On the eve of opening another dedicated pet care shop in Workington, Poundstretcher has announced plans to develop a further 60 Pet Huts throughout the country this year...

The latest Pet Hut will be located within Pounstretchers'  Clay Flatts store in Annie Pit Lane, Workington, and opens onFriday.

Poundstretcher began opening in-store Pet Huts last year.

The 400-strong chain has long sold pet products but hopes that the dedicated space will help it win a bigger share of a market.

A spokeswoman for the company said: “The new range will consist of food for dogs, cats, small animals, fish and wild birds, plus pet accessories.

“We have been selling pet products within Poundstretcher for many years, so giving pet care dedicated space is a natural progression for us.”

The Workington outlet will be Poundstretcher’s nineteenth Pet Hut and the first in Cumbria.

There are plans to open a further 60 by the end of 2014.

Poundstretcher was established in 1981. It sells discounted homeware including kitchenware, quilts and pillows, bedding, bathroom products, furniture, electric goods, beds, luggage and children’s toys.

The company announced last year that it planned to concentrate on retail parks, such as Clay Flatts, and close around half of its 150 town-centre stores when the leases expire.

Fifteen were expected to shut this year. It will continue to open in out-of-town locations, however, with 50 new stores expected in 2014.

It aims to have 600 stores by 2018.

Ex-Formula One world champion Jody Scheckter, who owns Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire, has launched a range of raw pet food...

The farm formed a partnership with Sharon Daly, a canine nutrition advisor, to develop the products which include lean raw mince.

Mr Scheckter said: “I always fed our own two Ridgebacks on processed food. Then Sharon came to the farm wanting to buy some raw fresh meat for her dogs.

“I realised that dog owners like Sharon who feed raw, desired the same for their dogs as I do for myself and my family.

“It all started to make sense – the same principle and philosophy applied to dogs as we have for our human health, and so we formed a partnership.”

The food offers a completely natural diet for pets, with meats produced exclusively from Laverstoke’s own abattoir.

You can find out more about the Laverstoke Park Farm pet food by clicking here

Natures Menu says it is willing to offer pet owners and retailers advice and support if they have concerns over some of the issues raised in Channel 5's ‘The truth about your dog’s food’.

But it is also thrilled that knowledge about the ingredients and nutrition of pet foods is being highlighted so widely by national newspapers and TV.

The multi award-winning Norfolk-based raw food specialist issued the following statement this week following last week's highly debated Channel 5 show.

"Our campaign for more honest labelling of pet foods and the use of better quality ingredients has been at the heart of our own product creation and commercial labelling for the last 32 years! We are also pleased to see that raw feeding has been included now as a real option for pet owners within the TV programme itself.

"Those that know and love Natures Menu pet foods will agree that our labelling is clear and we really try to identify ingredients to make life easy for consumers.

"In addition, we can whole heartedly claim we know exactly what goes into our products and exactly where those products came from, in other words we have full traceability of our ingredients and work hard to ensure only the best foods your reach dogs and cats.
We are proud that our gently steam cooked cans and pouches only contain real meat and contain no sugars, artificial colours, flavourings or preservatives, meat meals or manufactured meat derivatives.

"We continue to work tirelessly to advise pet owners that raw feeding has now moved much further forward than the TV coverage has time to share with you all!

"Raw feeding today is easy, economical, clean and safe with products such as our ready-made complete raw meals. These complete and balanced meals provide all the benefits of a genuinely natural and species appropriate diet with the convenience expected of a professional food for pets.

"The best thing about using these prepared foods is the safety of them. Registered Defra approved raw pet food companies such as Natures Menu follow strict EU guidelines where approval to produce raw pet foods are controlled by Defra and the AHVLA (animal health veterinary laboratory agency). These agencies only allows a company to legally provide prepared raw diets when all of the specific production rules are met for Salmonella and other bacteria. In other words, raw pet foods today are produced to high quality standards in the same way as any meat product. Clean production, new packaging, cool storage and quality controls are all demands on the EU regulation for the production of great raw meals for pets.

