In This Issue
Aquatic shops face animal welfare nightmare as energy prices rocket
Record number of new products at PATS Telford
What it means to win a New Product Award at PATS
Vets branch opens its doors at leading garden centre
TV vet warns against feeding ‘dangerous’ treats 
Champion Petfoods expands award-winning range
PIF launches new benefit to improve mental health
Peregrine Livefoods opens its doors to customers
Launch of national competition to make dogs famous
Pedigree partnership to extend Karnlea reach
Tillymint Communications to exhibit at PATS Telford
Pet company's dream debut at trade show
Waiting lists for cats soar as cost-of-living crisis takes hold
Get your own copy of Pet Trade Xtra
Bira reveals independents plan price increase and reduction in staff ahead of energy price hike
BETA International is just 10 days away
Scottish MP visits cats adoption centre
New animal industry qualifications available to armed forces leavers
Milo and Luna revealed as top puppy names
The best of last week's Pet Trade Xtra
Independent pet firm strikes deal with retail giant
Meet the woman behind dog fashion brand
Football legend opens new pet superstore in Dorset
Jollyes prepares to open two more stores in Scotland
CONTACT US NOW

Find out how Pet Trade Xtra can help to promote your business and products.

Editorial: neil@pottingshedpress.co.uk

Advertising: alan@pottingshedpress.co.uk


Aquatic shops face animal welfare nightmare as energy prices rocket

Trade body OATA is warning that aquatic shops and wholesalers could face a terrible choice to euthanise their livestock because rocketing energy bills are making their business unviable.

 

OATA has today written to the Prime Minister to alert him to the crisis facing businesses within the home aquarium industry if nothing is done to support them through the energy crisis. And it is asking aquatics businesses to add their voice by writing to their MPs to ask for help to highlight their plight.

 

Like many businesses, aquatics firms face huge energy bill hikes to keep their tanks heated and maintained but this is coupled with mounting concerns over how to manage the inevitable animal welfare issues if they are forced to close.

 

In addition, with increasing numbers of customers also closing down tanks, aquatic shops are facing more requests to rehome pet fish, because there is limited ability to rehome them elsewhere. Fish are the most populous pet, with industry estimates of 100 million fish to be found in homes and gardens across the UK.

 

“We have heard of businesses facing 300 to 400% price increases in their energy bills – just one example we’ve heard is a business’s monthly bills going from just under £4,000 to £15,000 while one wholesaler is facing an increase of a million pounds a year. These sorts of cost increases are unsustainable for any company but when you look after live animals you can’t just switch off and turn your back on your business. That means many businesses will face a critical dilemma about what to do with the livestock they hold, raising a very serious risk of mass euthanasia,” said OATA’s Chief Executive Dominic Whitmee.

 

“This issue is becoming extremely serious and we believe the aquatics industry is the hardest hit of all in the pet sector because of its energy requirements. We are asking the Prime Minister to take urgent and meaningful action soon. Without it there is no doubt we will witness many aquarium businesses closing their doors for good, leaving employees without work during a time of crisis, and millions of pet fish at risk of euthanasia because there is not the ability to rehome them like other pets.”

 

Read the letter to the Prime Minister in full here.

https://ornamentalfish.org/wp-content/uploads/Energy-Crisis-letter-to-PM-Sept-2022-final.pdf

 

Find the template letter for MPs for businesses to use here.

https://ornamentalfish.org/can-you-help-to-highlight-the-energy-crisis-for-aquatics/

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn