Marc Abraham, TV vet and founder of PupAid, has posted an open letter to the Pet Industry Federation, challenging the organisation's stance over the controversial sale of puppies in pet shops.

His comments follow a report in Pet Trade Xtra on the announcement of PIF's Quality Assurance Standard for the Sale of Puppies in Pet Shops.

PIF claims the Standard will ensure the highest standards are reached by pet shops when selling puppies.

But Marc Abraham disagrees and in his open letter posted on The Huffington Post he says: "This Standard is not going to make any radical demands on third party vendors, and sadly seems unlikely to improve animal welfare standards either.

"Furthermore it seems to reflect PIF's complete failure to grasp that the outdated practice of selling puppies in pet shops is inconsistent with the unanimous basic advice for buyers (from RSPCA, Dogs Trust, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, The Kennel Club, PDSA, DEFRA, etc) to always see the puppy interacting with its mother."

Marc Abraham went on to state: "You claim this Quality Assurance measure will ensure the 'highest standards' are reached by pet shops but you do not appear to recognise that these ought to apply to the entire supply chain rather than just the sale premises - which rarely provide for the young puppy's emotional and developmental needs."

According to Abraham, the primary areas of concern relating to the sale of puppies through pet shops are:

• Puppies bred in high volume, low welfare commercial breeding establishments, e.g. puppy farms
• Puppies separated from their mothers at too early an age (improperly weaned/socialised) 
• Buyers having no opportunity to see puppies with their mother 
• Puppies being transported over long distances in unsuitable conditions 
• Risk of disease and health problems through poor breeding practices; conditions at the breeding establishment; stress resulting in compromised immune systems; inadequate biosecurity both in transit and on sale premises 
• Lack of socialisation and habituation (throughout supply chain) necessary to ensure puppies are fit for purpose as family pets 
• Conditions on premises unsuited to meeting welfare needs of puppies as outlined in Animal Welfare Act 2006 
• Impulse purchasing 
• Unsold puppies

"Sadly your 'Quality Assurance Standard' does not seem to satisfactorily address any of these concerns," he added.

"The only conclusion that can be drawn from this latest PIF development is that far from being an 'enormous step forward in the debate about puppy sales' you are simply demonstrating an ongoing refusal to accept that it is impossible to improve the sale of puppies in pet shops to a point where it becomes acceptable and does not negatively impact on animal, or indeed human, welfare."

A full version of Marc Abraham's open letter can be found online, click here

The Pet Industry Federation told us that it wouldn't be providing any comments on Marc Abraham's open letter at this stage. An article entitled 'Politics and puppies' by Nigel Baker, Chief Executive of the PIF, can be found at http://www.petcare.org.uk/index.php/news/142-news/1854-politics-and-puppies

Billy+Margot’s success at winning a trademark opposition case in 2013 has been documented in a new video by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO).

The company, which produces a popular range of nutritious dog food and treats, was launched by entrepreneur Marie Sawle in 2012 and was named after her two black Labradors.

Shortly after applying to the IPO for a trademark to protect the ‘Billy+Margot’ brand name, a French dog food company called BILLI opposed her application, claiming it was too similar to its trademark.  The case went to a hearing and the judgement ruled in favour of Billy+Margot.

“It was a real shock to find out that someone was opposing our trademark as it was so unique," said Marie.

"But until a trademark is registered there is always a chance that someone will oppose it. So we were delighted with the ruling.

“We now have a trademark that is registered as ours and will enable us to expand our product range in the future.

"It is vital to protect the branding of your business and so we were very happy to assist the IPO when it chose to document our story as a test case. “

The video can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXzAR_2TO9o

Multi-award winning pet product brand Animology has been launched into the American market in an exclusive deal with Petco, who have over 1,100 stores across the United States.

March saw Animology launch a range of nine dog shampoo products through Petco stores nationwide and marks an exciting entry into North America, where over 56.7 million households spend an average $61 per year on dog grooming products and services.

Petco becomes the latest major overseas pet specialist retailer to recognise the strength of the Animology brand and offer it to their customer base, joining the likes of Pet Lovers Centre in South East Asia and Musti Ja Mirri in Scandinavia.