"As the Europe’s leading experts in raw feeding, with two award wins in 2013 for our manufacturing procedures we can assure anyone considering feeding a raw diet that Natures Menu raw meat products are of the highest quality and are safe to feed."

Natures Menu added that it was disappointed with a quote from a canned pet food producer in the Channel 5 programme stating that dogs could pass salmonella out through their skin to their fur and onto humans. It was described as shedding.

"Our vet and team have not been able to find any evidence to support this claim and there seems to be no evidence in the UK of people contracting this bad bacteria from dogs," added Natures Menu.

"Dogs have a much lower stronger acid in their stomachs than humans, and a digestive system designed to eat and digest raw foods.
We live with millions of dogs in the home and it’s a fact that we live together safely."

Alison Daniel, pet nutritionist and Co-Founder of Din Dins (a range of natural, nutritional pet supplements) offers her comments on 'The truth about your dog's food' and shares her advice for owners looking to ensure they provide their dogs with the best possible nutrition.

A dog’s physical health could be in jeopardy if fed a diet lacking in nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Signs of poor nutrition range from physical issues such as ear infections to skin problems, dandruff, poor digestion and unpleasant odours; to mental symptoms including a lack of focus, scavenging or hyperactivity.

Containing huge amounts of salt, sugar, oils and fats, as well as being a contributing factor to behavioural issues, pet ‘junk’ food is being held partly responsible for a rise in pet obesity. 

Ingredients such as meat digest, animal derivatives, wheat gluten, corn, and artificial flavourings, provide little nourishment. This can slow down your dog’s digestion and make them feel sluggish, eventually leading to bad health and disease.” 

Alison’s Advice For Dog Owners – Top Things To Avoid:

• If the price is cheap or the food smells bad, this usually means the ingredients are poor

• Carbohydrate such as brewers rice, corn, grain fermentation products, maize and soy flour. The ingredients panel on your dog food should not display cereal as its first ingredient as meat is the most important for your dog’s nutrition

• Corn gluten and wheat gluten are used to raise the protein content and bind pet food. These are biologically inappropriate and can cause food intolerance

• Meat meal, bone meal (unless ethically sourced), offal meal, or digest, meat by-products, fish by-products and meat derivatives. These really aren’t meat at all

Alison’s Advice For Owners – Top Things To Look For:

• Nutritional panels display ingredients in order of volume so always choose food that has meat at the top of the list
• Good essential fats such as fish oil and flaxseed oil rather than vegetable fat or animal fat are always preferable
• Pick natural preservatives such as tocopherol (Vitamin E) or ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and not synthetic E numbers

Alison’s Recommended Approach to Feeding Dogs:

A varied diet is best and changing protein sources is key as the immune system becomes reactive to any one protein or food if fed day in / day out.

Owners should select ingredients they understand (such as duck, venison, vegetables and natural preservatives) and from sources they trust. If treating dogs, select natural options such as carrot, apple or venison strips. A raw food diet is not for everyone but the results can be amazing.

Providing your dog with a BARF (Bones and Raw Food) diet, packed with raw, organic and natural ingredients will help many of the symptoms that can lead to an eventual demise dog health.

For owners seeking to further support their dog’s health and immunity, the Din Dins range of supplements have been developed to make this process quick and easy and have been proven to significantly improve dog health in just three weeks.

To find about more about the Din Dins range of products visit www.dindins.co.uk

Leading BARF diet specialist Natural Instinct is taking its biggest stand ever at this year’s Crufts, where it will re-launch its Country Banquet range with a new organic recipe...

The recipe includes a new selection of added human grade ingredients, again providing all the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals needed for cats and dogs to thrive at optimum health.

The first variety will be Organic Chicken with added chicken liver, chicken heart and a new selection of organic vegetables. 

The inclusion of grasses was a key feature in the original Country Banquet range, launched back in 2011, and will feature again in the recipes along with well know ‘superfoods’ containing many antioxidants and vitamins. Dogs often eat grasses because they are a natural aid to digestion as well as being highly nutritious. In fact, the clinical trials for wheatgrass for human use were carried out on canines so the benefits for dogs are well researched.

