Natures Menu has finally launched its long-awaited complete and balanced raw cat food.

Feeding cats raw is easier than most people think because they are hunters not grazers.

While dogs have made the headlines switching over to raw diets, feeding raw to cats has so far not been as well understood. Yet our nation’s cats have been catching and eating raw meals for years in our outbuildings and back gardens.

There are many consistently reported benefits of switching pets over to the diet that nature chose for them. These include calmer behaviour, improved appetite, a reduction in ailments such as skin inflammation or digestive issues and even more solid, less smelly stools!

Cats naturally seek a varied diet and are well known to be fussy. Natures Menu have created a handy short guide to feeding cats on their raw meals, ensuring a smooth transition and tips and tricks to make sure the animal enjoys his raw meals every time.

The free guide is available to download online. The cat food is now available at pet retailers nationwide.

Piers told Pet Trade Xtra: "The new product is going great in our store and we have already sold 12 packs in first weekend – that's great for a new product like this."

The top 20 UK young entrepreneurs to watch in 2013 list is produced by Your Hidden Potential. To find out more click here

"We also recently spoke at the young enterprise company of the year awards in Westminster, where we were asked to talk about our struggles in getting to market and the importance of innovation," added Dan. "It has been a remarkable few months and hopefully exciting times lie ahead."

Aquatic trade association OATA has welcomed the jail sentence handed out to a Manchester importer found guilty of illegally importing endangered corals and clams into the UK.

At Crown Square Crown Court, 23-year-old Alex Montgomery of Mottram Old Road, Stalybridge in Greater Manchester was sentenced to six months for trying to smuggle over 750 kilograms of rare and endangered corals and clams from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, according to the Border Force.

“We hope this six-month jail sentence sends a clear message that the Border Force and the courts take this type of behaviour very seriously and we welcome this because the aquatic industry does not in any way support the illegal trade in any species,” said OATA Chief Executive Keith Davenport.

“Illegally selling corals and clams to other traders and then to unsuspecting hobbyists is not a victimless crime. Touting these species to customers allows the criminal to undercut and out-compete honest businesses.

"They avoid paying export and import permit fees, making their goods seem cheaper, and they entice custom away from honest businesses by offering a wider range of species that legitimate businesses then seem to lack. By doing this they jeopardise honest businesses and jobs in the UK and sustainable livelihoods elsewhere in the world that the legitimate trade provides.

“We certainly don’t consider these kinds of incidents as trivial or inconsequential in terms of conservation or business and clearly the courts agree.

“The basic rules regarding hard corals, clams and sea horses requiring CITES permits to enable them to be legitimately imported into the country are easy to understand and well-known to the industry. So we regard the type of behaviour displayed by this man as born out of greed, not ignorance. We’ve kept our members up-to-date on what is legal to sell so we would urge marine aquarium enthusiasts to always buy from reputable retailers, such as OATA members.

“If an offer from an importer/wholesaler on a coral, clam or seahorse looks too good to be true then there’s probably a reason for that. We would strongly advise that retailers should always ask for a permit number if they suspect things are not as they should be. Customs can use business records to trace where illegal imports were sold and these businesses could then find themselves under scrutiny.

“And we’d remind people that the ownership of illegal corals is a continuing offence – once imported illegally they remain illegal forever – so it is not in anyone’s interest to buy these items in the first place.”

For more information about the court case visit the Border Force website here https://www.gov.uk/government/news/man-jailed-for-smuggling-coral-and-clams. 

• Lily’s Kitchen - Enquiries from around 30 countries plus positive responses from international retailers and distributors.
• Crate Ideas - Numerous enquiries from all over Europe, including Russia, Finland and Hungary convinced the company that Zoomark had provided it with comprehensive coverage of the European market.
• Animology - Expects to do considerable new business as a direct result of Zoomark, and highlighted Sweden, Cyprus and Denmark as countries showing considerable interest in its dog shampoos and sprays.
• Get Off - If just two of the enquiries for its cat and dog repellents were converted into orders they would be “worth a small fortune for the company.”  
• Long Paws - Received some potentially great opportunities from “amazing international contacts” for its new range of Hennessy accessories and its water bottle range.

