Pet products invented and manufactured in the UK are becoming more popular with international buyers with exports predicted to rise dramatically in the next year. That's the feeling among British companies who exhibited at the Zoomark trade exhibition in Italy.

Those UK firms attending Zoomark as part of the British group organised by PetQuip reported high interest in their products with an impressive amount of orders taken at the show in Bologna.

Ken Seymour, of Tastybone, summed up the mood of the British contigent when he said: "Zoomark was once again a tremendous show for Tastybone.

"We attended the show with a wish list and we are happy to say we exceeded our target. We took several large orders at the show, and on the day we arrived home we received orders from a number of new distributors picked up at the show.

"Due to the positive results from Zoomark, Tastybone is well on track to exceed our 2015 export target."

Animology described the show as a success, with Martin Breen stating: "With our export distribution partners spread far and wide around the globe, shows like Zoomark give us a great opportunity to meet as many of our existing customers in one place as possible.

"We have been undertaking a lot of NPD in recent months with the development of new Animology products for horses and cats, and the show enabled us to show these to our customers for the first time.

"We picked up some great leads to pass on to our existing distributors in markets where we are already represented, and expect to appoint several new distributors as a direct result of the show.

"Our new products were very well received, with a number of visitors to the stand telling us that they had seen the products in the New Product Showcase and had then come over to see us to learn more.

"All in all it was another good show for us, and we'll be very busy in the coming days following up on the many conversations that we had there."

Dog Rocks regretted missing Zoomark when it was last held in 2013, so they made the most of their appearance this time around.

Carina Evans said: "It was an excellent show and great to be with Petquip. The show attracted just as many big box and distributor buyers as well as smaller independent buyers from all over Europe as Interzoo. It felt like a great success all round but the proof is in the pudding so fingers crossed the orders roll in."

Chris Jones, from White Python, said the show was much better than he expected. "I now have the potential of working with distributors in around 15 new countries.

"Of course we have to wait and see what actually results in business, but I have quite good chances in particular working with new distributors in Spain, Italy and France which I’m particularly excited about.

"I also met with some key major retailers and some customers whom I already knew, which certainly helps to build relationships."

It was the same success story for The Company of Animals with marketing manager Victoria Lowe admitting: "Throughout the course of the 4-day show we met some fantastic potential new customers, including many large pet speciality chains.

"We also listed new lines with existing customers and showed off our new product, Foobler - the world’s first electronic, timed, food dispenser which will launch later this year.

"With over 350 brochures given out, the show was a great success with many exciting developments to come once we have carried out a full show de-brief."

Zoomark provided an excellent opportunity to promote the Forthglade brand to a wide range of European pet food buyers, said joint managing director Gerard Lovell.

"Forthglade and the Grain Free Lifestage product range were really well received and we estimate that over 1,000 people visited the stand, generating a significant number of sales leads. We're very confident that key European distributors will be signed up over the next few months."

The main aim for The Canny Company was to carry out a brand relaunch to incorporate the company's new products with its Italian distributor, Wonderfood.

"Our new products were very well received on both their stand and ours, particularly the Canny Magloc, which generated a lot of interest," said managing director Sean McElherron "We also had strong interest from Spain, Turkey, Macedonia and Poland, the latter three being countries where we have had no previous distribution."

It was the first time Vitalin had showcased at Zoomark since it rebranded the Super Premium Life Stage range.

"The outcome of the trade show was great," said Annabell Dennis. "We have lots of opportunities to follow up and are very excited to be extending the
radius of our Vitalin sales. We had a lot of cheerful feedback regarding the branding and are very enthusiastic about the future of Vitalin Natural internationally."

A growing number of distributors and large retailers from around the world look set to attend PATS Telford in September as the event builds on its reputation of becoming an international pet trade show.

That’s welcome news to UK suppliers and manufacturers exhibiting at Telford International Centre on September 27-28, with more than 110 of them being exporting companies.

The switch to Telford was always 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 easier.

PATS has launched a new initiative this year, working with PetQuip to attract inward missions of key European buyers distributors to the Telford exhibition.

Organiser Gordon Thomas exhibited in the British pavilion at Zoomark in Italy and was impressed with the level of interest shown in PATS Telford.