These latest developments are in keeping with the success of Animology's parent company Group55, recognised as Exporter of the Year for 2014 by UK pet trade association PetQuip.

With consistently strong sales in each of the markets in which Animology is now established, Group55 hopes to build on its success.

Managing director Stephen Turner said: “We are immensely proud to see Animology, a brand which we created just five years ago, now sitting on the shelves of one of the biggest pet retailers in the world.

"Establishing Animology in the US market has always been a priority for us, and the announcement of our working relationship with Petco marks the culmination of a great deal of planning to get to this point.

"We firmly believe that in Petco we have the ideal partner to bring Animology products to the US retail market, and we are thrilled and excited to be able to make Animology products widely available to US consumers through Petco stores.

"We look forward to making Animology as successful in the United States as it is at home and elsewhere." 

Pictured: Stephen Turner with Animology products in a Petco store.

Gardman has donated £20,000-worth of dog food from its new Ernest Charles pets range to the Wood Green animal welfare charity.

Canine residents at the famous Cambridgeshire-based animal shelter have been tucking in to two tasty Ernest Charles flavours – Turkey & Rice and Salmon & Potato.

The majority of the 930 donated packs of food, though, will help Wood Green to raise funds for the centre and help educate dog owners on first-class pet care, by:

• supporting their outreach work in the community,
• incentivising dog owners to book into their dog-related workshops by offering a free bag of food.
• making the food available in their charity shops against a donation
• offering the food as prizes in fund-generating competitions.

Tim Goff, who heads Gardman’s pets category, says the initiative will give Gardman valuable insights into the dog food market as well as support the charity’s vital animal welfare work.

“We have big plans for this category, and we believe the initiative will help us find out how dog owners – new and existing – respond to this new range,” he said.

“Wood Green and its work is so well known that it enhances the excellent profile of the Ernest Charles brand.”

Ernest Charles premium feeds are 100% wheat-free, UK sourced and include a variety of blends to cater for puppies, adult and senior dogs. Display instore on a fully branded wooden display stand.

For more information about Gardman, visit www.gardman.co.uk

For information about Wood Green, go to: www.woodgreen.org.uk

Picture shows: Wood Green staff with some of their residents after delivery of the Ernest Charles consignment from Gardman. Back row, left to right:  Sue Butler (Deputy Section Manager Dogs), Tim Goff (Gardman), Tracey Jane Bingham (Departmental Manager, Dog Welfare), Richard Parris (Corporate Fundraiser). Front row, left to right: Tracey Hill (Deputy Section Manager, Dogs), Katja Jones, (Major Donor Officer), Helen Prestage (Animal Rehomer).

Pet food manufacturers must be more open about what they're putting in their products, according to TV vet Joe Inglis.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 live this morning, he responded to concerns raised by University of Nottingham researchers that some pet food labelling does not always accurately relate to the ingredients in the product.

Several pet food brands contain beef, chicken and pork which is not listed on the ingredients, they said.

Mr Inglis, who is well known for his appearances on Vets in Practice, The One Show and This Morning, said: "The problem is transparency. We want to know what we're feeding them (pets). Pet owners need to know what's in there.

"The main ingredient is often not what you would expect."

The researchers found DNA from the three animals in 14 leading brands of dog and cat foods, despite the meats not being mentioned on the products' labels.

Two types of pet food which claimed to contain chicken, actually contained more pig or cow meat, and five samples "with beef" contained more pig DNA.

Kin-Chow Chang, of the University of Nottingham, said: "It may be a surprise to shoppers to discover that prominently described contents such as 'beef' on a tin could, within the guidelines, be a minor ingredient, have no bovine skeletal muscle (meat) and contain a majority of unidentified animal proteins."

Researchers say no regulations have been broken but that pet owners are not getting the products they expect and the current system could cause religious offence.

"Full disclosure of animal contents will allow more informed choices to be made on purchases which are particularly important for pets with food allergies, reduce the risk of product misinterpretation by shoppers, and avoid potential religious concerns," said Mr Chang.

