Robbie Williams and Adele are among celebrities who have visited Lily's Kitchen's Santa Paws Grotto in London with their pets...

Robbie took along his family, including pet dogs Walle and Poupette, to the grotto on Pimlico Road.

"They just turned up after hearing about the grotto on the grapevine," said Sophie Birrell, from Lily's Kitchen.

"Robbie was fine with us snapping his dogs Walle and Poupette (pictured above with Santa Paws). He has eight dogs in total but brought along the two best behaved ones."

The Santa Paws Grotto, which is supporting the North London charity 'All Dogs Matter', has been a huge success with more than 1,000 dogs visiting it so far.

This canine Christmas wonderland, which is open until December 21, offers dogs (and their owners) a retreat from hectic Christmas shopping. The pooches can enjoy a freshly prepared Lily’s Kitchen Christmas Dinner for Dogs, while owners can secretly shop for doggy stocking fillers.

For every Christmas Dinner for Dogs purchased at the grotto, Lily’s Kitchen will donating a nutritious dinner to a dog in need to enjoy on Christmas Day. 

Henrietta Morrison, founder of Lily’s Kitchen, says: “It’s really important to us to give as much back as possible to our beloved dogs this year and All Dogs Matter is the perfect choice, being very close to our roots in Hampstead.”

Lily's Kitchen has produced a video called 'A Tale of Comfort and Joy' with the message that every dog should find a happy home at Christmas. View it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPZ7Dn0HCMc

For pictures of dogs visiting the Santa Paws Grotto visit www.facebook.com/lilyskitchen

The pet industry is set to lose one of its much-loved personalities as Gabriela Lerner is leaving Collarways at the end of the month.

Gabriela, who launched the company with her husband Neil Baird 10 years ago, said: “I'm ready to move on. Neil and I run a little holiday let in Dorset and we both want to spend more time at home to look after the property and spend more time with each other.”

Neil left the Collarways business a year ago, and Gabriela has been running the company with Katie Goldsmith for the past few years.

“This has been a step-by-step acquisition for Katie over the past two years. Currently, we both own 50% of the business and Katie will be taking on a larger percentage over the next three months. I will be keeping a small share in the business but I'm resigning from operational activities.

“I don't think I will miss the industry as such but I will certainly miss the wonderful people I have met through it. It is such a nice industry where you mostly find good relationships between competitors.

“Many customers have become friends over the years and catching up at the trade shows in person has always been something I particularly enjoyed about the business.

“The great thing is that I'm handing over to Katie, who I know will carry on Collarways with the same values and focus on excellent customer service as when the company started 10 years ago.

“Katie has all the skills necessary and has already been the main decision maker in the past six months. Handing over the business to her was carefully planned and the transition has been incredibly smooth.”

Katie Goldsmith said: “They are certainly big shoes to fill, but I have learned a great deal from Gabriela, and her continual support in the background means a lot - we'll just meet over dinner rather than in the office! She is a great friend and the whole team will miss seeing her on a daily basis.”

For information about Collarways’ products visit www.collarways.co.uk



Katie Goldsmith, seen here with her pet chihuahua Bob, is taking full control over the running of Collarways.

A Christmas themed video designed to prompt the protection of wild birds has been launched by Westland Horticulture for its Peckish brand.

The short animation, created by Aardman Animations, is a festive themed story of hope, humour and survival against all the odds. Set to the soundtrack of Jingle Bells, it tells the story of a #PeckishCat and the hungry birds in his snow covered garden.

The animation was launched on YouTube (to view click here) and is in the process of being shared on other social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, where the hashtag #PeckishCat is being used. It is also available to view on the Peckish website, along with a downloadable activity pack for consumers, which contains advice on how to protect the birds in your garden, a bird spotting game and colouring in page for children.

