Award-winning Not Just Pets in Bath has introduced three new feature rooms – Garden Room, Relax and Play Room, and Pet Hotel – at its city centre store in a bid to enhance its customers' shopping experience.

The pet store has just celebrated its 10th anniversary, and owners Janine and Mike Tozer have responded to customer feedback by providing the three special rooms in the downstairs area of the building.

The first of the new rooms is The Garden Room (below left). Previously, the store layout did not have enough room to display all the big hutches, cages and coops that it kept in stock. The room has been decorated to look like a ]sunny garden with grass, a tree, butterflies, birds and bees. Customers can now see the hutches built up and see the quality and size to help them choose what is right for their needs.

The Relax and Play Room (above right) is big enough to stock a vast array of bed designs in differing sizes. Customers can now take their pets into the room and try out the beds and see which they would like to purchase. There are beds for cats and dogs of all shapes and sizes. The play part of the room has a treat dispenser which allows visitors to get a handful of treats to try out at 50p a go.

The third new room is The Pet Hotel (above), a dedicated area for boarding small animals, pets and birds. It is decorated to look like a hotel room complete with lamp, rug and bible. Not Just Pets are able to offer customers seven-days-a-week pet boarding, safe in the knowledge their pets are well looked after. lt will even be open during the Christmas holidays.

For more information visit www.notjustpets.co.uk

Three members of the Pet Food UK team made the journey to Dubai for Pets Arabia with everything they needed packed into three suitcases...yet they still wowed visitors with a stunning display stand.

The invitation-only event is seen as one of the most important trade shows in the exhibition calendar, with decision makers and industry leaders from over 30 countries meeting up in Dubai.

Pet Food UK introduced brands Barking Heads, Meowing Heads and the new 80/20 diet AATU to the international visitors. All the ranges received a great reception from buyers who recognise how highly regarded Britain is for their quality of ingredients and traceability.

"British provenance is key in each and every product from Pet Food UK Ltd," said the company's Paul Hunter.

"AATU received great interest as it is the world’s first single protein source 80/20 diet.  This is also the first product from the company to contain our unique Super 8 – a combination of eight fruits, eight vegetables, eight herbs, eight spices and eight botanicals."

The Barking Heads and Meowing Heads ranges have recently been expanded to include their complete wet food which compliments the already established range of ultra premium dry food and enhances their reputation as a purveyor of quality food for dogs and cats.

For more information on any of the brands mentioned contact Pet Food UK Ltd on 0808 1008885 or via email enquiries@barkingheads.co.uk.

Norfolk-based pet food company Natures Menu has picked two impressive trophies in the Eastern Daily Press Business Awards – Barclays Business of the Year and the Business Development title.

Managing director Craig Taylor said: “It’s an absolute joy to win and a real pleasure. I’m so proud of everything that everybody has done within our business and really pleased for the vote of confidence in what we are doing.”

Peter Roy, business development manager, added: “What we’ve been able to do over the last couple of years, which has crystallised this year, has been to really focus on individual aspects of our sales strategy. We have been looking at clearly defined aspects of the UK, vets, breeders, retailers, as well as export.
“The last couple of years we have been lucky. We have had industry recognition, but now recognition that sits outside, through the business awards, is very important.”

Natures Menu clinched the Barclays Business of the Year Award because the company “ticked every box that we looked at."

Tim Seeley, head of corporate banking for Barclays in East Anglia, said: “Whatever aspect we looked at with Natures Menu, they were exceeding expectations. They are really a great example of a Norfolk-based business, using Norfolk-based supply routes and creating Norfolk-based employment. A fantastic business.”

In the Business Development Award category, Andrew Barnes, a senior partner at award sponsors Howes Percival, said: “For me what stood out is the ambition of these guys. They are very modest, but they have a great vision, and it’s here in Norfolk.

“It is remarkable what there is tucked away here, They are going for Europe and beyond, and obviously with an innovation in their product, that I absolutely know has got a terrific future.”

Pictured (from left to right): Craig Taylor, Peter Roy and Andrew Barnes from award sponsors Howes Percival.

