Burgess Pet Care has launched the Great British Guinea Pig Census, the world’s first ever online census for pet guinea pigs, to help raise awareness and understanding of these wonderful pets.

There is an estimated population of nearly half a million* pet guinea pigs living in the UK but little research is available on how well they’re being cared for. The Great British Guinea Pig census takes less than ten minutes to complete and can be completed online by visiting the Burgess Pet Care website.

The Great British Guinea Pig census contains a variety of questions, covering everything from guinea pig nicknames and their favourite play spots to questions around the five welfare needs. It aims to highlight any key areas of concern and misunderstanding to improve the health and wellbeing of pet guinea pigs.

Alex Thorne, Senior Brand Manager at Burgess Pet Care said: “Guinea pigs make fantastic pets and, similar to other small animals, have very particular needs when it comes to their welfare. The Great British Guinea Pig census will allow us to identify any key concerns and address areas of misunderstanding to help improve the health and wellbeing of these amazing animals.

“We’re committed to animal welfare education through our ongoing work with the academic and veterinary communities, as well as with end consumers. This census will provide us with a valuable insight into UK guinea pig owners and will help support us in our mission to make sure all guinea pigs are cared for correctly. We’re urging every guinea pig owner in the UK to visit the Burgess website and complete the census so we can create a clearer picture of these fascinating pets and promote responsible pet ownership!”

Poor diet and nutrition are some of the biggest concerns facing small animals and guinea pigs, as well as inadequate housing and the unsuitability of the other animals they’re being housed with.

Size can be deceiving and, regardless as to whether guinea pigs are kept indoors or outdoors, hutches are often too small for them. Like any other small animal, guinea pigs require a lot of space in which to exercise so owners are always advised to purchase runs. Owners can find out more about recommended housing by visiting the RSPCA website.

Burgess Pet Care has collaborated with Runaround to offer one lucky entrant a huge Burgess Excel hamper and a Runaround Connection Kit.

Guinea pig owners are being urged to give up just ten minutes of their time to complete the census pigs by visiting the Burgess Pet Care website.

To enter the census, please visit https://www.burgesspetcare.com/greatbritishguineacensus/.

The census closes March 18^th.

While insect protein is still trying to overcome the yuck factor among consumers, there’s an opportunity for pet food to focus on the health credentials and environmental benefits of insects, according to Mintel analyst Alice Baker.

Alice says: “Insects are a complete protein that contains all nine essential amino acids as well as important minerals, making it nutritionally comparable with meat and fish. Additionally, they are being touted as the future for sustainable proteins. This is because insect farming is significantly less demanding on the environment compared to traditional meats: it uses less water, needs less land and generates fewer greenhouse gases. Insects are thus well placed to sate the current strong consumer demand for protein-rich foods from a nutritional and sustainability point of view – both for them and their pets.

“Start-up Yora launched the UK’s first dog food made from insects in January 2019, with insects making up 40% of the product’s protein. Other ingredients include oats, potatoes and ‘natural botanicals’.

The current version comes in the form of dried pellets, with plans to launch wet food later in the year. Yora promotes the use of insects as a more environmentally sustainable option, citing a scientific study that estimates that pets account for 20% of global meat and fish consumption.

“A handful of brands in Germany, such as Yummeez Solo and Green Petfood, have also launched insect-based pet food products. (Green Petfood and Yora were both showcased at PATS Sandown).

“Pet food would seem to be an obvious fit for insect protein, being less likely to trigger feelings of disgust than such products made for human consumption. However, interest is still low – partly due to lack of familiarity with the concept. Mintel research on pet food shows that in the UK, only 11% of pet owners are interested in buying pet food made with insect protein, rising to 16% of under 35s. This suggests manufacturers will need to push the merits of using insects in order to win over consumers.”

To read the full report visit http://www.mintel.com/blog/food-market-news/is-insect-protein-the-future-of-pet-food

When Adrian Wilkinson set up FourFriends Pet Foods in the UK he had no intention of running a pet food business but six years later, this former Health and Safety expert from the glass industry is now a successful distributor of a Swedish-based premium pet food brand and loves every minute of what he does.