“It was evident from the trip to Zoomark there is great interest in buying British,” said Gordon. “The UK pet market is the second largest in Europe and international distributors and retailers recognise that fact, and also that British companies invent and manufacture innovative new products. They want to see all the latest launches from UK companies and they accept that PATS Telford is the best place to do that.

“At Zoomark I met companies from a wide range of countries, including Egypt, Italy, Macedonia, Israel, Denmark and Slovenia, and many of them promised to be at PATS Telford.

“The fact we have moved our September show to Telford has also made a visit to the show more attractive to European buyers because they can hop on a plane and fly into Birmingham airport.”

To recognise the fact there will be more visitors from around the globe, PATS has included an International Buyers’ Centre at Telford, which will be run in association with PetQuip.

Amanda Sizer Barrett MBE, director general of PetQuip, says: “I’m certain the move to Telford will elevate PATS on the international stage. The whole image of the venue will be good for attracting buyers from abroad and we will be working closely with the PATS team to deliver a growing number of overseas visitors. The International Buyers’ Centre is a great addition to the show and my team will be on hand to answer questions on the UK pet market throughout the two days of the show.”

Many PATS exhibitors are seeing the advantage of the exhibition’s growing reputation on the international scene.

Tastybone were among a number of companies exhibiting at Zoomark as part of the PetQuip group and the company’s Ken Seymour said: “Shows like Zoomark are tremendous show for us, and we think PATS is becoming just as important from an export point of view. We’ve noticed a growing international presence at the show, and I think it will get even bigger at Telford.”

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.

“We hope the show continues to grow,” says Lisa Osborne, of Marriages Specialist Foods. “We want PATS to draw more people from around the world and put the British pet care market in the global spotlight.”

PATS Telford will be the biggest show ever in the UK’s No.1 pet trade show’s seven-year history with more than 150 companies already booked to exhibit.

A full and up-to-date list of exhibitors is available on the website www.patshow.co.uk together with information on how to reach the venue and regularly updated show news.

Animal welfare organisations, welfare scientists, breeders, the pet industry and the veterinary profession have come together to agree on a vision for improving rabbit welfare.

The 10-point vision is based on the recommendations from an RSPCA-commissioned University of Bristol study into rabbit welfare in the UK, which concluded that the welfare needs of many companion rabbits are not currently being met.

It includes, for example, the vision that all rabbits sold or rehomed are to be kept in compatible pairs or groups and that all rabbits should live in an environment which meets their physical, social and behavioural needs. The next stage will be to develop a roadmap to achieve the vision.

Nigel Baker, chief executive of the Pet Industry Federation, said: “The aim of the strategy is to create a momentum with which to improve the welfare of rabbits through those involved in the breeding, care and trade of rabbits, as well as rabbit owners.

“Industry has an essential role to play so we were keen to be part of this project. The vision provides the overarching aspirations of the strategy.

“Our next challenge is to tackle the detail of the strategy and then to involve a wider audience in bringing the strategy into operation.”

Dr Jane Tyson, rabbit behaviour and welfare expert at the RSPCA said: “We are really excited that stakeholders in animal welfare, the pet industry, breeders and the veterinary profession have been able to come together to share this vision.

“We share a common goal which is improving the lives of rabbits - one of Britain’s most popular pets, but also arguably one of the most misunderstood.”

Dr Nicola Rooney, research fellow at the University of Bristol, said: "We are very excited to have a vision for rabbit welfare that is strongly rooted in evidence-based information. There is a growing body of scientific understanding on how best to meet rabbits' health and behavioural needs, and we're delighted that everyone has joined forces to take this on board."

The Rabbit Welfare Vision Statement states that:

1. All companion rabbits enjoy a good life in which they can experience positive welfare (i.e. good physical and psychological health) as well as being protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
2. All rabbits have access to an appropriate diet, known to optimise animal health and minimise the risk of disease. This includes having continual access to both good quality fibre-based material (e.g. hay or fresh grass) to eat and fresh, clean water.
3. All rabbits live in an environment which meets their physical, social and behavioural needs (e.g. to run, jump, graze, dig, rest and stand up on their hind legs without their ears touching the roof).
4. All rabbits are sold or rehomed to be kept in compatible pairs or groups.
5. All rabbits are bred, reared and kept in a way known to minimise their chances of developing fear of handling and other stimuli.
6. All rabbits are given regular preventative health care as recommended by veterinary experts, e.g. vaccinated against myxomatosis and RHD (Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease: a virulent and fatal viral disease of rabbits) (according to current vaccine licence recommendations).
7. All rabbits are given appropriate and timely veterinary treatment to protect them from pain, disease and suffering.
8. All those working with rabbits (including vets, retailers, breeders, rehoming organisations) undertake effective training programmes and have resources available to them on current good practice in housing and husbandry, the promotion of health and welfare, and the management of disease and welfare risks.
9. All rabbit health and welfare advice and recommendations are based on international scientific knowledge and professional experience. The veterinary professions offers up-to-date expertise in recognition, management and prevention of disease and in practices to promote good welfare.
10. The number of rabbits requiring rehoming (both privately and via rescue organisations) is minimised.

The organisations will now seek for this vision to be incorporated into a Defra Code of Practice for rabbits in England, under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (a code for rabbits already exists in Wales and Northern Ireland).

* Vision for Rabbit Welfare in the UK was created by the University of Bristol, the British Rabbit Council, the Pet Industry Federation, the RSPCA and the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF). It has also been endorsed by the Blue Cross, the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA), the National Office for Animal Health (NOAH), PDSA, Wood Green the Animal Charity

Following a British Veterinary Association (BVA) survey last year that showed 1 in 5 British vets are concerned about rabbits kept as pets, vets are urging owners to give some thought to lonely rabbits and rabbit welfare generally during Rabbit Awareness Week (May 9-17).

BVA’s Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey asked companion animal vets what types of pets the general public should be discouraged from keeping.

Surprisingly high on the list were rabbits, with 22% of companion animal vets responding that people should be discouraged from keeping rabbits unless these animals can be properly looked after.

Overwhelmingly, the message from vets is that while many people think rabbits are easy to look after and ideal pets for children, rabbits have complex needs and the traditional idea of the rabbit in the hutch can mean misery for these pets.

Many of the vets who responded to the survey voiced concern about single rabbits kept in hutches by themselves. Rabbits are very social animals and need contact with their own kind. Being kept on their own causes these animals to experience boredom, frustration and fear. Survey comments from vets included:

• “Rabbits should not be solitary animals left in the hutch 23 hours a day.”
• “Rabbits often get forgotten and are kept as single pets.”
• “Rabbits are often bought for children who grow bored of them – rabbits can live for a very long time in a small hutch and often get quite neglected.”

Last year’s PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) report highlights how widespread and serious this ‘Bugsy Alone’ syndrome is, reporting that in 2013, 65% of pet rabbits were living alone. 

Vets who responded to the BVA’s Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey also commented on poor diets and poor husbandry as problems they commonly see when treating pet rabbits. One vet said:

“Many rabbits have poor husbandry, nutrition and clinical care. The traditional hutch does not meet their physical, social or environmental needs.”

BVA President John Blackwell commented: “Pet owners, particularly parents trying to buy a suitable pet for their child, have the very best intentions. But I would urge them to stop, think and ask questions before purchasing any animal, and give careful consideration to their ability to fully provide for its welfare needs as well as the child’s relationship with the animal.

“Do your research first – ask your vet and read through helpful documents such as the Animal Welfare Foundation’s free Caring For Rabbits leaflet.

“Rabbits need the companionship of other rabbits and should never be kept alone or with guinea-pigs. The best combination is a neutered female and a neutered male rabbit.

“Potential rabbit owners also need to think about where their rabbits will live and what they eat. As prey animals, they need to be able to hide from danger and they need to be able to run, jump, and dig as they would in the wild.

“Rabbits eat grass in the wild and pet rabbits need a similar diet. Therefore the bulk of your rabbits’ diet should be grass or good quality hay and a rough guide is that they need a quantity at least the size of their own body a day.

“Do not feed ‘muesli’-style dry food because it can cause a lot of problems. Rabbits pick out the bits they like and leave the rest, leading to an unbalanced diet. The food is almost too easy to eat compared to grass so their teeth overgrow which can have fatal consequences and many eat too much so become overweight.

“We know as vets the pleasure that pet ownership can bring to the whole family, including children. But the golden rule is always to put the animal’s welfare first so that you have a happy, healthy animal who is part of the family.” 