Rachael Dickinson, Senior Brand Manager for Peckish said: “We wanted to do something for Christmas that was a bit different this year. Here at Peckish, we care about birds as much as our customers do and when we found out that up to 55 million birds are killed every year by cats, we wanted to do something to help.

“This campaign aims to educate people about the measures they can take to protect the birds in their garden. We are encouraging people to watch the video and share it with their family and friends. Also, by downloading activity pack on our website, they could win a Christmas hamper full of Peckish products. There will also be a whole host of opportunities to win prizes on Facebook and Twitter sites in the run up to Christmas.”

To watch the #PeckishCat www.peckishbirdfood.com/peckishcat Animation and download the activity pack, ‘like’ the Westland Horticulture Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @PeckishBirdFood or log onto http://www.peckishbirdfood.com/

The loss of his cat Lola prompted Simon Davies to devise a solution that would allow his pets to enjoy the outdoors but remain safe from harm. Three years later he launched ProtectaPuss, an innovative system that 'cat-proofs' gardens.

One of the the most exciting new developments in the business is becoming a supplier to Cats Protection and working on their new multi million pound facility in Padgate, Warrington.

"We have designed a new indoor PVC cat screen for Cats Protection which prevents cats from gaining access into the spaces above the pens," said Simon. "The screens are wipe clean and have access hatches for maintenance. 

"If successful, we aim to fit these in the future at vet practices, cat charities and re-homing centres nationwide. We are also expanding our product range and website to incorporate a shopping basket for more efficient online sales."

But it was the unfortunate death of one of his cats that caused Simon to embark on his new venture. 

"My cats, Leo and Lola, were indoor cats for the first two years of their lives. However Lola, in particular, was desperate to get outside and would dive between my legs when I opened the door.

"The whole family was devastated when our neighbour came round to tell us he had found her body.

"I became desperate to devise a solution that would prevent Leo from meeting the same fate. I designed a cat-proof fence barrier to allow Leo to experience the outdoors without suffering any of the associated risks.

"I quickly realised there were plenty of additional benefits to using a cat barrier around the periphery of the garden.

"Cats are less likely to catch birds or other wildlife, they will not annoy neighbours by digging up flower beds, and other cats are deterred from entering the garden because they cannot see an exit."

Currently ProtectaPuss is a cat containment system installation specialist covering the whole of UK mainland although it can supply people with a DIY kit including the brackets, mesh and fixtures. These can be bought on the company website www.protectapuss.co.uk. 

"We usually supply the quote through phone calls and email correspondence where we ask the customer to measure up and send some photographs to us. This way we can keep the cost affordable and respond quickly," said Simon.

"Although we don't advertise for dog enclosures, we are able to build enclosures using suitable materials for the type of dog. Some of our enclosures in the past have been dual purpose for cats and dogs."

Both coldwater and tropical fishkeeping are to be simplified with the launch of the Insight LED Aquarium from Interpet because it contains everything needed to establish a successful tank.

Available in either 40 litres or 64 litres, each aquarium includes a filter, heater, LED lighting, Filter Start and Tapsafe – all designed to the highest standards using Interpet's 60 years of experience in the industry.

The Aquacare Reminder System helps to make caring for your fish and their tank a simple and enjoyable routine, and the Algae Prevention Pad minimises the build-up of unhealthy slime on the glass.

When the time comes to replace the Bio Cartridge, the easy-replace cartridge system takes the hassle out of this essential maintenance task. 

The slim line lid and panoramic display contribute to the visual elegance of the Insight LED aquariums, making them the perfect choice for the modern fishkeeper.

The Insight aquariums include both bright white day lighting and cool blue moonlight effect lighting. The latest development in aquarium LED lighting delivers a bright illumination which enhances the colours of your fish whilst providing the essential light energy your plants need to thrive. The high intensity 0.2w LED also creates an attractive ripple effect.

Mark Dalton, Interpet Brand Manager, explains: "This is a great product for anyone looking for the perfect introduction to fishkeeping, or for the more experienced fishkeeper looking for an aquarium packed with cutting edge technology.

