An independent pet shop owner is urging retailers to 'check out' potential owners before selling rabbits and guinea pigs to them at Christmas.

Bridget Pitman Brand, of Market Rasen Pet Centre in Lincolnshire, says she vets all her customers before agreeing to sell them small animals.

"I have refused to sell pets in the past because I felt the people wouldn't make responsible owners," said Bridget. "You buy a pet for life, not just for Christmas."

Bridget has owned the pet centre for 12 years and during that time she has offered a pet delivery service, delivering on Christmas Day itself.

"There is nothing wrong with small animals like rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters being given as Christmas presents, as long as families understand their responsibilities as owners.

"If parents come into my shop and they inquire about giving a pet as a present, then I will spend time with them making sure they know everything that's involved. I will even visit their homes because I need to be certain they will look after the pets properly.

"I deliver pets to my customers' homes even on Christmas Day, so I know they're going to a good place. I can honestly say that I have never had a pet returned after it was given as a present."

Christmas Day Delivery charges range from £1 within Market Rasen to £2 for the outlying villages and up to £5 for Lincoln and Grimsby.

Pictured above: Bridget spends time with children telling them about the responsibilities of owning a pet. Picture courtesy of the Market Rasen Mail

Neve Barraclough from Tingley, West Yorkshire has helped an unwanted puppy on its way to becoming a successful competitor in the fast and furious dog sport of flyball.

Jess, a 10-month-old Border Collie didn’t have the best start in life, but thanks to West Yorkshire Dog Rescue, who have received a £4,000 grant from the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, she is now on her way to a promising sporting career in flyball with her loving new owners, Neve and her family.

Jess arrived at West Yorkshire Dog Rescue in a very bad way. She had matted fur covering a painfully thin body and was riddled with worms.

Barely six-months-old, she desperately needed affection and help. Once bathed, wormed and de-flead, Jess was vaccinated and microchipped and soon started to gain weight.

Aged just six, Neve is a very keen flyball competitor. She met Jess in July at a West Yorkshire Dog Rescue foster home and formed an immediate bond with the Border Collie puppy. As a result, the Barraclough family adopted Jess and that’s when their successful partnership began.

Neve and Jess have been training since she joined the family and hope to qualify for the Young Kennel Club class next year, following in the steps of her 9 year old sister Maddison and her dog Kizzie.

Kathy Trout from West Yorkshire Dog Rescue said: “Very rarely is a child born with an exquisite ability to bond and relate to dogs, but Neve and Jess have such a special bond and we wish them every success and happiness for the future. Without the support of the Kennel Club Charitable Trust we would not be able to help dogs like Jess and give them a loving family.”

Managed on a voluntary basis, West Yorkshire Dog Rescue differs from many rescue charities in that it uses foster homes to accommodate dogs and get all the veterinary treatment done until a suitable forever home is found.  This prevents the stress and behavioural changes associated with kennel life and means that they get proper exercise, resulting in happier, healthier dogs.  This year, the charity has rehomed 182 dogs up until October.

West Yorkshire Dog Rescue relies on grants and donations in order for it to provide a second chance to dogs like Jess. Recognising the brilliant work carried out by the rescue centre, the Kennel Club Charitable Trust gave a grant of £4,000 to the charity, allowing it to purchase a new van to enable them to transport dogs and therefore assist its work helping dogs in the region.

Mike Townsend, Chairman of the Kennel Club Charitable Trust said: “Neve and Jess met due to the work of West Yorkshire Dog Rescue and have since formed a hugely successful partnership. We hope the money we have donated ensures the great work of this charity continues.”

The Kennel Club Charitable Trust awards grants to welfare organisations which make a difference to dogs’ lives and also provides financial support to scientific research and support charities such as West Yorkshire Dog Rescue.

Fujitsu has launched a new device for dog owners wanting to keep a check on their pet's health.

The device, called the Wandant, can be attached to the dog's collar, and it counts how many steps the animal takes during its outing.

It also tracks the dog's temperature, how much it eats, its weight and stool condition. It contains three accelerometers, and records data every 10 minutes and even tracks the dog's stress level.

The name Wandant has been derived from Japanese words Wan and Dant, which mean woof and pendant respectively.

The data recorded can be stored locally for up to 14 days or uploaded to an NFC-equipped Android device. It can also be presented graphically on a custom website, so that it makes it easy for anyone to understand the dog's activities.

According to Fujitsu, the device will enable communication between pets and their owners so that they can track all the health information regarding the pet's health.



The Wandant is currently available on Amazon Japan.

A leading recruitment agency is warning pet companies to take extra care when recruiting sales staff over the next couple of months.

The warning comes as businesses look at next year’s budgets and consider restructuring or expanding their sales force.

