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More than one million people have chosen Ancol’s travel harness to help keep their dog safe while travelling in the car.
Rumours have been circulating that this year’s Petindex is to be either scaled down massively or be altogether cancelled. But the organisers say they will be welcoming pet suppliers at the 2012 ‘as always’.
Staff at a Pet Centre in Somerset have selected their ‘Charity of the Year’ for 2012.
Martek Food Systems has launched a fresh approach to bulk merchandising, with the introduction of self-serve dispensing systems, ideal for pet food retailers.
Businesses are urged to ‘Love Apprenticeships’ this year as Lantra, Sector Skills Council for land-based and environmental industries, has created a free website that puts employers in touch with learners, helping to bring an apprentice into their workplace.
Dogmatic’s Leather and Padded Cushioned Webbing ranges are now available from Vital Pet Products.
Sureflap, the microchip pet door company, has opened a business in New Zealand along with a regional webshop, which makes its microchip-operated cat doors more affordable both for direct and retail sales.
The Pet Food Manufacturers Association (PFMA) hosted an education symposium this month as a forum for organisations involved in animal welfare to collaborate on valuable education work.
GA Pet Food Partners has strengthened its senior management team as part of its on-going investment in developing its market-leading private label dry pet food business.
Fish4Dogs has launched Sea Crackling – a calamari treat for dogs.
Kennel Club entry figures for Crufts reveal that around 26,000 dogs will be making their way to the NEC, Birmingham, from March 8-11, with a record number of overseas entries.
From next month (March), Burgess Supadog is running a special price-marked promotion across its 15kg Chicken, Beef and Active Sacks.
The PetQuip and Gardenex trade associations are continuing their series of Meet the Buyer days by bringing pet and garden product buyers from Belgium, France, Spain, Sweden and The Netherlands to the UK to meet with British suppliers.
Liberta UK has been appointed an official distributor for flexi.
Today is ‘Happy, Big, Wet, Sloppy, Kisses Day’ for dog owners across the UK, according to Pedigree, which has sent a special Valentine’s Day message to its Facebook and Twitter fans to thank them for their support and to celebrate the unconditional love dogs share with us.
Fewer than half of the UK’s pet retailers now sell livestock, according to latest research. But this opens up an opportunity for the shops still selling pets to become ‘must-visit’ destinations for people wanting to see animals and ask advice.
Wholesaler Vital Pet Products has pinned its colours firmly to the mast in support of the specialist trade, with a call for retailers to challenge their suppliers to establish ‘who is supporting this supply chain into Argos’.
Pet owners who can’t afford to pay for medical treatment for poorly animals are being targeted by a payday lender offering loans with up to a 2,120% interest rate.
Premium pet food brand Harringtons has introduced a small animal range, Optimum Guinea Pig Food and Optimum Rabbit Food, both available in 10kg and 2kg bags.
Total annual global grain production (excluding rice) in 2011 was up 64 million tonnes at 1,816 million tonnes, with maize hitting a record 853 million tonnes and wheat recording its second-highest yield of 683 million tonnes.
Twiz is the latest eco-friendly dog toy to be launched under the Zogoflex brand, distributed in the UK by Collarways.
Animals will benefit following the completion of new clinical facilities at the University of Bristol’s Langford Veterinary Services (LVS). The first phase of the £13-million development includes a new small animal surgery building, comprising five theatres, an ICU, a dedicated anaesthesia induction and recovery and an imaging suite.
PetQuip is organising for the first time a visit to Pet Fair Asia, Shanghai, in October. The fair is one of the leading pet sector events in China, a country that is experiencing a 25% annual growth in pet-related products.
BETA International visitors and exhibitors are being offered a complimentary chauffeur service to and from their hotel to the trade fair in the event’s official vehicles, supplied by SsangYong.
Feline emergency medicine is the theme of the Feline Advisory Bureau (FAB) Study Day to be held on at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies Hospital for Small Animals, Easter Bush, University of Edinburgh on May 18, 2012.
Cranswick Pet Products’ award-wining wild bird care brand, Nature’s Feast, has introduced a new, larger, 500g pouch of Dried Mealworms. The 100g pack of these popular wild bird treats is already a great seller, and the new 500g format is a direct response to customer demand.
Professional gundog trainer and competitor Andy Cullen MBE has secured sponsorship from performance dog food experts Alpha Feeds.
Whiskas Tasty Textures Bite ‘N Chew pouches are packed with roughly chopped meaty pieces in a soft pâté that maximises bite and chew satisfaction. The chewy ‘texture’ marks real innovation within pouched cat food and the company said it looks set to drive consumer purchasing as well as overall category value.
The insolvency rate for 2011 rose – but only slightly – compared with 2010.
Dog-Friendly – the UK's largest database of dog-friendly venues – has released the 2012 edition of its Dog Friendly Camping and Caravan Site book.
Laughing Dog’s new Oven Baked Oaties are now available in three varieties: Dental Oaties, Cheesy Oaties and Joint Care Oaties.
Following on from last year’s record show, the biggest event in the small animal calendar was back to celebrate its 90th show.
Mikki is launching its second ‘Britain’s Next Dog Model 2012’ competition – owners are invited to send in a picture of their pet for a chance to become the advertising face of the Mikki grooming brand for the year, as well as take part in an exclusive photoshoot with Venture Photography worth £1,000.
Medical Detection Dogs is looking for a team of highly enthusiastic pets to become Fundraising Dogs for its Sniff5000 campaign.
Dog biscuit brand Bonio has launched Bonio Meaty Chip. This latest entrant to the £28m dog biscuit category, in retail outlets since the end of January, is a crunchy low-in-fat Bonio biscuit with the addition of meaty pieces.
Burgess Excel, makers of The Excel Feeding Plan for ‘fibrevores’, has launched a UK first with The Excel Food Cube – a complete food for fibrevores.
Students from Northumbria University have been designing a range of bird feeders and nest boxes, with help from Cranswick Pet Products.
Staff at Pets at Home in Heeley, Sheffield, have raised more than £76,000 in just one week for the charity Support Adoption For Pets.
Five British pet care product companies will be travelling to Florida at the end of February to exhibit at Global Pet Expo as part of a UK group organised by the PetQuip association.
New TopSpec Performance Cubes provide energy for work, but are ‘non-heating’ and so are ideal for horses that are a bit sharp or get fizzy on cereal-based competition mixes or cubes.
Dogs chasing their tails on YouTube could be a sign of welfare issues and pathological conditions, a new study suggests.
The RSPB, The Kennel Club, the Feline Advisory Bureau and the Dogs Trust have been alerting pet owners to the fact that over the past 10 years, at least 56 dogs and 22 cats are known to have suffered from pesticide abuse instances.
Nurtured Pets has enhanced both the product and packaging of its Anti-LickStrip Prevent and Anti-ChewStrip for cats and dogs.
Terra Firma Capital Partners, a UK-based private equity firm owned by financier Guy Hands, is close to buying the Garden Centre Group, according to a Sunday Times report, which cites an unidentified source close to the sale.
NOAH has updated its pet health information website, www.pethealthinfo.org.uk, to take into account changes to the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS), which took effect from January 1. These changes make it easier for pet owners to travel abroad with their pets, while keeping the UK protected from rabies.
Argos has taken down a number of pet food products from its website, but says it is looking to increase the number of products it offers to pet owners, extending the range to include reptiles, birds, aquatics and small animals.
RabbitShak has introduced a new, larger range of hutches for 2012. These hutches have been designed specifically in line with Rabbit Welfare Association (RWAF) recommendations.
Microchip cat flap company SureFlap has been included as a ‘Design Icon’ in a Design Icons exhibition, which will run at the Anglia Ruskin University in February.
Royal Canin will sponsor the Discover Cats zone of the London Pet Show 2012, with Zoflora again sponsoring the World of Cats, where the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy will display many popular breeds from the seven pedigree sections.
