Dog cafés are the latest trend to be hitting the pet industry with one business already in operation on the banks of Loch Lomond and another planned for London.

Dug Café at Lomond Shores, Balloch is a place for dog owners to take along their four-legged friends while they have coffee and cake or a bit of lunch and look out across the bay to the beautiful surrounding countryside.

"The inspiration really is my own dog Missy, a seven-year-old Newfoundland," explains owner Laura Davies from Callander.

"She's quite big, but a lovely dog and really easy to manage. When you go out with her it can be difficult to find somewhere to take your dog.

"We've taken her to a couple of local pubs but felt we were always rushed - not by the owners, but the other customers who might not be so comfortable with big dogs being around."

After working in sales and marketing in the healthcare industry, Laura jumped at the chance of a career change.

A large bowl of water sits at the door to Dug Café alongside a mat to wipe muddy paws and towels to rub down damp coats. Alongside cake stands overflowing with delicious bites for those customers on two legs, there are packets of doggy popcorn snacks and trays of organic dog food.

Meanwhile in London, the capital's first dog café is set to open later this year. The man behind this particular venture Kristjan Byfield said the idea for the café, the Happiness of Hound, came about after initial plans for a new dog food brand proved too costly.

"In working on the food brand, we had developed the idea of a canine café as a marketing tool and this stayed with us," he said.

"After continuing to follow the dog market and the ever-annoying result of being turned away from premises whenever in the company of our dogs we decided last year that, come hell or high water, 2014 would be the year we would launch a café space."

Mr Byfield said the venture would open ‘as soon as possible’, and revealed the public’s response to his plans had been incredible.

The £1.3bn stock market listing of Pets at Home could reap more than £200m for private equity firm KKR.

If there is strong demand for shares in the specialist retailer, some £209m will be returned to existing shareholders. While KKR owns about 85% of the company, the management team are in line for cash and share payments worth more than £20m, according to the firm's prospectus.

KKR's payout could rise further as it will release another tranche of shares if the offer is oversubscribed. After the windfall KKR will still be left with a minority stake in the retailer worth hundreds of millions.

On Friday the retailer said its shares would be priced at between 210p and 260p each, implying a market capitalisation of between £1.05bn and £1.3bn.

If there are buyers at the top end of that price band its chief executive Nick Wood intends to sell a tranche of shares worth £4.8m while retaining a 1.1% stake worth £14.3m. Chairman Tony DeNunzio will crystallise £2.8m while Ian Kellett, its finance director, will collect £3.6m.

Sally Hopson, the customer and people director, stands to collect £2.9m while commercial director Peter Pritchard and Phil Hackney, the logistics director, will get £2.8m and £1.8m respectively.

The payday is on top of a £130.4m dividend shared among shareholders last year. It was the first payment since KKR bought the company for £995m in 2010.

A group of around 500 middle managers own approximately 10% of the company and are being allowed to cash in.

Pets at Home, which has 371 stores, made a pre-tax profit of £41.3m on sales of £515.1m in the 40 weeks to 2 January, according to the report, with like-for-like sales up 2.4%. The price of the shares will be set on March 13 with trading due to start the following week.

Bern Pet Foods has announced an exclusive distribution agreement with Vital Pet Products for its range of ORIJEN dog and cat foods and the recently introduced freeze-dried foods and treats.

The partnership will be launched to the trade at PATS Sandown Park (March 18-19), however Vital are accepting pre-orders now.

Colin Rodger, director, Bern Pet Foods, said: “We have agreed an exclusive partnership with Vital, the UK’s largest pet trade wholesaler, which provides next day delivery to pet shops throughout England, Scotland and Wales. 

"This exciting new arrangement gives us the opportunity to reach a large number of potential new ORIJEN stockists that we have not been able to engage with so far, using our own salesforce.”

Colin added: “Demand for ORIJEN has increased dramatically over recent months as many more pet owners switch their dogs and cats to our innovative range of biologically appropriate foods and treats. We are, therefore, delighted to have formed this strategic alliance with Vital Pet Products to help meet the growing demand for ORIJEN.”

Bruce Steuart, managing director at Vital Pet Products, said: “What we feed our pets has always been important and awareness of the quality and nutrition in pet foods is now the highest it’s ever been. I’m therefore delighted to be able to offer our customers access to the best pet foods available, of which ORIJEN is undoubtedly one."