Industry recruitment experts Pet Trade Solutions says that it’s also a time of year when staff are considering their future and making a move.

The company, now in its 12th successful year of placing the right person in the right role, says that it expects January to be as busy as usual despite the recession.

Owner Lynda Ward says: “Most businesses recognise that it is particularly critical now for them to maintain and build their relationships with buyers. Most buyers consider the physical presence and contact of a sales representative a major source of support enabling them to interact on a one-to-one basis and also to get their own message across."

Lynda adds that it's crucial for companies to take their time in finding the best sales people, and warns against rushing into making appointments.

"Loyalty cannot be bought and in today’s competitive market the brands which are perceived by their customers to look after them are those which will fare best in the long-term. So make sure you appoint someone who will best represent your company."

For further information contact Lynda Ward on 07946 743784 or  email lyndaward@pettradesolutions.com

Emergency veterinary bills for accidents to pets over the festive period could spiral into millions of pounds.

Last December insurers paid out £13 million – with the most common mishaps involving pets eating dangerous items, from decorations to chocolates left under the tree.

Other risks include burns from fairy lights, cuts from glass ornaments that break and swallowing tinsel.

Bills could reach £3,000 to remove a swallowed plastic bauble; £1,200 for anaesthetic to ease constipation caused by eating a turkey carcass; £700 a day to put a dog on a drip after devouring chocolate.

Vet Brian Faulkner, from insurer Petplan, said: "Pets don’t know what’s hazardous and what’s not.

"They also won’t think twice about destroying your perfectly decorated tree if there is something on it that interests them."

Mars Petcare, the company behind food brands Pedigree, Cesar, Sheba and Whiskas, is reminding owners to keep an eye on their pets this Christmas to avoid an unscheduled visit to the vets.

According to Mars, Christmas is a classic time of the year for dogs to get in trouble with chocolate. Wrapped boxes of sweet treats under the tree are often sniffed out and opened by dogs. But, while it’s a treat for us, chocolate contains theobromine, which is extremely poisonous for dogs, so should be avoided.

Raisins are a key ingredient for many of our festive desserts, but are actually poisonous for dogs and can cause acute kidney failure.  

A quarter of all owners give their dog gravy at least once a week, and this is likely to be even higher as families tuck in to Christmas lunches. However, what many don’t realise is that onions and garlic, which are often part of homemade gravy, can be harmful to dogs and cause anaemia. 

And Mars Petcare warn owners to keep an eye on those festive favourites ‘pigs in blankets’. 11% of owners already feed their dogs sausages at least once a week and this might increase during the Christmas period. While sausages aren’t poisonous, the high calorie content in them can be a problem when it comes to keeping your dog’s weight in check. Also cocktail sticks holding them together can be a serious risk of injury.

Also watch out for grapes rolling off the cheese board and on to the floor to be gobbled up by your dog, as like raisins, grapes are poisonous for our canine friends.
 
“There’s nothing wrong with the odd treat here and there – especially at Christmas, it’s just important to remember that some foods are poisonous and also that overfeeding is just as bad for pets as it is for humans," says Sherrie Rowlands, Corporate Affairs Manager, Mars Petcare.

"Pets are part of the family, so it’s natural to include them in the festivities but owners can treat dogs to pet-specific Christmas goodies or spend more time with them and take them for an extra-long walk, which would be good for both you and your dog over the festive season!”

Mars Petcare are urging owners to give dogs a treat of their own, like the Pedigree Christmas Stocking, which includes a toy and a range of treats.

The natural pet health supplements firm Lintbells, manufacturer of YUMOVE and YUMEGA Plus, is celebrating after being named the best small business in Hertfordshire at a prestigious awards ceremony.

The company, based near Baldock and established only five years ago, has grown at a phenomenal rate in that time and has reached the finals of the Hertfordshire Business Awards on both occasions that it’s entered.

Lintbells co-founder and Commercial Director John Davies said: “This is an absolutely fantastic way to round off 2012 which has already been a hugely successful year for us. We have expanded our product range, including developing new markets for the rapidly growing YUMOVE triple action mobility supplement, which is now selling at a rate of a million tablets a month.

“We have also increased our veterinary business team as our range of proven affordable health solutions has grown, and we have more new product launches planned in the near future. Lintbells has only a small team and everyone in the company has worked incredibly hard to achieve this accolade.”

The Small Business of the Year Award was sponsored by the FSB. The judges’ considerations included growth, ambition and quality of management, but they were also looking for a clear demonstration of passion and commitment by the team.

John Davies added: “To be recognised as the best performing small business in a dynamic county like Hertfordshire demonstrates the success of our range of nutritional supplements and our commitment to excellence. The judges also looked at customer service in coming to their decision and that is an area Lintbells prides itself on and is one of the most important aspects of the business.”