Multi-award winning Pooch & Mutt has picked up another prestigious accolade – the 'Made in Britain' category in the nationwide SMARTA 100 awards.

The SMARTA 100 awards are the UK’s largest awards dedicated to championing smart, inspiring, resourceful small businesses. This year over 2,000 companies entered the awards, so getting into the final 100 is an amazing achievement in itself.

The final 100 companies are split into 10 categories and the winner is decided by public vote. Over 70,000 votes were cast, making winning a category both a testament to the companies themselves and the loyalty and engagement of their customers.

Pooch & Mutt won the ‘Made in Britain’ category, described by SMARTA as “celebrating those manufacturers and exporters trading globally. These businesses are crucial to the economy and prove that brand Britain and UK Export is thriving”.

Pooch & Mutt’s range of ethical, natural treats, grain-free foods and supplements are all made in the UK to the highest standards and are sold throughout the UK and worldwide.

The judges said: “As a nation of animal lovers, it’s unsurprising that this business has really taken off. Next stop: world domination”.

Pooch & Mutt’s founder Guy Blaskey said: “We are thrilled to have won this award. It has been a fantastic year for Pooch & Mutt. We have experienced huge growth in the last 18 months, which looks set to continue. The team have all worked incredibly hard and delivered the results that have enabled us to win. It is fantastic to see the team, the products and the brand getting the recognition that they deserve.”

As well as winning the SMARTA Made in Britain Award, Pooch & Mutt has also been awarded The Ethical Award from The Ethical Companies Organisation, won Gold for their Packaging at The European Design Awards, was shortlisted in the Grocer’s New Product Awards and founder, Guy Blaskey, is currently in the finals of the GB Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.

The CLIX Noises and Sounds CD, produced by The Company of Animals, has appeared on the Alan Titchmarsh TV show.

The show’s guest vet Joe Ingles said that it is the most effective tool available for desensitising your dog to such noises as fireworks.

For more information on this product and any of the other Anxiety products available from The Company of Animals, call 01932 566696 or visit www.companyofanimals.co.uk

To watch the Alan Titchmarsh clip, click here

The Pet Food Manufacturers' Association has launched a new Pet Size-O-Meter for guinea pigs and it's now available from www.pfma.org.uk.

Developed by the PFMA, led by Dr John Lowe in conjunction with Dr Wanda McCormick at Moulton College, the aim of this body condition score chart is to help the UK’s population of 500,000 guinea pigs stay healthy and trim.

Other pets beyond cats and dogs can be affected by weight gain and PFMA conducted a survey of vets to find out what tools they needed to help tackle the issue. The responses showed that around 45% of vets thought a Size-O-Meter specifically for guinea pigs would be useful.   

With this latest addition, there is now a total of five Pet Size-O-Meters (available for cats, dogs, rabbits, birds and guinea pigs), all designed to encourage pet owners to take a conscious control of their pet’s weight and better understand what constitutes a healthy size.  

This tool, along with many others including food diaries, weight logs, posters and tips can all be downloaded from the PFMA website to share with your clients.  

Hard copies are also available by contacting info@pfma.org.uk

The colourful Dexas range of expandable and collapsible pet feeders is taking off in a big way in the UK following a highly successful PATS Harrogate trade show in September and Discover Dogs in London in October.

The Popware For Pets feeders, distributed exclusively in the UK by AmPet Products, are now available is striking new colours and are certainly catching the eye of both retailers and pet owners.

“Dexas unveiled the new colours at Global Pet Expo earlier in the year and they were a great success,” says Alex Wilson, AmPet’s Sales & Marketing Director. “They even won a Best New Product Award at the show so we couldn’t wait to showcase the range at PATS Harrogate.

“The new colours make for a brighter, more appealing display, and have been developed based on the latest colour trends identified by Dexas.

“We had a great response at PATS from retailers. People seemed immediately drawn to the brightness of the display, and the unique products. And there was a similar reaction from consumers at Discover Dogs so we’re expecting high demand for the products.”