He added: “I have fed my dogs on ORIJEN and the quality of the product was clear to see."

Vital Pet Products distribute products next day to over 3,400 trade customers, via its six nationwide depots.

There’s no better place to see and touch new products than a trade show. But planning your trip is key to overall success. Here are some pointers from the PATS team.

PATS, the UK’s number one pet trade event, is a great place to discover new ideas and products, and is often the launch pad for the ‘bestsellers’ of tomorrow. Pet product manufacturers and suppliers see PATS as a vital part of their marketing strategy because they are an ideal place to showcase their latest innovations.

Attending PATS Sandown on March 18-19 as a visiting retailer can prove very productive, as it provides the opportunity to find out what’s new for 2014 and then discuss the products in detail with the relevant supplier.

But it’s important to make sure that time at PATS, and the expense of getting there, are spent wisely. And that’s where a bit of planning can help to make a day away from the shop pay handsome dividends.

Janine Tozer, from ‘Not Just Pets’ in Bath, which was voted Pet Retailer of the Year in 2013, admits to taking a methodical approach to attending trade shows.

“I like to prioritise my trip. Before I actually get to the show I know who and what I want to see,” said Janine, pictured left with husband Mike at PATS Harrogate last September.

“This approach means I will achieve a lot from my visit because my meetings will be productive.

“However, I’m not totally blinkered because it’s important to spot new products that haven’t been on our radar. Discovering things we weren’t aware of becomes an added bonus to the trip.”

Attending trade shows is very important for pet retailers and although being away from the shop can cost time and money in the short term, they can pay handsome dividends in the future. So you must make the most of these opportunities.

“Planning your trip to an exhibition like PATS is key,” says organiser Annie Dyke. “Think about what you want to achieve, and how to go about it. Make a note of which exhibitors you want to see, and if possible call them beforehand to arrange a meeting on their stand.

“The PATS website lists all the exhibitors and their stand numbers along with a floorplan. It’s worth spending some time familiarising yourself with how the show is set up even if you have been to the venue before.

“Once there you’ll soon find your way around as the directional signs are prominent throughout, and all the stands are well numbered. The show catalogue is also a good guide to finding the location of each exhibitor.

“Study the show previews in the trade magazines as they’ll give you a great insight into what to expect, timings of informative seminars and other important show information.”

Now in its sixth year, PATS has been designed to help the retailer make the correct buying decisions. It pays to take advantage of exclusive show offers, and remember, the exhibitors are eager to see retailers and show off their products, so it puts buyers in a good bargaining position.

More than 160 exhibitors have booked stand space for PATS Sandown and will be showcasing hundreds of products, so it’s well worth a visit. Start planning your trip now, and make sure your register for free entry online at www.patshow.co.uk

Opening times

Tuesday 18th March: 9.00am-5.00pm

BARF pet food specialist Natural Instinct will be offering retailers VAT-free deals on its branded freezers as well as the chance to win one outright during the PATS Sandown trade show on March 18-19.

Visitors taking advantage of the VAT-free deal – small branded freezers for £650 and large freezers for £800 – will get a new curved top chest freezer with a two-year factory warranty and filled with stock to the value of £500.

And new stockists signing up at PATS will stand a chance of winning a freezer packed with Natural Instinct product.

Natural Instinct is launching a new Organic recipe as part of the Country Banquet range.

The company will re-launch Country Banquet with the chicken recipe, which will also be available in organic. The organic alternative will be the same recipe but made using organic chicken with bone, liver, heart and a new selection of fresh organic vegetables.

The inclusion of grasses was a key feature in the original Country Banquet range launched back in 2011 and will feature again in the recipes along with well known ‘superfoods’ containing many antioxidants and vitamins. Dogs often eat grasses because they are a natural aid to digestion as well as being highly nutritious.

The clinical trials for Wheatgrass for human use were carried out on canines so the benefits for dogs are well researched.  Scottish Salmon oil which is a key ingredient in their other range of feeds, has been replaced for Flaxseed oil in the Country Banquet recipes, making the product accessible to dogs with fish oil intolerance. 