Lintbells was one of over 50 finalists at the gala awards ceremony which was held at Knebworth House and organised by media group Archant. The presentations were made by Matt Barbet of ITV’s Daybreak.

For more information about Lintbells products visit www.lintbells.com

The RSPCA has called for a general ban on keeping monkeys as pets after a case of animal neglect was heard by a Devon court.

Plymouth magistrates heard 53-year-old Peter Powell allowed his two marmosets to run around his flat in their own mess and his cigarette butts.

Powell had denied 10 charges of neglect and cruelty towards his pet monkeys but was found guilty in his absence after he missed his trial.

He was banned from keeping primates for life and ordered to pay £1,000 costs to the charity.

The court ordered ownership of Rattler and Tya to be handed over to Monkey World ape sanctuary in Dorset.

Powell was also given conditional discharges for two years for all offences. His earlier trial was told Powell allowed the marmosets to run free at his home.

Primate expert Dr Alison Cronin said they were allowed to defecate and urinate where they liked and were exposed to his cigarette butts.

RSPCA inspector Becky Wadey said after the case: "It was heartbreaking to see these poor little marmosets like this – their fur was sticky with faeces and urine and they were clearly underweight and in a bad state of health. It was later found they had metabolic bone disease – or rickets.

"It is hard to understand how anyone could think this was an acceptable way to keep an animal."

It is the RSPCA's third major case involving neglect or cruelty to a marmosets since January and highlights the problems involved with the growing UK trade in keeping primates as pets.

Dr Lisa Riley, primatologist for the RSPCA, said: "These cases show exactly why we are calling for a ban on primates as pets. Marmosets in particular are seen as small and easy to keep but this is far from the truth – they are very hard to look after and totally unsuitable as pets.

"We must stop this growing trade. Breeders and dealers charge large sums of money, and it has become far too easy to pick up a marmoset over the internet, especially since you don't need a licence to have one."

The Kennel Club is urging all those with an interest in dogs to make their views known on proposals published by the Welsh Government last week in relation to dog control.

While supportive of the main proposals regarding the extension of the law to cover all places and the introduction of Dog Control Notices in order to prevent the escalation of lower level dog aggression to more serious incidents, the Kennel Club has serious concerns regarding suggested measures in relation to ‘protected animals’ as defined under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Under the proposed Control of Dogs (Wales) Bill, owners of dogs who injure a protected animal could now be subject to criminal prosecution for an aggravated offence which carries a maximum sentence of up to 2 years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.

This is in contrast to the maximum penalty for deliberate cruelty to an animal under the Animal Welfare Act which is only up to 6 months imprisonment and/or £20,000 fine.

Within the draft Bill it could even be a criminal offence if an incident takes place where an individual reasonably believes a dog would do harm to a protected animal – even if no injury takes place.

The Kennel Club is also concerned that the Bill does not allow any defence for a dog biting a burglar or if the victim causes a dog to injure them by provocation.

Kennel Club Communications Director, Caroline Kisko said: “While we welcome the intention of the Welsh Government to improve legislation surrounding dangerous and out of control dogs, we are seriously concerned about some of the negative implications for perfectly responsible dog owners within the suggested Control of Dogs (Wales) Bill.

“While the proposals would only apply in Wales, the Westminster Government is yet to outline its long awaited package of measures to tackle irresponsible dog ownership, so there is every possibility that Welsh proposals could be taken into consideration.

"We must therefore send a clear message in relation to provisions for protected animals; unfortunately Wales have really got this one wrong and would urge anyone with an interest in dogs to respond to the consultation to raise their concerns.”

Full details of the consultation can be found by visiting: http://wales.gov.uk/consultations and searching ‘dogs’. The consultation closes on 1 March 2013.

Retailers in the UK are expected to lose £1 billion over Christmas as a result of shoplifting, dishonest employees and vendor or distribution losses, according to a new study released by the Centre for Retail Research.

The report, funded by an independent grant from Checkpoint Systems, suggests that the losses incurred by the retail industry over this period could add an extra £38.09 to each UK family’s shopping bill.

The report found that UK retailers could lose £522 million through shoplifting, £431 million through employee theft, and £47 million through vendor and distribution losses. In total, the losses could represent a 3.4% increase over the same period last year.

Speaking about the results, Professor Joshua Bamfield, Director of the Centre for Retail Research and author of the report, said: “The Christmas season is an especially attractive time for criminals.

"Thieves take advantage of busy stores to steal high-value, high-demand goods. As a result, retailers face a big threat from professional and semi-professional thieves, many of whom steal goods with the intention of re-selling them.

"Organised retail crime is a major concern for retailers – especially since the average amount stolen per incident is much higher than 'normal' thefts.”

