Pet owner Laura Sloane says a Pets at Home store in Orpington, Kent, lost her cat for six hours before she found it trapped behind a freezer...

Laura, of Oakdene Road, Orpington, says she took her black cat Vincent to be microchipped at the store in Nugent Shopping Park.

She was told the procedure would take place in a warehouse at the back of the shop.

Laura said: "A member of staff said to me: 'I have to take the cat round the back of the shop but you cannot come with me'.

"Twenty minutes later I heard him shouting. He was calling for another member of staff. He sounded very distressed.

"When he came back to the front of the shop all he said was: 'I have lost your cat'."

For the next six hours Laura searched the premises for the seven-year-old moggy - which she has owned since it was a kitten.

She says although she asked the members of staff to close the shop - which has automatic doors - to prevent the cat from escaping, they refused.

The 29-year-old added: "I was very angry and upset. It took them six hours to close the store.

"After they shut the shop and it was quiet enough I was able to hear him crying. He was stuck inside the back of a freezer.

"I took him to the vets and he had an extremely high temperature. His heart was beating really quickly over an hour later, his paws were sweating.

"My cat is still scared. He just hides himself under the bed, too scared to come out."

A Pets at Home spokesman said: "At Pets at Home we always put pets before profit and we’re very sorry for the distress caused to Vincent and Ms Sloane.

"We closed parts of the store until Vincent was found to minimise stress and, once he was found, our vet gave him a general health check to ensure he was ok, offering another free health check in a week’s time. 

"We hope that Vincent and Ms Sloane can accept our sincere apologies."

American pet shop owner Dorothy Hunter is eating nothing but dog and cat food for a month to prove how nutritious it is.

Hunter owns the Paw's Natural Pet Emporium in Washington and is prepared to prove her pet food is natural and healthy.

She started her pet food diet on June 19 and intends to stay on it for a month.

She said: "You'd be surprised how tasty dog and cat food can be when it's made right."

It hasn't taken long for her unique month-long diet to generate the publicity it was clearly designed for.

See Dorothy on YouTube by clicking here

Leading provider of wild bird care products, Gardman, has introduced four new bird tables.

This means it is now offering retailers a complete range solution with price points from £24.99 for the entry level Gardman table to £149.99 for high quality tables from The Ernest Charles Co, the premium wild bird care brand.

To underpin quality and offer increased flexibility of supply every table new to the range is made in the UK.  

“We know our retail partners need to be able to offer consumers choice and a wide range of price points,” said Sarah Downing, Marketing Director at Gardman.  “With our new range, from the basic entry level tables to the high quality premium The Ernest Charles Co. tables we offer the complete solution.”

The range of tables complements Gardman’s existing marketing leading wild bird care offer and comprises a variety of designs to suit individual preferences. 

The existing range offers self-assembly options that come flat packed with the fittings and instructions required. New Gardman tables offer step-up choice and durability. 

For easy merchandising they come in two parts and can be assembled in minutes. The table head and stem are both fully assembled and the head can then be simply screwed onto the bolt in the stem using the nut provided.  This makes it easy for consumers to transport the tables home after purchase. 

The premium The Ernest Charles Co. tables are beautifully crafted from high quality materials. They are made from solid pine, have a slate effect roof and come with a 15-year guarantee. All Gardman bird tables are made using FSC certified time.    

Sarah Downing continued: “Our complete range of bird tables is the perfect solution for garden centre retailers who want to offer some practical entry levels tables alongside options that will allow consumers to trade up to higher quality, higher value tables.” 

Janine Tozer, from Not Just Pets, said: “I am delighted to say that we sold 22 packs of Dog Rocks against only three packs in the same period last year! That's 750% extra! And now we are continuing to sell them really well."

With PFMA 2012 data showing that cat food sales are worth £936m a year for 14k tonnes, compared to dog food sales at just over £1m a year for 77k tonnes, it’s clear that cats are a profitable area for the specialist pet trade to focus on. 

“The speciliast pet trade is still only feeding 22% of the cats in the UK and Ireland,” says Gemma Duffield, Royal Canin retail marketing manager. 