For more information visit www.naturalinstinct.com 

To register for free admission to PATS Sandown click here

Award-winning microchip pet door specialist SureFlap is to launch a new feeding system designed to ensure pets eat from the right bowl and food is kept in top condition. The new SureFeed range will be previewed at Interzoo in May. 

The SureFeed bowls are dishwasher-safe and have been designed with a unique integrated seal. This keeps food fresher for longer and the kitchen free of smells and flies, whether you are using wet or dry food.

The SureFeed range is initially available in two models – the SureFeed Pet Feeder, designed for everyday use in a single pet household, and the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder, a selective pet feeder that opens only when it identifies an authorised pet by its identification microchip or RFID collar tag.

SureFlap founder and inventor of the new SureFeed range, Dr Nick Hill says this is an exciting new development for the company.

“Many cats are fussy eaters and prefer to eat food when it is fresh, others are on special diets and this can be a problem in multi-pet households. Even in households where each cat is on the same diet, a ‘greedy’ cat, or even dog, can eat most of the food. This can result in one pet becoming overweight while the other not only starts to lose weight, but may also become stressed by the lack of free access to food. The SureFeed product range has been designed to address all these issues.”

For homes with more than one animal the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder will identify the approaching pet by its microchip or collar tag, opening automatically if it is the correct animal. The lid slides back to reveal the food and returns once it has finished feeding. The fold-away lid forms a barrier to the rear of the bowl and side guards shield the food from other pets during feeding. 

The feeders are both easy to wipe clean. The food bowl, mat and lid can be removed and are dishwasher-safe.

Dr Hill says: “The SureFeed Pet Feeder and Microchip Pet Feederare the first in a series of pet feeding products from SureFlap incorporating sealed operation and flexible feeding options and we are looking forward to developing the range in the future.”

SureFeed products will be available to order from mid-2014 and retailers are encouraged to visit SureFlap stand 402 in Hall 9 at Interzoo to see the new products in action.

The aquatic industry is being urged to get behind a special #handsoffmyhobby campaign which has been launched to shout about why people love to keep fish.

The Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA) is warning that popular tropical marine and freshwater fish, corals and invertebrates could be under threat if a European lobbying group for animals is successful in its #votes4animals lobbying campaign in the run-up to the European elections being held in May.

Eurogroup for Animals, which is based in Brussels, is asking MEPs to sign a pledge to work towards banning the import of wild caught animals, which could include all types of tropical marine and freshwater fish, corals and invertebrates.

The trade association – which will be lobbying Euro MPs in coming weeks to make sure they hear the other side of the argument – is calling on people power to help in this work by urging companies involved in the tropical and marine species industry to contact MEPs to urge them not to sign the pledge – and tell their customers to do the same.

“We think it’s time that the views of the millions of people who enjoy fish keeping across Europe - and the industry that supports them in their passion – should also be brought to the attention of MEPs,” said OATA Chief Executive Keith Davenport. 

“Currently, MEPs are signing up to a manifesto written by Eurogroup for Animals. While we can all agree that everyone must be concerned about and protect animal welfare, this lobby group goes much further by asking on all political groups to include a call to ‘ban the import of wild-caught animals and restricting the number of exotic species that can be imported and traded in the EU’ in their manifestos.

“Taken to its logical conclusion this would mean you potentially won’t have tropical marine or freshwater fish, corals, soft corals or other invertebrates to sell to your customers. All of these are either wild-caught and/or exotic, which means they’re not native to the UK, so they would no longer be available to sell. 

“We don’t think the industry or its customers are aware of this potential threat. And if we don’t all start speaking up – loudly – for this hobby and industry then it’s could be under real threat. So we need industry to support our #handsoffmyhobby campaign by lobbying MEPs yourself and – perhaps more importantly – sharing the campaign with your customers.” 

What you and your customers can do to support the #handsoffmyhobby campaign:

• Contact the MEPs who have already signed up to the Eurogroup for Animals’ manifesto to ask why they support this document and let them know what the hobby means to you and your customers.
• Contact any candidates for the European Parliament in your area to let them know about our #handsoffourhobby campaign and why you support it.
• You can find the contact details of your local MEP at http://www.europarl.org.uk/en/home.html and the details of those MEPs who have signed up to the Eurogroup for Animals pledge on OATA’s website.
• Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter or follow our LinkedIn page to find out the latest news on this campaign – and share updates with your fishkeeping customers on your company social media channels and encourage them to share the #handsoffmyhobby campaign with their fishkeeping friends.
• Encourage customers to use the #handsoffmyhobby hashtag on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ to share what they’d miss the most from their tank if any wild caught animal ban came into effect.

