Essex-based Hart Pet Supplies, which faced closure after a blaze destroyed most of its stock earlier this month, has been saved thanks to the support of local residents in Thundersley village... 

Owner Andie Freeston, who opened the shop eight years ago, feared her business wouldn’t survive, but has been left overwhelmed by the support she and her husband Mark have received.

She said: “The village has been absolutely fantastic. The whole of Thundersley has got together.

“Customers have been handing me money to get the shop up and running.

“I can’t believe it. I’ve had people in the street asking what we need and saying to give them a call.

“When we had a stock count, people and customers were coming in to help.

It has just been unbelievable.

People have been doing anything to help us out.”

Mr and Mrs Freeston are running a home delivery service while they wait for the insurance claim to be settled and the shop to reopen.

In the meantime, they have been inundated with offers of help and donations, including a flat screen TV to be auctioned from one customer and £100 from Thundersley Congregational Church.

Nearby businesses, Grouts the Bakers and Robert Michael Estate Agency, and friend Alison Lindoe have organised a charity night in the Tandoori Parlour, in Hart Road.

Izzy Winfield, 45, manageress of Grouts said: “Here in the village we are a very close-knit community.

“Years ago I had a fire myself and Andie was there for my husband and me, so that is why I thought I would give something back. The village has all got together as we want the business up and running.

“Andie is so lovely and would do anything for anyone, so we are doing the fundraiser and auction to get her back up-and-running and back where she should be.”

National pet store chain Pets Corner has promised further expansion after reporting impressive financial results for 2014, and said its portfolio of stores is set to exceed 100 by the end of this year.

The Crawley-based company, which opened 13 new stores during the year ended in September 2014, said margins have risen in line with expectations, a trend which continues year on year.

Like-for-Like (LFL) growth in the second quarter of the year was 9.2%, rising to 15.2% in Q3. Total revenue growth for the same period was 16.5% in Q2 and 24.1% in Q3.

Meanwhile, the group said website growth was up 72% on the previous year.

Pets Corner said it continues to invest in its existing stores, with four major branch refits as well as a refreshment programme for more than 70 stores.

Owner and managing director Dean Richmond added: "These figures speak for themselves and illustrate our strong consumer confidence, built on our commitment to animal welfare and staff training programme. This is a family business and our values keep us at the forefront of the sector."

“In 2014 we adopted a new ‘intensive care’ approach” explained Nicola Martin, Head of Pet Health and Welfare at PDSA. “Thanks to the funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, our team of community vet nurses were able to target ten pet welfare ‘hotspots’ delivering three weeks of fun, interactive sessions at local schools, followed by a week-long visit from one of our Pet Check vehicles. Our local pet hospitals also held community open days, and our Pet Check vehicles returned six months later to see how owners were getting on.

“Children are the pet owners of the future; by helping them to better understand animals’ needs we can improve the lives of generations of pets to come.”

Five PDSA Community Vet Nurses visited over 400 schools throughout 2014, delivering more than 1,000 workshops. Alongside this the charity’s Pet Check vehicles provided a thorough health and wellbeing assessment of local dogs’ five welfare needs – environment, behaviour, diet, companionship and health.

Over 8,000 people visited the Pet Check vehicles on their 2014 tour, and nearly 4,500 dogs were given free wellbeing checks. Return visits also took place in each targeted area, revealing significant improvements in the wellbeing of the dogs that had been for an assessment.

In early March only a third (34%) of the dogs seen were assessed as having a good diet, while 61% were identified as needing changes to improve their diet. By the end of the year, these same areas reported that more than half of dogs (51%) were now having their dietary needs met properly – an increase of 17%. Similarly, preventive health improved from just one-in-five dogs having their needs met, to one-in-three being in tip-top condition by the end of the year.

Nicola continued: “We know that owners love their pets, and by working with owners to share our expert advice we are able to help turn their affection into positive action that improves the lives of their pets.”

Areas targeted included North Lanarkshire, Birmingham, Merseyside, Bridgend in Wales, Basildon and Erewash. The pet welfare ‘hotspots’ were identified with the help of the charity’s annual PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report, and working closely with local partners, the team were able to focus activity in key areas of concern.