Sandra Umfreville, of Sidbury in Devon, is the lucky winner of a national competition from HorseHage. Her prize is a brand new Ifor Williams HB506 horse trailer plus vouchers for 42 bales of HorseHage forage.
Pets at Home is inviting anyone who has a prototyped pet product to submit it for consideration at an Innovation Day in April.
Snuggy Hoods has begun 2012 on a high after being awarded a Royal Warrant from Her Majesty The Queen.
Five years on from the launch of its no-cereal dog food range, James Wellbeloved has launched a no-cereal option for cats, available in both dry food and pouches.
Dogs Trust has had a ‘very enthusiastic’ response from the farming community in Wales to efforts to urge farmers to consider neutering and microchipping their dogs.
Peregrine Livefoods is offering a special promotion on Bearded dragon books and signs to mark Chinese New Year, which for 2012 is the year of the dragon.
A miraculous tortoise recovery and a stubborn ornamental hedgehog were among some of the stranger requests the RSPCA was asked to deal with in 2011.
There has been a storm of protest over Argos selling a consignment of grey market petfood on its website, as reported by Pet Business World on Monday.
Mystery surrounds the theft – and then reappearance – of a huge reptile. After being taken in a burglary, the five-foot dwarf caiman was just a day later dumped in a cardboard box outside the very pet shop from which it was stolen.
Adders are now an endangered species because their hibernation sites are being destroyed, snake experts have warned.
Pets at Home has opened its 300th store and commissioned its second 300,000 sq ft distribution centre.
A distinctive blue and gold macaw was snatched from a pet shop before Christmas. Billy had lived at Paulways Pet Centre, Croydon, for 30 years ever since owner Paula Simper rescued him from a tiny cage in a garage.
Informpet Ltd is the new distributor for ProDen PlaqueOff Animal, PlaqueOff Human and SynoVital Joint Supplement. These products were previously distributed by Molar Ltd, but as of January 1, InformPet Ltd took over distribution.
The winners of pbw’s Name the Igloo Cats competition are: Elizabeth Lobley, of Leyburn Pets, North Yorkshire; Dee Millen, of Dee Millen Rabbit Accessories, Aylesford, Kent; Jan Cross, of R. Roberts, Ilkeston, Derbyshire; and Carly Ralph, of Jacks Cabana dog boutique, North London.
A pet shop has sustained nearly £30,000 worth of damage in a suspected arson attack that killed 16 canaries and two tanks of tropical fish.
Top brands have signed up to sponsor the London Pet Show 2012 at Earls Court Two on May 12 and 13, with Vanish taking headline sponsorship for the second year and other big names including Direct Line, Royal Canin, Burgess Pet Care, Zoflora and RC Hagen coming on board.
Retailer Argos is selling a large range of petfood marketed as an on-line exclusive in its clearance sale. Among the brands on sale are Hill’s, Eukanuba, IAMS, Wafcol, Royal Canin, Applaws, Purina and Arden Grange.
A sharp rise in the cost of hay might have left many customers tightening their belts as they prepare to contend with a second winter of discontent. Last year’s weather conditions – a dry spring and wet summer – coupled with increased exports to other European countries following poor harvests have resulted in spiralling prices and fears of a shortage in supply.
Kent-based BARF Pet Foods has introduced the Canina Kraeuter Doc Joints supplement to support a dog’s entire musculoskeletal system.
Visitors to BETA International are in for a treat when the hit West End production War Horse plays a starring role in this year’s trade fair.
To celebrate the New Year, The Company of Animals is giving away 25 retail packs of Coachies Naturals – absolutely FREE!
Acana has launched its Chicken & Burbank Potato complete dry dog food in the UK through distributor Bern Pet Foods.
BETA International 2012 is presenting visiting SQPs with the opportunity to gain a maximum 14 CPD points at AMTRA-accredited seminars hosted by the show’s main sponsor, Virbac Animal Health.
Absorption Corp, a manufacturer of habitat and food products for small pets, has partnered with one of Switzerland’s major pet industry wholesalers to distribute CareFRESH Natural bedding products.
The Blue Cross is reminding owners to make sure their pet is wearing a collar with a safety release catch after saving a cat that nearly died.
Collards is looking ahead to a busy 2012. Due to demand from the pet trade, the company wants to recruit additional nutritional and sales advisers for store demo visits.
Employees at Nottinghamshire-based performance dog food expert Alpha Feeds are celebrating after passing the EAL Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Business Improvement Techniques.
A new website offers opportunities for the trade to gain exposure among pet owners. Launched this week, www.petnet360.co.uk will provide a search facility for local pet services ranging from retailers to rehoming centres, groomers and veterinary practices.
Now is an excellent time to extend or strengthen a sales force, recruitment specialist Pet Trade Solutions says.
Liberta UK is set for a busy 2012 with the UK launch of Flamingo pet products, from Belgium.
The UK distributor of JW Pet Products, Pedigree Wholesale, has launched a new eight-page catalogue for the JW Dog Toy range.
New figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) show that despite significant increases in Christmas footfall, aggressive discounting and extended opening hours, retailers' December revenues failed to beat 2010’s weak figures.
Organic pet food brand Lily’s Kitchen is continuing its foray into the dog treat market with the launch of Power Flower treats for dogs.
Staff at Pets at Home in Heeley, Sheffield, have raised more than £76,000 in just one week for the charity Support Adoption For Pets.
Spectrum Brands Holdings’ subsidiary United Pet Group has acquired FURminator.
Cats Protection’s, Glasgow Adoption Centre, has won a £500 donation from the UK’s largest pet insurance provider, Petplan.
The RSPCA has been voted a winner in the Website of the Year awards 2011 for the second year running.
Grooming products manufacturer Betty & Butch has opened a flagship store in Chorlton, Manchester, said to be a “dog lifestyle store”.
The annual Intercollege Dog Grooming Competition has expanded and will be held at two venues next year. The first, the Intercollege (North) Dog grooming Competition, will be held at Grimsby Institute on May 13, while the Intercollege (South) Dog Grooming Competition takes place a few days later on May 27 at Hadlow College, Tonbridge.
Sharples N Grant has been appointed sole distributor of Petkin wipes and shampoos.
Dog supplement specialist Pooch & Mutt has hit an incredible 10,000 fans on Facebook.
Christies Direct has this autumn organised three seminars for groomers in association with Heiniger, with over 100 delegates attending at each venue. The 2011 Christies Direct Professional Grooming Seminars were held at Askham Bryan College in Cumbria; Hartpury College in Gloucester; and Hadlow College, Tonbridge.
The Kennel Club is calling on dog owners and walkers to take part in a new survey on its website (www.thekennelclub.org.uk/marineandcoast) to help protect their rights when visiting the English coastline with their pets.
Walter Harrison’s has extended its range of wild bird foods with two new lines – Ultimate Energy No Mess and Suet Variety Pellets.
The Ruff Wear brand is now being sold through an online shop through a partnership with Shopatron, an eCommerce provider for brands.
The PATS Grooming Point returns in 2012 and its first unveiling will be in the Esher Hall at Sandown Park, March 20 and 21. Although the announcement of the new Groom Team England will only be made in early 2012, the PATS team can confirm that GTE members, together with official sponsor Animology (Group 55), will be present at the show once more.
A convicted rapist who robbed a terrified pet shop owner at knifepoint has been jailed indefinitely.
The Kennel Club has launched a charitable foundation to help bring dogs to children as reading companions, in a bid to halt the decline in child literacy.
Heartless thieves ransacked a dogs home, escaping with vital cash and the grand prize for the charity’s Christmas raffle.
Forget spending hours asking probing questions and checking Facebook profiles to find out what a potential partner is really like – a new study has shown that you need look no further than a person’s choice of dog breed to reveal their true personality.
A Pets At Home store in Bridlington has been acquired by property investment and development specialists The Helmsley Group for £1.6 million. The deal was brokered by commercial real estate advisor CBRE.