Animal welfare charity Cats Protection predicts that robotic pets will never replace real dogs and cats despite claims to the contrary from a leading university researcher.

Jean-Loup Rault, from the University of Melbourne, has said that real animals could be replaced by robotic pets as human companions as the demands of living in an overpopulated world would make it hard for people to provide for them.

The researcher proposed his future-vision for domestic pets in an article published in the latest edition of Frontiers in Veterinary Science.

But Cats Protection’s Behaviour Manager Nicky Trevorrow has replied to the claims, stating: “It’s actually quite depressing to imagine that humans could ever end up sharing their homes with robot pets instead of real dogs and cats. 

"Children especially learn so much from keeping animals and programmed affection is no substitute for the real two-way bond between a pet and its owner. 

“And it’s sad to think a lump of metal could take the place of a sentient being with a unique personality - there’s nothing more comforting than a warm, purring cat on your lap. 

“Cats Protection has thousands of cats in care in need of loving homes, who have so much to offer in terms of companionship, so we certainly hope this vision of the future doesn’t turn into a reality.”

In his report Jean-Loup Rault said: "It might sound surreal for us to have robotic or virtual pets, but it could be totally normal for the next generation.

"It's not a question of centuries from now. If 10 billion human beings live on the planet in 2050 as predicted, it's likely to occur sooner than we think. If you'd described Facebook to someone 20 years ago, they'd think you were crazy.”

The idea of a robotic pet is already taking off in Japan, the birthplace of the simplistic Tamagotchi electronic pets of the 1990s. Since then, the technology has come a long way.

"In Japan, people are becoming so attached to their robot dogs that they hold funerals for them when the circuits die," Rault remarked.

"Robots can, without a doubt, trigger human emotions," Rault added. "If artificial pets can produce the same benefits we get from live pets, does that mean that our emotional bond with animals is really just an image that we project on to our pets?"

Already used in medical settings to harness the psychological and social benefits of interaction with real pets, robotic animals don’t need to be fed, don’t litter and their characters and behaviour can be programmed to the liking of the owner – something many would perceive as a major advantage.

On the other hand, robotic pets replacing the real living creatures could have far-reaching consequences. Animal abuse is still common in today’s society, so it would not be a stretch to imagine what could happen once people get used to programmable pets.

"Of course we care about live animals, but if we become used to a robotic companion that doesn't need food, water or exercise, perhaps it will change how humans care about other living beings," Rault remarked.

It has been observed that children interacting with Sony’s AIBO robotic pet dog treat the machine in the same way they would handle a real dog. In the USA, the Paro robotic seal has been successfully used in therapy for medical patients.

"You won't find a lot of research on pet robotics out there, but if you Google robot dogs, there are countless patents,” said Rault. “Everyone wants to get ahead of this thing because there is a market and it will take off in the next 10 to 15 years."

With the advancements in Artificial Intelligence research, it is likely that future robotic dogs would be able to replicate an even more realistic experience than current robotic creatures.

"When engineers work on robotic dogs, they work on social intelligence, they address what people need from their dogs: companionship, love, obedience, dependence," Rault said.

"They want to know everything about animal behaviour so they can replicate it as close as possible to a real pet."

Matt Davies, the former boss of Pets at Home, has started work on transforming the fortunes of troubled supermarket group Tesco. As the new head of the company's UK and Irish business, Davies has taken on a massive task.

Davies joins Tesco after two years at Halfords. He’s widely accepted to have turned round the fortunes of the cycling and car parts chain by improving service and identifying growth markets.

Already a multimillionaire, Davies made his money after eight years at the helm at Pets at Home, during which time the chain more than doubled in size to 300-plus stores.

Davies never needed to work again after making tens of millions of pounds in his first chief executive role, as head of the Pets at Home chain. But wealth has clearly not dulled the ambition of the 44-year-old Mancunian, as he takes on the toughest job in British retail: turning round Tesco’s UK business.

He left Pets at Home three years ago after the company grew dramatically, from 140 stores to more than 300. he also led it through the £955m secondary buyout by KKR in 2011.

In his previous roles at Halfords and Pets at Home, Davies oversaw training programmes which rewarded staff for improving their skills and helped the business lift sales by having more informed shop assistants.

He’s likely to bring that approach to Tesco. He will have to adapt it for Tesco’s shop floor as grocery retailing is inherently more self-service than the businesses Davies has previously worked in.