As with a lot of successful pet food entrepreneurs, it was the needs of his own dog that led Adrian to the pet food that he now distributes. “It’s all Annie’s fault,” says Adrian.

He continues: “Annie is a Dogs Trust girl and is an Otterhound, Welsh Fox Hound cross. She came to us as a two-year-old and was allergic to nearly everything you could think of.  A friend then suggested adding Aloe Vera juice to her food. We did this and slowly over the weeks and months her health condition improved. Then by chance we met somebody from the manufactures of the FourFriends brand at a dog event being held in Germany.

"The seeds were set to find out more about this pet food which contains Aloe Vera. A few months later off we go to Sweden. Three days later we return to the UK with the distribution rights and the journey began. Annie is now nearly ten years old and along with our other hounds devours her Wild Boar food end enjoys a healthy albeit mischievous life.”

The FourFriends range is synonymous with quality ingredients. Only the muscular parts of the chicken, gently dried to meat meal are used in the dry complete food range. Up to 92% of the total amount of protein in both the dry and wet food ranges comes from animal origin. The range uses chicken, lamb, duck, wild boar and turkey - and in some products, a combination of them.

A well known botanical plant,, Aloe Vera is a key ingredient in FourFriends complete food recipes. Used for centuries around the world, Aloe Vera is crammed full of amino acids, vitamins and minerals making it one of nature’s most effective cleansers. It is especially effective in the cleansing of the dog’s or cat’s intestine. It is also great as an anti-inflammatory. Being rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium and potassium it is excellent for the skin and coat.

FourFriends has recently launched a new range of pet supplements. Adrian says: “With a growing awareness about the health and wellness of their pets, owners are looking to switch to pet supplements. The amount of calls we receive asking for impartial advice has lead us to introduce our new range of supplements. With dog owners, the majority of enquiries relate to joint support and with cats it is nearly always urinary health and our favourite subject, hairballs.”

The new range includes joints supplements for small, medium and large dogs, a skin and coat supplement for dogs and a multivitamin supplement for dogs  For cats there is a hairball supplement and a urinary tract health supplement. All come in resealable pouches.

All FourFriends products are manufactured in accordance with Formula Security Scandinavia, guaranteeing the quality of each product. Customers also have access to excellent advice from FourFriends own pet nutritionist, Meri Hakkarainen in Sweden.

FourFriends are currently looking to increase their number of stockists and are also looking to expand their breeder offering. Already popular with cat show breeders, FourFriends want to expand their dog breeder base as well. FourFriends are interested in talking to stockists who want to sell a quality premium dry and wet food brand in the UK. Being an Otterhound enthusiast, Adrian also wants to work with the top dog breeders and show dog owners in the UK as well as cat fanciers.

Adrian concludes: “At FourFriends we have genuine interest in animal health both in Sweden and here in the United Kingdom. We know what's best for your animal! The idea of ​​FourFriends is to make a food that makes your cat and dog healthy, strong and radiant - from the inside out because we know that stomach and health go hand in hand.

"We only use high quality raw materials and there is no ingredient in the recipes that is unnecessary such as fillers. Dogs and cats are carnivorous animals, ie carnivores and we have taken that into account and have a lot of muscle meat in our recipes. Because we love all cats and dogs, we add Aloe Vera – a natural ingredient that is kind to your pet.”

 For further information visit: www.fourfriendspetfoods.co.uk. If you are interested in becoming a stockist, please phone Adrian Wilkinson on Tel: 01302 637377 or email adrain@fourfriendspetfoods.co.uk

Premium dog food brand Billy + Margot is to showcase their exclusive new product range to visitors at this year’s Crufts.

Billy + Margot, official sponsors of the dog show for the first time this year, will use the opportunity to unveil its new range of products ahead of the official launch into the UK market later this year. 

Products vary from the exclusive iced-treats range through to feeding solutions across dry, wet, chilled, and raw.