April Fool's Day is a hard time for seekers of serious news stories, particularly when there are some stories that seem fanciful but are not.

Here are two 'true' pet stories from around the world.

Cats are amenable to classical music. A study in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery found that cats hate heavy metal, are indifferent to pop but are fond of classical music. Twelve cats under anaesthetic and wearing headphones were exposed to the three genres of music for two minutes at a time. Those listening to classical appeared calmer — breathing more slowly and with smaller pupils. Miguel Carreira from the University of Lisbon said that cats are especially partial to the music of George Handel.

A dog can play the drums to Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes. Maple, a border collie mixed breed, is the star of a video in which she taps a drum pedal in time as her owner plays Jack White's famous riff on the guitar. Maple's percussion skills have earned her 170,000 followers on her Vine channel and 46,900 Instagram followers.

Building on the success of the existing Busy Buddy range, global pet product expert PetSafe is introducing three new and exciting toys that are set to be a big hit with pets and their owners – Busy Buddy Ultra Sub, Busy Buddy Ultra Stratos and Busy Buddy Ultra Woofer.

The fun Busy Buddy Ultra Sub features knobbled nylon 'buns' sandwiching rubber spacers and two ultra-thick bacon flavoured treat rings.

Designed to hold a dog’s interest for a longer period of time, the treat rings spin on their posts, allowing very little surface area for dogs to grip on to.

Designed with determined chewers in mind Busy Buddy Ultra Stratos holds two ultra-thick bacon flavoured treat rings, as well as a textured rubber centre for extra chewing satisfaction.

With the toy‘s diameter being the same as the treat rings it makes it more difficult for dogs to get a tearing grip on the treat rings. This difficulty combined with the ultra-thick treat rings means it will hold a dog’s interest for a longer period of time.

Busy Buddy Ultra Woofer is another durable toy that turns destructive chewing into positive playtime for a longer time. The extra-wide ends of the Woofer protect a single ultra-thick bacon flavoured treat ring, making it more difficult for the dog to grip on the treat ring.

International Marketing Director, Angela Critchley, said: “The Busy Buddy collection of toys are exceptionally popular with both dogs and their owners.

"All toys are designed to stimulate, reward and help re-direct potentially destructive behaviours.

"We’re looking forward to launching these new additions, which we’re sure will provide lots of fun and keep dogs entertained for hours at a time.”

For further information visit www.petsafe.net 

Pooch & Mutt has launched new 10kg bags of its bestselling grain free dog food range, which includes Calm & Relaxed, Health & Digestion, Move Easy and Slim & Slender.

The 10kg bags will build on the success of the existing 2kg bags and provide customers with larger dogs or multiple mouths to feed a premium food that is made with British, hypoallergenic ingredients in a larger quantity.  

All of the foods in the range are made in the UK and based on the concept of Condition Appropriate Nutrient Feeding (C.A.N.F.) which works to create the correct condition appropriate food for the specific condition a dog may have. The foods help with calming, weight loss, mobility and sensitive stomachs.  

Guy Blaskey, MD of Pooch & Mutt states: “C.A.N.F. is the best way to feed dogs and Pooch and Mutt’s mission is to help dogs lead happy and healthy lives for as long as possible.

"The food they eat is crucial to achieve this. We’ve worked closely with top nutritionists to formulate the best C.A.N.F. foods for the most common problems dogs have.

"The launch of our 10kg bags will be a great way for consumers to purchase our unique blend of functional foods in a larger size."

The range of 10kg foods debuted at PATS Sandown 2015 and received great praise from customers and stockists alike.

As independent retailers are important to Pooch & Mutt, the new 10kg bags will be available through major wholesalers including Vital Pet Products, Pedigree Wholesale and Armstrong Richardson. Direct orders will also be taken and include free 48 hour courier. The 10kg bags will retail for £57.99 and are expected to be a huge success.

Pooch and Mutt is well known for both high quality ingredients and eye catching design, having won Gold for their treats at the European Design Awards. The range of foods is already extremely popular with customers all around the world and the new 10kg bag size will surely follow suit.