There’s more information about the #handsoffourhobby campaign on the OATA website here. http://www.ornamentalfish.org/hands-off-my-hobby 

AQUA 2015, the market-leading showcase for the UK’s water gardening and aquatics trade, will be returning to the Telford International Centre on October 14-15, 2015.

Now firmly established as a biennial event, AQUA 2015 attracts the major companies in the industry, who acknowledge the importance of exhibiting their products and services to pet, aquatic and garden centre retailers, all under one roof.

With preparations for the 2015 event already well underway, organiser Annie Dyke said: “I am delighted with the enthusiasm shown by exhibitors and visitors to our biennial event.

“The record-breaking attendance at AQUA 2013 last October proves that the format of AQUA is continuing to deliver the audience our exhibitors have come to expect from the largest show of its kind in the UK. I look forward to welcoming everyone back to Telford in 2015.”

The AQUA show has grown in size and importance over the past few years and visitor numbers at the exhibition last October were up 9.3% on the previous event in 2011.

Rolf C Hagen exhibited its many brands for the first time at AQUA 2013 and were impressed with the show’s impact. Adrian Burgess, the company’s managing director in the UK, says: “AQUA will become more and more important as an event focussed on all our products, which to us is a very big positive. We will definitely be back in 2015.”

For Tony Gunn, of Peregrine Livefoods, it was also an exciting first appearance at AQUA in 2013. “We were rushed off our feet during the whole event with buyers placing very good orders. The show was very well organised and we will definitely support it in the future.”

King British have been show regulars since the show’s inception, and as far as field sales manager Jane Austin is concerned, the company needs to be at AQUA.  “It is the UK’s major showcase for all manufacturers and distributors and a brilliant place to do business.”

Aquarline’s Peter Hemingway says: “We will back in 2015, and I hope as the exhibition grows, so will we,” while Jim Marshall, the managing director of Atlantis WGP, admits: “If you are in water gardening you have to be at AQUA. We will be back in 2015.”

The AQUA 2015 website can be found at www.aquatelford.co.uk and the AQUA hotline is +44 (0) 1892 862848. Companies wishing to exhibit should call Annie Dyke on the same number.

"We are thrilled that raw feeding is going to be represented so well throughout the Crufts exhibition halls and want to wish all exhibitors well.

"We are all thoroughly looking forward to being part of the world's biggest dog show again this year, with a bigger stand, a bigger range of award-winning genuinely natural pet foods and a whole host of exciting activities.

 "With the recent media interest in pet foods we feel the interest in our stand is going to be full enough, even without the wonderful array of activities happening."

Some of planned Natures Menu activities include:

• Lots of special offers and deals
• Competitions to win up to £100 worth of raw food
• Free advice from raw experts and nutrition advisors
• Meet vet Nick Thompson on Saturday
• Meet the Natures Menu Breeder team

 The Natures Menu stand (170) is in Hall 5.

Natural pet food company Natures Menu have achieved another UK first – the staging of an independent seminar-led debate on raw feeding cats and dogs for veterinary students.

The students of Liverpool University Veterinary Society turned out in droves to find out more about today’s most talked about, media highlighted method of feeding our most common household pets.

Many students had read with interest the recent articles in the national press on pet food and the majority had also seen the Channel 5 TV show on the subject too.

All were keen to hear what speakers Brendan Clarke of Tower Wood Vet Practice, Leeds, and Nick Thompson of Holistic Vet Ltd, Bath, would teach them about raw feeding and the judgements surrounding the method.

Nick Thompson took the floor first, highlighting many points regarding the biological aspects of dogs' and cats' natural choices of diet, the disease he feels are related to diet and the ingredients kibble can often be created from.

Brendan’s talk focused on the demand for evidence and studies on the raw diet and the realities of providing that and how evidence related to current vet practices.