"The beauty of the Insight LED tanks is that they come with everything you need to set up a high quality modern aquarium – it really is a case of 'just add water'!

"When also combined with the various upgrade options and accessories available from Interpet Aquatics, they are not only a trustworthy and creative range for the consumer, but also a sure-fire way of encouraging repeat sales for the retailer.”

For more information visit http://interpetcatalogue.com/

Six pets with ‘miracle’ survival stories have been named as finalists for the PDSA Pet Survivor Awards 2013 – a competition to find the nation’s pluckiest pets that have beaten the odds to overcome serious illness and injury over the last year. Animal lovers have until 15 December to cast their vote.

Veterinary charity PDSA launched the search for entries in October and was overwhelmed with amazing stories from relieved pet owners. They included pets with cancer, road accident victims, animals suffering near-fatal attacks, fire victims: but every one was an extraordinary account of courage, determination and devotion.

A panel of judges including Atomic Kitten star Liz McClarnon and TV vet Steve Leonard, along with PDSA vets, had the difficult task of shortlisting just six finalists.   

The winner will be decided by a public vote which is open until midnight on Sunday (15 December). People can vote for their favourite Pet Survivor of the Year by texting ‘vote’ followed by their chosen pet’s name to 70099. Each text will result in a £1 donation to PDSA, plus the cost of your usual network message rate. For the full stories visit www.pdsa.org.uk/petsurvivor

Vet Steve Leonard said: “Judging this competition was tough as there are so many hard-working vets and owners looking after pets that have really been through the mill. Reading these stories made me very proud of my profession and grateful to work alongside some dedicated animal enthusiasts. Animals so often surprise us with their stoicism and tenacity, and there are so many lessons we could learn from them.”

Another judge, famous animal lover and Atomic Kitten star Liz McClarnon added: “Judging was so hard. I wanted to give them all five out of five for owners’ devotion and  vets dedication as I believe in each pet’s case the both the owners and vets showed complete commitment to help these little heroes survive!”

The finalists:

Stray kitten Robbie, who now lives in Croydon, was sheltering under an abandoned sofa when it was set alight. He suffered extensive burns to his face, head, leg and paws. Robbie stayed at Broadway Vets in Herne Bay, Kent, for six months, they provided over £10k worth of treatment with appeals in the local media to help raise funds towards this. His new owner, Gill Smith, helped with the fundraising and then offered him a home for life.

Saluki/Lurcher cross Will was rescued from the Yorkshire Dales after being spotted by a group of hikers. He had somehow survived for at least three weeks with a broken leg, no food and no water. He was nicknamed ‘Wufra’ after the Upper Wharfdale Fell Rescue Association, who carried him to safety on a stretcher. He was cared for by Kingsway Veterinary Group in Skipton, and his new owners, Helen and Brian Coates, called him Will due to his amazing will to live.

Border Collie Rex, from Brough in East Riding was hit by a train travelling at around 50mph. His skull was shattered and his left eye was out of its socket. Incredibly, he survived and vets at Swanbridge Veterinary Hospital were able to put him back together, although his left eye couldn’t be saved. His speed of recovery has amazed everyone involved, and his owners, Philip and Caroline Abernethy, plan to take Rex into their local school to highlight the dangers of straying onto train tracks.

Brave bunny Thumper, from Goring-By-Sea near Worthing, was nearly paralysed after he was attacked by a fox and left for dead. With four broken ribs and a neck wound, most rabbits would have died of shock but, incredibly, Thumper battled through the odds with the help of Grove Lodge Vets. Now known as the ‘bionic bunny, owner Emma Miller, continues to give him physiotherapy to help him learn to hop again.

Bengal cat Malteaser, from Ely in Cambridgeshire, was missing for five weeks during the February frosts, when temperatures reached -12C. She was eventually found collapsed on a compost heap with severe frostbite and had lost half her body weight as well as several teeth. At death’s door, she was nursed back to health by Cathedral Veterinary Surgery and daily visits from her owner, Amanda Kayes.

Blue Merle Border Collie Pip, from Clayton-Le-Dale near Blackburn, was in a tragic farming accident – she was sheltering from the sun under a tractor wheel when, hidden from the driver’s view, she was horrifically crushed as the vehicle moved forward. Her pelvis was shattered but with the help of Abbeydale Vets and her dedicated family, who set up a hydrotherapy pool for Pip to swim in daily, Pip made an incredible recovery.

For more information on the PDSA Pet Survivor Awards 2013 and the six finalists visit: www.pdsa.org.uk/petsurvivor

Vote for your favourite Pet Survivor of the Year by texting ‘vote’ followed by your chosen pet’s name to 70099. Each text will result in a £1 donation to PDSA, plus the cost of your usual network message rate.  Voting closes at midnight in Sunday 15 December. Please don’t vote after this time as your vote won’t count but you may still be charged.

The winner will be announced on 22 December.

"Merchandising for Peppa Pig is already generating £200 million in retail sales with over four million books and £7.5 million DVDs sold to date. 

"It has high appeal and great potential for retailers to attract long-term customers. There are the repeat sales of the cartridges but also the benefit of being there are the beginning of a child’s fishkeeping journey. They make a perfect Christmas present.”

The Tetra Peppa Pig aquarium is a complete starter kit that brings the popular cartoon to life, offering children the chance to decorate their own tank with a Peppa Pig backdrop and stickers.

For further information contact Tetra on 023 80 60 60 70 or go to www.tetra.net

London-based Butch & Bess had great success at the London Vet Show with its range of natural essential-oil infused conditioning shampoos, grooming and detangling sprays.

Along with the Butch & Bess natural aromatherapy pet pawfume (Eau de Dog for Him and for Her), the company also introduced its natural pet bed and car deodorisers that are also safe to use around the home.

Butch & Bess makes all its products in the UK, using meticulously selected essential oils, including lavender, cedarwood, rosemary, juniper, lemongrass and rose to create five signatory fragrances: Butch Leather, Bess Petite, Stinker Belle, The Perfect Calm and Maybe Bebé.

“The quirky and colourful all-British Butch & Bess branding makes our new counter displays (CDUs) appealing for retailers and vet practices,” explained MD, Mark Hirschel.

“They contain 25 travel size (50ml) bottles of our Eau de Dog  pet perfumes across our five fragrances. This is our newest addition that’s popular in-store as an impulse item retailing at only £6.00.”

Butch & Bess products are natural and do not contain chemicals, alcohol, parabens, phosphates or phthalates. Made with argan oil, oat kernel extract, hydrolysed wheat protein and aloe vera, the range offers healthy and healing grooming for discerning pet owners.

 ”In our shampoo range we’ve chosen to add the bare minimum of naturally derived coconut, which is a surfactant that helps create lather,” said co-founder Jo Amit. Our shampoo range is low rinse and easy lather, and we’ve had great feedback so far from groomers. This would make our shampoos 98% natural!”

The grooming sprays and pawfumes are designed to be used in-between grooms keeping your dog fresh and clean for longer. Butch & Bess products banish any unwanted doggy aromas like ‘eau de wet dog’ quickly, efficiently and naturally whilst the ‘aromatherapy’ of the subtle fragrances offer healing benefits.

For more information visit www.butchandbess.com

Following the commercial success of its sponsorship of The Pet Show 2013, Confused.com has renewed its title sponsorship of the event for next year.

Immediately following The Pet Show 2013, Confused.com saw a significant increase in traffic to its pet insurance web pages, a result that has subsequently been sustained through the rest of the year.