In early 2014, PDSA’s education programme was one of several pet welfare programmes selected to benefit from a £600,000 cash injection, thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Case study – routine check was a lifesaver for Max

One beneficiary of PDSA’s tour was Max, a German Shepherd from Hartlepool. His life was saved after a chance visit for a free check revealed a testicular swelling, which turned out to be a cancerous tumour.  The vet nurse arranged for Max to register at his local PDSA Pet Hospital in Middlesbrough, and after receiving life-saving surgery he went on to make a full recovery.

PDSA’s two custom-designed PetCheck vehicles have been kindly donated to the charity by benefactors Julie and Robert Breckman. The vehicles are named after Robert and his late wife Julie, whose love of animals and support of PDSA has helped to make the PetCheck tour a reality.

For further information about PDSA visit www.pdsa.org.uk  or call 0800 731 2502.

PATS has launched a new and improved website www.patshow.co.uk in line with its growing stature as an international pet trade show.

As well as being bright and colourful, the new website is more user-friendly and easy to navigate for both visitors and exhibitors.

Retailers and buyers can find everything they need to know about visiting PATS Sandown and PATS Telford in 2015 while exhibitors can post their latest news, including show offers and new products they’ll be launching at both shows.

Now in its seventh year, PATS is fast emerging as an international event, attracting a growing number of visitors from overseas as well as European companies choosing to exhibit their products. 

PATS’ standing as an international pet trade show is set to grow even further following the decision to move its September 2015 show to the Telford International Centre. 

The switch to Telford is seen as a great opportunity to attract more international visitors eager to discover innovative new pet products from UK companies. With England’s two largest international airports (outside of London) ideally situated for Telford – Birmingham with 110 daily arrivals and Manchester with almost 200 – travelling to and from the event will be far easier.

PATS Telford is taking place on Sunday, September 27, and Monday, September 28, 2015, and UK pet suppliers are already getting excited about the chance to showcase their products and services to a growing number of overseas distributors.

And PATS Sandown continues to go from strength to strength. All stand space sold out months before the show, and visitors to Sandown Park Exhibition Centre in Esher, Surrey, on Tuesday, March 17, and Wednesday, March 18, can expect a warm welcome from over 140 exhibitors eager to showcase thousands of new products.

Gordon Thomas, from organisers Impact Exhibitions, said: “2015 is an exciting year for PATS and our improved website is just one of the new features we’ll be introducing this year.

“PATS Sandown will be the largest to date – the whole pet trade under one roof with over 140 exhibitors, including 30 new exhibitors. And, of course, we’ll be holding our first PATS at Telford International Centre in September, so it’s really exciting.

“These are all part of our plans to enhance the reputation of the shows on the international stage. More of our UK-based exhibitors are now exporting their products so they want to see more overseas buyers visiting the show.”

The new PATS website www.patshow.co.uk is now live, and visitors can quickly and easily register for free entry to PATS Sandown online. 

Dog walkers who experience unforgettable moments with their pets are set to be celebrated by a premium dog collar and lead manufacturer.

Oscar & Hooch, a family business created by Paul and Elaine Steckler, has created a monthly initiative which invites UK dog owners to submit stories of memorable dog walks on social media.

Every month, participants will be asked to share images and descriptions of their favourite outings on the company’s Facebook and Twitter pages. The best submission, as judged by Oscar & Hooch, will be crowned ‘Dog Walk of the Month’ with the author receiving a free luxury dog collar.

“Nearly all dog owners have fantastic memories from their walks, and as a manufacturer of dog walking products, we wanted to come up with something where these memories could be shared with our pooch-loving community,” explains Elaine Steckler, sales director at Oscar & Hooch.

“We’re looking for heartwarming moments of bonding, infamous tales of mud and adventure, or simply an account of a stroll in a beautiful setting. As long as it’s memorable to the owner in question, we’d love to hear about it.”

“Those who wish to participate should visit our Facebook page or Twitter profile before submitting their pictures and stories.”

All of Oscar & Hooch’s products are manufactured within the UK. Both their dog collars and leads are presented as signature ranges, using a luxury soft suedette in 12 distinctive colours.Finished with stylish nickel plated hardware, the entire range of collars and leads are also machine washable.