He also described how he makes up his raw diet at home for his dog Pippa, explaining how easy it actually is to create a balanced raw diet for dogs and cats, in a domestic kitchen.

All but two of the questions raised by the students themselves were questions pet owners also ask on a very regular basis – mostly concerning safety or practical aspects of the diet. Due to Natures Menu’s impeccable safety record and forward thinking approach to commercial raw feeding options both vets were able to confidently explain and answer all questions presented to them.

To sum up the talk Rupert Dyhouse, president at LUVS, thanked the speakers and highlighted the imperative point that all vets should ideally have at least an understanding of raw diets in order to assist clients with queries on it and to promote and strengthen clients' relationships. Clients rely on their vets for information and dismissive comments are now commonly being viewed as unhelpful.

Natures Menu’s communications manager Caroline Griffith is already in discussions with further UK Vet Schools and looks forward to publishing details of further student seminar-led debates on raw feeding in 2015.

Further information on the company can be found at www.naturesmenu.co.uk

Pooch & Mutt is  launching its new £1 Treat Pocket Packs to consumers at Crufts and to the trade at PATS Sandown.

The treats will be available for the first time at Crufts from today, on Pooch & Mutt's stand - Hall 4, Stand 80. They come in two varieties –  Calm & Relaxed and Fresh Breath.

Guy Blaskey, founder of Pooch & Mutt, says, “The reaction to our treat range has been incredible. People, and their dogs, just love them. The Calm & Relaxed and Fresh Breath varieties are so popular that it made sense to look at what else we could offer in these areas. Looking at the market we saw that there are no high quality treats around the £1 mark.

"Everything at that price point is nutritionally junk. Looking at the human market we saw that one of the fastest growing snacks for kids were Bear Fruit’s Yoyos. These are a nutritionally sound, impulse purchase that parents are happy to buy for their kids. We wanted to create the canine alternative to these – a nutritionally sound, impulse purchase that people would want to buy for their dogs, something at the £1 price point that fits our mission to help dogs lead happy, healthy lives.”

For more information visit http://www.poochandmutt.com/2014/03/05/new-1-treat-pocket-packs/

An RSPCA spokesman said: “The operation to remove a number of dogs from a property in March has now concluded and 34 animals have been placed in the care of the RSPCA and are in a place of safety.”

Robert Phipps has with the help of a team of volunteers looked after dogs at his warehouse for about 18 months.

He said: “We are yet another small dog rescue victimised by the RSPCA. Where were they when these dogs needed them and their owners phoned up asking for help or they were found stray and under-weight?

“We don’t believe in kennels as they’re out dated and stress the dogs out so all ours are crated or loose in packs and all are clean happy and healthy.

“There were no issues with animal welfare. The dogs were healthy. We will fight this and we will win.”

Mr Phipps said the issue over Commercial Road arose after he was told by Fenland Council that he needed planning consent to run a pet rescue centre from a factory style unit.

He was now hoping “to resolve this matter in a mature fashion and to get the dogs back safely with us where they belong.”

In the space of 48 hours Mr Phipps won support from hundreds of people who have supported his pet rescue since it was launched including those who had raised money for the centre and many who had volunteered to help walk the dogs housed there.

He is also looking at other offers of support which include the possibility of finding alternative premises where he can care for the dogs.

He said among offers of support flooding in was the pledge “by a lovely couple who are proud to help the community and have offered us a new home for the rescue with lots of space for the dogs.

A dog rescued by soldiers in Afghanistan is one of six special crossbreed dogs which are heading to the world’s greatest dog event this week. 

Wylie, who had his ears cut off and had also been stabbed and run over before he was rescued, will be competing against five other dogs which have beaten hundreds of competitors from around the country to make it to the Scruffts grand finale, taking place at Crufts at the NEC, Birmingham, tomorrow (Friday).

Bailey (above), adopted by Nigel McManus after being found wandering the streets of Glasgow, is another contender for the prestigious title.

Kerrang! Radio DJ and former Big Brother winner, Kate Lawler will choose the winner in the Main Arena at the show. Kate, whose afternoon show on the station draws over a million listeners each week, will be judging the six finalists on qualities like good character, health and temperament with people and other dogs. 