Pets at Home has launched an investigation into the products it uses on dogs after a West Highland terrier suffered an allergic reaction to grooming treatment at a store in Stoke-on-Trent.

Pet owner Terry Maughan was shocked to see his dog Snowbell struggling to breathe and unable to open her eyes after the £36 treatment. He rushed the animal to the vets where they discovered she had suffered an allergic reaction to the shampoo.

Snowbell fell ill an hour after having a shampoo, wash and haircut at the Groom Rooms salon based at Pets at Home in Festival Park, Stoke-on-Trent. The family were landed with a £102 vet's bill.

A spokesperson for Pets at Home  said: "Our Groom Room colleagues are all highly trained and use only specifically formulated products which have a history of use in pet grooming.

"When washing dogs, great care is taken to avoid shampoo coming into contact with a dog's eyes.

"This was certainly the case with Snowbell so we were very surprised to learn of her reaction.

"The products used with Snowbell are common to all 179 Groom Rooms around the country and we have seen no other cases of dogs being affected in this way."

The Insight Aquarium, based on new design and technology from Interpet, aims to make fishkeeping easy and fun for all ages.

Insight is a starter system for people who are new to the hobby. The makers also believe it is ideal for experienced fishkeepers wanting to upgrade to a more simple system.

Everything needed is included in a simple colourful take-away box.

Insight is backed by full website support, including video and simple clear information on all aspects right down to selection of best fish and long term fish care.

The aquarium itself features a new look slimline lid and the unique curved glass front for panoramic effect is another stand out selling point.

Insight comes complete with filter system to high performance LED white day and blue moonlight effect lighting plus the revolutionary new Aquacare Reminder system.

The simple drop in DeltaTherm heater ensures the aquarium can be used for cold or tropical fish. 

There are additional upgrade options including auto feeders and stands.

There is also a new Autotimer which can set the lighting to 10 hours on and 14 hours off to replicate a natural day/night cycle.

Insight aquariums are available in two sizes – 40 litre and 60 litre.

For more information visit  www.interpetaquatics.co.uk

Hillier Garden Centres which has 12 stores across the South East, has raised £29,765.18 for the Guide Dogs charity over the past two years, through donations from customers and the tireless efforts of staff.

The money raised has sponsored a guide dog named ‘Chelsea’ through her training and prepared her to begin a life of helping her new owner.

Chris Francis, garden centre director for Hillier, said: “Whilst we have been redeveloping our stores and pushing the business forward with our new gardening club, Hillier is still, at its heart, a compassionate family run business. We like to be able to give something back to the community, which is why we choose a charity every two years to give our assistance to.

“I’m thrilled we’ve been able to raise so much for the Guide Dogs for the Blind charity and wish Chelsea well in her new home. We hope to continue to hear how she’s getting on.”

The cheque for the charity was presented by Robert Hillier, owner of the garden centre group, to Nicola West, accompanied by her dog Hilly, at the recently updated and renovated Hillier Garden Centre in Liss.

Nicola, from Guide Dogs for the Blind, said: “With a generous donation like this, it’ll mean we can increase the amount of dogs.

“The dogs are life changing, the confidence a dog can give you is amazing. You feel empowered. It has given me the confidence to get a job. I don’t know where I’d be without Hilly.”

Hillier will be continuing its fundraising by supporting another charity from 2015-2017, details of which will be released soon.

Pictured, from left to right,: retired Guide Dogs homer, Hillier Garden Centre Director Chris Francis, Guide Dogs for the Blind Support Worker Nicola West and Hillier Garden Centre group owner, Robert Hillier.

TopLife formula, the range of natural pet milks, treats and food for dogs, puppies, cats and kittens, has joined forces with Forest Holidays once again in 2015 in a unique sampling partnership.

Following the positive response from last year’s activity, TopLife will be creating welcome packs containing cartons of TopLife milk for visitors and their dogs. The welcome packs encourage guests to let their dogs try the goats’ milk as a treat and to help keep them hydrated during their stay.