The Popware For Pets feeders are now available in pink, turquoise blue, purple and fresh green.

The patented Popware products are packed with unique features, including:

• Kennel bowls can be stored flat when not in use, saving on space.
• Tandem and single feeders can be folded flat for carrying on holidays and trips.
• The cups can hold wet and dry foods as well as drinking water.
• Easy-to-carry drinking and feeding cups are designed to clip to belts, bags or leashes for walks.

Made to the highest quality standards, the Popware feeders fold flat and are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.

Retail prices range from £4.99 for the Travel Cup, up to £49.99 for the Elevated Tandem Feeder, which is suitable for larger pets. It can also be height adjusted to suit growing animals.

Alex Wilson added: “We are really pleased to see the sales of Dexas products growing in the UK. We believe it is a very exciting brand with a bright future.

“We hope more independent retailers will recognise the benefit that these colourful items can bring to their stores, and ultimately grow sales of these feeders and their other products.”

If you’re interested in stocking the Dexas Popware For Pets feeder range, contact Alex Wilson on 0330 088 3647 or by email alexw@ampetproducts.com.

Owners still prefer to buy their pet food and accessories at specialist retailers rather than at supermarkets or online, according to a new survey by PetSafe.

The report states that 62% of UK consumers prefer shopping at national and independent pet stores for their products. The remaining 38% choose supermarkets and online for their pet purchases.

Other interesting findings highlighted that millennials are the biggest spenders with 39% of 18-24-year-olds spending over £50 a month on their pet.

At the other end of the age spectrum, the over 50s surveyed preferred to keep a tighter grip on expenditure, with only a fifth (20%) spending more than £50 a month.

Taking all age groups into consideration, the majority of people, just under half (46%) were found to spend between £20 and £50 a month on food, pet insurance, vet costs, toys and grooming.

The results are revealed in an independent survey of dog and cat owners conducted recently by global pet product expert PetSafe.

PetSafe International Marketing Director Angela Critchley comments: “It’s great to see that UK pet product suppliers are holding their own and continue to be a popular retail destination for pet owners. It isn’t surprising when you consider the good levels of customer service and expert advice that is widely available across the UK.   

"The online market is steadily growing too and many retailers are increasingly looking to offer online shopping for their customers – at the end of the day it’s all about choice.”

To find out information about PetSafe and its products visit the Digital Product Guide: PETSAFEPRODUCTGUIDE.COM. You can also visit the website at www.petsafe.net

The survey was conducted by OnePoll in June 2014 with 1,000 cat owners and 1,000 dog owners interviewed.

The aquatic industry trade body OATA has welcomed a new director to its Board. Philip Lawton, of Kidsgrove Tropicals and Water Garden Centre in Stoke-on-Trent, joined five other directors who were voted back onto the board at the AGM.

The trade association also said goodbye to Matthew Bubear, of CASCO Europe, who has stepped down from his place on the board after three years. 

The other returning Board members are Richard Hale of Berry Ring Herpetological & Aquatic Supplies Ltd, Dave Pool of FishScience Ltd, Neil Hardy of Neil Hardy Aquatica Ltd, Kevin Barton of ALF (Aquatic Distributors) Ltd and Jane Flaherty of J.M.C Aquatics. 

“We’re very pleased to welcome Philip to the board. He’s been attending board meetings for the past year through our New Blood scheme and we’re sure he’ll prove a useful addition,” said OATA’s new Chairman Mark Evenden, who took over the top seat from James Allison at the AGM.

“We’d also like to thank Matthew for all his input to OATA over the past three years, which has been greatly valued. 

“And we’re very pleased that another industry stalwart has taken up our New Blood scheme and we look forward to seeing Barry Allday, of The Goldfish Bowl in Oxford, at our meetings. If any OATA members are interested in seeing what goes on at our board meetings we’re always happy for people to come along and they can call the office for more information.” 