This latest range of unique recipes uses high-quality protein and a superfood blend that has been carefully selected for the health and wellbeing of dogs. As well as using single animal proteins, the new range also offers exciting novelty wild meats, including wild boar.

Canine nutritionist and founder of the Billy + Margot range, Marie Jones, said: “I’m delighted Billy + Margot will be returning as official sponsors of Crufts this year; it’s an important platform from which to showcase our new range. I will be based at the Billy + Margot stand (Hall 3, Stand 20), and look forward to giving visitors a first-look at our exciting new products”.

The new products will be available to sample, buy and order from the show stand, with exciting exhibition deals available on the day.

As part of the Crufts visitor experience, Billy + Margot will also be holding a ‘Dogs’ Dinner Party’ at their stand, on each day of the show. This sensory dining experience, put on especially for invited dogs and competition winners, will allow a range of breeds to taste meals inspired by Billy + Margot’s new products. Dinner will be accompanied by detailed explanations from Marie Jones on the health benefits of specific ingredients for dogs’ complex dietary needs and aims to support consumer knowledge on the importance of a healthy and balanced diet for dogs.

Billy + Margot will announce full details of their exciting new products as part of their official UK launch later in Spring. The full range will be available to buy from UK retailers from Summer 2019.  

Nutriment has added to its accolades following this year’s PATS Sandown. Winning the New Product Award in the Dog Food Product category, the Nutriment Support range was championed due to its local ingredient sourcing, great packaging and ability to bring safe, raw feeding solutions to dogs with more specific needs and support requirements. 

Launched in November 2018, the Nutriment Support range consists of five raw food products for dogs: Light, Low Purine & Phosphorus, Liver, Kidney and Recovery. Low in fat and highly digestible, these recipes are specifically designed to provide nutritional support for ongoing health concerns more prevalent to today’s dogs. Expertly formulated by Nutriment’s in-house canine nutritionists, with the support of veterinary partners and experts in the industry, the Nutriment Support range features specially selected, premium ingredients, including British, human grade meats and natural superfoods, to ensure that they are of superior quality and effectiveness. 

Speaking of the new portfolio when it was launched, Suzanne Brock, Managing Director of Nutriment, commented, “With an ever-growing emphasis on the importance and awareness of canine nutrition, we felt it was necessary to create a range which could provide our customers with the ability to nutritionally support their dogs’ health concerns. Producing the best foods possible is a fundamental principle to us at Nutriment.” 

PATS is the UK’s number one pet trade event and is the ultimate platform for the exposure of ground-breaking, innovative and inspiring product developments in the pet industry. The event takes place twice a year: in February in Surrey, and in September in Telford. Combined, the two exhibitions attract around 4,000 visitors and over 200 exhibitors. Hosted for the first time on a Sunday and Monday, the Sandown event welcomed record numbers of nearly 2,000 visitors; the highest in its 11-year history. 

The New Product Showcase, sponsored by pbwnews, provides an opportunity to honour and celebrate the most innovative, original and high-quality new products in the pet industry, which have been launched during the past 12 months. Once again, records were broken with the impressive number of new products submitted into this year’s showcase, emphasising the strong demand for creation of new pet products. 

“PATS Sandown was our most successful trade event to date. Fundamental to the success of this year’s show was our new range, Nutriment Support, winning the Dog Food Category in the New Product Showcase. Nutriment always strive to be the industry leaders, and to receive that recognition is a reward for all of the dedication and extremely hard work that goes on behind the scenes,” commented Ryan Winwright, Trade Manager for Nutriment. “The award brought a noticeable boost to the stand visitor numbers, resulting in a very strong uptake on our exclusive PATS freezer deals. We are very much looking forward to the next PATS show in Telford, where we will continue to showcase our latest developments.” 

The Pet Industry Federation is today reminding pet businesses of the benefits it offers members and outlining plans for an exciting year ahead, as it approaches Crufts and re-structures its Bedford-based team.

With over 2,000 members and with a pedigree dating back 70 years, the Pet Industry Federation is the largest and most established trade association for pet businesses in the UK. PIF’s objectives are to raise standards in the pet industry and support those businesses which want to emphasise their commitment to customer care, animal welfare, education and training.