The Scruffts Family Crossbreed of the Year competition is run by the Kennel Club, which organises Crufts, and caters exclusively for crossbreed dogs: dogs whose parents are of two different breeds, or a mixture of several breeds.

The six finalists qualified for a place in the Scruffts final after winning classes at heats around the country during 2013 and then winning at the semi-finals, which took place at the Kennel Club’s Discover Dogs event last November.

The six finalists for the 2014 final are as follows:

• Most Handsome Crossbreed Dog (6 months - 7 years). Bailey, owned by Nigel McManus from Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute. Bailey was adopted from an SSPCA Shelter after he was found wandering the streets of Glasgow, but Nigel says he is now “a real star” who does obedience classes and agility training, and really loves long walks in the hills.

• Prettiest Crossbreed Bitch (6 months - 7 years). Sylvy, owned by Danni Holder from Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham. Sylvy was born at Dogs Trust and had kennel cough from when she was only a few days old, before developing parvo along with her seven brothers and sisters – sadly only three survived. Since then Sylvy has gone on to be qualified as a Pets at Therapy dog and Danni describes her as a “very friendly” dog and “wants to be best friends with everyone”.

• Child's Best Friend - handled by a young person between 6 and 16 years of age inclusively (6 months - 12 years). Lola, owned by fifteen year old Amy Graham from Randalstown, Co Antrim.  Lola was found wandering the streets eating out of bins in January last year. Amy says “We all fell in love with her little face immediately. She is an amazing dog, she wakes me up for school by jumping on my bed. If I am ever sick or upset she comes up to me and looks after me.”

• Golden Oldie Crossbreed (8 years or over). Willow, owned by Sheli Brown from Crewe, Cheshire. Willow works as a therapy dog, spending time with young people and children. She is the oldest dog competing and loves balls and sticks. Proud owner Sheli says she is “absolutely thrilled” to be competing in the final.

• Best Crossbreed Rescue. Wylie, owned by Sarah Singleton from Yeovil, Somerset. Wylie was forced into a dog fight and was near death before he was rescued by soldiers in Kandahar, Afghanistan, back in 2011. They took him to an army base where he was treated for some horrific injuries. His ears were cut off (a long standing tradition for Afghan dogs used for fighting), and he was stabbed and run over by a car. Despite all of this he has recovered and is described by Sarah as a “gentle, trusting and loving dog”.

• Good Citizen Dog Scheme Crossbreed (for entrants that have a GCDS certificate at any level). Barney, owned by Mike Murray from Kenley, Greater London. Barney was rescued from a pet shop where he was kept in appalling conditions but is now described by Mike as “a fantastic member of our family” and “a very loving dog” who enjoys nothing more than a walk in the woods.

Throughout last year, heats of the popular Scruffts contest, which is supported by pet food makers James Wellbeloved, took place at events around the country in search of crossbreeds with that extra special something. Nearly 1,200 dogs took part in the Scruffts heats last year, raising over £6,000 for the Kennel Club Charitable Trust and each event’s chosen charity. All competitors received James Wellbeloved treats and a copy of Your Dog magazine, the Scruffts media partner.

Apart from the sought-after title, the winner at this year’s Scruffts will win a year’s supply of healthy hypo-allergenic dog food from James Wellbeloved.

James Wellbeloved marketing manager, Anne-Laure Jaouën said: “The Scruffts final is the highlight of my year. All of last year’s finalists were brilliant and I can’t wait to meet the finalists for this year. It’s amazing to hear the incredible stories that these crossbreeds have and I wish them all the very best of luck.”

Scruffts is run in support of the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, which has awarded over £8m worth of grants to benefit the canine world since its inception in 1987. The Trust awards grants to welfare organisations which make a difference to dogs’ lives, and also provides financial support to canine scientific research and support charities.

To find out more about Scruffts, please visit www.scruffts.org.uk.

Weekday tickets for Crufts cost £16.50 for adults in advance and £18 on the door and weekend tickets cost £17.60 in advance and £19 on the door. Concessions are also available. All tickets are subject to a booking fee.  Book by calling the Crufts Ticket Hotline at The Ticket Factory on 0844 338 0338, or online at www.crufts.org.uk.

Kennel Club celebrates five years of its Genetics Centre at the Animal Health Trust with commitment to fund five more years of research.