OATA’s Board of Directors is made up of 18 people who represent the whole of the industry, from wholesalers and manufacturers to importers, pond and aquarium consultants and retailers. Before each AGM, six directors step down and nominations are invited. There were seven nominations which sparked the vote.

The complete OATA Board of Directors is now made up of: 

• James Allison, Aquapic Solutions 
• Kevin Barton, ALF (Aquatic Distributors) Ltd
• Pete Carey, Pets at Home
• Robert Edgecock, Independent Aquatic Imports Ltd
• Mark Evenden, Devotedly Discus Ltd
• Jane Flaherty, JMC Aquatics Ltd
• Richard Hale, Berry Ring Herpetological and Aquatics Supplies Ltd
• Neil Hardy, Neil Hardy Aquatica Ltd
• Simon Langdale, Maidenhead Aquatics
• Philip Lawton, Kidsgrove Tropicals
• Ruth Low, Gordon Low Products Ltd
• David Pool, FishScience 
• Kevin Rose, Lynchford Aquatics Ltd
• Andrew Stagg, NT Laboratories Ltd
• Paul West, Tropical Marine Centre
• Peter Wheeler, Aquajardin Ltd
• Ben Windeatt, Tetra
• Mark Winter, Aqua Pacific UK Ltd

A French Canadian man has uploaded footage of his incredibly patient pug Baboo, remaining impassive even as children clamber all over it.

With a young baby sitting on top of it and an older girl leaning in for a cuddle, Baboo endures it all without causing a fuss at the family home in Montreal. 

The man who posted the video explained online: "Baboo was a rescue - an old one. He immediately took to my family, and my family took to him,' the dog's owner wrote online.

"My family immediately fell in love with Baboo, and he fell in love with our family."

The rescue dog is blind in both eyes, as a result of retinitis. 

The video, played with comedy background music, shows the pug remaining stoic even as the young baby clambers all over it, eventually rolling off and back onto the floor.

The footage has drawn a mixed reaction from viewers on YouTube, with some of those viewers suggesting that the young boy's behaviour amounted to animal cruelty.

"Please don't "rescue" any more dogs if you think that type of treatment is ok," one commenter said. 

But the dog's owner has defended the nature of his son's play with the pug, writing: "That is not torment. It is pure affection between all of them. And when my kids aren't giving it to him, he is following them around the house looking for it."

View the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNRbQBvNCBg

Burglars stole cash, including Christmas tips for staff, after smashing their way into Marion’s Pet Shop in Egremont, Cumbria.

Raiders left “glass and carnage” in their wake when they forced their way into the pet shop, which had to close for over a day during a clean-up operation.

Owner Marion Mossop is furious about the attack on the Main Street store, which employs six people.

“They smashed the back window in,” she said. “They got the till. Underneath the draw was the girls’ Christmas tip money.

“We are open seven days a week. We work hard in here. It’s just sad they can come in and steal what they want, do what damage they want and walk away. They are probably laughing now.”

About £70 in tips was stolen, along with roughly the same amount in the til, and the damage caused will cost more than £1,000 to repair.

"There was glass and carnage everywhere," added Marion.

“The window is now boarded up and we were shut for a day-and-a-half. We lost all that business.

“But I’d like to thank my customers for their support. They’ve been wonderful.”

A police spokesman said: “We can confirm we have received a report of a burglary. Investigations are underway.”

Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to call them on 101.

A Gloucestershire family business is seeking £150,000 of crowdfunding to accelerate growth and increase its share of potential customers in the UK.

Griffiths Marketing and Logistics (GML) has an exclusive contract to distribute pet food brands Happy Dog and Happy Cat in the UK and Ireland.

The Cirencester business already has 4,500 active customers and a monthly turnover of £60,000, with plans in place to grow market share, sales and profitability.

It is owned and run by chief executive Mark Griffiths, his brother Andy as head of marketing and strategy and his son Hugo in the role of operations director.

GML is seeking £150,000 on the CrowdCube platform for a 10%stake to accelerate growth and expand the product range currently offered.

The marketing and logistics company has an exclusive initial contract to sell the German-manufactured brands Happy Dog and Happy Cat. It trades via e-commerce platforms happydoguk.com and happycatuk.com.