“We are convinced we can change this – hence our fourth ‘Summer of the Cat’ campaign, designed to help our trade partners realise the 78% potential that is still there in the market.”

The aims of Summer of the Cat 2014 are to encourage increasingly large numbers of cat owners into the specialist pet trade, and ensure they remain loyal. 

The multi-pronged approach includes a charity element, in-store activity, and promotions, all designed to create an awareness of what the specialist pet trade and Royal Canin can offer cats and their owners.

“Our focus is really on what the specialist pet trade delivers, in terms of advice, expertise and the most highly tailored Health Nutrition products,” Gemma comments.

Feed a rescue cat for a day

According to the RSPCA, the number of cats in rescue rose from 29.7m in 2010 to 31.5m in 2012.  Research has shown that 37% of cat owners choose their pet from a rescue centre, and Royal Canin has been working with rescue centres country wide for many years.  Every stickered promotional bag sold during Summer of the Cat allows customers to visit www.royalcanin.co.uk/feedarescue, find the rescue centre of their choice, and make a donation to feed one cat for one day.

Rescue Cat of the Year

Oni, last year’s winner from St Francis Persian Rescue, is about to hand over his title to one of the 15 finalists for 2014, whose owners have told their cat’s story. “We know that many specialist pet trade retailers are involved in rescue and rehoming, as well as getting to hear their customers’ stories,” says Gemma. “Please encourage them to vote – the winning rescue centre will receive a month’s supply for 50 cats.”

Voting is via www.royalcanin.co.uk/rescuecat2014. Voters will be rewarded with an email money-off voucher for Royal Canin’s cat range, and are limited to one vote per person.

Royal Canin On the Road

Bringing new customers in, creating a sense of excitement, and communicating the services, products and expertise the specialist pet trade can offer are integral to building your business.  ‘Royal Canin On the Road’ offers a package, including store specific advertising, trained staff to help educate customers on their pet’s nutritional needs, and vouchers to encourage repeat purchase and build loyalty. 

Talking to pet owners

“It’s really important that we don’t just talk to pet owners through the traditional channels,” says Gemma.  “So we’re using big-selling titles like the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday, Marie Claire and Prima to target those cat owners who currently pick up their cat food alongside their groceries.”

A free 400g bag, available exclusively through the specialist pet trade, is available to over 9m consumers.

There’s an app for that…

The mycat app has a Lost Cat Alert to help reunite lost cats with their owners; a unique directory of cat friendly businesses; and a guide to cat health.  Retailers can log on to ensure that they are featured on the app.  Make sure your details are included – email info@fetchdigital.com confirming your business name, contact name, business phone number and business email address.

catwyse

catwyse is a new FREE educational programme to help promote and encourage responsible and respectful cat ownership, with the aim of helping increase owners’ understanding of their cats.  There are three levels of achievement – bronze, silver and gold – with a series of fascinating and engaging educational films covering topics from the simple history of cats to indepth looks at feline diseases.  Topics are presented by well known experts including Vicky Halls and John Bradshaw.  “There’s always more to learn about cats” comments Gemma, “and catwyse has something to offer novices and experts alike – retailers can demonstrate their expertise by passing all the awards!”  Visit www.catwyse.co.uk for more information and to sign up now.

In-store impact

Retailers taking part in ‘Summer of the Cat 2014’ can choose from a range of merchandising to create real impact in-store.  External banners, window clings and boxes, stand wraps and an arch, a dual-sided 3d totem and a pallet stacker are all on offer.  Free local newspaper adverts are on offer to qualifying retailers, and cat owners can also get a free night for their cat in the cattery of their choice via promotional bags.  A range of price promotions will offer added value to consumers, and help drive sales.

£3,100 bonus bonds up for grabs!

As in previous years, there will be a retailer display competition, judged on impact, creativity and effect on sales.  All retailers taking part will need to keep their Summer of the Cat displays in place for a minimum of four weeks to enable a ‘mystery shopper’ to visit.  The national winner will receive £2000 and 14 regional winners £100 each in bonus bonds to spend at High Street store.