Nigel Baker, PIF CEO, explains: "PIF members have always viewed their membership as a hallmark of quality – a means of setting themselves apart from other businesses. In an industry which is largely unregulated, and with an ever more discerning pet owner, this distinction is more important than ever before. We believe that our members are the best in the industry and that PIF membership provides that distinction."

PIF membership offers a host of business-related benefits. The most popular of these include competitive rates on insurance, discounts on commercial printing and pet-related education courses, excellent broadband and telecom rates; as well as free access to a legal helpline, licensing help and entry to the public-facing MyPetPeople website.

As part of its remit to raise standards and to represent its members, PIF works with external organisations such as the Canine & Feline Sector Group and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare on a range of legislative issues, such as the Animal Activities Licensing regulations. This collaborative work has also resulted in the recent publication of the Professional Dog Walking Guidelines, and the soon to be published Professional Pet Grooming Guidelines.

However, 2019 will be a hive of new activity to bring further benefits and opportunities to PIF members.

Nigel continued: "We have strengthened our team by combining our marketing and membership activities, under Martin Langhorn; and brought in a new events co-ordinator, Daniel Everett, to help build our events programme and launch new opportunities which we will announce shortly. In addition, we are building some exciting links exclusively for PIF member manufacturers and investing in a new database to bring a much better communications experience to all our members.

"We’re also working to ensure that our members’ views on the new licensing regulations are heard as we survey them shortly, ahead of a DEFRA review later this year; and our education team continues to develop new courses and qualifications to meet the ever-evolving needs of the industry. We’re excited by what this year has to offer and look forward to sharing further details over the coming weeks."

Details about how PIF membership benefits its members can be found at www.petfederation.co.uk; info@petfederation.co.uk or by telephoning 01234 273933.

PIF will also be exhibiting at Crufts (5-34) from 7-10 March at the NEC, where the team will be on hand to discuss any aspect of PIF’s activities.

Pictured: Daniel Everett (left), PIF Events Co-ordinator; and Martin Langhorn (right), PIF’s Marketing and Membership Executive.

WildWash is being exhibited for the first time at Equitana by its German distributor Equestrian International and the company has been nominated as providing "innovative horse care products to discover at the show.”

"This is super exciting for the launch of our equine range in Germany and we hope to meet lots of new clients to introduce our products to," said a WildWash spokesperson.

Equitana runs from March 9-17 in the Exhibition Centre, Essen, Germany. For more information visit www.equitana.com

Petpals, the UK’s largest multi-service pet care franchise, has launched a scheme to make purchasing one of their franchise business easier than ever.

Under the new ‘Easy Start’ scheme, anyone buying a Petpals franchise will only be required to pay a fee to cover the costs of initial training and launch marketing, with the remainder of the £12,500 (+VAT) spread over the rest of the franchise term (usually five years).

Kevin Thackrah, MD of Petpals, explains: "At Petpals we have been helping franchisees start up and run their own profitable, sustainable pet care businesses for over 17 years now; with ‘Easy Start’ we’re looking forward to helping more people to join us and to share in the success and strength of the UK pet care market."

He continued: "We fully appreciate that people don’t always have the up-front funds to purchase a franchise and it’s testament to our confidence in our brand and to the potential for success for our new franchisees, that we’re able to offer this new scheme today. 

"I very much hope that anyone who would like to own their own business and to regain control of their working life by doing a job that they love, will visit our website to find out more."

Petpals franchisees own their own exclusive territories from where they board and walk dogs, visit cats and any other pets while their owners are at work or on holiday. If available, franchisees have the option to purchase additional adjoining territories.  Currently 17.5% of franchisees own one or more franchise territories.  

Petpals are full members of the bfa and are committed to ethical franchising.