Twelve-year-old Madison Chilvers was delighted to win a family ticket to theme park Alton Towers, courtesy of small animal food manufacturer Mr Johnson’s.
The director general of The Federation of Garden & Leisure Manufacturers, which includes PetQuip, has made a rallying call to the UK pet and garden sectors to support Britain’s strong heritage of innovation, design and manufacturing.
Happy Dog, Germany’s biggest dried premium dog food manufacturer, has introduced to the UK a new product for dogs with sensitive digestive systems – AFRICA.
The Advertising Standards Authority has ruled that a Hill’s ad must not appear again in its current form. In its judgment, the ASA said: “We told Hill's not to claim that they were ‘Vet's No.1 Choice’ unless they held robust evidence that demonstrated that the majority of all vets surveyed expressed a preference for their products and, where small sample sizes had been used, to include qualifying text that made clear the sample size on which surveys were based in future similar ads.”
China International Pet Show’11 attracted a record number of more than 35,100 visitors from 77 countries.
The final major initiative in the 50th anniversary year of the PetQuip export association’s parent company, Gardenex, was an Open Day and Meet the Buyer event held at the association’s headquarters in Brasted, Kent this month.
Global consumer products company Spectrum Brands Holdings has announced that its United Pet Group division has agreed to buy FURminator for US$140 million (£90 million).
Following a successful year, the icing on the cake has arrived for Verm-X in the form of a ‘Silver’ Green Apple Award, backed by the government and recognising Environmental Best Practice in Farming and Agriculture.
There’s nothing like spreading Christmas cheer around, and reptile wholesaler Peregrine Livefoods is doing its bit by offering retailers the chance to win in its ’12 Draws of Christmas’ competition.
Pets at Home recently engaged on a short-lived trial in which it was offering a click-and-collect service from its website to pet owners in the Ely area. However, unlike its normal click-and-collect service, in which customers can order online and then collect their purchases from a Pets at Home outlet, this time customers had the option of collecting their purchases from a Companion Care Vets surgery in Ely.
SmartBedz Universal Bedding and Litter is now available from wholesalers throughout England, Scotland and Wales.
People would rescue pets ahead of expensive gadgets or sentimental photographs from their home before it flooded, an Environment Agency survey reveals.
Thousands of people and more than 50 pet bloggers have joined a campaign calling on North American retailer Petland to stop selling commercially-bred pets and support pet adoption instead.
Do you know someone who really goes the extra mile for companion animal welfare? Do you think they deserve recognition for their hard work? If the answer is yes, then Ceva Animal Health UK, manufacturer of leading veterinary behaviour products Feliway and Adaptil (previously known as DAP), would like to hear from you.
More than 27,000 dog lovers visited Discover Dogs in London last month.
PetSafe has expanded its training lines and introduced a traditional and practical method of training with the Easy Walk range of headcollars and harness.
A new quarterly consumer magazine has been launched for lovers of small pets.
Rolf C. Hagen Inc. has stepped in to help save hundreds of malnourished Amazon chicks, rescued during a dramatic police operation in Brazil.
PPI has launched an ‘EPOS-friendly’ brand of rawhide dog chews after a comprehensive review of the UK market.
The average spend by shoppers per trip is on the rise, but the number of trips made is falling as UK consumers increasingly travel beyond local destinations to larger cities or out-of-town retail parks, according to new survey results released by CBRE.
Absorption Corporation, a manufacturer of habitat and food products for small pets, has expanded its product line in the UK with Pets Corner shops to include CareFRESH Colors, CareFRESH Confetti and CareFRESH Ultra premium bedding.
The RSPCA has awarded a licence to SERT-MST Plc and its recently-launched Petbase arm to produce a wide range of RSPCA-branded feed and accessories for wild animals and birds, as well as a line of hay, straw, woodshaving, sawdust and soft woodchip-based bedding for small animals.
Hot on the heels of news about the decline of British dog breed the Sealyham terrier, the Kennel Club has released statistics that show other vulnerable native breeds, such as the dandie dinmont terrier, have seen a staggering decline.
A consultation has been launched asking members of the horse community for their views about a proposed new voluntary scheme for trading horses.
H.H. Backer’s 45th Annual Pet Industry Christmas Trade Show and Educational Conference in Rosemont, Chicago attracted nearly 9,000 registered buyers from 2,410 businesses.
A former police officer has lost his appeal against a conviction for a horse passport offence and two welfare charges.
The Advertising Standards Authority has dismissed a claim that a TV ad for a ‘long-lasting’ dog treat was misleading because the complainant’s dogs ate one in less than a minute!
The Blue Cross is warning pet owners not to leave their dogs tied up in the street after two went missing just a few days apart.
Verm-X concluded its Everyone’s a Winner prize draw series with two £1,000 pound winners.
“The best wholesaler trade show I’ve been to,” was just one of the many supplier comments heard as the stands were being taken down after Trust Pet Products’ first trade show, held at the Heritage Motor Centre, near Warwick.
Spending on pets in the US is set to reach $50.84 billion (£32.54bn) this year, according to the American Pet Products Association. That’s up five per cent on 2010.
VETUK, the on-line supplier of pet products and medications, has reached a company milestone, processing more than £750,000 worth of transactions each month.
Kent-based BARF Pet Foods has introduced a new way to give dogs their five a day by launching Veggie Fruit Medallions.
The bira third quarter sales monitor portrays a continued struggle for high street sales, with downward pressure on prices and upward pressure on costs.
The KONG Company has brought out a new collection of catnip toys. Four designs – Beaver, Hedgehog, Rat and Corduroy Mouse – come with a phial of Kong Premium Catnip for refilling.
The US Food and Drug Administration has begun a nationwide drive to test pet food for salmonella contamination amid evidence that it is ‘sickening’ pet owners, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
High street landlords across the country are offering bargain basement rents of £1 a year to keep chain stores in town, according to press reports.
Europe’s biotechnology industry has warned the European Commission that agricultural imports vital to EU food security are increasingly being put at risk, due to the slow pace of the bloc’s approval system for genetically modified crops.
Police are appealing for information after burglars escaped with snakes worth thousands of pounds from a shop in Yorkshire.
Barf Pet Foods, based in Sittingbourne, Kent, has introduced a range of new bone treats for dogs.
Vital Pet Products is now stocking a wide range from Enviro-Works Europe, producers of probiotic cleaning and odour control products for the home and garden.
Staff at Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre are celebrating after winning an award at the Garden Retail Awards.
New research reveals a little more Christmas cheer than first envisaged. Mintel expects retail sales growth of between 4% and 5% this month – and as much as 1% of that could be real volume growth.
Perfectly timed for Christmas selling periods is a new range of Arctic-themed plush dog toys from the Animal Instincts brand, available exclusively from Pedigree Wholesale.
Cornish entrepreneur Mandy Davies has shown there is a silver lining in every cloud by picking up a prestigious silver at the annual Mumpreneur awards sponsored by NatWest.
Since the purchase of Vitalin by North Nottinghamshire-based pet food manufacturer Alpha Feeds, the brand continues to go from strength to strength.
The House of Lords has given its full backing to a long-awaited overhaul of the Dangerous Dogs Act. The Dog Control Bill successfully has now passed through all stages in the Lords.
PetSafe has been asked to get involved in a series of TV documentaries to be screened on national television over the next few months to help pet owners care for their pets
James Wellbeloved has introduced a new light kibble, specifically developed to encourage weight reduction in overweight dogs. Available from this month, the launch means that the existing Senior/Light product will become known simply as Senior.
Ancol Pet Products has teamed up with Breast Cancer Campaign for a second year to sell its unique range of pink pet products in support of the charity.
BETA International 2012 continues to win support from leading names in the industry.
A pet retailer has slammed heartless thieves who smashed their way into her shop and stole five charity boxes.