The company recently announced a pilot scheme with MyTAG to provide free branded ‘Lost & Found’ tags with each direct order from its signature dog collar range. Using QR Code  technology, they can help find missing dogs quickly and efficiently.

Oscar & Hooch customers also receive 12 months free cover with MyTAG, the online service which links with the tag to store five emergency contacts, while pinpointing the location of a missing dog.

“Most dog walks are wonderful, but on the occasions where our pooches get away from us, it’s good to know safeguards are in place. We have limited stock of these ‘Lost & Found’ tags during this pilot scheme, so those wanting to place orders should get in touch quickly,” adds Elaine.

 For further information about Oscar & Hooch, call 01934 713 667 or visit www.oscarandhooch.com.

Expert knowledge of the staff at Pets Corner in Shoreham, West Sussex, has helped to save the life of a poorly rescue dog...

Caroline Maguire’s King Charles Spaniel, called Tessa, had been given treatment by a specialist vet for pancreatitis.

But the rescue dog was showing no signs of improvement after six weeks of recommended food, so Caroline turned to Pets Corner, in High Street, for help.

“When I got her, she was absolutely starved and came to me with her bones sticking out,” said Caroline.

“She had been in for an x-ray and had developed pancreatitis, so they recommended a hard food.

“The dog was on so many different drugs like painkillers and anti-sickness tablets. Still nothing helped and I stayed up with her all night just holding her.”

As she lives in central Shoreham, Caroline uses Pets Corner regularly so she asked staff there for an alternative.

Store manager Sophie Cook recommended trying a small tin of salmon Nose2Tail and after just two days, Tessa was more comfortable.

“I was amazed,” said Caroline. “I can’t believe it was that simple, I was joyous. I absolutely thought I was going to lose her but she has continued to improve.”

Staff at the shop said Caroline was clearly distressed when she approached them for advice and fearing for Tessa’s life.

Assistant manager Adele Cook said: “It feels fantastic. We have got such an in-depth training programme and Sophie having been in the same position as Caroline, she knew what problems the breed commonly has.”

The tinned food recommended contains a blend of herbs, vegetables, vitamins and minerals.

Pets Corner managing director Dean Richmond said: “We are so pleased we were able to help Tessa and that she is fit and well again.

“We are proud to be able to say that all staff at Pets Corner are pet care trained so when situations like these arise, they’re able to step up to the mark.

“At Pets Corner we really care about the animals and owners who come through our doors. Listening to concerns, giving good advice and showing support comes as part of the package.”

Pet owners are advised to always attend the vet and seek professional advice as a first point of call if their animal become unwell.

Pictured: Assistant manager Adele Cook with Caroline Maguire and her recovering dog Tessa.

Pooch & Mutt founder Guy Blaskey is sharing the secrets of his success by writing a chapter on 'Marketing for Expansion' in a new 'Going for Growth' e-book for Sage.

The chapter is focuses on the importance of marketing for small businesses in the UK.

The e-book is centred on giving businesses the confidence to succeed and grow. Guy’s chapter was written specifically to help small companies improve their business efficiency and make confident decisions through successful marketing.

In the chapter, Guy writes: “In order to market for growth you need to be able to find the maximum number of people with a need for your product that are able to purchase it. You must then explain to them why your product is the best one to match that need."

Guy argues that marketing is still vital for small businesses, however the methods have changed in the 21dt century. He states: “The role of marketing, which is to convince someone that your product is the best product the meet their need, is still the same. It is just the methods that are different."

Sage’s Going for Growth e-book was launched on January 21 and features other leading business experts in the UK.

The e-book has an extensive social media plan, spreading across Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to reach as many readers as possible, including the hash tag #SageBizGrowth and #GoingforGrowth over the course of the next few weeks.

Check out the chapter here:

http://www.sage.co.uk/documents/guides/ebook-going-for-growth.pdf

Guy is thrilled to be representing the UK pet industry and working to help small businesses succeed.

    
Natures Menu has started 2015 with the first of many new product launches – three new additions to its raw bones and chew range.

Now available with a recommended retail selling price of £2.39 are racks of Raw Lamb Ribs, Lamb Necks and Free Range Chicken Carcass.

