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Great strides are being made to improve pet welfare following the PDSA's alarming findings in their PAW Report published in November.
That's the view of PDSA Senior Veterinary Surgeon, Elaine Pendlebury, who told Pet Trade Xtra: “There are some serious challenges when it comes to animal wellbeing, but I approach the rest of 2013 with a sense of optimism.
"We know that vets, nurses, and all those that work with animals across the various professions are committed to improving pet wellbeing," said Elaine.
“Working with various other charities and partners within the industry, PDSA has a number of initiatives in the pipeline to help improve the accessibility of trusted pet care information.
"Making sure potential new owners know what a pet will need before they take one on, have access to relevant information at the point of sale, and know where to find further ongoing and reliable information on a pet’s care throughout its life will all help to support this goal.
“Another exciting part of the work that we do is through our five new Pet Wellbeing Nurses who deliver pet care talks in schools, community centres and pet stores. They will continue to help educate current and future pet owners so they know what a pets’ needs are and how to meet them. Our aim is to improve the long-term wellbeing of pets."
Towards the end of the year PDSA will be publishing its third PAW Report update, which will provide an opportunity to start to identify trends in pet health and wellbeing.
“I’m really looking forward to the next PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report update," said Elaine.
"Our latest one was released in November 2012 and outlined the most important health and welfare issues facing the UK’s pet population.
"The most concerning issues identified were rising rates of obesity, problem behaviour, lack of preventive care and lack of owner knowledge about a pet’s five welfare needs.
"Although the figures made for difficult reading, they provided the veterinary and pet trade professions with robust information to help support activity for the coming year."
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Supreme’s price crusade for better quality weigh-up
Supreme has announced a significant price drop on Russel Rabbit 12.5kg to support the crusade for better quality weigh-up...
Supreme has announced a significant price drop on Russel Rabbit 12.5kg to support the crusade for better quality weigh-up.
Weigh-up continues to be a popular choice for retailers and their customers in the independent pet trade, equating to around 70% of large bag sales.
Supreme has always been dedicated to providing the finest quality foods for small furries. Now they are dropping the price on Russel Rabbit 12.5kg.
The promotion is designed to encourage pet retailers and their customers to enjoy the benefits of a better quality weigh-up mix.
Russel Rabbit has a fixed formula to ensure that pets benefit from the same high quality nutrition in every single pack. This means that the recipe remains stable to naturally help prevent digestive upset and promote the best of health.
Russel is also fairly unique, as it is highly palatable without the need for added sugars. Added sugars such as molasses, syrup and waste fruit pulp can damage teeth and are essentially empty calories – providing no nutritional value, contributing to weight gain and obesity.
Obesity can cause rabbits to suffer with digestive upsets, urinary problems, constipation, reduced mobility, metabolic problems and damage to the skin.
Each 12.5kg bag of Russel Rabbit comes with a pack of 10 free colourful weigh-up bags making it easy for retailers to ‘bag up’ hassle-free. Being colourfully branded, these free weigh-up bags also provide a more impressive shelf presence in-store.
To find out more, call Supreme on 0845 058 9697.
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A natural health joint and mobility supplement launched only three years ago has got 2013 off to a great start for its manufacturer Lintbells, after sales soared to a million tablets a month, giving an annual retail value of £2.7million.
YUMOVE, which was originally developed for older dogs or those with mobility difficulties, has proven so popular that it now sells in specific formats for working dogs, those that are very active such as agility participants and a newly launched variety for cats. Lintbells has even developed a ‘human’ version of the product called iMove.
Co-founder and commercial director at Lintbells, John Davies, said: “We knew from the outset that as the first triple action product of its kind to address the needs of joint structure, mobility and comfort it would be one of the best on the market and we weren’t surprised at its early success. It’s seen 100% market growth year on year since the launch.
“We started getting great feedback from our customers who consistently rate it five out of five and found out that it was helping all sorts of dogs – not only the older and less mobile. Knowing more about the types of dog taking YUMOVE allowed us to create different variants to meet our customers’ needs.”
Lintbells source the highest quality natural ingredients to make YUMOVE using sustainably farmed New Zealand Green Lipped Mussels which, when cold pressed, give three times more active Omega 3. The other key ingredients are purest Glucosamine HCl, Chrondroitin and Hyaluronic acid.
The Working Dog variant has added Beta glucans to improve nutritional uptake, stamina and performance. YUMOVE Young & Active has added Manganese and Zinc, important for growth & repair.
Mr Davies added: “In the three years since launching, YUMOVE has helped older dogs gain a new lease of life and provided working dogs more comfort after a day in the field. We are extremely mindful of the need to give value for money and YUMOVE is competitively priced with the traditional pet shop products and significantly cheaper than veterinary supplements.”
The success of YUMOVE comes amid more celebrations for Lintbells, which at the end of 2012 was named Small Business of the Year at the prestigious Hertfordshire Business Awards.
For further information please visit www.lintbells.com
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Owner reunited with 'lost' cat after 10 years
A pet cat that went missing 10 years ago has been reunited with his owner...and it's all down to the animal having been microchipped!