Commenting on the sponsorship, Kate Rose, head of pet insurance at Confused.com, said: “The support we received from The Pet Show team for the 2013 event was second to none and what started out for us as an experiment in face to face marketing turned into a huge commercial success.

“With access to the title act, a great location for our stand and the team promoting our involvement in all they did, we were able to meet hundreds of new and existing Confused.com customers and secure significant press coverage, a number of media interviews and great value links to our site.

“We also met lots of other big brands who we are still in contact with today, creating further post show benefits.”

Carly Jackson, director of The Pet Show, added; “It’s a fantastic endorsement of our whole team’s professionalism and enthusiasm that we are able to welcome back such a significant brand as Confused.com as our title sponsors.

“Our first show attracted over 200 exhibitors, a wide range of animal and pet charities and over 17000 visitors. We are looking to build on that to make The Pet Show 2014 an even bigger opportunity for our commercial partners and an even more dynamic show for our visitors and guests.”

The Pet Show 2014 will be held at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, on August 2-3. For enquiries about exhibition space and other sponsorship opportunities contact Carly Jackson at: carly@thepetshow.co.uk

The Kennel Club has been alerted to a misleading campaign by a microchip database, which claims to be associated with Petlog, the largest lost and found microchip database managed by the charity.

The Kennel Club has been informed that a new company on the market has been contacting breeders through the Kennel Club website to sell its microchips and database service. The organisation claims to be recognised by Petlog.

Petlog wishes to clarify that it works independently of other databases and does not give endorsement or recognition to them, and neither does it have any current plans to do so in the future. Petlog will, however, always direct authorised agents directly to the relevant database if they report a found pet with a microchip. This is because Petlog works in the best interests of the pet and wants to ensure their swift reunification with the owner: it is not an endorsement or recognition of the database itself.

Celia Walsom, Petlog Executive said: “We are concerned that people are being misled in to joining a different database that is not as robust, and doesn’t offer the benefits of Petlog.

“We want to alert all breeders to the current activity by one microchip database and inform everyone that Petlog does not work with any other database. If a company should claim that Petlog recognises them then all they actually mean is that we will ensure that people are directed to the right database, if the details of a microchippped animal are reported to us.”

Petlog is the UK’s largest lost and found database for microchipped pets and it works with 11 leading microchip suppliers. Pets registered with the Petlog database benefit from a whole host of benefits including a true 24/7, 365 service, with a call centre based in the UK. Furthermore, Petlog is the only database to be linked to a European network of databases, which includes 32 databases working together to give owners the best chance of finding their pets wherever they are lost, even in another country.

Petlog also offers its Petlog Premium service, which not only allows customers to update their contact information as frequently as necessary, it also allows emergency contact information to be added. Petlog sends out a lost pet alert to authorised agents within a 30 mile radius should a pet go missing and works in partnership with apps such as mydoguk and mycatuk to offer the Petlog Premium benefits at the touch of a button.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said: “We are proud to manage Petlog and offer customers the numerous benefits the service offers. We urge all breeders to keep their puppies registered with Petlog and continue to only microchip with Petlog-affiliated chips to ensure that they will remain with Petlog. If you are in doubt as to which chips work with Petlog, you can find a full list of microchip manufacturers on the Petlog website.”

For more information on Petlog and the microchip manufacturers it works with, please visit www.petlog.org.uk/microchip-suppliers

Kent fire crews had to take swift action to rescue animals after a fire at the Pets at Home store in Aylesford.

Police and two fire engines were called to the store in South Aylesford Retail Park after reports of a blaze at the retail unit.

It took the teams two hours to get the fire under control which is believed to have started in some pallets at the rear of the building.

Crews used two hose reels to protect other buildings and a jet to extinguish the fire. The outside rear of the property was badly damged but there was only very slight smoke damage inside the building.

It is believed that no animals were injured and there were no casualties. The cause of the fire is now being investigated.

The new company’s focus will be on “sourcing and providing innovative products and concepts across several areas for the garden centre industry,” according to a statement from Westland.