Gemma sums up: “This is our fourth Summer of the Cat campaign, and every year it has lived up to expectations, providing a real focus for the specialist pet trade and bringing in more cat owners who have then stayed loyal.  It’s obvious that the cat market is a huge opportunity; we want to feed more cats in a better way, and we want to help our retail partners grow the market as a whole.”

For more information about Summer of the Cat 2014, contact your Royal Canin retail business manager, call 0845 606 9980, or visit www.royalcanin.co.uk.

Fancy a treat with the added bonus of boosted profits? By stocking Stone’s Snack Bars, retailers get the chance to win a week’s holiday in a dog-friendly cottage in the UK, worth £500...

To enter, all retailers have to do to is call Debbie or Penny on 01473 823296 to place an order for Stone’s Snack Bars, and each order will automatically be entered into the competition. There’s also the added bonus of a 2+1 promotion on every order! 

So what makes Stone’s Snack Bars so special? As well as being a convenient, portable snack, they provide a much needed energy boost to prevent that dreaded ‘flop effect’ active dogs get when their energy levels plummet.

They are also ideal for use in training as they can be broken up in handy bite size pieces. What’s more, the bars are nutritionally balanced and can even be given as a complete meal replacement, perfect for long car journeys without the fuss of feeding bowls. Stone’s Snack Bars contain no artificial colours and are packed with added vitamins and minerals for consumer’s peace of mind. They also contain added fibre to help aid good digestion and calcium to help keep bones strong and healthy.

Stone’s Snack Bars are available in three delicious flavours- beef & country vegetables, ocean fish & rice and chicken & potato so there is bound to be a bar to suit every dogs taste. And at £0.59 per bar it’s an impulse buy at the till but with so many opportunities to snack, the figures soon add up. So why not bring a slice of the outdoor market into your business and be in with the chance to win a well-earned break away in the UK too?

Visit www.stonesactivedogs.com to view the complete range of healthy snacks and bars on offer.

If funds are not available to help the centres then many will have to close and more animals could not be re-homed and live out their lives after being given a second chance.

"We will invite schools to join in as we need more veterinary nurses, specialist vets and farriers as well as marine vets and animal experts in general," said a Wetnose Animal Aid. "This is one way of helping to educate children by having fun and making them aware that animals are an important part of our daily lives, especially bees and our wildlife."

Wetnose Animal Aid is asking volunteers to hold fund raising events like a Tea and cake morning, plant stall, car boot stall, horse ride, bike ride, dog show or a dog walk.

Celebrities like Amanda Holden support the camapign. She said: "I love the idea of a Wetnose Day for animals and do hope we can make it as big as red nose day for humans.

"Many of the smaller animal sanctuaries are full to busting and need our help with the wonderful work they do against all the odds. Please join me and support those without a voice, join Wetnose and let’s all make a real difference”. 

For more information email info@wetnoseday.org or visit www.wetnoseanimalaid.com

Veterinary charity PDSA is urging dog owners to beware of snakes in woods and grassland, after saving the life of greyhound Cookie, who was bitten on Cannock Chase, Staffordshire.

The eight-year-old dog is now recovering after her near-fatal encounter with an adder at the popular beauty spot on Tuesday.

Owner Lynn Pallatina, from Hednesford,  said: “I didn’t know what had happened to Cookie at first, she was sniffing around and then jumped back suddenly. I saw the end of a snake but I didn’t think she’d actually been bitten – I thought they tended to stay away from people and other animals. 

"But then she just lay down on the ground, opening and closing her mouth and within three minutes her face had started to swell badly so I knew something was wrong. I  took her straight to PDSA and they asked if it was possible Cookie had been bitten by something, it was only then that it clicked it may have been the adder.”

Kay Brough, Head Nurse at Wolverhampton PDSA where Cookie was first admitted said: “Cookie was bitten on her face by an adder. Without treatment it’s quite possible she would have died, as adder venom is poisonous and can cause organ failure. She was immediately given pain relief and thankfully we were able to get hold of the anti-venom to treat her, which she quickly responded to. However it’s vital that we continue to monitor Cookie closely, as the venom can cause permanent damage to her organs.”

Cookie was then transferred to Quinton PDSA for overnight observation and has since been allowed home with her worried owner, Lynn.. Although now in a stable condition, Cookie is not yet out of the woods and will need daily checks at PDSA to monitor her kidney function for any permanent damage.