A petfood manufacturer has been fined £14,000 after a worker was killed when his neck was crushed by a pneumatic hatch on a mixing machine.
Town & Country Petfoods is offering 500 retailers two FREE cases each of new HiLife Nature’s Essentials for cats – that’s a total of 40 single pouches worth £20.
Supreme Petfoods is launching a range of high-quality, high-value monocomponent diets for rabbits and guinea pigs.
3P Enterprise has introduced a new 7.5kg dry food storage bin to the UK market.
The last pet shop in Basildon town centre has closed because people ‘treated it like a public aquarium’ – but didn’t buy!
The UK pet accessories market, which is traditionally seen as resilient to economic downturns, has had a tough year, according to the latest market research.
A four-month-old lop from Birmingham has been selected as Britain’s Cutest Bunny and will appear on the packaging of Supreme Petfoods’ Science Selective rabbit food.
Westland Horticulture has launched its first TV ad for Peckish Complete 5 in 1 bird food which is set to reach 16 million consumers on sky, Channel 5, ITV and 4.
H.H. Backer’s 45th Annual Pet Industry Christmas Trade Show and Educational Conference, held October 14-16 in Chicago, attracted close to 9,000 visitors from 2,410 companies.
Despite the recession, nearly half of owners (44%) who believe in preventative healthcare have increased their spending on their pets in the past year and only a very small proportion (5%) have spent less.
More than 70 delegates from all sectors of the equestrian industry attended the 2011 BETA Conference, at The Belfry, near Birmingham and enjoyed an entertaining and informative programme of specialist presentations and prime networking opportunities.
A veterinary charity investigating Seasonal Canine Illness (SCI) has held two briefing events; possible links between SCI and harvest mites, and between SCI and wood pigeons, are being investigated.
Scruffs has launched a Kennel Club-branded collection of pet bedding and accessories.
The London Pet Show 2012 has re-signed top brands as sponsors, with Vanish confirmed as headline sponsor and now Burgess Excel committing to sponsor the Discover Small Furries section of the show, at Earls Court Two on May 12-13 next year.
More needs to be done to raise awareness of apprenticeships in animal and veterinary-related industries, according to new research.
November is Pet Diabetes Month, a campaign that aims to tackle the potentially fatal disease diabetes mellitus in dogs and cats. This year, pet owners are being asked to join the campaign by taking part in the nation’s first online screening programme for pet diabetes.
The Dogs Trust has had a very enthusiastic response from the farming community in Wales following efforts to urge farmers to consider neutering and microchipping their dogs.
GA Petfood Partners, which makes 5,000 different premium pet food products, is hoping to save a massive £26,000 a year on energy costs after installing high-efficiency motors in a new odour control facility.
Jarden Consumer Solutions’ pet grooming product lines are now available to UK retailers nationally through wholesaler Vital Pet Products.
More than 400 people from all walks of the equestrian world attended the Animal Health Trust’s United Kingdom Equestrian Awards at the Lancaster London on November 3.
Cranswick Pet Products, the Yorkshire manufacturer of food and accessories for the wild bird and small animal markets, has retained its ‘A’ grade from The British Retail Consortium following a rigorous inspection of its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.
Set up in 1971, West Midlands-based Ancol has gone from strength to strength and this year marks its 40th anniversary.
Sparsholt College’s Aquaculture and Fishery Management resources has been awarded £245,000 from the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).
If you’re struggling with saddlery or baffled by bitting, World Horse Welfare aims to fit all of the pieces together and allow you to feel more confident in horse care with the help of a group of top experts.
The unusual sight of hundreds of dogs turning small circles at the same time has resulted in Burns Pet Nutrition officially laying claim to the world record for the largest dog obedience lesson.
UK dog supplement specialist Pooch & Mutt has launched into Malta and Iceland.
The national minimum wage went up again on October 1.
Whiskas Oh So has been relaunched in a new eight-pack format and at a lower price.
Three veterinary surgeons have been appointed by AMTRA as additional assessors to take part in the evaluation of candidates for SQP qualifications.
Rolf C. Hagen, founder and chairman of Rolf C. Hagen Inc., has died suddenly but peacefully at his Canadian home in Montreal surrounded by his wife Marianne and grandson Justin on Saturday, October 22.
CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds has sent the Hounds for Heroes charity a cheque for more than £550 raised at the World Sheepdog Trials.
The Kennel Club Genetics Centre (KCGC) at the Animal Health Trust (AHT) have identified five different mutations associated with diseases in 20 breeds of dog.
Orijen is sponsoring England gundog team member Laura Hill, of Stauntonvale Gundogs.
Solihull rabbit rescue Fat Fluffs has received more than £600 in donations from on-line shoppers, through shopping site easyfundraising.org.uk
More than 300 retailers and their guests enjoyed a two-day mix of entertainment, networking and business at Hagen’s annual exhibition held at the Chesford Grange hotel, Kenilworth last month.
The RSPCA in Birmingham is building a £10 million flagship animal centre and hospital in the West Midlands.
Singapore has become the first country in the world to launch Byopet, a British hygiene brand for the pet care industry.
Cats Protection has issued an emergency plea for owners to adopt one of the many cats in the charity’s care after a significant drop in rehoming as a result of the tough economic climate.
Dog and cat owners are being urged to sign an on-line petition calling for fireworks manufacturers to carry information about pet safety on both their websites and packaging.
When Zoe Hemmings started her dog grooming business with a £2,000 loan from the Prince’s Trust, little did she think she would be in need of a refurbishment and extension just three years’ on.
The Acappi Group has strengthened its portfolio and premium canine brands by securing exclusive distribution rights in the UK and Ireland for dog toy and accessory company Planet Dog.
Crown Pet Foods has launched a new retail support package designed to drive customers into the specialist independent, increase sales significantly and build loyalty for the Royal Canin and James Wellbeloved brands.
The Pedigree Adoption Drive has launched its biggest ever digital engagement programme – the world’s first ever virtual dog walk.
Glee Petindex drew mixed responses from exhibitors, with many talking of strong, quality contacts, but equally many expressing disappointment at the location of Petindex at the far end of Hall 5.
A dog grooming salon has offered free shampoos and haircuts for scruffy homeless hounds from The Blue Cross charity’s Northiam adoption centre in East Sussex.
The Garden Centre Group, which runs pet outlets at many of its 131 sites nationwide, is being sold – amid rumours that Tesco is one of the bidders.
The 2012 BETA Business Awards – which recognise and reward significant contributions to the equestrian industry – have continued to attract support from some of the trade’s top names.
Dorwest’s ‘Say Relax’ firework phobia campaign has sparked into life this autumn, grabbing the attention of thousands of pet owners.
Leicestershire-based pet product design and distribution company Happy Pet Products held its second Annual Showcase at Brandon Hall Hotel & Spa in Coventry last month.
BETA International’s Innovation Awards are to be sponsored by Horse&Rider Magazine at the 2012 trade fair.
The National Petsitters Association is launching the UK’s first face-to-face dog-walking and pet-sitting courses this autumn to provide the fundamentals of how to set up a professional dog walking or pet sitting business.
Devon pet food specialist Forthglade Ltd, which was placed into administration on September 13, has been sold as a going concern in a management buy-out to Forthglade Foods Ltd.
VetUK, the online supplier of pet products and medications, has reached a company milestone by processing over £750,000 worth of online transactions every month.
After many years in the pet industry, working for major manufacturers as well as running a pet shop, Scott Charnock has started his own manufacturing business with wife Lisa and partners Simon and Jackie Collins.
Super premium pet food Eukanuba has signed a three-year sponsorship deal with Go Walkies for Guide Dogs.
Basildon Council’s animal control team has been awarded the ‘Best Event’ title after being chosen from more than 1,800 National Pet Month events across the country.
Members of the BETA International 2012 organising team will be sporting corporate clothing, courtesy of Finest Brands International, which is returning as the show’s official clothing supplier for a second year.