The venture will operate as a standalone business within Westland, with Davies having full autonomy and decision-making powers. The business will be based initially at Westland’s Alconbury site in Cambridgeshire, using Westland’s infrastructure for start-up.

Davies told GTN Xtra: “Westland are investors in this but we shall have the freedom to do what we have to do.” He expects the business to begin trading early next year.

Davies said: “The aim of the new company is to bring to market a range of new ideas, concepts and products that will help drive the garden centre industry. I am in the process of pulling together a strong team to support me and will have further details in due course.”

Peter Madden, commercial director at Westland, said: “We are pleased to support Nick Davies in this new venture and help him to create this new garden products business focussed on quality and innovation. Nick has a strong track record and knowledge of the garden industry and I wish him and his team every success with this venture.”

Police are investigating a burglary at an Exeter pet shop.

Officers attended a burglary at Exeter Pet and Garden shop in Sidwell Street, following an overnight break-in.

The shop was broken into to via the flat roof above where there are raised areas with boarding or windows above the shops. These are protected with metal bars but these were forced apart and the boarding kicked in.

A police spokesman said: “The tills float was stolen along with keys to the till and some of the animals cages. Exit would have been via the roof and a lot of stock was knocked off the shelves.”

“We would appeal for anyone with information to contact us.”

Call police on 101 quoting crime reference DE/13/11342.

Harrods is to close its pet department – Pet Kingdom – with the store saying the decision has been based on ‘commercial factors only’.

The department, called Pet Kingdom, which is located on the fourth floor, will become extra space for women’s wear, said a Harrods spokesperson.

"Employees have been informed and Harrods is working with them to find alternative positions in the store where possible. The Mungo & Maud concession in Pet Kingdom will be relocated to the second floor as part of the store’s lifestyle department.

"Harrods will, of course, endeavour to continue to help any customer wishing to purchase a pet through our ‘by appointment’ service.”

PATS Sandown has secured a strong line-up of speakers for two days of seminars designed to give pet retailers ahead-of-the-game ideas on new lines, new approaches and new profit potential.

The talks, produced in association with Pedigree Wholesale, will take place in the Seminar Theatre in Esher Hall of Sandown Park on both days of the show – Tuesday and Wednesday, March 18-19.

The free-to-attend series of seminars will cover topics including driving sales in the small animal category; catering for the different needs and nutrition of neutered cats; how the world's best marketing minds can help your store; getting more online visitors; and understanding your shoppers.

There will also be a chance to earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points for those people attending a special seminar by animal healthcare specialists Merial. The CPD points will go towards the ongoing development of Suitably Qualified People (SQP) working in the pet industry.

Guy Blaskey, from Pooch and Mutt, has given talks at PATS for the past three years and he says: “At every show the audience seems to be full of people who are really interested in pushing their businesses forward and learning about modern marketing techniques.

“I always get some very interesting questions at the end of the talk and people often follow up with queries via email, twitter or facebook.”

At PATS Sandown next March, Guy will attempt to explain how the world's best marketing minds can help independent retailers. The content of his seminar will include a summary of thoughts from the books and talks of great thinkers.

“One of the easiest ways to discover new ideas that could help boost your business is to attend the free seminars at PATS,” said organiser Annie Dyke.

“If there’s a subject that catches your eye then make a mental note of the time or write it down in your diary so you don’t miss it.

“Most seminars last half-an-hour so there’s no time to become bored. In fact, because of the time limit, there’s a lot of information packed into such a short session and often it’s a good idea to take notes or write down bullet points. Usually, the speaker will take questions at the end of the talk.”

PATS is delighted that Dr Roger Mugford from the Company of Animals has agreed to give a seminar at Sandown. Well respected in the industry, Dr Mugford is a psychologist and farmer who introduced the concept of behavioural therapy to the veterinary profession by founding The Animal Behaviour Centre in 1979.