Lynn added: “Cookie has been incredibly lucky; I know without treatment she would have died and I’m so grateful to PDSA for saving her life. We won’t know for a week or so whether she will make a full recovery or whether there will be any permanent damage. I just want to let other dog owners know of the danger so they can hopefully avoid this terrible experience.”

Last year staff at PDSA PetAid hospital in Cardiff had amputate the leg of a dog in Cardiff after Missy, a black crossbreed, suffered a suspected snake bite to the leg.

Adders are the only venomous snake native to Britain and are most commonly found on dry heaths and moors during hot sunny weather, so recent prolonged sunny spells could mean they are more prevalent. PDSA vet nurse Kay continued: “Adder bites to dogs are thankfully quite rare but when seen they are usually on the face and limbs, most likely as a result of the snake attacking in self defence after being disturbed by an inquisitive dog.

“The venom causes severe, rapid swelling and two small puncture wounds may be visible at the centre. The dog will also show signs of acute pain and may appear nervous or apprehensive. If not treated it can cause them to collapse and can even be fatal. Any owner noticing any of these symptoms should call their vet immediately for advice. Don’t touch the wound as this can spread the venom further.

“If you do see an adder do not try to approach it or photograph it – the venom is toxic to humans too, although it isn’t usually fatal due to our larger size. Keep your distance, and put your dog on a lead immediately.”

Lynne’s son Jamie is now planning to raise funds for PDSA with his school class. PDSA is the UK’s leading veterinary charity, providing free treatment for the sick and injured pets of eligible owners in need. The charity receives no government or national lottery funding for its PetAid services, relying entirely on generous public support. For more information visit www.pdsa.org.uk.

The owner of a cat sanctuary has been banned for life from having pets after animals in her care were found dead in a shed.

RSPCA inspectors discovered the decomposed bodies of seven cats at the Cross Country Cat Rescue in Green Lane, Ilkeston, run by Samantha Hall, along with a leg bone of another pet.

The 26-year-old woman, now living in Francis Street, Brinsley, pleaded guilty to failing to meet the needs of eight cats in November last year, as well as failing to provide water to four more cats living inside her home.

The sanctuary had been run by a friend of Hall, but when she became homeless, the woman took her in and let her set up at the house.

Simon Stevens, mitigating, said after the friend had built the shed for the cats, she soon left, leaving Hall with animals.

The RSPCA received a complaint in May 2013 and two officers visited the sanctuary, finding the cats in “reasonable bodily condition.”

They gave Hall advice and a contact telephone number in case she had any problems.

But when the inspectors returned in December, they discovered the bodies of seven cats - one riddled with maggots - in the shed.

Food remnants were found near some of the dead cats but none had access to water. A vet described it as a "disgusting environment and a very distressing one."

Four cats were found alive inside the house, which was "littered with faecal matter, some of which was mouldy," said John Sutcliffe, prosecuting.

When questioned, Hall said the animals had died of cat flu, but this could not be confirmed. If that were the cause, "their suffering would be indescribably awful," the vet reported.

Mr Stevens said: “In hindsight, it was clear she could not care for the cats and was unable to care for herself.

"She dropped six dress sizes through the distress and worry.

“This has had an extremely sobering effect on her.”

Hall was ordered to pay £400 prosecution costs by Derby and South Derbyshire magistrates court and a £60 government surcharge. She was also given 200 hours of unpaid community work.

She now works as a carer for a young person. Although banned for life from keeping animals, she can apply to have it lifted in a decade.

Homes have been found for the four rescued cats.

Tetra is re-launching TetraMin Menu – a selection of four flakes, which offers varied and balanced nutrition for ornamental fish.

Available to retailers now, TetraMin is ideal for selective and varied feeding for all ornamental fish and provides consumers with increased choice of feed for their fish to suit specific needs and benefits.