If you would like more information about the ‘Easy Start’ scheme visit https://www.petpals.com/easystart/

Capital Gardens, London’s leading independent gardening company, holds a commitment to community at its heart, and has extended this to its latest acquisition, Studley Green Garden Centre with the announcement of the centre’s first official charity partner for 2019 –

The recently renovated Studley Green Garden Centre invited customers to vote in store throughout December and January on the charity closest to their hearts. The public had a choice of three charities: Stokenchurch Community Bus, Four Paws Cat Rescue and Medical Assistance Dogs, Winslow.

With a landslide victory of 462 votes, Capital Gardens has announced that Studley Green Garden Garden 2019 charity partner is Four Paws Cat Rescue.

The centre will support the winning charity throughout the year with charity boxes stationed at the tills for customers to donate to Four Paws Cat Rescue. In addition, they will be the centre’s twice-annual Customer Privilege Evening beneficiary, supported by donations from the evenings.

Studley Green Garden Centre will also be introducing a new receipts scheme for the charity, where Four Paws will be able to collect receipts from their community in order to receive a 20% discount.

Phil Munn, Studley Green Garden Centre manager says: “We are delighted to be supporting Four Paws Cat Rescue this year as our very first annual charity partner. We are especially proud that the chosen charity was picked by the community, meaning our support will go to the heart of a charity that our customers holds dear. We are very grateful to the Medical Assistance Dogs and Stokenchurch Community bus for taking part and will continue to champion the work they do in the area and beyond.”

Studley Green Garden Centre will continue to champion the work of the Medical Assistance Dogs and Stokenchurch Community Bus, including supporting the Community Bus which is parked free of charge in the new garden centre car park.

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An Edinburgh pet store has announced it will no longer stock pets amid animal welfare concerns.

“You look at how many pets are up for adoption and how many pets go unwanted. It sat a little bit funny with me for a while,” said Craig Davidson, co-owner of Dofos on Leith Walk.

So Craig and brother Ross plan to team-up with animal shelters to free up more space and find abandoned and mistreated pets homes in a Capital first.

Having recently opened a second branch in Morningside, the brothers hope their radical approach could pave the way for others to follow suit.

To read more on this story click here

Picture taken from Dofos Facebook page.

A pet store has joined a group of local traders in Haworth, West Yorkshire, in condemning the strict enforcement of parking restrictions outside their shops, which they say are driving away custom.

Mill Hey shop owners say they are being penalised by wardens ticketing people parking on double yellow lines.

Traders want free, short-stay parking to give shoppers and business owners a chance to load or unload.

Sharon Barker, owner of Worth Valley Pet Store, told the Telegraph & Argus: “This is how small businesses end up closing."

A Bradford Council spokesman responded: “Recent parking enforcement was prompted by requests from local district and parish councillors who were concerned about road safety issues caused by motorists parking on double yellow lines along this narrow street.”

Read the full story here

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/17443536.its-how-businesses-end-up-closing/

Supermarket chain Aldi has launched a new range of dog accessories, featuring slalom poles, hurdles, hoops and tunnels, ahead of Crufts next month.

The products, which make up the Dog Agility Course sets, retail at £9.99, and go on sale in store today (Thursday).

Aldi are also selling dog beds in four sizes and three designs with prices ranging from £7.99 to £18.99, plus a range of toys fro both dogs and cats.

Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi, said: “We know how important pets are to families and we want to make sure they are as happy and healthy as can be – without breaking the bank. 

"This range has everything from agility courses, to luxury beds and a fantastic range of toys, to ensure our shoppers can maintain a high standard of care and quality of life for their furry friends.”

Following the success of the PetQuip Awards since its launch seven years ago, the organisers have introduced two additional awards to the list for 2019.  

A category for small animals has been added to the Products section and there is also a new Merchandising category, which is open to suppliers, retailers or collaborations between suppliers and retailers.

This year’s event will see awards presented to deserving winners from the pet industry on the first evening of PATS Telford at a gala dinner and party on Sunday 22 September 2019.

Entry into the awards is now open and is free of charge.  PetQuip is also happy to receive nominations for retailers or suppliers who in your opinion deserve to be winners.  The nomination can be made anonymously, and PetQuip will contact anyone who has been nominated to progress the entry.