Leading UK pet food brand, Webbox, has announced the introduction of a new toy collection, in conjunction with ASDA supermarkets.

Five new ranges were introduced in stores up and down the country at the end of April, propelling the pet food giant into a new marketplace.

Marketing manager at Pets Choice, Julie Butcher, explains: “At Webbox, our positioning statement is ‘understanding pets’ – and the launch of these fantastic new toys further supports our commitment to providing the best for the nations pets.

“We have a very loyal customer base and are delighted to now be offering a complete collection in pet care.”

Julie describes how they are confident the collection won’t disappoint, with a selection of five fun and exciting varieties to suit all dog breeds and sizes.

“We’ve taken everything we know about the pet food market, which is that you need to cater for different sizes, breeds and ages; and applied it to create five brilliant new toy ranges for your beloved pooches.”

For further information on Webbox, visit www.webbox.co.uk

Following the success of last year’s most memorable day at the office, Britain is getting set for next month’s Bring Your Dog To Work Day.

On Friday, June 26, businesses from across the UK will welcome their dog loving employees into the workplace, along with their four-legged companions.

This year the event will be raising money for All Dogs Matter, a charity that rehomes hundreds of dogs every year in London and Norfolk. Businesses can donate online (minimum of £50) to take part and become a sponsor, while individuals can gift online or via text (minimum of £2 online, or £1 via text) and upload a ‘pooch selfie.’

“We’re very hopeful that we can build on the success of 2014 and raise money for All Dogs Matter. It’s a small charity that has a massive impact on the welfare of dogs in the UK,” explains Jo Amit, co-founder of dog grooming product company HOWND, the company behind the initiative.

“A variety of businesses adopted the idea last time around and planning is well underway for this year’s event, which is scheduled for Friday 26 June 2015. Both businesses and individuals can donate and get involved, even if they already take a dog to work. Just a small donation of £2 could be used to buy food for one day, while £10 is enough to buy new bedding for these rescue dogs.”

ITV This Morning presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford were amongst thousands of enthusiastic participants back in 2014, as Britain went barking for its very first Bring Your Dog To Work Day. 

Last June, companies across the nation welcomed their dog-loving employees into the workplace, along with their four-legged best friends, to raise money for three animal charities that included All Dogs Matter, Animals Asia and PupAid. The idea took hold in businesses of all kinds, including film studios, hair salons, dentists and even boutique wine stores! 

The initiative was also backed by one of the UK’s leading pet insurance companies, Animal Friends.

For further information - or if you would like to headline sponsor Bring Your Dog To Work Day 2016 - visit Bring Your Dog To Work Day’s official website, or email hello@bringyourdogtoworkday.co.uk. 

The development team at Vet’s Kitchen has created what it believes to be the perfect dog treat – in size, shape, consistency and recipe.

Little Stars, which will be launched this month, has a semi-moist consistency and star shape which prevents it from crumbling in the pocket and which can be broken up and reduced to soft, bite-size portions to reward and train puppies, small breeds or seniors.

The all natural treat contains a number of beneficial active ingredients in line with modern veterinary thinking on health supplements. Moreover, because Vet’s Kitchen believes every pet food should have honest, clear, understandable ingredient labelling, they are now showing the calorific content of their treats with an on-pack feeding guide, so that overly generous owners are less likely to over-feed their pets or create an obesity problem.

Little Stars Active+ is the first in the new range of treats to be introduced by Vet’s Kitchen. Unlike the majority of treats on the market, it not only contains a single source of protein – Salmon, which delivers healthy energy and Omega 3 - but Little Stars Active+ also has natural nutraceutical active ingredients for healthy joint development.

Maria Vitale, Marketing Manager at Vet’s Kitchen said: “Four months of carefully considered research, development and testing with our in-house veterinary team coupled with first-hand feedback from hundreds of caring dog owners has resulted in what we believe is a perfect and rewarding dog treat, the recipe for which provides dogs of any age and size, a range of benefits.

"Its useful on-pack feeding guide shows, for example, that three Little Stars is the equivalent of 4g of Vet’s Kitchen dry food which means dog owners and trainers can easily calculate and adjust their dog’s normal food intake to prevent over-feeding.