Hill’s Pet Nutrition Education Specialist Fiona Marjoram will also be giving a talk – ‘The different needs and nutrition of neutered cats’ – on both days of the show.

With 1.7million rabbits now owned across the UK, the small animal category represents a great opportunity to drive incremental sales across a range of products. Justin Heaton, from Burgess Petcare, will reveal how retailers can lead the market with their small animal offering.

Understanding your shoppers is becoming increasingly important in today’s complex marketplace, and it’s a subject that will be tackled during the seminar programme on both days by an expert from Mars Petcare UK.

And David Mackley, of Intelligent Retail, will be discussing ways to get more online visitors by using the latest Google changes to your advantage.

As well as this free programme of seminars there will be so much more to see on the exhibitor stands packing the Surrey and Esher Halls. Visitors are now being urged to register for free show entry by going online at www.patshow.co.uk. Other benefits include free parking, free catalogue, dog grooming demonstrations and many special offers.

To help keep visitors refreshed during their visit they’ll be offered a free cup of tea or coffee, and for those arriving before 10am they’ll receive a breakfast voucher, which is redeemable in the Esher Hall catering points.

The PATS hotline is +44 (0)1892 862848, and companies wishing to exhibit should call Annie Dyke on the same number.

The Kennel Club’s Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme (GCDS) has been working alongside RAF Henlow Dog Training Club in Bedfordshire to help train dogs in the community and raise funds for the RAF Association’s Wings Appeal.

The training took place at RAF Henlow, with classes every Wednesday from March through to August, and saw 24 dogs achieve their GCDS bronze award with 19 going on to pass their silver award, the second highest Kennel Club dog training award. The dog owners included a mix of military personnel, family members as well as members of the local community.

The RAF Henlow Dog Training Club was set up by Sgt Nathan Kaye, Sgt Mark Baker and Cpl Marc Edgar, all from RAF Henlow 1 (Tactical) Police Squadron, because of their passion for training with dogs, and all volunteered in their own time to conduct the training.

Although highly skilled, the trio are not currently employed in dog training duties so, rather than see those skills go to waste, the scheme allows them the opportunity to give back to the community, using skills acquired in the RAF, while raising funds for the military charity.  

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said: “The RAF Henlow Dog Training Club has been a great success. They have worked with the community to turn local dogs into good citizens and raised money for a wonderful charity.

“Now in its 21^st year, the Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme’s aim is to promote responsible dog ownership. Since the Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme was founded in 1992, over 450,000 pass certificates have been issued to dogs and their owners. With thanks to the RAF, Bedfordshire has a few more good citizen dogs.”

The trio have already made plans to carry out sessions starting next April to raise further funds for the RAF Association.

Cpl Edgar talks of the success of the training: “It’s a really worthwhile cause. One of the dogs, Daisy, was scared of heights and the training helped her overcome this problem. Now Daisy is able to go up and down stairs and hurtle around without fear. Another dog was very anti-social and even growled at family members, up to the point where they weren’t able to get into their house without having to lean against the wall. The dog has now become socially friendly thanks to the training.”

The team are aiming to train 40 dogs next year with the help of five instructors. The plan is to promote this scheme across various stations to help show that, aside from the important role the RAF plays as an organisation, it can also give to the community with schemes such as this.

To find a Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme class near you, please visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/findadogclub. For more information about the GCDS, visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/dogtraining.

For more information on the RAF Association’s Wings Appeal please visit www.rafa.org.uk/get-involved/wings-appeal.

Celebrating the British love affair with dogs, Crufts will be returning to the NEC Arena in Birmingham and to our television screens again on March 6-9 2014.

The four-day event will see the nation’s most heroic dogs rewarded in the prestigious Friends for Life competition; the UK’s favourite crossbreeds compete in the Scruffts grand final; the world’s most athletic canines battling it out in dog sports such as agility and flyball, and the world-famous Best in Show competition.