From the creation of online tools to the development of DNA tests, the Kennel Club Genetics Centre at the Animal Health Trust (AHT) has proven beneficial to many dog owners and breeders in helping to improve the health and welfare of dogs.

The Centre, which celebrates its fifth anniversary in 2014, was created to combine the resources and expertise of the Kennel Club and the AHT with the aim of benefitting thousands of dogs – both individuals and whole breeds.

By developing essential tools, minimising the risk of breeding affected puppies and designing breeding programmes which improve overall health of breeds, the Kennel Club Genetics Centre has helped dog breeders improve the health of their dogs by avoiding inherited diseases in their breeds.

Professor Steve Dean, Chairman of the Kennel Club, said: “We are committed to helping dog breeders address inherited diseases , and by working with the AHT we have, together, created a centre of excellence, which in just five years has already helped to significantly improve the health and welfare of a number of pedigree breeds.

“The Kennel Club invests a significant part of its income towards improving dog health and welfare. Historically we have information on our registration system about millions of pedigree dogs which we use to further knowledge of dog diseases and how to prevent them. By working in partnership with the AHT, we have been able to provide a number of practical resources and expertise to aid dog breeders in their ambition to reduce or eradicate inherited diseases.

The Kennel Club Charitable Trust invested £1.2 million into the Centre when it opened in 2009. Since then, and led by Dr Cathryn Mellersh and Dr Sarah Blott of the AHT, the Centre has:

• collected and stored DNA samples from 11,000 dogs from 170 different breeds
• undertaken genome-wide association studies using DNA samples from 1,461 dogs of 25 different breeds
• identified 10 unique mutations responsible for inherited disorders known to affect 29 different breeds and developed   DNA tests which have been used to test more than 38,000 dogs through the AHT’s DNA testing facility

Dr Cathryn Mellersh, Head of Canine Genetics at the AHT, said: “The creation of the Kennel Club Genetics Centre has enabled us to take huge steps forward in our mutation detection work. This is assisting dog breeders in their breeding decisions and, most importantly, minimising the risk of breeding affected puppies.

“The work we are doing within the Centre is making a significant difference for thousands of dogs.”

In addition to the mutation detection work, the Centre has helped the Kennel Club to develop and launch the revolutionary web tool, Mate Select, enabling dog breeders to find the most suitable mate for their dog.

One of the first tools launched through this platform was the algorithm for calculating inbreeding coefficients of all Kennel Club registered dogs and for prospective matings. This service now attracts more than 23,000 searches per month.

At Crufts 2014, scientists from the Kennel Club Genetics Centre will be demonstrating the next phase of Mate Select, which will include giving dog breeders and owners access to estimated breeding values for hip dysplasia in 15 breeds and elbow dysplasia in five breeds.

These breeds account for more than 80,000 Kennel Club registrations per year, so these EBVs will initially be available for 33 per cent of all Kennel Club registered dogs.

The Centre has also begun analysis of the population structure and rate of inbreeding for all 211 Kennel Club recognised breeds in an effort to better understand how this may contribute to an increased rate of inbreeding.

Analysis has shown that approximately 40 per cent of the 132 breeds analysed to date have effective population sizes below 50 – the minimum size recommended in order to manage inbreeding.

Dr Sarah Blott, Head of Quantitative Genetics at the AHT, said: “Management of complex diseases, those which are caused by more than just one defective gene, pose the greatest threat to the health of dogs. Of the 489 currently known genetic diseases in dogs, 72 per cent are believed to be complex.

“The research the quantitative scientists are undertaking in the Kennel Club Genetics Centre is helping dog breeders to develop breeding strategies that will maintain long-term health by managing rates of inbreeding and reducing the prevalence of existing diseases.”

To continue this vital work, the Kennel Club Charitable Trust has committed £1.6 million to the Kennel Club Genetics and Cancer Centres at the AHT over the next five years (2014 - 2018), helping to further accelerate research into inherited diseases affecting dogs.

The Kennel Club Genetics Centre will continue to investigate and identify mutations, develop DNA tests and enhance services available to breeders to address diseases that are clinically severe or affect large numbers of dogs.