Natural Instinct has had fantastic results trialling the food on dogs with various allergies and the team look forward to being on hand at Crufts. Present will be Sue Armstrong, veterinary spokeswoman for Natural Instinct,  who will offer advice to any dog owners looking to feed their dogs the BARF way.

To find out more about Natural Instinct visit www.naturalinstinct.com 

Crufts takes place at teh NEC Birmingham on March 6-9.

UK manufacturers keen to export to the USA have been offered the chance to take part in a unique educational trade mission to Orlando, Florida, including a visit to Global Pet Expo... 

Set up by the Pet Industry Federation in conjunction with US-based SMD Group, the week-long visit will enable UK manufacturers to visit a range of retail stores, participate in two educational seminars to learn about how the USA and UK markets differ and visit Global Pet Expo to meet potential distributors and retailer buyers.

Nigel Baker, Chief Executive of the Pet Industry Federation, said: "This trip will provide an invaluable opportunity to those UK businesses that are serious about entering the US export market. Understanding how the market operates, as well as pricing, margins and logistics are fundamental, and this business opportunity will help UK manufacturers cut through some of the red tape, make important US connections and speed up the process to achieve export success.

"By seeing competitive products currently available to US pet owners, potential exporters will even have the chance to assess whether their product is export-ready and could compete successfully in the US market. The aim of the mission is to arm manufacturers with all the information they need to decide if exporting to the US is right for their product and for their business."

The week-long mission will take place from Sunday March 9 until Saturday March 15, and will involve: 

• Three days Global Pet Expo, to include a guided tour of the show, explore new products and talk to current exporters
• Visits to a range of retailers in the Orlando area
• Participation in panel discussions with trade partners, and seminars on the US market
• Hospitality receptions
• Networking opportunities

The cost of the trip is £1,495 for PIF members, and £1,995 for non-members, which includes six nights at the Hilton Garden Inn –Sea World, Orlando (flights not included).

Spaces are limited, so interested manufacturers should apply to Alexandra.baker@petfederation.co.uk  by Friday 14 February 2014. 

Johnson's is urging retailers to stock up on its Wild Bird Treats for when the weather gets colder. But even if it stays wet and mild, they still make excellent all-year-round food for visiting garden birds...

The range includes several varieties of Suet Feasts with beef tallow, together with either crushed peanuts, insects, mealworms, berries and various mixed seeds. These provide a high energy food source for winter warmth and fitness.

Other products in the range include Dried Mealworms which are rich in protein; Wild Bird Bumper Bells and Bars; and Black Sunflower Bumper Bells, which are especially rich in natural oils and are a major attraction for many species of birds.

For more information visit www.johnsons-vet.com

Animal Attraction, located on Buntingford high street in Hertfordshire, is closing down because of dwindling trade in the town centre...

The pet shop has taken the decision after nearly nine years of trading, and it follows the closure of a nearby Italian restaurant.

Manager Hessa Riddett said: “For the last four years it has been a real struggle to keep the shop going. Sales have been going down and down every year and I’ve just been getting more and more in debt, I just had to admit defeat.”

Mrs Riddett said that falling footfall had been the biggest problem for Animal Attraction.

She said: “In the early days of the business we were making some money, enough to employ a few people but now I’m barely paying the bills.

“There are a range of contributing factors, the presence of traffic wardens, limited parking spaces, competition of big retailers and, of course, internet shopping have an impact on the number of people who come through the door.”

According to Mrs Riddett certain shops such as hairdressers can survive because people can’t get their hair cut online.

However small shops that offer services and products which can also be bought in supermarkets will struggle to compete with the larger retailers.

Mrs Riddett added: “If you’re doing your weekly shop in the supermarket why would you go out of your way to pick up a bag of dog food in the pet shop when you can pick it up in the supermarket? Especially when it is even easier and might be cheaper to buy it online and have it delivered.”

