells.

Retail prices range from £2.55 for the pack of 12 baubles to £6.95 for the large party dog collar.

Director Simon Lane comments: “We know that customers love to buy presents for their pets at Christmas so we’re delighted to launch our first range of festive dog toys.

"Pre-sales orders have already been so high that we have had to double our quantities so don’t delay in putting your order in today.”

To book your order, call 01922 402428, email sales@ancol.co.uk or talk to your local sales representative. All pre-orders will be in stock in September.

Here's a sneak preview of Ancol's new Christmas range...

Crispin, a resident at Prickles Hedgehog Rescue at Cheddar, Somerset, relies on volunteers and donations to ensure him and his prickly pals can get rehabilitated and released back into the wild.

Zoo Zone crates create a great living space for injured hedgehogs in the centre’s ‘hogspital’ helping keep them warm and secure and ensuring they get that all important beauty sleep to get them back into tip top health. Crispin and his friends love their Zoo Zone homes and have got so comfy in them that it’s often a struggle to get them to leave!

Prickles Hedgehog Rescue has been open since 2007 and currently has over 150 hedgehogs in its care.

Want to find out more? Log onto Crispin’s Hedgehog blog at www.crispianhedgehog.wordpress.com to read about his and his friends daily antics.

For more information contact Rolf C. Hagen (UK) visit our website at www.hagen.com

Visitors to PATS Harrogate in September will be greeted by a host of new exhibitors as well as the industry’s big-name brands.

Manufacturers and suppliers have identified PATS as the best place to showcase their products to UK retailers and overseas buyers, and an increasing number of them are newcomers to the exhibition.

Companies like ROK Straps Europe, who have just returned from a successful Zoomark trade exhibition, will be making their first appearance at PATS Harrogate on September 15-16.

“After visiting the Sandown show earlier this year and speaking with a number of other UK companies that have recommended the exhibition, we felt we needed to expand our distribution and retail in the UK and believe PATS is the way forward,” said Mike Abbott, sales and operations manager.

“We aim to show retailers and distributors why our products are the best in today's market and are achieving strong sales growth. For PATS Harrogate we will have new matching plastic buckle style collars and couplers designed to walk two dogs on a single lead.”

Other new exhibitors to PATS Harrogate include Alpha & Ruby's Dog Bakery, Bell & Barker, Christies Direct, Equisafety, Europa Pets, Fisherman’s Daughter, Forthglade Foods, Oggy Pets, Retail Data Partnership, Sea Horse Atlantic, and Snug & Cosy.

Alpha & Ruby’s Dog Bakery is a new company baking its own unique gluten free dog treats in Oxfordshire.  

“We have found that the trend for pet owners to really understand where their pet food comes from and exactly what’s in their pet’s food is on the rise,” explained director Fatima Maktari.

“As a company that bakes all of its own treats from high quality, human grade ingredients we feel that our range of premium dog treats will appeal to a large number of visitors to the show. The attractive packaging and quality ingredients are hard to beat and act as a great diversifier to those already on the market.

“We feel that exhibiting at PATS will be a great way of meeting new and potential contacts from both the UK and Europe that we hope will develop into long-lasting and healthy business relationships for both of us. 

“As a new company, our entire range of products will be new to the vast majority of visitors to PATS, and we will also be unveiling our new range of Christmas gift ideas.”

The Forthglade brand has been around for over 40 years, but the company feels there are still significant opportunities to increase distribution.

“We have gone through an extensive rebranding process over the past 12 months and our attendance at PATS will help us showcase our product range to the trade,” said joint managing director Gerard Lovell.

“Retailers have a great opportunity to capitalise on the rebranded range, as the product quality is excellent and affordability is good. We will have a couple of new products that we believe will be very interesting to the trade, which will help drive up consumer spend and attract new consumers to the brand.”

The mission of another PATS newcomer Oggy Pets is simple: ‘To design, develop and manufacture the best natural pet hygiene and grooming products that Mother Nature has to offer’.

The company will use PATS to spread the message that grooming is vitally important to both the health and psychological of not only humans but animals as well.

“We need to dispel the myth that animals like to be dirty, and instead make everyone aware that domesticated pets prefer to live in a clean environment. After all 'cleanliness is next to godliness', why should that be any different for our pets,” explained managing director Damone Armstrong, Managing Director, Oggy Pets.