These teeth cleaning, naturally calming and mineral rich bones are high in protein, nutritious and packed with essential minerals including calcium, phosphorus and cartilage. Easy to eat and digest these tasty treats will keep dogs satisfied for hours.

Natures Menu carefully source and select human grade meat from British suppliers and ensure that it is veterinary inspected, DEFRA approved and conforms to the standards and code of practice of the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association (PMFA).

For more information visit www.naturesmenu.co.uk

Just like humans, fish that are dealing with stress are prone to health problems. When fish are stressed, their immune systems are compromised and their slime coats are easily damaged. These changes mean that they cannot fight off infection from the usually harmless pathogens that already exist within the aquarium, thus increasing risk of disease.

Stressful situations include being netted, travelling, exposure to poor water quality, introduction to a new environment and water changes, all of which can arise when fish are sold and re-homed.

New King British Safe Home combines the healing properties of Aloë vera and silver proteinate. This easy to use, single application treatment has been specifically formulated to aid fish health during times of stress.

Silver proteinate is widely used in human healthcare and is active against bacteria, fungi and some viruses. It also prevents secondary infection of damaged tissues and promotes the rapid healing of wounds and damaged fins. Aloë vera repairs and soothes the slime coat of fish which prevents parasites and other harmful pathogens gaining access to the skin. The addition of Sodium chloride will also revitalise run down fish, by aiding osmosis and helping to keep infections at bay.

 Available in two versions, the 1 litre trade-use only bottle is designed for dispensing into carry-home bags, to ease stress in fish during travel. It also provides you with the opportunity to promote the smaller, 50ml consumer pack. This is for addition to the home tank when the new fish are introduced. The pack also contains a money-off voucher for £1.00 off any King British 100ml water treatment or medicine. The two units are priced as follows:

At only £2.99 for 50ml, make sure you give your customers’ new fish the best start by advising them to add King British Safe Home to their aquarium.

To find out more about King British Safe Home as well as the full range of fish food, water treatments and medicines, call 01440 715700 or contact your local Sales Executive.

A worker at a Peterborough warehouse fraudulently ordered thousands of pounds of stock for herself - and bought herself a new pet dog with the funds.

Louise Merritt took nearly £9,600 worth of goods in a space of just three months while working as a customer service advisor at Kiddicare in Peterborough.

Merritt (25) sold the items on internet auction site eBay for just £3,000.

The court heard Merritt had money troubles at the time, and had been told she would be made redundant as a result of Kiddicare being sold by Morrisons, and shortly afterwards by equity firm Endless.

But along with using the cash to pay bills, Peterborough magistrates heard she splashed out on a car and a chihuahua dog.

Merritt appeared at the court last Monday (19 January), where she pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by abuse of position, relating to a three-month spell between July and October last year.

She was made redundant on October 10 2014.

But District Judge Ken Shearton said the case was too serious to be heard at the magistrates’ court, and sent it to Peterborough Crown Court where a judge has greater sentencing powers.

Paul Brown, prosecuting, said: “She has been working at Kiddicare since 2011 as a customer service advisor in the call centre.

“Items were ordered, but not processed. She would send the items to different addresses, and use family members names, even though the family members did not know what was going on.

“She was found out when she ordered an out of stock item, and the order was checked.

“She said she made £2,000 to £3,000 from the sale, and had bought a Renault Clio for £200 and a chihauhua for £200.”

Nenad Spasojevic, defending, said: “She deserves credit for her guilty plea, and she is of good character. She is a single mother, and the offence was born out of the threat of redundancy. She had payday loans outstanding.

“She has always worked throughout her life.”

Mr Spasojevic sad some items, valued about £600 to £700 had been recovered.

Merritt was granted bail until the next hearing on a date to be confirmed.

Pet Doors UK of Angus, Scotland, and PlexiDor Performance Pet Doors, based in Bradenton, Florida USA, have partnered in the United Kingdom.

Owned and managed by Johnno and Carol Johnson, Pet Doors UK have been appointed the exclusive importer for PlexiDor Performance Pet Doors for the United Kingdom.

Pet Doors UK has been importing PlexiDor Performance Pet Doors from the USA since 1994 and has extensive knowledge of the product and market.