The decision to close the pet shop was made after Mrs Riddett’s accountant called to tell her she was barely making enough to cover the bills.

She said: “People come in and say it’s sad that high street shops are closing but people aren’t loyal to their local shops.

“I don’t mean that in a horrible way, after all we all do it. If you can get something cheaper at a supermarket why would you spend more money elsewhere?

“Needless to say I’d like to thank all my customers of the years.”

Chairman of Buntingford’s chamber of commerce, Toby Archer said: “It is sad to see established shops closing, they add to the diversity of the high street and are very much a part of it.”

A Dumbarton pet shop owner has vowed to battle on when a new Pets At Home store opens in the Scottish town.

Joe Graham, of Ryan’s Pet Centre, said he hopes the loyalty of his customers will keep his business thriving.

Pets At Home submitted an application in November to change the use of the old General George Carpets in St James Retail Park to a pet store with treatment facilities. But the change-of-use application was not required and the firm started advertising vacancies.

Joe, who took over Ryan’s Pet Centre in June, said at the time he feared for the future of his shop if the pet food giants moved to the town, but now has vowed to fight on in the face of such massive competition.

“I think it was inevitable that it was going to go ahead, we just have to accept it, it’s just unfortunate they have decided to move to Dumbarton," he said.

“The High Street isn’t exactly thriving at the moment, surely it would be better for people to come here rather than big nationals arriving and squeezing everyone else out.”

“Obviously for a lot of people money is really, really tight and a trip to Pets At Home after they’ve been at Asda will be a better option.

"Hopefully we’ll still be able to hold onto our customers who have enough money to still take the trip to the town centre and maybe spend a bit more because they’ve always shopped here.”

A ‘pet’ stag nicknamed Rudolph has been mauled to death by a dog after offenders broke into its enclosure at Jacksons Nurseries, in Bagnall, over the weekend.

The criminals set their pit bull-type dog onto the red deer.

Owners Roger and Ruth Jackson found the body of the stag with its throat ripped out on Saturday morning.

Now Staffordshire Police are studying CCTV footage which shows men with a dog breaking into the deer enclosure.

The Jacksons, who keep the deer as an attraction for visiting families, have been left shocked at the brutality of the crime.

They believe the attack was carried out simply for the amusement of those involved because the body was left behind.

Roger, aged 56, of Bagnall, said: “It’s absolutely tragic, it’s heartbreaking. We’ve kept these deer for 20 years and they’re family pets really.

“The deer are really popular with the children who visit. “They called the stag Rudolph – they thought he was a reindeer. “He was definitely the star attraction because of his huge antlers.

“The stag was five feet to the shoulder and he’s had a section of his throat completely ripped out, so it must have been an exceptionally powerful dog.

“There’s no doubt that this was simply about sport, it wasn’t about obtaining meat.”

The CCTV footage shows a group of men using wirecutters to break into the enclosure next to the garden centre in Thorney Edge Road.

They then set their dog onto the stag and seven hinds kept in the field.

The Jacksons were first alerted to the break-in when the terrified stag broke through the enclosure fence and set off the nursery’s alarm system.

But when they arrived to investigate the offenders had already fled the scene.

It was only when the Jacksons returned later in the morning that they found the stag’s body.

Ruth, aged 55, said: “If this dog was capable of doing this to a 220kg stag, it makes you wonder what it would do to a child. “The police officer told us that there had been a similar incident at Foxt where four hinds were killed.”

A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said: “We are investigating this incident and officers are liaising with our wildlife crime officer.”

Anyone with information about the attack should contact Staffordshire Police on 101, quoting incident 243 of February 1.

The Pet Industry Federation (PIF) is attending the PATS trade show this year at Sandown Park on March 18-19, and will be sponsoring an exclusive seating area where visitors to the show can relax and unwind during their busy schedule.