A pet cat that went missing 10 years ago has been reunited with his owner...and it's all down to the animal having been microchipped!
Miko, a 17-year-old red Burmese, was last seen by owner Sue White in August 2002 when she moved from Hutton to Brentwood, Essex.
Ms White, 56, said she had searched for Miko when he ran off into fields near her new home but after a few years had given up hope of ever seeing him again.
He was taken to a vet on January 5 and traced to Ms White because of his microchip.
She said: "I was jumping up and down. I can't believe it." She added that Miko was taken to the vet in Blackmore by a woman who "lives in the middle of nowhere" and had found him on her doorstep.
The vet telephoned Ms White and left a message on her answer machine. She said she initially thought the vet had dialled the wrong number.
"Luckily I didn't delete the message before it finished," she said. "As soon as they said Miko I knew it had to be my cat."
Ms White went to collect him later that day and believes he was well taken care of during his time away.
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Applaws on track to wowing visitors to Crufts
The makers of leading pet food brand Applaws are ready to wet the appetites of all types of dogs at this year’s Crufts...
The makers of leading pet food brand Applaws are ready to wet the appetites of all types of dogs at this year’s Crufts, which is being held at the NEC in Birmingham from March 7-10.
MPM Products – the producers of the Applaws range – were last year voted one of the Top 100 Fast Track Companies in the UK by The Sunday Times.
At Applaws they advocate that the best diet for a dog is one that mimics the nutritional profile of the diet that they would have eaten in the wild.
The brand’s philosophy is that protein should be delivered from quality meat sources, vegetables, natural extracts, fats, oils and also through the addition of active pro-biotics which ensures that a dog is as healthy on the outside as it is on the inside.
Mark Frampton, Product Development Manager at Applaws, says: “For those dog owners who prefer the convenience of using a dry food or wet food tin or pouch option, we believe we have come up with the best solution to meet all your needs.
"All our ranges contain only natural ingredients from sustainable sources and do not contain any artificial additives, colourings, preservatives or sweeteners. We consider every detail when it comes to producing our foods even ensuring that recipes are manufactured to our own specific requirements.
"This helps to maintain quality standards and we use manufacturing techniques that maintain as much of the natural goodness and flavour in the foods as possible.
“Our Applaws dry food range contains 75% meat and absolutely no grains and cereals as we only use potato, a low fat source of carbohydrate. As such our dry food range is also good news for dogs that suffer from sensitive stomachs or are prone to food allergies or intolerances.
"Active pro-biotics in our food help your dog’s digestive system and our food is packed full of natural omega oils, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to help with your dog’s joints, coat, skin, eyesight, muscle tone and immune system. Our dry food is also available in a number of life stages each containing the right level of protein and nutrients to support the wellbeing of your dog whatever its age.
“Our Applaws wet food range contains a high level of human grade meat or fish content and is available in tins or pouches. The recipes use a variety of exciting ingredients such as Ginseng Broth and Kelp combined with vegetables, beef, salmon or chicken. Our tins contain bite-sized pieces of human grade tuna or chicken combined with vegetables, kelp or seaweed to help support the dog’s skin, coat and joints.
“We believe that our wet food range could also be used as a standby for those people who feed their dogs the BARF diet for the days when they forget to defrost their food or when traveling when it is not always convenient to carry frozen food.”
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Pet shop egg hatches into a tropical bamboo shark
A mystery egg, which was bought in a pet shop and hatched into a tropical shark, has been donated to a Cornish aquarium...
A mystery egg, which was bought in a pet shop and hatched into a tropical shark, has been donated to a Cornish attraction.
The shark was given to the Blue Reef aquarium after its owner from Plymouth realised it was outgrowing her home tank. The bamboo shark is being looked after in the aquarium's quarantine area. When it has been given a clean bill of health, aquarists plan to put it on public display.
The bamboo sharks, which are capable of growing more than a metre in length, are usually found from the Indian Peninsula to northern Australia. Lee Charnock from the aquarium said: "It's actually not that unusual for people to buy shark eggs in pet shops without actually knowing which species they are. "There is a real danger the shark will end up predating on any other creatures which it might share the tank with. The bamboo shark's diet consists of meaty foods, such as shrimp, crabs fish and squid." The aquarium said they posed no threat to humans. Although born with dark bands across their bodies these will gradually fade as they mature and adults are usually a light brown colour. Bamboo sharks actually prefer shallow waters; however they regularly become stranded in rockpools during low tide. To combat this they have the ability to survive for up to 12 hours out of water.
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£100 worth of free stock from Petlife up for grabs
Petlife International will be giving away £100 worth of free stock to the first 20 customers to place an order for £250 or more at both PATS events this year...
Petlife International will be giving away £100 worth of free stock to the first 20 customers to place an order for £250 or more at both PATS events this year.
The offer is part of Petlife's celebrations to mark their 20th year anniversary in the pet industry.