TetraMin Menu fish food is separated into four different chambers, each housing carefully selected flakes containing a range of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Included within the product are:

• yellow flakes for encouraging healthy growth
• brown flakes for raising resistance to disease
• green flakes for improved vitality  brown flakes for raising resistance to disease
• red flakes for improving colouration

Made from high-quality, scientifically formulated ingredients this product not only offers a solution for consumers who choose selective feeding, but the suspension qualities of the flakes allow for food-intake appropriate to the species. This unique suspension quality prolongs the feeding experience, bringing fish to the surface and keeping them there for longer, so the fish keeper can enjoy watching their fish feed. 

Alex Hinton, Trade Marketing Manager at Tetra comments: “We are constantly responding to the needs of both the customer and the market to provide solutions to enhance the fishkeeping and feeding experience whilst maintaining healthy nutrition for fish. Fish owners are looking for more choice and high-quality ingredients when it comes to feeding their fish, and TetraMin Menu responds to both of these needs directly”.

TetraMin Menu has an RRP of £7.90 and is available in cases of six.

Longshaw Nursery in Blackburn was pleasantly surprised after its efforts to raise some money to provide the children with rabbits and hutches raised £1,400.

With sterling work from Tony Yates, of Pets at Home, Blackburn, the nursery became proud owners of five rabbits and two large hutches and a run.

The remainder of the money went towards the improvement of the outdoor area for babies.

Radio Systems Corporation, owners of the PetSafe and SportDOGbrands, has appointed Sandra Lawler as Customer Care Manager for Europe.

In her new role based at the European headquarters in Dundalk, Ireland, Sandra will be responsible for the overall direction, coordination and evaluation of customer care for the PetSafe and SportDOG brands across Europe, to include: Scandinavia, the UK and mainland Europe. Highly experienced, Sandra’s impressive track record includes 18 years’ experience gained working in customer care roles, frequently in a multi lingual capacity.

Sandra commented: “The chance to join a dynamic organisation undergoing incredible growth and with a strong focus on innovation was too good an opportunity to miss. The Radio Systems values really resonate with me as a pet lover and I’m looking forward to being part of the team.”

Radio Systems Corporation International Marketing Director, Angela Critchley added: “Our business continues to undergo considerable growth across Europe and Sandra will play a key role in helping us to maintain the high levels of customer care that our customers rightly expect. Undoubtedly she brings extensive customer care experience to her new role and this, combined with her values and enthusiasm, make her a great fit for the team - we’re delighted to welcome her on board.”

Radio Systems Corporation re-located its European headquarters including its multilingual customer services centre to Dundalk in 2012. There are currently 25 people based at the European operation in Dundalk which trades as Radio Systems PetSafe Europe Limited.

A besotted dog owner has spent an astounding £5,000 on a birthday party for her beloved pet.

Karen Chamberlain, 52, from Dover splashed out on a glamorous bash for her female bulldog, Lady Lola, to mark the fact she had survived to 10 years old despite being given just five years to live after a devastating house fire in 2005.

The professional dog breeder, who specialises in bulldogs, hired a lavish beach club where Lola sat upon a specially-made throne and dressed in a £150 dress and £100 tiara.

Karen, who has no children, said: "People think I'm mad - I've been called 'barking' more than once - but it's only common sense to me that Lola should have had a tutu and a throne for her birthday, considering her rocky journey in life. She's really like one of my children."

Karen narrowly saved Lola and Lola's puppy Tia from a cloud of toxic smoke which filled her house when a coffee pot melted in an unexplained fire.

Cilla Black won't get another pet because she worries she'll die first.

The 71-year-old TV icon has confessed she turned down an offer from comedian Paul O'Grady to buy her a new pet pooch as she doesn't think she'd outlive it.

Speaking at a book launch in London, the former 'Blind Date' host told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "I put my last dog down last year. And Paul O'Grady told me he would buy me one for my birthday but I don't want one. Only because the dog will probably outlive me."

Her admission comes after she recently revealed she hopes she dies aged 75 before she gets too old and infirm.

Cilla also said at the same event that Colin Firth was her dream man and she couldn't contain herself when she was sitting directly behind him at Wimbledon.

She told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "Colin Firth was sitting right in front of us. I adore him ... He wasn't adoring me, he was watching the tennis."

The veteran entertainer is being played by Sheridan Smith in an upcoming ITV drama about her life story, but can't bring herself to watch the tapes back.

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)