“We are thrilled to partner with Pet Doors UK and to expand distribution of the PlexiDor brand into this major market area," says Robert Wollet, Sales and Marketing Manager of PlexiDor.

“We look forward to supporting their efforts in establishing a network of pet retailers that will offer PlexiDor to the millions of pet parents throughout this region.”

PlexiDor Pet Doors do not require costly replacement flaps and provide maximum energy efficiency. Each unit comes with a lock and key and steel security plate. No other pet door comes equipped with these added security features.

Pet Products UK will be exhibiting at PATS Sandown event on March 17-18, where they'll be demonstrating the PlexiDor product range to pet retail stores on stand T4.

PlexiDor Performance Pet Doors will soon be available at a nationwide network of authorised dealers, with prices in the United Kingdom starting at £249.

Visit www.PlexiDors.co.uk to locate a dealer nearest you or call 01241 830421 to request a PlexiDor catalogue. 

A former bulging Bulldog – who was so lazy she had to be bribed with ham to exercise – has been crowned ‘pet slimmer of the year’ after shedding over a quarter of her bodyweight. 

Diet queen Daisy, from Middlesbrough, beat off competition from huge hounds, fat cats and round rabbits, who were all battling the bulge in a bid to become PDSA’s Pet Fit Club champ. 

Daisy’s amazing transformation made her the top loser, according to judges of Pet Fit Club – a six month diet and fitness competition run by leading veterinary charity PDSA. The new slim-line pooch was one of 11 obese pets selected to embark on the pet slimming regime. 

In total, the pets have lost a combined weight of 30kg (4 stone 7 pounds) – the weight of a typical nine-year-old child. The winner of the fat fighting contest was revealed in a new TV show on ITV1 earlier this month, called Fat Pets: Slimmer of the Year, presented by Angela Griffin and Kian Egan. 

When PDSA Pet Fit Club began in May last year, Daisy (6) had ballooned to over 28kg (4st 6lbs), making her more than 40 per cent overweight. Daisy’s passion for extra portions had caused her waistline to expand, along with her preference of hitching a ride to pounding the pavement. 

Owner, Gillian Turrell, (60) had tried to help her beloved pooch to slim down – even encouraging her to go on a treadmill under her close supervision, plus walks to gradually increase Daisy’s exercise levels. But exercise wasn’t Daisy’s thing – when out walking she’d been known to jump into any available car to catch a ride home when she’s had enough – hence her family nickname ‘Lazy Daisy’.

Gillian said: “Daisy always begged for food, and has even been known to steal things out of the fridge. I also got into the habit of spoiling her with treats and titbits. The weight crept up slowly, and I didn’t notice how big she’d got. 

“When I couldn’t get the car harness around her, and she was struggling to get up the stairs, I knew things had to change. I love Daisy to bits, and I want the best for her, so when I heard about PDSA’s Pet Fit Club, it was the perfect solution to helping her lose the weight.” 

Daisy started the competition weighing in at a hefty 28.3kg but with PDSA’s help and Gillian’s determination, she was able to lose around 8kg in weight – meaning that she’s shed an impressive 27% of her bodyweight. 

PDSA Senior Vet Elaine Pendlebury said: “Daisy looks absolutely amazing since shedding the pounds in Pet Fit Club. The weight loss means Daisy will feel much fitter and happier, and her life expectancy may well be improved now than she’s shed the excess weight.” 

Daisy’s remarkable achievement saw her beat off heavyweight competition from other overweight pets across the UK. But they are all enjoying significant benefits to their health and wellbeing, thanks to losing weight.

Gillian adds: “The difference in Daisy is amazing. Losing the weight has really improved her mobility. Before she struggled to climb the stairs – now she sprints up them! And she has a waist again! I’m so grateful to the vet staff at Middlesbrough PDSA Pet Hospital for their help and guidance, and for how they’ve helped to transform Daisy’s life.” 

Elaine Pendlebury concludes: “I’d encourage any owner who has concerns about their own pet’s weight to discuss it with their vet. Vets and nurses are there to help and can provide lots of guidance on pet feeding and exercise.”

Pictured: Daisy before and after her diet, with PDSA Head Nurse Steph Williams