Mark Griffiths said in the CrowdCube pitch that GML was looking to speed up the growth process by investing into marketing and further development of the online businesses.

The money raised will be used to recruit more specialised sales people, invest in the website and ecommerce platform, and to invest in online and offline marketing.

Operations director Hugo Griffiths added in the pitch: "We have built an effective, efficient business model which can easily be scaled up at low cost increasing profitability.

"Happy Dog and Happy Cat has shown good month-on-month growth to date and with such a successful track record we are looking to widen our offering to logistics solutions for other products. This approach, coupled with the addition of other product lines, should treble the company's profit within three years."

GML forecasts that it will generate sales of more than £5m by 2017 with profits of £1.2m.

Tetra has been awarded the 'Innovative through research' quality seal from the Association for the Promotion of Science and Humanities.

The 'Innovative through research' award has been presented to Tetra’s R&D team, which is currently the largest in the aquatics industry.

The award-winning department is based in Germany where only 1% of companies conduct any research for product development.

The Association for the Promotion of Science and Humanities is also based in Germany, and is partially responsible for shaping the Government’s innovation policy by carrying out regular surveys measuring the research activities of German companies.

 Tetra’s innovative R&D team consists of a range of highly-qualified personnel from a variety of industries including biologists, chemists, vets and process engineers.

Tetra prioritises research, recognising that it is key in making new discoveries, creating innovations and generating benefits.

The primary focus of the R&D team at Tetra is on making fishkeeping easier, safer and more user-friendly so that consumers can enjoy the hobby and keep their aquarium inhabitants thriving and healthy. The dynamic team is responsible for all of Tetra’s product innovations; developing new products and enhancing existing ones.

Alex Hinton, Trade Marketing Manager Spectrum Pets, said: “This award is recognition of our ongoing investment into innovation and we are delighted to have received this award.

"We see it as an incentive to consolidate and develop our intensive research work so that we can keep coming up with new, innovative products that appeal to the consumers.”

For more information contact the Spectrum Pet Division press office via: spectrumpetbrands@brayleino.co.uk or call 0117 9731173.

After 20 years service as Johnson’s Northern Area Sales Manager, Gary Hitchen takes on a new role for the companyas its National Key Accounts Manager.

From January 1st 2015 this new position will see him taking responsibility for Johnson’s major UK wholesale accounts.

Since 1994 Gary quickly built excellent working relationships with his customers and has been responsible for growing and developing the distribution of Johnson’s pet health care range throughout his area. He is looking forward to his new responsibilities, but would like to thank all his many customers and friends in the trade for their valued support over the years.

From 1st January 2015 Gary’s customer base will now be divided in two, offering both Ed Ball and Simon Collinson the opportunity to expand their areas:

Above (from left to right): Gary Hitchen, Ed Ball and Simon Collinson.

Ed Ball will be adding the North East and North West to his present areas of Scotland and Ireland, while Simon Collinson will add the rest of the North of England to his current Midlands and North Wales areas.

Ed and Simon, who both have considerable experience in the pet trade, have already started to meet their additional customers and look forward to developing the excellent trading relationships which Johnson’s have enjoyed for many years, maintaining the Company’s policy of personal attention, reliable service and products exclusive to the pet trade.

Changes to the pet travel scheme will be introduced from 29 December this year.

The pet travel scheme allows people to to take their pets (dogs, cats and ferrets) abroad and then return to the UK, or bring pets into the UK, without quarantine, as long as they meet the rules of the scheme.

The changes are being introduced to give effect to a new European regulation and are designed to improve the security of the scheme and traceability of the pet passport. They will also help clamp down on abuse of the system.