Per Levin, President and Chief Sales Officer for Shrink Management & Merchandise Visibility Solutions for Checkpoint Systems, said: “During Christmas, consumers spend 60% more than in other months, and retailers need to ensure the merchandise is available on the shelves for consumers to buy.

"We know from Professor Bamfield’s past studies that there is a clear correlation between investments in preventive solutions and the rate of shoplifting.

"With the right solutions in store, it is possible to reduce the threat of further losses, increase merchandise availability and reap the maximum returns during holiday season.”

Overall, the study found that the cost of shoplifting and fraud to retailers over the Christmas period would be €5.8 billion in Europe, and $8.9 billion in the USA.

Butcher’s new range of Lean & Tasty complete dog food has been designed by pet nutrition experts to deliver the same meaty goodness every day but with less fat and calories.

With the launch of Lean & Tasty, even if owners carry on feeding their dog the same quantities as before their dog will be getting 30% less fat.

Butcher’s announced its new range in response to a growing demand for healthier, leaner and nutritionally balanced meals for dogs to help owners all over the country keep their canine companions fit, active and full of life for longer.

Clare Scallon from Butcher’s Pet Care said: “As a nation we’ve become increasingly aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle and diet for ourselves and we want the same for our dogs.

"Our new range of Lean & Tasty dog food is crammed with all the meaty tasty goodness dogs love but with 30% less fat to help them lead healthy, happy and active lives too.

“And at New Year it’s an ideal opportunity for us all to get in shape with our dogs. So instead of giving in to those big puppy dog eyes with a treat or tit-bit from your plate, why not really show your love by spending a bit more time with your best friend – after all walking the dog is free and great exercise for you both."

Butcher’s Lean & Tasty is available in both 400g cans and in foil trays so there is something for all sizes of dogs.

Pet lovers are doing their bit to help the UK out of its financial crisis by contributing more than £2 billion a year to the nation's coffers.

Using the government’s own figures, the Pet Advisory Committee estimates that pet lovers spent almost £6 billion in 2010 .
 
Additionally there are other less visible benefits that help balance the Chancellor’s books. Independent studies indicate that the health benefits of pet ownership (and around of half of UK households do) effectively save the NHS as much as £1.5 billion a year.

As the Euro crisis deepens, other Finance Ministers in the EU should also take note. Throughout the EU in 2010, owners spent €29 billion on their pets (equating to €12 billion in tax revenues) and social scientists studying the health benefits of pet ownership in Germany estimated savings of €5.5 billion annually.

The Pet Advisory Committee chairperson Tracey Crouch MP says: "What these figure show is the positive contribution pets and their owners make to the economy and towards a healthy society.

"While the contribution to the economy is easier to identify, the companionship, interaction and exercise pets can give to their owners, in particular the elderly, and the effect this has on their well-being is of equal worth to individuals and society as a whole."

A new survey has revealed that millionaires are far more dog-friendly than the rest of population.

According to a study by Spectrem Group, 58% of millionaire pet owners have a dog while only 37% own a cat. Only 3% keep fish, 2% birds and 2% have a horse.

The survey carried out in America revealed that 39% of the rest of US households owned a dog, compared to 33% of households that owned a cat.

So why have millionaires gone to the dogs?

Jennifer Cona, a trust and estates attorney and partner with Genser Subow Genser & Cona in New York, does a lot of work on pet trusts.

She said dogs provide one thing especially important to the wealthy – unconditional love.

"You don't get that from a cat," she said. "Dogs are like children for some families, except they don't mess up in college or run off with money.Sometimes it's easy to see why dogs are the favourite child."

Plus, she added, millionaires know that dogs don't love them for their money.

Millionaires show their love for their dogs in part by their spending. One quarter of millionaire pet owners spend more than $1,000 a year on their pets every year, the Spectrem study said, while more than half spend more than $500 a year.

Dutch football star Leroy Fer has become a laughing stock among his team-mates after buying his girlfriend a pet horse – only to find out she can’t keep it as she lives in a block of flats.

Holland international Fer, who plays for FC Twente, made the extravagant purchase at an auction of former racehorses.

The 22-year-old visited the auction with his girlfriend and other Dutch celebrities, and opened his cheque book after Fer’s lady friend took a liking to famous stallion by the name of Django.

Fer splashed out just over £22,000 on the horse, and in a bid to impress, kept the whole thing a secret before announcing it to her expecting a positive reaction.

However, while his girlfriend was extremely flattered, she had to point out that she lives in a block of flats, and has no way of keeping or looking after poor Django.

With no suitable stable space available in the area, Fer has been forced to quickly offload the horse.

Fer is said to be looking to buy a cat or dog instead – perhaps a more fitting gift.