"This product underlines our belief in ensuring that customers know exactly what is in the food they give their pets and ensures that they are getting high quality, tasty yet beneficial, balanced nutrition.”

Vet’s Kitchen Little Stars Active+ is made in Britain and available in 85g pocket-size re-sealable bags illustrated with a specially commissioned animation of a Beagle by award-winning cartoonist, Jim Field. Each bag has an SRP of £1.39.

They contain Salmon (38%), Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSM to promote healthy joint development and Omegas 3 and 6 for healthy heart, skin and coat. In line with all Vet’s Kitchen recipes, they contain no added artificial “nasties” and are hypoallergenic.

For more information visit VetsKitchen.co.uk 

Forthglade Natural Pet Foods, based in Winkleigh, Devon, has boosted its team with senior hires across sales, marketing and the production division.

Bill Kimberling, who joins Forthglade to become head of sales, will support the development of the existing Forthglade customer base and oversee future growth. Bill has a wealth of experience in the pet food market, having worked for Butcher's Pet Care for over 10 years in senior management.  Bill will manage all aspects of sales both in the UK and internationally.

“I’m pleased to be representing such a premium product and brand, with the health of animals always at the forefront of manufacture and development," said Bill. 

Rebecca Caradine joins the team as PR and marketing manager.  With a wealth of experience both in-house and within leading London PR agencies, Rebecca will oversee Forthglade's PR and media campaigns, marketing activity and also website and social media projects.

Further senior appointments include Paul Gray, joining as operations manager overseeing on-site operations to drive production output and capacity for the continued growth of the business. 

Les Down joins from Yeo Valley to further support the production process and operational elements of the business.

Gerard Lovell, joint MD at Forthglade, said: “We’re proud of where Forthglade has come and what’s been achieved in the four years since we took on the business. Last month alone we took on sixteen new employees, taking us to an eighty-strong team."

“We have seen a 50% growth year on year and as a result have invested heavily in strengthening the sales and operational division. We have also recently invested in excess of £500,000 in machinery to substantially increase our production capabilities. It’s exciting times and we’re grateful for all the support and encouragement that we have received from the trade."

Today the medium-sized business produces over 500,000 meals each week for cats and dogs throughout the UK.  

Forthglade pet food is 100% natural and free from artificial colours, flavourings and preservatives.  Popular ranges include Forthglade Menu and Forthglade Lifestage, both available for cats and dogs.  Recently a grain free variety was added to the popular Lifestage range.  

For more information visit www.forthglade.com or contact the team at info@forthglade.com.

Pictured, from left to right: Bill Kimberling, Rebecca Caradine, Paul Gray, and Les Down.

The 100% natural food range from WhitePython has received a new makeover with its key eco-friendly customers in mind. The natural looking boxes printed in single colour offer a premium, simple and professional approach.

With four diets to choose from; Bearded Dragon and Tortoise in both Adult & Juvenile formulations, these complementary diets offer customers the chance to give their scaly friends a range of food items not commonly found elsewhere, such as Sunflower, Hibiscus and Marigold.

The range of foods are already available in over 300 stores nationwide. If you run a reptile shop and you’re looking to stock these products, they are now available through Peregrine Livefoods, Monkfield Nutrition, Rep-Tech and Nottingham Pet Wholesale.

RRP: £6.99

You can view the full range of products at www.whitepython.com

Leading aquatic manufacturer King British has launched a new, unrivalled programme for its retailers – the ‘King British Dealer Plan’.

It's a free support package available to bricks and mortar stores that sell live fish, and is intended to benefit the retailer, the fish owner and the fish themselves.

The ‘King British Dealer Plan’ comprises a range of items and incentives. Retailers who sign up to the plan can expect to receive:

• Free flake food and treats for feeding in-store fish
• Free point of sale kit designed to draw fishkeepers' attention to products and maximise brand impact as well as drive increased sales
• Free compact in-store station to hold a 1 litre trade-use bottle of the NEW King British Safe Home, designed for dispensing into fish bags in order to ease fish stress during travel and re-homing. The station also has space to hold the 50ml consumer pack of King British Safe Home, providing the retailer with the opportunity to sell the smaller pack for addition to the home tank when the new fish are introduced.
• Comprehensive training manual, quiz, certificates and enamel pin, all supported by our in-house experts and Customer Care Team.