The funding will also enable the AHT’s cancer research team, working with the Kennel Club Cancer Centre, to acquire an innovative technology known as the ‘GeneAtlas System’. This equipment enables the investigation of tumour biopsies, collected for diagnostic purposes, in a manner that has not been previously possible.

Initially the technology will assist in identifying gene markers that are characteristic of the metastasis (spread) of uveal melanomas, the most common primary eye tumour in dogs. It is hoped, through this research, that a test will be developed to identify whether a tumour in an individual dog will spread or not, and therefore prevent the unnecessary removal of eyes from dogs with uveal melanomas. Longer term, the intention is for the GeneAtlas System to be used in the investigation of many cancers, including lymphoma, oral melanoma and mast cell tumours.

Professor Steve Dean added: “The Kennel Club remains passionate about improving the health and welfare of dogs. The addition of a capability to study the genetic factors associated with cancer development is a new avenue for our co-operation with the AHT and one we are very excited about, given the dominance of cancers as a cause of death and suffering in dogs. We know there is still much to do on all health related fronts, so I’m extremely pleased  that we will be funding a further five years of research, within the Kennel Club Genetics Centre and also the more recently-founded Kennel Club Cancer Centre at the AHT.”

Dr Mark Vaudin, Chief Executive of the AHT, said: “We’re delighted to continue our partnership with the Kennel Club on these important welfare issues. Our level of skill and expertise within the canine genetics and cancer fields is widely recognised and it is exciting to know that we will be applying our knowledge to further equip dog breeders and owners with essential information to improve the health of their breeds.”

Two new LED lighting products from Interpet will bring multiple benefits for retailers this month, offering multi-colour effects for tropical and coldwater aquariums.

Interpet’s Kid’s LED lighting system enables younger fishkeepers to enjoy different coloured lighting effects simply and safely. Designed to fit into any children’s aquarium, the Kid’s LED lighting system is low wattage and fully submersible, making it ideal for children to use.

The easy to install LED lighting system cycles through multiple shades of five colours: blue, purple, red, white and green at 30 second intervals. The system can also be stopped at any time on a particular colour at a click of a button. The LED lights create a beautiful ripple effect in the water, adding to its calming appearance and making it an ideal alternative to a child’s night light.

Also new to the Interpet CREATE range of indoor aquatic lighting are the Multi LED Bubble Wands. These flexible products illuminate a curtain of bubbles with randomly changing colours within the aquarium, improving the aeration of the tank’s water and creating a unique colourful feature. The combined health benefits and attractive coloured lighting effects make this the perfect impulse buy to help generate additional sales.

Mark Dalton, Interpet Brand Manager, says: “We all take care when selecting lighting for our homes and the same should apply to lighting for our aquariums. Creative lighting makes each aquarium unique to its owner. With our products, customers and retailers alike can be sure they are getting a high quality product that is not only well designed for the aquarium owner but also the aquarium environment itself.”

Both LED lights are suitable for coldwater and tropical aquariums. The LED bubble wands can also be used in marine tank environments. Products will be available from the end of April 2014.

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

A motorist was run over as he tried to stop a thief stealing his car and pet dog.

The 51-year-old man was dropping off bags at a Middleton recycling centre in Greater Manchester when he was targeted by the brazen crook.

The victim left the keys in the ignition of his Kia Venga while throwing rubbish away, and when he returned to the vehicle moments later, a man was in the passenger seat.

The owner’s pet dog was still inside the Kia at the time. As he tried to stop the thief from driving off he was dragged a short distance along the road, injuring his leg and head.

The offender then fled in the car.

The raid took place at Viridor waste recycling plant at Spring Vale, Middleton on Saturday evening.

The dog was found abandoned a short time later and returned to the man.

The car has now also been recovered.

Detective Constable Charlie Stewart, from Greater Manchester Police, said: “The man had turned his back for a second when this opportunistic thief jumped in and sped off.

“In trying to prevent him getting away the man suffered some quite painful injuries and we are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information about the offender to call us.

“The one piece of good news is the man’s dog was quickly returned to him and his car has also since been recovered.

“I would like to take the opportunity to remind people to never leave car keys in an ignition while you are away from your vehicle, even if it is for just a few seconds, because as this incident shows, a thief can strike in the blink of an eye.”

Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 8701, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.