Nigel Baker, Chief Executive of the Pet Industry Federation said: ‘We are delighted to be part of the PATS trade show again this year and to be sponsoring an exclusive lounge area over the two days. Delegates will have the chance to talk to us about the ways in which their businesses can benefit from becoming PIF members, and to find out about our new members benefits programme, which will be launched at PATS. We will also be promoting our forthcoming Pet Industry Forum & Awards."

This year’s Pet Industry Forum will have a motor racing theme, as it is taking place next door to Silverstone. To gear up for that, we will be running a cinema style motor racing competition in the PIF lounge at PATS with some prizes on offer for those at the top of the leaderboard.

The Pet Industry Forum & Awards take place from 22-24 October 2014 at Whittlebury Hall, near Towcester Northants. Sponsors already confirmed for the event are: Crown Pet Foods, Burgess Petcare and PATS, with media sponsorship from PBW News. Alongside a host of talks and sector-specific workshops, there will be networking opportunities and the chance to take part in a rally afternoon at Silverstone and charity golf tournament. Further details will be available from the PIF at PATS. 

Dogs & Horses Ltd will be using Crufts and PATS Sandown to launch the new D&H Striped Ribbed Leather Collar.

This luxury leather collar features a soft, padded construction in chocolate brown leather, with a central stripe in a contrasting contemporary colour (choice of red, orange, green, blue, or pink) and bright nickel-plated fittings.

Dogs & Horses Ltd is a London and Sussex-based independent maker of traditionally-crafted luxury leather accessories for dogs and their owners. Fashion meets function throughout the D&H collection, presenting a range of superior products that combine contemporary chic and classic style.

D&H products have been received enthusiastically by customers from across the UK, by visitors to shows, such as Crufts and Discover Dogs, and by online customers globally.  D&H products have featured in ELLE, marie-claire, Vogue, TATLER, and the Sunday Times’ Style Magazine.

For more information visit www.dogsandhorses.co.uk

Bestpets have created two Super Premium Ranges designed for retailers to sell as their own brand with a full life stage and pack size offering.

With very attractive POR’s and cash margins, the ability to order just one bag, short lead times, and a product customised to their own store, these high quality products are formulated with quality ingredients and always with pet health & nutrition at the forefront.

There is an Advanced Nutrition Dog and Cat range as well as a Hypoallergenic Dog range, comprising of 37 products in total. The attractive packaging with clear and concise information is designed to stand out on shelf and be clearly recognisable.

Retailers can design their own labels in minutes on the Bestpets website.

To see the products for yourself, and the POS material available, visit the Bestpets stand H3 at Sandown for more information, or visit www.best-pets.co.uk

Monkey World director Dr Alison Cronin travelled to London yesterday (Wednesday) in a bid to change legislation concerning the care of wild animals in the pet trade.

Following years of rescuing and rehabilitating neglected and or abused primates from the British pet trade at the Dorset-based rescue centre, Dr Cronin stood before the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Select Committee at the Palace of Westminster.

The meeting was being held to review the legislation currently governing the care of these wild animals in the pet trade.

For many years, Monkey World, near Bovington, has been rescuing monkeys from the growing legal trade in keeping primates as pets in Britain.

Over the last two years alone, the centre rescued 26 monkeys of six different species from private homes and pet shops.

Staff at Monkey World claim these numbers show every sign of continuing to increase if the UK laws in their trade remain unchanged.

Dr Cronin said: “Monkey World is an international primate rescue and rehabilitation centre, but more and more we find ourselves being called to rescue and rehabilitate monkeys being kept as pets, legally, in Britain today.

“Some of the worst conditions, from which we have rescued monkeys, are from people’s homes.”

She added: ”Sadly most of these primates are kept by well-meaning but unqualified people who do not know what the needs of their monkeys are.

“Monkeys from the British pet trade come to us in terrible physical and mental condition having been kept in tiny, indoor birdcages, in solitary confinement. And it is not just the monkeys that are suffering.

“Well-meaning individuals are being misled by breeders and dealers as to the needs and longevity of captive monkeys. People are paying thousands of pounds for animals that require specialist care and that will never make good pets.