The changes include:

• a new minimum age of 12 weeks before a pet can be vaccinated against rabies
• new pet passports will include laminated strips and a requirement for more contact details to be provided by the vet issuing the document and certifying the veterinary treatments
• a new requirement for all member states in the EU to carry out checks on their borders (the UK already checks all pets coming into the country through approved routes)
• a tighter definition of non-commercial movement which will mean owners who cannot travel with a pet when they enter the EU, must do so within 5 days; owners can still authorise another person to travel with their pet, but again the pet and authorised person must travel within 5 days of each other

All pets are still required to have a microchip which confirms the animal’s identity.

Existing passports will remain valid for the lifetime of the pet or until all treatment spaces have been filled on the document.

All pet passports issued by vets from 29 December 2014 will be in the new format.

A consultation was published earlier this year on how the changes to the scheme would be introduced. 

Responding to the Dogs Trust report ‘The Puppy Smuggling Scandal: An investigation into the illegal entry of dogs into GB under the Pet Travel Scheme’, BVA President John Blackwell (pictured) said:

“The Dogs Trust report on the illegal trade in puppies highlights the serious concerns that BVA has raised with Defra over the level of controls and checks at our borders. A recent survey of our members found that 1 in 8 had reported concerns about non-compliant passports to Trading Standards in the last 12 months.

 “We welcome the introduction of new pet passports at the end of this year, which are designed to be more tamper proof and improve traceability, but we remain concerned about the robustness of border checks, and the capability of Trading Standards to effectively deal with issues of non-compliance.

“When illegal activity is involved the risk of disease entering the country is increased. The UK is free of the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, which can have a very serious impact on human health. If passports are being altered and dogs are being brought into the UK under the radar we have no idea if they have been treated for the tapeworm. And even though the risk of incursion of rabies is low, if passports are being falsified we simply don’t know if animals are being effectively vaccinated. 

“It is shocking to learn that veterinary surgeons within the EU are implicated in the Dogs Trust exposé and we call on the UK Chief Veterinary Officer to raise these concerns with the Hungarian and Lithuanian authorities as a matter of urgency.

“It is particularly distressing that this trade compromises both the welfare of the puppies and the breeding animals that are producing them.

“The report highlights the importance of only buying a puppy from a reputable breeder based in the UK. The best way to cut off the supply of these illegal puppies is to stop the demand. That means asking questions, using the AWF/RSPCA Puppy Contract and Information Pack, and never buying a puppy without seeing it with its mother.

“Legitimate breeders and sellers will always welcome questions about their puppies’ health and wellbeing, after all they have nothing to hide. Potential puppy owners can also ask their local veterinary surgeon for advice prior to purchase.”

Beaphar UK has appointed a new recruit, Bethany Bell, who will join the pet healthcare group as its South West Field Sales Executive.

Beth, based near Gloucester, will be responsible for looking after retailers in the South West, and promoting the company’s portfolio of cat, dog, small animal, bird and fish products.

“I am excited to start a new challenge at Beaphar and thrilled to have found a job that combines my studies, retail experience with a love of animals," she said.

"Beaphar is an exciting, innovative brand and because it is still family owned, I really feel like I will be able to make a positive impact in this role."

She joins Beaphar UK with a master’s degree in Equine Science and a clear passion for animals and building relationships alike.

Commenting on this new recruit, Beaphar UK Field Sales Manager Jane Austin said: “Beth’s  friendly personality, together with a superb work ethic and passion for dedicating the time to truly develop retail accounts ,will be a valuable resource for our customers."

For information on the Beaphar product range contact your Local Area Sales Executive, call the Customer Care Team on 01440 715700 or visit www.beaphar.co.uk

New figures released at the start of National Canine Health Testing week (17-21 November) by the British Veterinary Association (BVA) reveal that 91% of companion animal vets believe more screening for inherited conditions, such as hip dysplasia and eye problems, will positively impact canine health and welfare.

BVA is highlighting that health testing and screening is not just for purebred pedigree dogs. Screening is also important for crossbreed dogs, such as Labradoodles and Cockerpoos, which are becoming increasingly popular.