Visit www.petquip.com/awards to download a registration form or if you require help or advice on entering the categories call Pat Flynn, the PetQuip trade association manager on 07778 313623 or email her on pat@petquip.com

The categories for the 2019 PetQuip Awards are:

Marketing Project of the Year

Exporter of the Year

Product of the Year – three categories:

- Accessories/Technical

- Food/Treats/Health

- Small Animals

Merchandising Expertise (open to both retailers and suppliers)

International Pet Retailer/Distributor of the Year

UK Pet Retailer of the Year

Lifetime Achievement

 The PetQuip Awards event 2019 takes place in association with PATS Telford in the Ludlow Suite, International Centre, Telford on Sunday 22rd September at 7.30pm.  The PATS Telford New Product Awards will also be presented at the PetQuip dinner.  The event promises a fun evening of networking with customers and peers in the pet trade. Included in the festivities are a pre-dinner drinks reception and a three course meal with wine plus networking and entertainment after the awards presentation.  Tickets cost £85 plus VAT (or only £75 plus VAT to PetQuip member companies). Tables can be reserved (cost on application) and early bird bookings will receive a discount.

Booking forms can be downloaded from www.petquip.com or simply call 01959 565995 to make an immediate booking by credit card.

Commenting on the launch of the awards this year and the continued success of the event, Pat Flynn said: “Now in its seventh year, the Petquip Awards have become a highlight of the pet trade sector’s year and the popularity of the awards was apparent when we announced the latest event to the trade at PATS Sandown; sponsors and bookings are already being secured.  Apart from the fun element of the evening and the opportunity it provides for networking, those companies that have triumphed in an award category in previous years have made excellent use of the promotion it provided to further enhance their businesses.  

“Each year, we refine the event in response to industry demand and this year the new Merchandising Category is aimed at celebrating the fantastic designs and innovative ideas that both pet retailers and suppliers use to sell their products.  Suppliers and retailers can enter on an individual basis or we are happy to receive applications highlighting collaborations between suppliers and retailers, working together to produce stylish displays in-store or exciting window displays."

The sale of puppies and kittens through pet shops would be banned in Wales under plans being put out to consultation.

Wales' Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths said there was clear evidence such sales can contribute to an increase risk of disease.

The move would mean buyers would have to deal directly with a breeder or a re-homing centre.

People have until 17 May to give their views on the ban.

The vets, nurses and patients at a veterinary practice in Sheffield are set to star in a television series being made by TV production company True North for the BBC.

Filming at White Cross Vets on Retford Road in Handsworth started this month for the CBBC series ‘The Pets Factor’.

The series is due to air on the popular children’s channel later this year and features vets going about their day to day work – both in consultations and operations - dealing with a variety of cases from the routine to the extraordinary. 

Read more at: https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/sheffield-veterinary-practice-to-star-in-tv-show-the-pets-factor-1-9605473

Essex-based pet product importer and distributor Fadulla has sold its RepStyle, AquaSpectra and Garden Dreams brands and associated products to Peregrine Livefoods Ltd.

Peregrine is a well-established supplier in the pet market, specialising in reptile supplies, but says it is keen to expand its portfolio into aquatic and wild bird.

"The acquisition offers an exciting opportunity to Peregrine Livefoods," said sales and marketing director Chris Jones.

"We are now able to offer a wider range of reptile décor to our customers at more affordable prices. It also allows us to enter the aquatic and wild bird markets, a benefit to all Peregrine customers who already offer these products, but also for Peregrine to acquire new customers.

"We will continue to develop these brands and already have a pipeline of new products to bring to market in 2019. We’re looking forward to see the growth of these brands."

Existing Peregrine customers will be able to order any of the Repstyle, AquaSpectra or Garden Dreams products on their regular Peregrine orders. Customers who do not currently have an account with Peregrine will be asked to set one up, which will be subject to standard checks.

To celebrate the launch Peregrine is offering some introductory promotions across the range, details of which can be found in the Peregrine Monthly magazine.To ensure you do not miss out on Peregrines emails, you can sign-up here: http://eepurl.com/tYlxj

There was so much to see and do over the two days of PATS Sandown exhibition. If you weren't lucky enough to make it, here's a picture round-up from Sandown...