There is currently little in the way of legislation protecting the welfare of these wild animals.

Monkey World has collected over 109,400 signatures on a petition to improve the standard of care of primates kept in pet shops, with breeders, or in private homes in the UK.

The rescue centre director was invited to make a presentation with members of the House of Lords at the end of November last year.

Almost 22,000 dogs will be heading to the NEC in Birmingham on March 6-9, to compete in some of the world’s most prestigious canine competitions at Crufts 2014.

Kennel Club entry figures show that 21,614 dogs will be taking part in breed judging, Gamekeepers’ classes and the Obedience and Agility championships, an increase of nearly 5% on 2013.

As ever, the event has a true international flavour with 2663 dogs competing from overseas, compared to 2,131 in 2013, an increase of 25%. Dogs from a total of 48 overseas countries will take part in the show, compared to 41 in 2013, including Bermuda, Japan, Taiwan and Israel.

The Any Variety Import Register classes, for breeds that are currently on the Import Register and who were not previously qualified to compete at Crufts, will compete for the second year, and have attracted 137 dogs.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “Crufts continues to grow in size and popularity, as the number of dogs entered into this year’s event is five percent up on last year.

“The fact that dogs come in their tens of thousands to Crufts is testament to the immense popularity of the event and we thank everybody in the UK and overseas for their continued passion for this esteemed event and its many world class competitions.

“We also look forward to welcoming thousands of other dogs and their owners who make Crufts such a wonderful event, from those who take part in the Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme and Young Kennel Club rings and the numerous displays to our Friends for Life and Scruffts finals and those dogs in the Discover Dogs area, which help visitors to understand more about the different breeds.”

The first businesses to achieve the Quality Assurance Standard for Groomers have been announced by the Pet Industry Federation.

Now proudly displaying their QAS certification, these grooming businesses have passed the rigorous inspection and testing process to ensure the knowledge of their staff, as well as their health and safety procedures, business practices and animal welfare policies are up to scratch.

"We are delighted with the calibre of businesses who are paving the way with the Quality Assurance Standard," said Nigel Baker, Chief Executive of the Pet Industry Federation. "In the absence of regulation, it is refreshing to find groomers eager and enthusiastic to fly the flag for this scheme. The Federation has developed this Standard in very close collaboration with Dogs Trust, PDSA and the British Dog Groomers’ Association. The work put in by all parties is proving invaluable as the take up increases.

"Participants have carefully studied the online library of resources, making use of the policies and information provided, and our team have found them extremely responsive to suggestions for improvement during the auditing process. This demonstrates that the supportive nature of this process is effective: groomers are benefitting from having their existing knowledge corroborated as well as refining their businesses through what they are learning."

K9 Shine Pet Grooming Centre in Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear is one of the first businesses to achieve the Quality Assurance Standard. Its proprietor, Ruth Webb, was "chuffed to bits" at the news: "I’m so pleased for my girls who have worked very, very hard,’ she commented. ‘It’s great to have recognition for the effort and determination that we’ve put into providing a good service for our customers and their dogs."

Ruth (pictured left) found the audit to be a positive experience: "It was more terrifying thinking about it than the actual day itself. [The auditor] was lovely, she put us at ease, she was very thorough, she really did go through every single point on her list to check. I think the Quality Assurance Scheme will reassure the public that they are coming somewhere where their animals will be properly looked after."

Nicky Mills who runs her own business in Heathfield in East Sussex, is also proud to have attained the Standard. "I’ve proved that you can still be really top notch and professional even operating from home,’ she said. ‘People need to know it’s not as scary as it seems. It is achievable and it really promotes animal welfare.

"I’m hoping being Quality Assured will bring me some good quality customers, people who want to have their dogs groomed regularly and want the best for their animals. Those are the kind of customers you want really, people who don’t mind spending a bit more money."

The Quality Assurance Standard scheme is open to all groomers, provided they are members of the British Dog Grooming Association. To sign up to the scheme, visit www.petfederation.co.uk.