The first Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, has confirmed his Government’s intention to introduce new dog breeding legislation this autumn to tackle puppy farming.
Su Eld-Weaver was named as the 2011 Groomer of the Year at the British Dog Grooming Championship on Sunday, winning with a Standard Poodle Scissor and a clipped/stripped Irish Setter. Runner-up was Joanne Angus, and third place went to Peter Ensell.
Burgess Excel has been confirmed as the No. 1 vet-recommended food for fibrevores for the third consecutive year, with more than 92 per cent of vets recommending the brand to their clients.
Scientists investigating Seasonal Canine Illness believe plants are not causing the mystery illness that dogs are suffering from after walking in woodlands.
A 17-year-old part-time pet shop staff member has been praised by police for handing in a briefcase containing £5,000 cash.
Pets at Home’s group chief executive, Matt Davies, is to step down from his role in the spring ‘to pursue other opportunities’. He will remain with the business until a successor is found.
Cranswick Pet Products has launched its first wild bird feed with non-germinating ingredients to end the problem of sprouting seedlings beneath garden feeders.
New figures released by Cats Protection show that neutering the nation’s cats costs millions of pounds, bringing to light the full extent of the UK’s cat population problem.
Kruuse has launched an interactive dog toy – the Buster DogMaze – that doubles as a feeding bowl.
Shoppers have a strong preference for items placed in the middle of the shelf, according to a new study by the University of Chester.
UK mobile grooming franchise Dial a Dog Wash has expanded into France, with a franchise being set up in the Bordeaux area.
Kong Company Limited, the UK and European distributor of the Kong range of dog toys, has teamed up with canine behaviour specialist Dr Jez Rose.
The rate of insolvencies has dropped to its lowest point since February, according to the latest Insolvency Index from Experian. But small businesses were the worst hit.
PetEx, Ireland’s national show for pet retailers has been scheduled for September 5-6 next year. The two-day trade event, which has moved to the centrally-located Burlington Hotel, Dublin, will also play host to the first industry dinner.
Pet products specialists group55 have spotted a window of opportunity for retailers stocking the Animology range of shampoos and sprays, by providing a poster to advertise the products.
James Wellbeloved has launched its first wet cat food range. The complete food can be fed alone or used as a treat when usually feeding dry food, and follows the introduction of James Wellbeloved pouches for dogs four years ago.
British businesses are spending up to £14,200 a year to comply with the growing number of rules and regulations, a new survey reveals.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s charity raft race takes place every year in West Bay, a small town on the Dorset coast – not far from Kong’s UK and European distribution headquarters.
A survey conducted by the Kennel Club for its Puppy Awareness Week found that nearly half of all dog owners risk hefty veterinary bills in the event of their dog getting ill or needing treatment because they have no pet insurance.
Pig owners, including pet or micro pig owners, must have a movement licence every time they move their pigs from one place to another. Now the licensing system is about to become quicker as it goes electronic
A group of eight top vets who travelled the country on their motorbikes holding presentations for horse lovers has so far raised more than £4,000 for World Horse Welfare and the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA).
As one of the consistently fastest growing UK animal health companies, Ceva UK, manufacturer of leading veterinary behaviour products Adaptil™ (formerly known as DAP®) and Feliway®, has outgrown its offices and has now moved to new premises in on the Anglo Office Park in Amersham, Buckinghamshire.
Fast-growing e-tailer Easy Animal has signed an exclusive deal with the US brand Solvit for sole distribution in the UK.
Denes Natural Pet Care is launching three new Deluxe Meals for adult dogs.
Parcel delivery company Yodel has secured a contract with online pet shop Pet Supermarket.co.uk to be the retailer’s sole delivery partner.
There are nearly a million horses in the UK and the equestrian market is worth £3.8 billion a year, according to latest research.
Group 55, the company behind the award-winning Animology product range, has launched a monthly competition for groomers, the Groomer Of The Month competition. Free to enter, all entrants have to do is submit a before and after picture of a dog that they have groomed.
Cats Protection has launched its first iPhone application, enabling cat lovers to create and play with a virtual feline friend.
The Burgess Wetnose Animal Rescue Awards 2012 is calling on independent rescue centres in the UK to step forward for the chance to win a cash donation.
This month sees the launch of Copdock Mills’ own-brand premium dog food range, Brigadiers Choice.
Abbey England, known for its extensive range of lorinery, has bought the Equus brand.
Sureflap, the high-tech cat flap that uses a pet’s microchip as its personal door key, is to be featured on television.
Wholesaler Trust Pet Products has lined up 50 suppliers for its first-ever trade show next month.
ALF has been awarded sole UK distribution of Hobby-Dupla products.
After overturning a ban at Westminster to allow him to bring his dog Max to work, Matthew Offord, MP for Hendon, was invited to visit Mars Petcare’s head office in Waltham to see how they bring their dogs in the workplace policy to life.
It was a night to remember for Colin Williamson, who not only received the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his 53 years’ commitment and dedication to the pet trade, but he also won the Animal Boarding Establishment category at the Pet Industry Awards dinner at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel.
To meet the growing demand from retailers for BARF diets, leading supplier AMP has put more new refrigerated vans on the roads from its four regional depots in Norfolk, Bristol, Leeds and Scotland.
Have you ever met a Lhasa Doodle? Groomers can have the chance to get up close and personal via a grooming masterclass at the British Dog Grooming Championship.
Winning three awards has given an Isle of Wight dog groomer a strong dose of confidence, inspiring her to take her business to the next level.
An MP has arranged a meeting between Defra senior officials and New Era to discuss how to make export certification easier.
Small animal food manufacturer Supreme Petfoods is hoping to find the nation’s most personality-packed bunny to feature on its new packaging.
Little Britain TV star Matt Lucas is the voice of a TV ad for wild bird food and products range Peckish.
In a first for the company, Town & Country Petfoods has launched a new natural range of pouches for cats, available exclusively to the pet trade.
Dog owners across the country are being invited to take a Walk in the Dark next month to raise money for the charity Medical Detection Dogs. The fundraising event, sponsored by Collarways, will also highlight the importance of visibility when dog-walking as the nights draw in.
Devon-based pet food manufacturer Forthglade Ltd has gone into administration. Corporate rescue and recovery specialist Begbies Traynor was appointed administrator on September 13.
Pedigree is launching a Christmas Advent calendar for dogs with Pedigree Mini Markies treats behind each door. The calendar, on sale with an RRP of £3, will also include a free gift for dogs behind the Christmas Eve door to mark the special occasion.
The UK-made Europa range of super premium dog food now boasts new packaging, and its maker says it is one of the most affordable super premium foods around.
Retail sales volumes fell in August at the fastest pace for over a year, according to the CBI. Meanwhile, retailers were the most negative they have been about the general business situation since February 2009.
Dried dog food range Happy Dog has launched into the UK. Manufactured by Germany’s Interquell GmbH, a family business established for over 230 years, Happy Dog has been developed by veterinary surgeons.
A former shop owner who sold primates and tortoises without a licence had a dead monkey in his freezer, a court heard.
A Scout group from Derbyshire is the third lucky £1,000 winner in the nationwide Verm-X Everyone’s a Winner promotion.
OATA has developed and created its first mobile phone application to help fishkeepers identify and rectify common problems they may encounter with their hobby. The app caters for all categories of fishkeeping including ponds, coldwater, tropical and marine aquaria.
A pet shop owner hit the headlines when he rescued a tortoise from the carriageway of a Kent motorway.
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has renewed its call for compulsory microchipping of all dogs.
Wagg Foods, the UK’s leading independent manufacturer of complete dry dog food, has dramatically increased its sponsorship activity, pledging to donate a total of around 40,000 free meals for dogs by the end of 2011.
After thousands of animal lovers flocked to this year’s London Pet Show, organisers QD Events says that London Pet Show 2012 will be held on May 12-13 and moves to Earl’s Court Two to accommodate demand.