 There is also the additional option of a free blue and white metal display stand, worth more than £250, for larger dealers. 

Roland Huggett, Sales Manager at King British, said “We recognise the importance of supporting stores selling live fish and are enthusiastically doing our bit via the new King British Dealer Plan”.

To find out more about the mechanics of the scheme and how to sign up, speak to your local Sales Executive, or call 01440 715700.

The Pet Charity, the charity that promotes the joy and benefits pets have on society, has appointed Professor Peter Neville as a trustee.

Professor Neville is a companion animal behaviour therapist with over 20 years’ experience in this sector.

He is responsible for establishing the first companion animal behaviour referral clinic at a UK veterinary school and is also a Founding Partner of the Centre of Applied Pet Ethology (COAPE), which offers a range of residential and correspondence courses in companion animal behaviour and behaviour therapy.

His knowledge and experience will be highly beneficial in helping to progress the charity’s initiatives of promoting the joy of companion animals. Peter will join The Pet Charity’s board of trustees, which is rich with experience in animal welfare, health research and charity governance.

Paul Miley, chairman for The Pet Charity, says: “We would like to welcome Professor Peter Neville to the board of trustees for The Pet Charity. He brings to the board a wealth of experience within the companion animal sector, which is sure to prove invaluable to the Charity going forwards.”

Peter Neville, added: “It is a great pleasure to be invited to join The Pet Charity as a trustee. The Pet Charity has brought a new approach to the companion animal sector, and I’m very keen indeed to help spread awareness of the positive benefits that pets can bring to society.”

For more information about The Pet Charity and Peter Neville, visit www.thepetcharity.org.uk, call 01234 224506 or email info@thepetcharity.org.uk

To ensure the highest quality of its wild bird and animal products, Johnston & Jeff has decided to make them themselves in a completely equipped and fully functioning wood shop on its extensive manufacturing site in Yorkshire...

Managing director Richard Johnston says: “The only way we could produce such products to the same quality standards of our foods, was to make these ourselves. If it’s got the Johnston & Jeff name on it, then it has to match the very highest standards. For us, there’s no other way.

“There’s plenty of cheap, badly made imported products on the market if you want such stuff. But you only have to compare it with ours to understand where we’re going with this – the company’s ethos is premium and quality, and translate that into wooden products and you get a range that’s built to last, handmade, and by craftsmen, with critical details such as mitred joints, pacified screws for longevity, and hand dipped using a water-based non-toxic stain. We’re proud of what we’re doing.

“And as a result we now have the capability and the capacity to do anything in wood. As a manufacturer we can produce bird tables, nest boxes, chicken coups, rabbit hutches, planters, anything - and indeed any large scale bespoke work.”

For more information visit www.johnstonandjeff.co.uk, email mail@johnstonandjeff.co.uk or call 01430 449444.

Pictured:  The Riley, an innovative design with the seed kept dry and safe from predators by a Perspex sides. 

Following a hugely successful debut at PATS, ANIMAT introduces a range of new sized cooling mats, accommodating a massive demand from retailers.

With retailers in the UK, Belgium, France and The Netherlands selling ANIMAT, a number of key vet practices in the UK are following suit with vets including Holistic Vet, Nick Thompson VetMFHom MRCVS recommending the cooling mat.

The new sizes offer greater flexibility and cooling potential for pet owners. Available in two smart finishes and colour ways, with optional cool 100% cotton covers provide an uber-cool surface for dogs to chill out on.

Offering a unique cooling system ANIMAT is very simple to use with no electrical activation or batteries required. It simply self activates making it ideal when you’re travelling and a perfect solution for over half Britain’s dog owners who will be taking ‘Fido’ on a long car journey this summer (1).   

ANIMAT has been clinically proven to work by direct touch, cooling an animal on contact, by quickly absorbing its body heat using a non-toxic gel technology (that’s used in human cooling mats).

Popular in-store as unlike other cooling products its patented ‘self-cooling system’ doesn’t need pre-chilling in a fridge. With a third of dog owners regularly taking their dog out in the car everyday, responsibly 66% (2) are prepared to modify their car with their pet’s well-being in mind.

ANIMAT is just as practical in the home, on holiday, visiting friends, or just driving back from a walk in the park, its also cool for cats in transit, at the vets, cattery or just for lounging on at home.