The individual breed judging that leads to the Best in Show final will see Working and Pastoral breeds compete on Thursday 6^th March, Terriers and Hounds on Friday 7^th March, Toy and Utility breeds on Saturday 8^th March and Gundogs on Sunday 9^th March.

National TV treasure, Clare Balding, will again be guiding viewers through the canine extravaganza on More 4 from Thursday to Saturday and then culminating on Channel 4 for the Best in Show finale on Sunday evening. Those outside the UK can watch all the key action live on the Crufts YouTube Channel - www.youtube.com/Crufts.

Crufts will be preceded by a three week Channel 4 series called The Dog Show, where dogs will compete in a series of activity challenges and the winner will make an appearance at Crufts. The Kennel Club will also be asking for people to submit videos of their own talented canines in the New Year, for its online Crufts Factor competition.

“Crufts is a British institution and a must see for all dog lovers” says Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary. “It is the world’s largest gathering of all dogs – pedigree and crossbreed, large and small, athletic and competitive, companion and heroic, and celebrates everything that we love the most about man’s best friend.

“The event hosts a vast range of exciting competitions, and is packed with information, advice and entertainment for all dog lovers. Every single dog is special and so we will be hosting an online Crufts Factor competition to showcase the vast range of talents our dogs possess and will be asking people to post photos and stories about their dogs for competitions on our Facebook page.”

Among the competition and events at Crufts will be the inaugural ‘Obreedience’ competition, where different breeds will go head-to-head to demonstrate their superior obedience skills.

Visitors to the show will be able to visit the Discover Dogs area, where they will meet more than 200 breeds and find out more about buying the right dog for them. Visitors will also be able to learn about Kennel Club Assured Breeders, who put the health and welfare of their puppies first and foremost, and about the pioneering projects that the Kennel Club and the Animal Health Trust are working on to improve dog health.

As well as enjoying watching the many different events and competitions at the show, visitors can also enjoy the ultimate doggie shopping experience with hundreds of trade stands selling everything and anything for dogs and dog lovers.

For more information, please visit www.crufts.org.uk

People are more likely to insure their pets than themselves, according to research from Friends Life.

The pension and protection provider found that 21% of people questioned had insurance for their pets, while only 12% had cover for critical illness.

Top of the list for most common insurance cover was home insurance policies (73%), while income protection was the least popular type of policy (9%).

This is despite pet health ranking bottom of the list of top worries and serious or life-changing injuries or accidents being the prime concern for 45% of respondents.

The research also found that 31% of Friends Life customers consider purchasing protection products as a luxury rather than a necessity.

Friends Life head of sales and marketing for individual protection Mark Anders said: “It is all very well being able to replace a cracked phone screen, but the ability to pay for ongoing medical treatment or pay off your mortgage when a serious accident or injury impacts your ability to work is a lot harder to fund, so it is important that people look into their personal insurance options to provide financial security and peace of mind for themselves and their family in case the worst happens.”

Pet food manufacturer MPM Products is celebrating after selling its 100 millionth unit of wet cat food.

The Macclesfield-based company marked the milestone as sales of its key brands – Encore and Applaws – continue to grow across 33 countries.

The success comes on the back of MPM’s recognition in the export category at the Macclesfield and Wilmslow Business Awards, for its significant growth in both UK and overseas markets.

The company is now on track to reach its target of £24n turnover by the end of the year and has seen surging demand from consumers in the USA, as well as in Australia and the Asian Pacific.

Julian Bambridge, managing director, said: “We’re thrilled by the popularity of our wet cat food and to have sold 100 million units since its launch. These record-breaking figures are a testament to the hard work of the MPM Products team and their dedication to creating superior pet foods with all-natural ingredients.”

In addition to seeing soaring sales in the wet cat food category, MPM has now sold more than 12 million units of wet dog food over the last five years.