Small animal and wild bird food manufacturer Walter Harrison’s has just launched a range of Play Tubes. The dual-coloured Play Tubes are made from a biodegradable inner of cardboard and an outer of vegetable parchment paper.
A fledgling mobile dog grooming business in Runcorn has been named Franchise of the Year by its parent company.
South Korean scientists have created a glowing dog using a cloning technique that could help find cures for human diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, reports Yonhap news agency.
The owners of LA Reptiles in Grantham have opened a second store in Lincoln only five months after the original shop in Grantham.
The first ever Festival of Grooming has been hailed an overwhelming success, with some groomers unable to buy tickets to the sell-out event.
Dog health supplement specialist Pooch & Mutt has launched a weight loss supplement, Slimmin’ Tonic.
The cost of phosphors used in all fluorescent lamps has increased nearly tenfold over the last two months. This is an unprecedented situation for the global lighting industry. Furthermore, prices are still going up, says Gerard Oates, managing director of Arcadia Products.
Cranswick Pet Products has launched its first wild bird feed with non-germinating ingredients to end the problem of sprouting seedlings beneath garden feeders.
Support Adoption For Pets – the charity founded by Pets at Home – has joined forces with Dogs Trust in a new partnership launching in-store Advice and Adoption Areas.
New Zealand Dog Foods (UK) and Pedigree Wholesale have joined forces to supply Zealandia Ribbies, a natural dog treat made from veal spare ribs.
Hilton Herbs has produced a bespoke point-of-sale display box for its recently launched range of herbal supplements for cats.
Pets Choice, the manufacturer of Webbox Pet Food, is to embark on a six-figure national TV advertising campaign this Autumn.
Mars Petcare has signed up to exhibit at PATS next year. Although Mars is one of the UK’s best-known pet food manufacturers, with a portfolio of best-selling brands such as Pedigree, Whiskas, Sheba and Cesar, the company has not exhibited recently at a UK pet trade show.
Just over half of independent retailers suffered a fall in business in the second quarter of this year – with the remainder seeing sales increase.
Trixie has announced that it is no longer seeking a UK distributor and will instead operate using a team of sales reps, shipping products direct to the UK from its base in Germany.
German pet accessories business Nobby Pet Shop GmbH has appointed PPD as its exclusive distribution partner in the UK.
Game Engineering – a market leader in building new pet food extrusion plants as well as major plant extensions – celebrates 25 years in business.
Natural animal health company Verm-X has joined the Animal Health Distributors Association as an Associate Foundation Partner member. AHDA represents animal health product distributors and defends the right to sell animal medicines.
A television production company is looking for a pet retailer or groomer to be featured in a forthcoming TV series about family-run businesses that may be finding it tough in the current economic climate.
The RSPCA toys and grooming products will be sold through national, regional and independent pet retailers, as well as supermarkets, department stores, mail order and internet retailers, including Amazon.
Town & Country Petfoods has launched a new look with improved recipes and an additional pack size for its family dog brand, HiLife Complete Moist Mince.
Wild bird food and accessories specialist Walter Harrison’s is helping Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust to encourage the next generation of naturalists with a donation of more than £13,000.
In the 2011 annual independent survey of 8,000 veterinary professionals, Burgess Excel was confirmed as the No. 1 vet-recommended food for ‘fibrevores’, for the third consecutive year, with over 92 per cent of vets recommending the brand to their clients.
Fullolife, the new range of nutritional oil based supplements from AAK UK, has secured distribution in Finland through Musti ja Mirri.
FISH4DOGS, which produces a range of natural food and treats for dogs made from fish, has been named International Business of the Year 2011 by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce.
The development of a state-of-the-art cancer centre for animals has begun in Suffolk.
Drought in Europe and torrential rains in the US could have an unpredictable pricing impact on the UK’s wild bird industry, warns Cranswick Pet Products’ purchasing manager, Eddie Rudd.
Pet healthcare specialist Bob Martin has added a range of Natural Vitality treats for cats and dogs to its diverse product offering.
The Company of Animals has launched a 2-in-1 Tick and Flea Comb, in time for the European ‘pest’ season.
Appalled at the recent rioting and violence in London, UK pet product design and distribution company Happy Pet Products has given £300 worth of products to Tottenham’s Everyday Pets.
The pond market as a whole was worth an estimated £33 million in 2010 at manufacturers’ selling price (MSP), marking four years of decline, but market researchers AMA Research say future prospects are more favourable from 2011, with the market forecast to remain stable before returning to growth in 2012.
Symply has introduced a new recipe to its range of dog foods. Symply Adult Lamb & Rice for Small Breeds is based on Symply’s existing lamb & rice recipe, but with a smaller kibble.
Bath Pet Centre – comprising Bath Pet Centre, Bath Pets 2, Frome Pet & Aquatics and its website Not Just Pets – has won the National Pet Month retailer event award.
Sharples ‘N’ Grant has brought out a new range, which it says gives the trade “an exciting Christmas feast as well as an all-year-round treat for dogs to really get their teeth into”.
Four brave customers saved Everyday Pets from arsonists and looters in Tottenham.
Burns Pet Nutrition stepped forward to help an unwanted litter of Staffordshire bull terrier puppies that were taken into the care of RSPCA Llys Nini Animal Rescue centre.
Do you run a new equestrian business set up in the last 24 months? If so, the team at Your Horse Live would like to hear from you.
Yorkshire-based treats manufacturer Hollings is to treble the size of its current manufacturing site over the next three years.
Dog Rocks has appointed Chloe Hill-Thomas as business development manager. Chloe will work with key accounts both in the UK and Europe.
Trixie Germany is this week meeting potential distribution partners for the UK
Experts are taking DNA swabs from Britain’s only species of venomous snake in an effort to stop it dying out
Although global pet care retail value sales sank in 2010, it is predicted that the market will return to growth this year at around 2.5 per cent, with a retail sales value in the region of US$81 billion (£50 billion)
Probiotic Live, distributed in the UK by Vital Pet Products, has appointed two regional brand managers – Phillip Roberts (Scotland, Northern England, East Midlands and East Anglia) and Nichola Trivett (London, Southern England, Wales and West Midlands)
Pets Choice has given its Webbox Prime and Supreme dog food and treats brands a new look, with a bold logo and striking colours on its packaging. Further enhancements include the use of larger and smaller dogs on-pack and easy-to-read statements and icons highlighting the benefits of the ingredients
A South Korean dog meat festival has been cancelled following protests from animal rights activists.
A detailed study into the domestic habits of hamsters by animal behaviour and welfare student Sarah Caunt has concluded that they prefer the latest modular-designed accommodation to the more traditional wire cages.
Professor Steve Dean is the new chairman of the Kennel Club. He becomes the 14th chairman and takes over following the recent resignation of Ronnie Irving, who had served in the post since 2002.
Leading manufacturer Wagg Foods has invested in a full rebrand, redesigning the packaging across its full portfolio of products.
To allow greater flexibility for retailers to restock shelves while minimising cash outlay, The Bramton Company (Simple Solution, Bags On Board, Vets Best ranges) has reduced the minimum order value for carriage-paid deliveries to £150 ex VAT.
Henry Bell & Co, which acquired the Mr. Johnson’s brand and business two years ago, has completed the first phase of upgrading and developing the product offering.
Supporters of animal charities are raising thousands of pounds each year for sanctuaries and rescue centres across the UK through their everyday shopping.
Burgess Pet Care is celebrating after once again achieving a British Retail Consortium (BRC) Grade A rating for its manufacturing facility in Yorkshire. This is the fifth time in seven years the company has achieved the top rating.
Natural Instinct, which has developed a range of recipes based on the BARF or biologically appropriate raw food diet, has extended its product range by introducing a special food for cats.
Westland Horticulture has added a new member of staff to its national sales team.