Marriages injected a bit of fun to the show as they took small animal nutrition to a new dimension.

Poppy's Picnic founder Dylan Watkins appeared on the popular Channel 4 TV series Come Dine With Me on Tuesday and served up a dog's dinner to fellow contestants.

The three-course dinner*was an experience for the senses and comprised handcrafted, fresh recipes that are suitable for both humans and dogs. Dylan wanted to make the point dog food doesn’t have to be a mundane eating experience with dry kibble day-in, day-out.

Dylan said: “Sadly, over 50% of dogs in the UK are obese, and many are dying from cancer and diabetes. We know that highly processed food is a contributory factor in human health problems, and the same goes for dogs.

"This was a massive inspiration to me when I set up Poppy’s Picnic and why I used my appearance on Come Dine With Me to spread the word that fresh is best.”

For the show he teamed up with Emma Rutherford, a Functional Canine Dietary Consultant, who he met at a dog show, to appear on the programme and showcase that just like humans, dogs should eat fresh food too.

Dylan explained: “When a friend sent me the advert for the new series I knew it would be an excellent platform to encourage more dog owners to feed fresh, healthy meals. My partner Michael was mortified at the thought of appearing on TV, so when Emma volunteered to join me, I seized this mad opportunity.”

Fellow contestant Kelly Houghton said: “It’s definitely not what I was expecting from a sophisticated dinner party! However, having spent the week with Dylan and experiencing his love, passion and dedication to dogs first hand, I was sold.

"We are now the happy owners of our own miniature schnauzer, and having previously known nothing about dog food, there was no way I was going to be feeding her anything else.”

Dylan added: “My heart pounds every time I think about the filming. I needn’t have worried, as all was forgiven by my fellow contestants as both couples now feed their dogs fresh, raw food.

"By appearing on a nationally loved TV show such as Come Dine With Me, I knew that the diets and health of thousands of dogs could be improved.”

Retailers and pet product buyers have given PATS Sandown’s new Sunday-Monday slot in February a massive thumbs up by visiting in their droves.

This year’s show attracted 1,993 visitors, which is a record in the show’s 11-year history. This compares with last year’s visitor numbers for the March date of 1,801 and represents an 11% increase year on year.

There was a great buzz throughout the Surrey and Esher Halls as buyers and exhibitors discussed the innovative stands and great new products on show, creating a surge of activity over two days of business at the Sandown Park venue in Esher, Surrey.

The show closed with visitors and exhibitors agreeing it had been a huge success, with the event delivering an unrivalled platform for the launch of hundreds of exciting pet product innovations. 

The New Product Showcase, sponsored by pbwnews, was a busy area throughout the event, and retailers admitted they were spoiled for choice as they decided on which items to stock in their stores for the year ahead.

Exhibitors agreed the quality of visitors to their stands was exceptional, and there was a great degree of confidence being shown despite economic uncertainty caused by Brexit.

Grooming demonstrations and workshops returned to the Sandown exhibition after a two-year absence and they were a hive of activity throughout the show. The series of seminars also proved very popular with visitors.

Tom Neish, founder of Yora Pet Foods, said: “This has been my first ever trade show and I can’t quite take in the fabulous response to our trailblazing new dog food. We’ve had a really good mix of people coming on to the stand, which has been busy on both days of the event.”

Laura Redstone, For All DogKind, commented: “This show was important to us because it provided the ideal time and place to launch our new range of supplements, and we have been really pleased with the response – in fact it has been non-stop for us since the doors opened.”

It was a similar story for Aquamat Chiller, whose Alison Roberts said:

“We haven’t stopped since we arrived at the show and what’s more the interest has come from independent retailers, which is the market we were aiming at. The show has been amazing.”

More than 40 exhibitors were new to PATS Sandown and among them were Coucour, whose sales manager Jorge Aguilera said: “Congratulations to PATS. Your show is fantastic – we were just at a Paris exhibition a month ago and in comparison the organisation here is so smooth. We’ve had a very enjoyable two days.”