Comparison website Confused.com is to sponsor The Pet Show at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, on July 20-21.

Confused.com will occupy a stand in The Kennels section of the show, where it will provide attendees with advice on how to use its service to find the best available insurance for their pets.

Show director Ian Sear said: "Having Confused.com exhibit at the event was great for The Pet Show, but we are really delighted that they have decided to increase their presence here and become title sponsors.

"They bring with them a brand trusted by consumers and a real willingness to engage with pet owners who will be visiting the show hoping to get exactly the sort of expert advice they bring to the table."

Kate Rose, Head of Pet Insurance at Confused.com, said: "Our relationship with The Pet Show so far has been excellent and we are thrilled and delighted to take that relationship on one stage further.

"We are really excited to attend the show as both title sponsors and exhibitors and look forward to meeting pet owners who want to talk with us about how our service can help them."

The Pet Show claims it will  feature more animals, exhibitors and displays than any other multi-pet event in the UK.

The 21,000 square metre exhibition space is set to be home to over 20,000 pet lovers.

To read more about the show or to purchase tickets, visit  www.thepetshow.co.uk or telephone 0844 581 496.

A rescue dog from Brighton has become the first dog to achieve Good Citizen status on both sides of the Atlantic.

Maxx, a 9 year old Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross owned by Tracey Davidson, overcame a tough start to life in the US before going on to accomplish this unique achievement at a dog obedience club in Portslade.

Maxx was rescued in New York, where Tracey was living at the time, back in 2006 when he was just two years old. He was twenty pounds underweight, had several illnesses and was completely despondent. Originally Tracey simply intended to foster Maxx but it soon became clear that the pair wouldn’t be parted.

Tracey commented: “I had gone for a walk to clear my head as I had recently lost someone close to me when I came across a dog adoption event. I saw Maxx looking at me with these big brown eyes and an extremely emaciated body. They say dogs choose you and he absolutely saw me coming. Maxx had many issues but affection wasn’t one of them. He’s such a sensitive, intelligent dog.”

When Tracey took Maxx home, she quickly realised he must have had a difficult start in life as he flinched when touched, was petrified of objects and didn’t like going out for walks. Tracey hand fed him for the first few weeks in order for him to eat.

In order to work on building his confidence, Tracey decided to take Maxx training and found the Canine Good Citizen training classes in Brooklyn, New York. Maxx passed the test in May 2008 and the pair subsequently moved back to the UK in 2011.

Tracey continues: “After we got settled in the UK, I found that there was a Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme class at a dog obedience club near to where we lived in Portslade and we started classes in September 2012. Maxx recently received his Bronze and Silver Kennel Club Good Citizen awards and I couldn’t be more proud of his achievements.

“My motivation for training Maxx was to show the public in both the US and UK that Staffies make perfect companions when given proper training by responsible owners. I simply couldn’t ask for a better dog – rescuing Maxx is by far the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.”

Instructors at the dog obedience club, Linda Dewey and Kennel Club Accredited Instructor, Di Morgan applauded Tracey’s determination in completing the awards in both countries. Di commented: “Tracey is a great handler who has a wonderful rapport with Maxx. We’re delighted that Maxx has achieved this one-of-a-kind accolade. He is a lovely dog.”

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “Passing Good Citizen awards in two different countries is a great achievement for any dog, but for Maxx it is extra special. He didn’t have the best start in life, but thanks to his owner Tracey, Maxx has turned his life around. He sounds like a very special dog indeed.”

As well as being a model canine citizen, Tracy has noticed that Maxx has another special talent: the ability to meditate. 

Tracey says: “It is rather unusual but he does meditate. He hides his head under something, but mostly shrubs and remains still and in a trance like state for about five minutes. It’s completely extraordinary, he goes into a different world, he can’t hear a thing and his breathing completely slows down. Everybody who sees him doing it is blown away.”