The activity will be promoted on both TopLife and Forest Holidays social networks and websites.

TopLife Brand Manager Simon Mayne said: “We are once again extremely excited about the sampling partnership with Forest Holidays as it is an ideal opportunity for us to target exactly the right people and encourage them to try the product and experience the benefits for themselves.

"Forest Holidays offers visitors lots of outdoor activities during their breaks, TopLife Milk for Dogs not only gives families a healthy treat for their dogs but one which will also help rehydrate them after their daily adventures in the forest.” 

Petcare company Collarways is thrilled that the latest product from West Paw Design’s Zogoflex has been awarded the Winner of the Dog Accessory Product at PATS Sandown. 

As Collarways openly admit, it has been a while since there has been a new addition to the range, but it was worth the wait for the Toppl.

“What is great about winning this award is that it is chosen by a panel of judges who are retailers themselves,” says Katie Goldsmith, director of Collarways.

“As a distributor, these are our customers and their opinion is everything to us. The Toppl is so popular with all the office dogs, from the little Chihuahua Bob to the destructive Rottie X (and a few Labradors in between) so we were convinced it would be a winner.”

The small and large Toppl push together to create a treat-dispensing toy that dogs will love to nuzzle and nudge.

As with all Zogoflex products, the Toppl comes with a free one-time replacement. 

Zogoflex is distributed in the UK by Collarways Limited. For more information visit  www.collarways.com

Frozzys,  the lickable frozen yoghurt for dogs, has gone from strength to strength over the past two years, and its progress looks set to continue after a highly successful PATS Sandown.

"Being new to the pet market in early 2014, we have been delighted at the response and interest taken on board by the trade at PATS Sandown," said Noel Conlon, of the Irish company who make Frozzys.

"From the minute the doors opened to the minute they closed it was literally full on.

"Engaging with the interested parties who visited the stand and showing them our four varieties and our branded freezer was a joy.

"Potential customers were particularly taken with the nutritional value of Frozzys and the fact that dogs love it the whole year round.

"And the fact that it was St.Patrick's day and that we had a special offer of winning a weekend for two in Belfast also captured the imagination of many current and potential customers." 

For more information visit www.frozzys.com

Virgin Atlantic Cargo is partnering Heathrow’s Animal Reception Centre (HARC) in a trial of a ‘check before you fly’ service for travelling pets.

Until now, pets – and their owners – have had to endure the stress of not knowing if they meet the entry requirements of the UK Pet Travel Scheme until they arrive in the UK. But under the trial, from April, it will be possible to correct any errors or obtain additional information before travel.

The airline’s director of cargo, John Lloyd, said: “Carrying pets is an important part of our business. Giving customers the opportunity to have all of their pets’ paperwork checked prior to travel is a very welcome initiative. It will not only give pet owners peace of mind, it will also speed up the process of them being reunited with their pets on the day of arrival.”

Virgin Atlantic Cargo was the first airline to be approved to fly pets direct from the US to the UK under the UK Pet Travel Scheme in 2003, and has carried over 20,000 animals since the service was launched. It includes booking, collection, and clearance to reuniting pets with their owners.

CSJ’s just released Spring 2015 newsletter is packed with news, views and feedback from top handlers, trainers and breeders.

Including an introduction from Ceri Rundle, CSJ’s founder and owner, the newsletter covers reports on:

• Agility
• Gundogs
• Sheepdogs
• Search and Rescue
• Sleddog racing
• Disc dogs
• CSJ IPO
• Flyball
• Show dogs
• Social media
• CSJ Ireland
• Pet Blood Bank Charity
• Bike-joring

There is also information and feedback on the new products introduced over the last year, including Focus! for dogs that handlers simply need to settle down and concentrate and the scrumptious semi-moist, easy to handle Meat Treats.

Ceri mentions her own early life amongst dogs and says, “It’s clear to see the same strong relationships between the handlers and dogs featured here in the News Mag.  It’s a real pleasure for us to see that so many Champions trust CSJ.”

To view online or download go to http://www.csjk9.com/pdf/CSJ-Newsletter-Spring-2015.pdf