With over a year to go to its new autumn slot, PATS Harrogate is already 67 per cent full, while sister show PATS Sandown, to be held in its traditional spring slot, is 64 per cent sold.
Happy Pet Products has acquired the stock and Intellectual Property rights to Underworld’s complete range of products, following the administration of Snowcrest Import & Export Ltd (trading as Underworld Products) less than two months ago.
Royal Canin is shining the spotlight on all things feline this summer with the aim of driving more cat-owning customers into the specialist pet trade.
Toplife Formula, the highly-digestible range of milks for pets, is now available to the independent trade.
A new law will give SME’s better access to justice to protect their rights by introducing a damages cap of £500,000 for claims made in the Patents County Court (PCC).
More than 8,000 pet retailers, managers, distributors, boarding kennel operators, grooming professionals, mail-order companies and specialty gift store owners are expected to attend the 45th Annual Pet Industry Christmas Trade Show and Educational Conference in Chicago from October 14-16.
The Bramton Company, manufacturers of the Simple Solution product range, has donated puppy training pads to the Godmanchester-based Wood Green Animal Shelter. The company recently redesigned its packaging and had a surplus of previous stock, so decided to donate these to a worthy cause.
THE EUROPEAN Commission has agreed with the UK veterinary profession that controls must be maintained to keep the UK free from the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis (EM).
ZiwiPeak Daily Dog Cuisine is a new concept in the UK and contains real, air-dried meat and essential vitamins and minerals. It is a complete food that is 100 per cent natural, with no preservatives, colours, fillers or grains.
Dog food brand Harringtons has launched its first TV advertising campaign, to build on its success as a ‘premium dog food at an affordable price point’.
Thirteen people have been convicted in connection with Europe’s biggest illegal veterinary medicine business yet, with products worth more than £6 million smuggled to the UK, risking the health of people and animals.
Worth more that £38m, Sheba is the UK’s number one super premium wet cat food brand.
Animal lovers from Somerset are being invited to handle a variety of reptiles at a garden centre this September.
TV Vet Marc Abraham will be a star attraction at this year’s LovePets Show. An active promoter of responsible pet ownership, Marc has appeared on some of the biggest animal TV shows, including BBC1’s Animal Rescue Live and Channel 4’s It’s Me Or the Dog and The Paul O’Grady Show, as well as contributing on BBC Breakfast News, ITN News and The Tonight Programme. Marc was recently awarded the national veterinary industry’s prestigious Special Recognition Award and voted the UK’s Favourite Vet.
James Wellbeloved is expanding into a new market sector this month with Small Breed Dog Food, a hypoallergenic complete dry food specifically formulated for small dogs, available exclusively to the specialist pet trade.
The number of ‘fashionable’ miniature dogs being given up or abandoned at The Blue Cross has more than tripled in the past five years.
Anne-Laure Jaouën has been appointed marketing manager for James Wellbeloved, having originally joined the company to provide maternity cover. Anne-Laure has more than 15 years marketing experience with FMCG brands across a wide range of industries, and is the proud owner of two rescue cats, Harry and Oliver.
BETA International’s free coaches are back for 2012, with an extended service for transporting visiting retailers to the show. The new arrangement will see coaches leaving Exeter, Maidstone and Carlisle early on the Sunday morning – with collection points en route as they make their way to the NEC, Birmingham.
THE BLUE Cross is warning pet owners of the dangers of following healthcare advice posted on websites after treating a cat that was accidentally poisoned by its owners and came close to death.
Animal Instincts is running a special offer across the Forest Friends and Fair Game ranges of plush dog toys. With every order of 48 toys, which are being offered at discount, retailers will receive a free floor-standing display unit.
The Pet Care Trade Association has announced the shortlisted companies for the 2011 Pet Industry Awards. Fifteen businesses have been shortlisted across seven categories, and another seven ‘lucky’ businesses will vie for the top spot in the Favourite Pet Care Specialist public vote.
Eighties glamour puss Sam Fox and TV’s Kim Woodburn have rolled up their sleeves for felines in need to kick-start a volunteering campaign for Cats Protection.
On-line retailer petsupermarket.co.uk has achieved growth of 47 per cent in the first and second quarter of this year compared with the same period in 2010.
The Pet Care Trade Association is calling for ‘reason and balance’ in the wake of a Sunday Times article with the headline, “Vets condemn ‘cruel’ shaving of dogs’ faces”.
Despite the ‘extremely challenging’ economic climate, Pets at Home continued to maintain its track record of growth throughout 2010, increasing turnover and profits and opening new stores, according to CEO Matthew Davies.
Petindex is set to feature a wide selection of unseen pet care products and services in September via its Innovators Zone.
THE BLUE Cross has become the first charity to feature in the Channel 4 primetime television series Undercover Boss.
A 22-year-old woman who claims she contracted a rare disease while working in a pet shop that has left her brain damaged and paralysed has settled her personal injuries action for record damages of more than €7.5m.
Fire fighters were called to Pets at Home, on the Gallagher Retail Park, in Cheltenham, at 11.45pm on Friday, June 24, after an automatic fire alarm sounded.
The Pet Care Trade Association is launching its State of the Retail Sector Online Survey today. All UK pet retailers are invited to complete the survey - all participants will be entered into the free prize draw to win an iPad and all will receive a copy of the survey results.
A professional snake breeder has died after being bitten by one of his highly-venomous king cobras just three days before an open weekend at his Nottinghamshire sanctuary.
Trixie UK has gone into administration, with all staff being made redundant. Trixie Germany is now actively searching for a new distribution partner, and is assuring all UK retailers that it will fulfill orders and ship products direct from Germany.
Gloucestershire Police, in conjunction with the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) and the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA), have arrested a man on suspicion of breaching Control of Trade in Endangered Species regulations.
GA Pet Food Partners, the UK's largest super premium private label dry pet food manufacturer, has made two key appointments to further strengthen its sales team.
UK mums are confused over the advice they receive about cats and pregnancy, according to latest research conducted by Cats Protection.
Sharples ‘N’ Grant has launched a range of alfalfa edible toy treats for small animals. Alfalfa is a good source of protein, low in calories and high in fibre.
The first-ever two-day London Pet Show attracted more than 13,000 visitors with queues snaking down Hammersmith Road.
Spire Dog Training is working with new Wiltshire-based animal cleaning & disinfection specialist Aqueos to help owners protect their dogs in the Swindon area.
Showcasing its new Pro Plan 5 Point Promise Trial campaign to customers, Nestlé Purina has seen thousands of dog owners over the past few months visiting the Pro Plan Roadshows.
Steve Moffat has joined the sales team at Kennelpak after 30 years with Nestlé Purina PetCare.
Trixie has launched a set of five colourful cat toys featuring ‘scary’ fish, octopus, spiders, bats and monsters made from plush/felt materials.
Bringing a market first to the bird care category, Westland Horticulture will be developing a £1million TV campaign surrounding its new brand Peckish.
The UK will be better protected against animal diseases such as avian flu and foot and mouth thanks to a global network of scientific research launched by Defra.
Pet products specialist Group55 has appointed two new members of staff, in response to the continued growth of its award-winning product ranges.
Retrieva, a UK-based company, claims it is providing a technological solution to an age-old dog problem – that of ‘man’s best friend’ returning to its natural instincts and disappearing after an interesting smell.
PetQuip members can benefit from a further extension of the services offered by the federation. The latest service allows members to access free telephone legal advice about business issues such as employment law, contract and company law, marketing law, taxation and health and safety.
The prestigious City & Guilds Graduation Ceremony for 2011 was held recently in the magnificent surroundings of the Merchant Taylors’ Hall, in the heart of the City of London. This year, City & Guilds presented five Licentiateships to the City & Guilds of London Institute (LCGI) in Dog Grooming.
Rolf C. Hagen has pledged a massive £10,000 donation to Macmillan Cancer Support from sales of its Catit Voyageur Pink Ribbon’special edition cat carrier.