Paul Mercer, UK sales manager of Tropiclean Pet Products, added: “We’ve been very impressed with the outcome. The set-up was very straightforward, everything has worked well and it was great to see such a full house in terms of visitors.”

There was a strong international presence at the show, including wild bird care specialists Bon from Bulgaria. Petar Yordanov said: “It’s our first PATS show and we have been impressed with the quality of visitors. We wanted to raise awareness of our wild bird foods and treats and the reaction has been great.”

Peter Radonyi, from Hunagrian company TICKLESS, added: “I’ve been amazed at the quality of retailers and buyers attending PATS. It’s our first time at Sandown and we couldn’t be happier. It has been well worth the trip and we’ll certainly exhibit again.”

The mood amongst visitors was summed up by Tina Quest, a senior buyer at Redpaw Pet Supplies in Plymouth. She said: “This show has everything – a great selection of exciting new products and a wide variety of exhibitors. As retailers we are spoiled for choice. We have spent far too much money on new stock for our shop but the investment is well worthwhile. It has been a brilliant show.”

Jacqui Thompson, owner of Wag & Bone boutique, Aldborough, Suffolk, commented: “We’re opening up shop next month and it’s really important for us to be able to see, touch and feel the products we want to stock. Coming here has been great because ordering over the internet or the phone is just not the same.”

And Laura van der Wee, a buyer at Brick Kiln Garden Centre, Chichester, Sussex, said:  “What a great show. We’re here looking for stock to add something to our repertoire – additional items that people don’t know they need until they see them – and we’ve had a few ideas. We come here to order all our new pet stock that will sell really well over the next few weeks and months.”

Organiser Gordon Thomas said: “We’re so pleased the move of dates to a Sunday and Monday in February has been a huge success. We love running this exhibition and it’s great to hear that exhibitors and visitors have experienced a brilliant show, demonstrating that PATS is the show for serious buyers of pet products.”

Date for the diary

PATS Telford takes place on September 22-23, 2019.

Natures Menu has been named in the top 100 companies of The Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200. 

The 10th annual Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200 league table ranks Britain’s mid-market private companies with the fastest-growing international sales. Placed 95 out of 200, Natures Menu is just one of three pet food manufacturers listed in the whole of the UK. 

The accolade follows another successful growth period for Natures Menu with a 59 per cent increase in international sales over the past two years, through its exports to 29 countries. 

Craig Taylor, Natures Menu Managing Director said: “We are thrilled to receive this news and it’s great to see that we are moving further up the ranks each year. Since starting out over 37 years ago, our reputation for providing satisfied customers with quality, nutritious, real food to dogs and cats is growing throughout the UK and internationally.

“Our success is testament to our phenomenal team who work hard to ensure our customers receive an unrivalled and expanding range of raw and natural human-grade food. Nutritious food made from real ingredients is at the heart of everything we do.”

Amanda Murphy, Head of Commercial Banking, HSBC UK, commented: “We at HSBC UK are thrilled to back The Sunday Times International Track 200 again this year. All the businesses it showcases have truly inspiring stories to tell about creativity,  resilience and ambition to succeed. They are the kinds of enterprises we are thrilled to support and that provide the backbone of our economy, today and tomorrow.”

Natures Menu specialises in raw dog and cat food made with fully-traceable quality meats and fish, blended vegetables, fruits and healthy carbohydrates, and uses British suppliers and ethical product sources wherever possible. 

Retailers wanting to find out more information about Natures Menu and their range can email trade@naturesmenu.co.uk, phone 0800 0183770 or visit

www.naturesmenu.co.uk. By registering for a trade account, retailers can gain access to hassle-free online ordering, great value freezer deals and point of sale, plus free training and the option to become a qualified Raw Advisor.

For more information about Natures Menu please visit www.naturesmenu.co.uk.

Pictured: Successful times for Natures Menu, pictured picking up a New Product Award at PATS Sandown for its Country Hunter Superfood Bars.