To find a Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme class near you, please visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/findadogclub. For more information about the GCDS, visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/dogtraining.

Bramble, a two year old English Springer Spaniel from a small village near Peterborough, once thought to be a hopeless case due to her disobedience and lack of interest in training, is set to join some of the top working gundogs in the country by competing with her owner at the prestigious Kennel Club Gundog Working Test, being held on the Chatsworth House Estate in Derbyshire from May 29 to June 2.

When Bramble’s owner Tina Hayes took her to a training class for the first time, the instructor’s final words to her were ‘Good luck with that one – you’re going to need it!’  Just over a year later the ‘hopeless’ dog, Bramble, has shown a remarkable improvement in her training and behaviour and is set to compete against some of the best novice Spaniels in the country on Saturday, June 1.

Tina said: “When we first started our training it wasn’t just Bramble who was hopeless, I too was way out of my depth!  After that first training session I felt a bit lost and worried that there really was no hope for Bramble.

“I did a bit of research and stumbled across a Kennel Club gundog training day for novice handlers, so decided to go for it and try gundog-specific training.  When we went to the training day, my first task was to let Bramble off the lead and send her to retrieve a dummy.  She did a runner and I had to chase her to get the dummy back.  Suffice to say there were a few awkward looks from others that were there!

“Speaking to the trainer on the day, Bob Aldenton, he told me to think of training Bramble like learning to drive a Ferrari – something that has always stuck with me.  Bob was wonderful and took us under his wing, working with us throughout the year to build on Bramble’s training and she is now competing at the biggest gundog competition of the year - I could not be prouder!”

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “Bramble and Tina are the perfect example of what can be achieved through gundog training.  Spaniels love to put their natural instincts to good use to work for their owner, which of course is made easier the better trained they are. We wish them the best of luck at the Gundog Working Test at Chatsworth and hope they inspire other gundog owners to get involved in this wonderful sport!”

To see Bramble’s transformation, view the ‘Gundog Working Test at Chatsworth’ video on the Kennel Club’s Youtube page, at www.youtube.com/thekennelclub.

For more information on the Gundog Working Test, and to check if Bramble does well in the competition on Saturday 1^st June, visit http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/4583.

To follow Tina and Bramble’s on-going training and experiences, visit www.esstestsandtrials.co.uk.

Skinner’s Pet Foods will be sponsoring the Kennel Club Hunt, Point, Retrieve Championship, being held at the Swinton Park estate, North Yorkshire, on November 15-16.

The HPR Championship will join the existing Cocker Spaniel Championship, Retriever Championship, English Springer Spaniel Championship and the Pointer and Setter Champion Stake as a pinnacle of excellence in the working gundog calendar.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “We are thrilled that Skinner’s is offering its support to the HPR Championship. 

"Both Skinner’s and the Kennel Club recognise the importance of fuelling working dogs with the right foods to maximise their natural abilities and we are very excited about this new sponsorship and the event itself, which will see HPR breeds at the top of their game.”

Will Delamore, Sales and Marketing Director for Skinner’s said: “We are delighted to be involved with the 2013 HPR Championship. Skinner’s has a proud heritage of supporting clubs, tests, trials and championships.  We are looking forward to supporting this year’s HPR Championship and many more in the future.”

The HPR Championship will be judged by Kennel Club ‘A’ Panel judges, Anne Johnson and Godfrey Card.

To find out more about Kennel Club field trials, visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/fieldtrials.

• User-friendly packaging with an easy to use pull lift container
• Serving portions of 400g, 150g and 85g making them suitable for serving up to small and large pets with no waste
• All dishes exclude common allergens such as soya, wheat and dairy
• Cat Mousse and Dog Pate meals are packed with 60% pure meat
• Dog Pate meals are from a single protein source, with brown rice to aid digestion
• Every dish is 100% gluten free with no added colours, flavours or preservatives
• Meals are enriched with essential vitamins & minerals that contribute to animal health