At the PATS Sandown the company is launching a new range of anti-parasitic products for most minor species. The new 'Topet' range includes treatments for fleas, worms, lice and mites in rabbits, guinea pigs, reptiles, ornamental chickens and many other species.
To register for free entry to PATS Sandown click here
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Petmate has launched a new food dispenser that makes portion control easy, and the product will be available in the UK through 3P Enterprise Ltd.
The Portion Right Food Dispenser features a convenient reservoir that holds 4.5kg of food, creating a time-saving alternative to scooping and measuring multiple meals per day. Perfect for households with single or multiple pets, the Portion Right Food Dispenser gives pet owners peace of mind and makes portion control easy! It will be launched at PATS Sandown where it can be seen on the 3P Enterprise stand (K15). To see the Portion Right in use click here to watch the video.
Kennel Club offered £12m to move offices
Kennel Club members are to be asked to vote on plans to move the club’s London headquarters to a new, purpose-built, freehold office building in a deal said to be worth £12 million to the organisation...
Kennel Club members are to be asked to vote on plans to move the club’s London headquarters to a new, purpose-built, freehold office building in a deal said to be worth £12 million to the organisation.
According to Dog World, the Kennel Club has received an offer of £12 million in addition to the new freehold property, and all expenses paid from development company British Land plc.
The proposed building would be 30% larger than the current property and spread over six floors.
The Kennel Club has been asked to move from its current spot to make way for British Land’s development of this prime area of Mayfair.
The company, which has a portfolio valued at £10.4billion and net assets of £5.1billion, has entered into a corporate agreement to purchase Clarges House, 6/12 Clarges Street and 82/84 Piccadilly based on a property price of £129.6 million.
It intends to redevelop the entire site to create a mixed-use scheme of offices, retail units and flats.
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A pet lover has been forced to remove 100 guinea pigs from her home.
The woman from Kent is said to have contacted the RSPCA after the animals kept breeding, leading to them overrunning her home.
The owner purchased just two guinea pigs in 2009, but they have since bred constantly.
The animal welfare group has removed the pets in batches from her home in Sittingbourne, but has left the unnamed woman four of the same sex in order to avoid the breeding issue.
3P Enterprise grows its sales force
3P Enterprise has appointed Paul McLaughlin as sales agent covering the North-West area...
3P Enterprise has appointed Paul McLaughlin as sales agent covering the North-West area.
Paul has previous experience in the pet industry and will assist in making the company’s products available to the independent pet trade. 3P is the distributor of the Petmate, Maelson, Fat Cat and Wetnoz brands and is looking to increase the presence of these brands on the high street and sees sales agents as a key part of this strategy. “The Petmate parent company, Doskocil, has grown quickly through acquisitions of brands such as Wetnoz, Fat Cat and Booda which has made our product offering much more appealing to the independent store,” said Grant Rogers of 3P.
“We are now actively seeking sales agents to realise this strategy."
Dog breeders asked to help tackle diseases
Owners of Italian Spinones are being asked to participate in a health survey that will help the Kennel Club and the Animal Health Trust to understand and treat cancer, epilepsy and gastric dilation/torsion (bloat) in the breed...
Owners of Italian Spinones are being asked to participate in a health survey that will help the Kennel Club and the Animal Health Trust to understand and treat cancer, epilepsy and gastric dilation/torsion (bloat) in the breed.
 Owners of Kennel Club registered Spinones born between 1st January 2000 and 31st December 2011 are being asked to complete the questionnaire, which will help geneticists at the Kennel Club Genetics Centre at the Animal Health Trust to understand the incidence of these conditions in the breed. The questionnaire will be the first part of a study that will take place in several stages and which will ultimately help the AHT and the Kennel Club to help affected dogs. It is also hoped that the information from the study will lead geneticists at the Kennel Club Genetics Centre to develop tools for breeders that will help them to ensure that future generations of Spinones are less likely to be affected. Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “Breeders and breed clubs all want to understand, treat and ultimately eliminate conditions that can affect their beloved breed. The Kennel Club registers around 250,000 puppies each year and these vast pedigree records and our contact with breeders are vital to helping us improve the health of all dogs in the future. “We are grateful to the Italian Spinone Breed Club of Great Britain for supporting this study and look forward to working with breeders and the Animal Health Trust on this important project.” Other breeds that have provided information that has ultimately enabled the Kennel Club and the AHT to develop DNA tests include Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, leading to the creation of DNA tests for Curly Coat and Dry Eye Syndrome and Episodic Falling, and Beagles leading to a test for Neonatal Cerebella Cortical Degeneration (NCCD). Cathryn Mellersh, Head of Genetics at the Kennel Club’s Genetics Centre at the Animal Health Trust, said: “At the moment we don’t have a clear picture about the incidence of cancer, epilepsy and bloat in the Italian Spinone. By working with the breeders of Kennel Club registered dogs, we hope to considerably increase our understanding of these diseases, so that we can find treatments and develop tools that will help breeders to breed future generation of Spinones that are less likely to be affected.”
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