As well as seeing new exhibitors at PATS Harrogate, visitors can expect a warm welcome from regulars like Beaphar UK, Bern Pet Food, Company of Animals, Eurostitch, Johnson's Veterinary Products, KONG, Mars Pet Care, Pointer Pet Products, Sharples & Grant and Wagg.

The exhibition will have the same layout as in 2012, using Harrogate Main visitor entrance in Hall M.

PATS Harrogate will also be full of popular visitor features, including the New Products Showcase and Awards, a full programme of free seminars, and the Grooming Workshop.

You can register for free entry now by clicking here

Following a successful Zoomark exhibition, ROK Straps Europe are set to change the perceptions of dog owners in the UK when it comes to leads.

The ROK matching collars and couplers are being distributed by Ventus in the UK. Manufactured by ROK-Straps Pty, Australia, these new concept dog leads offer greater comfort and control for dog owners and their pets.

The products range offers the following benefits:

• Unique stretch formula - avoids the jolts - minimum recoil effect - full control.
• Unlike recoil leads, you keep control at all times.
• Traffic-leader and Car Restraint provides instant close control.
• Comfortable hand-holds with padding ensures a safe hold.
• Unlike recoil leads, ROK’s progressive tension signals your pet to stop - without the jolt.
• Solid rubber core with tight nylon outer braid is highly chew resistant.
• Very high quality stitching with robust hardware ensures maximum reliability.
• FIVE STAR product award received by the American Pet Association
• The ROK leads continue to receive 5 star product reviews from its users In addition to the key features above,

ROK 3-in-1 Stretch Dog Leads are designed to look great! The innovative seven-colour product range provides the pet lover with a modern choice without over bearing the retailer with a massive stocking range.

Retailers can also benefit from ROK’s superb Point-of-Sale presentations for maximum sales impact with minimum sales area.

ROK’s founder and CEO, Gary McCay was a PHD Engineering Student, when his research into eye injury led him to invent ROK-Straps - a safer design of shock-cord with less recoil. This invention, in turn has led to new applications, such as these revolutionary 3-in-1 Stretch Dog Leads.

For more information visit www.rokstraps.com

Sam Griffiths has joined Beaphar UK in the new role of UK Product Development Executive.

Sam is tasked with providing first class marketing support for the company’s cat, dog and small animal, bird and fish product ranges.

One of her a key roles will be launching new and innovative products to market, combined with providing product support and training for retailers.

A keen animal lover, Sam currently has two dogs (a Dalmatian and a Doberman) together with a fish tank.

Previously she has worked within the human healthcare sector. The pet sector is a new challenge that she can’t wait to get started on!

“I’m thrilled to find a job that combines my love of animals and animal health as well as my interest in product development.”

Together with the marketing team, she looks forward to strengthening the company’s relationship with retailers, and establishing Beaphar as the number one choice for both retailers and consumers alike.

For information on the Beaphar product range call 01440 715700 or visit www.beaphar.co.uk

KONG has announced that exhibiting at Zoomark in Italy recently has proved to be a massive success...

A spokesperson for the KONG company stated:  "Zoomark 2013 was a great success. We met with most of our major mainland European distributors.

"It’s always wonderful to see them and shows such as Zoomark are the perfect showcase for our new product launches."

Muddy Paws has appointed Tessa Rogers as E-Commerce Manager, a new role within the organisation.

Tessa has a broad range of experience gained from agency and in-house marketing roles. After graduating from Bournemouth University six years ago, she joined a digital agency where she worked on client accounts across a variety of sectors. In 2010 she moved in-house and joined a B2B media provider.

As Marketing Executive, she was responsible for lead generation through predominately online channels. Whilst in the role Tessa launched a new website and increased organic traffic by 31%.

In 2011 she was appointed as E-Commerce Marketing Executive for an over 50s insurance provider and was responsible for the planning, implementation and analysis of the e-commercemarketing plan.

In December 2011, Tessa was promoted to her current role as Web Content Manager. She played a key role in the delivery of a new website and delivered an A/B testing plan that increased performance uplift by 10%.

In her new role Tessa will be responsible for the strategic and tactical elements of the marketing function.

She said: “I am looking forward to joining the team at Muddy Paws and assisting in both the direction and success of the company. I can’t wait to get stuck in!”

Founded in 2008, Muddy Paws ships over 30,000 orders worldwide every year.

A walkthrough aquarium, a pond area and an exotic array of reptiles were the exhibits on display from pet product manufacturer Hagen at the recent London Pet Show at Earl’s Court.

The two day event was an ideal arena to expand interest in the hobby of fish and reptile keeping and introduce some of the unique species to the public as well as dispelling some common myths about the hobbies.

Packed full of interactive and fun elements, highlights from the show included a darkened aquarium for visitors to walk through and experience the breathtaking world of aquarium keeping, all accompanied by experts to guide visitors through choosing the right fish and caring for them. A tranquil pond was constructed to introduce the Laguna brand and was the ideal setting for visitors to relax by and partake in the ‘spot the wildlife’ competition.

A popular attraction at the stand was the free Fluval and Exo Terra photobooth that gave visitors the chance to create some lasting memories of the show by having their picture taken with some entertaining props and receiving a free set of souvenir photos.

A visit to the Exo Terra stand allowed visitors to take a trip to the Jungle Zone, Desert Zone, Snake Pit or Bugs’ World where they could get up close and personal with the animals, with live reptile handling of snakes and bearded dragons. Chris Newman from the FBH was also on hand to offer advice about caring for Reptiles and answer questions.

Paul Trott, Hagen UK’s Marketing Manager said: “The Fluval, Laguna and Exo Terra stands generated huge interest throughout the event and were amongst the busiest stands at the show. As the official sponsors of the Discover Animals Zone, it gave us the opportunity to educate and inspire the general public about the joy of fishkeeping and the chance to interact with reptiles and exotics from around the world.”

This was the third time Hagen has exhibited at the show taking up a larger exhibiting space and showcasing a wider range of products. Visitors were given a sneak peak at the soon to be launched Fluval Reef and Fresh premium aquarium sets, especially designed to house marine and fresh water species which are a welcome addition to the recently launched Fluval LED lighting and Fluval SEA range.

Nicole Cooper, London Pet Show Director commented: “We were delighted that the RC Hagen brands, Exo Terra, Fluval and Laguna sponsored the Discover Animals zone at the London Pet Show this year. Their tremendous support and ambitious plans meant that we were able to offer visitors an in-depth insight into reptile and fish keeping. Their displays, information and advice were key to the success of the features at the show and especially important as more and more visitors are keeping these animals. We look forward to working with Hagen to build on this success for the 2014 event.”

Paul continued: “London Pet Show is the biggest presence we have had at a UK consumer show in recent years and we went with the intention of raising awareness of the Fluval, Laguna and ExoTerra brands. With over 20,000 visitors over the weekend we hope we’ve helped inform and educate people on fish and reptile keeping, which may in turn make people consider choosing a fish or reptile as a pet.”

For further information on Fluval, Laguna and Exo Terra ranges please visit uk.hagen.com

Spectrum Brands Pet Division has appointed Dan Lowndes as its new Trade Marketing Manager for Tetra. 

Having completed a Master’s Degree in Strategy and International Business at Aston Business School, Dan went into working within the aquatics industry. 

He is a highly involved fishkeeper himself having kept fish since childhood, beginning with goldfish and moving onto to breeding Discus. 

Dan comments:  “Working for Tetra is a great opportunity where I can combine my love of fishkeeping and marketing can be combined.”

Pets Corner is opening a new store in Fairfield Road, Warminster, next month after being encouraged by feedback from local residents.

The family run company, which opened its first store in 1968, has 75 shops around the UK, including stores in Salisbury and Swindon.

It specialises in pet supplies such as feed, accessories and treatments, as well as providing accessories for smaller animals like reptiles and tropical and cold water fish.

Dean Richmond, CEO for Pets Corner, said: “We have recruited a team of six staff already who are being trained at one of our regional training centres by our dedicated training team.

“We've been looking for a store in Warminster for a number of years after receiving many requests from locals for us to do so.”

Arcadia Reptile has announced the launch of the first in a planned series of five reptile keeping books...

 This first title is called 'The Arcadia Guide to MBD and its elimination in captivity'

 It is a full colour book with photos and diagrams and is aimed at entry level to intermediate keepers.

Contents covered include: hydration; diet, including nutritional values; albino animals, effective solar recreation and vet care. The book will retail at £9.99.

 "We believe that this is the first commercial title that deals with this important issue and offers hints and tips to reduce the chances of the owners animals developing MBD and its associated conditions," said John Courtney-Smith, of Arcadia Reptile.

For more information visit www.arcadia-reptile.com or call 01737 723809