Complete with 100% lightweight soft cotton covers available in blue and flax, AniMat blends aesthetically into any environment. Easy to clean the covers offer additional cool comfort for your pet.

The ANIMAT Cool Gel Mat is available in four sizes and two finishes: small (34 x 45cm) £24.99 ; Medium (65 x 80 cm) £34.99; Large (60 x 90 cm) £44.99; and X Large (90 x 140cm) £54.99.

Find out more at www.theanimalarm.com or telephone 01452 702062.

Axa has left the pet insurance market, leaving many customers facing huge premium price hikes.

Up to 10,000 Axa pet insurance customers are being moved to NCI Insurance as Axa leaves the market to concentrate on "key products" – motor, home and travel cover.

By August 30 2015, all customers will be shifted on to NCI's insurance books.

NCI told MoneySavingExpert that it would provide "similar levels of cover" to Axa, and will "continue to insure any medical conditions identified while customers were with Axa under the terms and conditions of the new policy."

But a number of customers who have already been moved to NCI say they are facing huge price hikes, particularly for cover for pre-existing medical conditions.

Many insurers will refuse to cover animals with pre-existing medical conditions, however, pet owners who want the most comprehensive type of pet insurance will need to opt for "lifetime" cover. Insurers will set a high maximum amount per year – say, £10,000 – but you will still have to renew the policy each year, and some insurers can refuse to renew it.

One Axa customer, who has two English springer spaniels, was told that the premiums for one of her dogs, which has a pre-existing medical condition, would increase from £357 a year to £1,927 a year.

She told MoneySavingExpert that she felt she had no choice but to renew her dog's policy with NCI as she knows other insurers wouldn't cover his medical conditions, but that she has had to put her wedding on hold to pay for the policy.

To mark the launch of the new 4fleas spot-on products, Johnson's is giving away stock to the value of £1,052.75 (RRP) to one lucky retailer.

That's how much stock you can see in this Johnson's display stand...and it could all be yours if you're the winner of this special competition in Pet Trade Xtra.

To stand a chance of winning all you have to do is email the answer to the following question: 

In which decade was Johnson's Veterinary Products launched: (a) 1920s, (b) 1930s, (c) 1940s?

To give you a clue, the answer can be found in a special Johnson's Veterinary Products edition of Pet Trade Xtra, announcing the launch of the new range of 4fleas spot-on products. To view the issue click here

Email your answer, along with your name and the name of your pet store or garden centre, to neil.pope@tgcmc.co.uk

The first correct entry to be drawn out of the hat after the closing date on May 8 will win this amazing prize. No correspondence will be entered into.

Poisoned sausages have been found at a popular dog walking spot in Godstone, Surrey.

One pet nearly died after eating one of the sausages, prompting outrage on social media.

A warning was posted last Friday (May 8) on the Pet Lovers in Tandridge Facebook page by Gordon Reay after the incident behind the Hare and Hounds pub, off BletchingleyRoad.

Mr Reay, who runs a domestic appliances firm, was alerted by one of his customers.

He said: "The dog was very poorly, including suffering internal bleeding and being put on a drip.

"Thankfully its owner managed to get most of the sausage out of her pet's mouth at the time.

"The vet later confirmed that it was a case of poisoning and said that if the poor little soul had consumed all of the bait, he would not have survived."

The RSPCA has warned that dogs ingesting even small amounts of some substances could suffer kidney failure and die.

CSJ and their factory were taken by surprise by how early sales of their popular  herbal flea, mites, lice and tick repellent took off this year.

Despite anticipating a rise of 50% in demand for Billy No Mates, by mid-April they were already running at 61% over last year.

Ceri Rundle, Border Collie breeder and owner of CSJ, says" “We know how effective it is from the testimonials we receive and it seems that more and more people are telling their friends that their dogs can stay free of pests by this natural method, instead of resorting to expensive chemicals.” 

Billy No Mates is a combination of Mint (also good for digestion!), Seaweed, Fenugreek, Lemon Balm and Neem leaves and, like the rest of CSJ’s herbs, is simply sprinkled over food (or can be used in its tincture form).  

As well as repelling ‘boarders’, it’s great for skin and coat condition and one 300g re-sealable tub will last a dog for the whole flea season.

See Billy No Matesatwww.csjk9.com or call 01745 710470.