BVA and the Kennel Cub (KC) run the Canine Health Schemes to screen dogs for certain inherited conditions before they mate. Owners and breeders can use the results from the Schemes to help make more informed breeding decisions to produce happy, healthy puppies and work towards eliminating debilitating inherited conditions. The BVA/KC Canine Health Schemes cover hip and elbow dysplasia, hereditary eye disease, and Chiari-malformation/Syringomyelia.

National Canine Health Testing week promotes the message of screening before breeding to both breeders and pet owners, so breeders can select dogs that will produce healthy pups and pet owners know the questions they should ask a breeder about the puppy’s and parents’ health. In addition to the BVA/KC Schemes there are a wide range of DNA tests available to test for inherited diseases. The results of tests and screening schemes are made available on the Kennel Club’s online health resource ‘Mate Select’.

Whether a potential owner is opting for a pedigree or crossbred puppy, BVA supports the use of the Animal Welfare Foundation/RSPCA Puppy Contract and Puppy Information Pack, which contains a section for the breeder to fill out about any health screening or DNA tests and results to give added reassurance to owners. In addition, for Kennel Club registered breeds, the Assured Breeder Scheme requires certain breed-specific health tests as part of registering puppies from Assured Breeders.

BVA President and veterinary surgeon John Blackwell said:

“Vets in practice see cases of inherited conditions that are debilitating and distressing for dogs, however well-loved they are. That is why the vast majority of vets see the benefit of screening for inherited conditions. 

“The good news is that we have schemes and tests in place that help breeders and owners make sound judgements about responsible breeding. Anyone thinking of breeding from their dog or thinking about buying a puppy should ask their vet about available health schemes and how they can be used to inform their decisions.

“For National Canine Health Testing Week we’re also reminding people that it’s not just pedigree dogs that can inherit these disorders. There is a misconception that crossbred dogs are protected from hereditary problems but that’s not the case.

“Health matters to all dogs, particularly when it comes to mating, and it is vital that potential mates are not at risk of passing on inherited conditions. The BVA/KC Canine Health Schemes and Kennel Club DNA testing services are critical tools for breeders. My message at the start of National Canine Health Testing week is make sure the match is a good one and apply the relevant tests to both parents before they are mated.”

An animal food bank has been set up by a Perthshire charity in a bid to prevent pets being handed into rescue centres.

Becky’s Pet Food Bank will supply rations to cat and dog owners struggling to make ends meet and founder Carol Begg believes the move is key to helping hard-pressed people to keep their treasured animals.

She has recruited a team of 60 volunteers across the country to collect and distribute pet food, with drop-off points already set up across Perthshire, Fife and Edinburgh.

Carol, 47, who also runs Perthshire Gundog Rescue, said she had some reports of owners going without food or heating in order to ensure that their pet was fed.

She said: “I know what my dogs mean to me — I’ve been in dire straits myself years ago and the last thing I would do was give up my dog.

“We are seeing a lot of rescue dogs being given up because of people’s change in circumstances — they can’t afford to feed their dogs any more.

“The last thing they want to do is give up their pets but they have to if they can’t afford to feed them.

“There are vets that cater for veterinary treatment to help people on benefits but they don’t help feed them. I set this up to help people who are in dire need.

“My main aim with the rescue is to help people keep their animals if they can, whether it’s through training or some other support because, in an ideal world, we wouldn’t need animal rescues.

“People give up their animals with great difficulty and, on a weekly basis, I have to deal with the upset of people handing over their dogs to me and it’s tragic.

“I’ll do anything I can to help people because, at the end of the day, it helps the dogs as well — it stops a few dogs coming into rescue.”

Carol said she decided to name the service after one of her beloved rescue dogs, a cocker spaniel, which had to be put down recently.

“Becky was a dog I took in,” she said.

“Her health was dreadful and I nursed her round the clock for nearly three years.

“She touched a lot of hearts on my Facebook page. She was a wee dog that was loved by thousands of people.

“She was put to sleep about a week and a half ago and everybody is just as devastated as I am.

“When she died I thought I had to do something in her memory so that her memory never dies.”

Becky’s Pet Food Bank also hopes to help small, struggling rescue shelters which have been inundated with animals given up due to financial pressures.