All the Vitalin stock and packaging from the Ripon-based business, which is in administration, has been moved to the Alpha Feeds site at Retford, and the systems are already in place to fulfil customer orders and manufacture stock.
The Blue Cross pet charity is calling for nominations from veterinary practices across the country for its Veterinary Nurse of the Year Award 2011.
Professional breeder Simon’s Rodents was hit by lightning last Tuesday (June 28), knocking out its communication systems.
A charity that employs blind, partially sighted and disabled people to make a range of beauty and cleaning products is re-launching its famous Dog Shampoo this month.
Bern Pet Foods UK has appointed Tan Nagrecha as regional sales manager to manage its award-winning brands, including ORIJEN and ACANA, throughout England and Wales.
The First BETA Feed Industry Conference was hailed ‘an overwhelming success’ by the organisers and the 70 delegates who gathered to hear some of the equestrian sector’s top speakers discuss a wide range of nutrition-related issues.
A survey has revealed that dog owners are more into personal grooming than cat owners. While cats are known to spend a large part of their day grooming themselves, it would appear that their owners are not quite so conscientious.
Kitten owners across the UK are being asked to take part in the first study of its kind to investigate cat health, welfare and behaviour.
The Blue Cross has revealed the results of a ground-breaking equine survey.
Interpet has promoted sales director Mark Hoskins to the position of commercial director, reporting directly into US parent Central Garden & Pet. Managing director Richard Peters has been made redundant.
UK mobile grooming franchise Dial a Dog Wash’s first French van arrived in the Bordeaux area in mid May and will be fully operational for the area’s dog enthusiasts from this month.
Pet accessories supplier Ancol has given more than 100 dog and cat beds to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home after reading an appeal in last month’s Pet Business World.
Reluctant and nervous student Trudi Dunn stole the show at the Intercollege Grooming Competition held at Hadlow College in April when she won the top awards of Best City & Guilds Student of the Year and first in the individual class.
Do article 10s make your head spin? Can you cite your CITES species? The Pet Care Trade Association (PCTA), in conjunction with the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, is holding a free seminar on the regulations around retailing in reptiles in Bristol on Wednesday, July 20.
On-line registration for Petindex is now live, enabling buyers, retailers and pet care specialists to book free tickets for the pet trade show at the NEC, Birmingham on September 19-21.
PATS Harrogate is to be held in September next year – traditionally the domain of rival trade show Glee Petindex. And the two events will overlap, with PATS running on Sunday and Monday, September 16-17, and Glee on Monday and Tuesday, 17-18, meaning exhibitors will have to make a straight choice between the two.
If you are looking for a lucrative service to add to your business, opt for microchipping and get trained using cutting edge technology, the Pet Care Trade Association says.
Cheshire-based MPM Products has earned its second FastTrack 100 award of 2011 as sponsored by the Sunday Times.
Kennel Nutrition, home to the Vitalin pet food range, has gone into voluntary administration. Further details are currently unavailable.
Dog lovers in Wetherby have raised more than £1,000 for charity after taking part in a sponsored dog walk. The top prize was a grooming session at Show Off Dog Grooming in Thorp Arch.
After 20 years of campaigns and petitions, puppy farming – a practice where dogs are bred in dirty, overcrowded conditions often producing sick and aggressive puppies – is still a growing trade, says Debbie Connolly of SafePets UK.
A recent episode of TV’s The Apprentice saw the participants visit Mars Petcare’s Waltham and Melton sites as they designed, prepared and marketed new pet food brands as part of their challenge.
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is urgently appealing for donations of bedding for its sickest dogs and cats, after a fire left its laundry room out of order.
A new two-day celebration of grooming to promote best practice in the grooming industry and to further the standard and knowledge of groomers has been announced.
James Wellbeloved and Royal Canin have both confirmed their attendance at September’s Petindex, the only national pet and aquatics trade show.
GA will move into a brand new pet food distribution centre (200,000 ft2, 18,500m2) near Chorley, Lancs, this month. It has a capacity for 32,000 pallet spaces.
Market-leading pet food manufacturer Burgess Pet Care has named Ian Bryson as its new head of sales.
Twelve cats have died in mysterious circumstances over the past few years in just one Norfolk cul-de-sac.
Colin Williamson, of 3Cs Boarding Cattery in Blackwater, Surrey, has been voted the winner of the Pet Industry 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his 53 years’ commitment and dedication to the trade.
After consumer research, leading veterinary behaviour product DAP has been renamed ADAPTIL to highlight its key benefit of helping dogs ‘adapt’ to new situations.
Rescuers were horrified to find abandoned animals in the premises of a closed pet shop in Camden Town, London.
A survey among groomers as to whether the industry would benefit from having a nationally recognised and acknowledged Level 1 dog grooming qualification has received overwhelming support.
Police are working with fire investigators to establish the cause of a fire at a pet shop in Eastbourne.
The team at Bedfordshire-based TC Feeds & The Tack Haven were the lucky winners of a pallet of dog food from the Alpha Feeds range in the pbwnews great birthday giveaway.
Hill’s Pet Nutrition is changing how it supports the specialist pet trade, moving away from a traditional territory management structure to a ‘more tailored strategy’.
Wagg Foods has increased production capacity at its Thirsk-based factory by investing in a third extruder, upping capacity to around 150,000 tonnes a year.
Hill’s Pet Nutrition has been ranked the number one manufacturer of pet food by GoodGuide.com, taking top spot in each of the four pet food categories: dry dog food, dry cat food, wet dog food and wet cat food.
German manufacturer Hobby has appointed Monkfield Nutrition as its UK partner to promote its reptile product range after closing its UK office.
Dog Rocks has appointed Caroline McLeod as head of marketing and PR, who will be supported by Natalie Trice, from Tally PR.
With a recent report suggesting that almost 60 per cent of UK garden centres now feature a dedicated pet care section, it is clear that this is a huge market, offering pet product suppliers the potential to greatly expand their stockists and market visibility.
Representatives from Dogs Trust visited Blooms Solihull Garden Centre last month to give visitors information on how to re-home or sponsor a furry friend.
Staff at Great Yarmouth Sea Life Centre are all a flutter over the births of their first two baby penguins. The whole event was captured on CCTV.
The British Equestrian Trade Association has secured funding to subsidise a further two shows on top of its regular programme of trade missions over the next 12 months.
Pedigree Wholesale, a UK supplier of pet and aquatic products into the independent retail sector, has appointed Kim Wainwright as customer services manager.
Caring for pets since 1892, Bob Martin has added to its diverse product offering with the launch of a new fish range, Neptune, which is currently available only in Tesco.
Alpha Feeds has joined with FibreCycle to offer a free trial pack of back-2-nature small animal litter and bedding with every 10kg bag of Alpha Ferret Feast.
For the first time, the PFMA has collected data on the use of raw materials in UK pet food manufacture. This showed that 89 per cent of all cereals used in pet food came from the UK, and use of animal by-products is only slightly lower at 80 per cent.
The UK pet food industry continued to grow last year, as it did in 2009, despite consumers facing the deepest recession for many years. Volume sold rose by 0.3 per cent in 2010, while the value rose to a new all-time high of £2.05bn, reports the PFMA.
A dog fashion show, presented by singer Ivana Spagna, closed the 14th Zoomark International, the Italian pet products exhibition, held in Bologna last month.
The UK’s largest-ever pet census by insurer Petplan – the Petplan Pet Census 2011 – shows that pets may actually play their part in a ‘big society’, with proof that animals make us more compassionate, happier, healthier and more sociable
Supreme Petfoods has launched new packaging for all 15kg bags of its Original range of muesli mix foods.
Clipsley Pets & Aquatics, in Haydock, has become the first pet shop in the north-west to be awarded Assured Pet Specialist status by national charity the Pet Care Trust.
Snowflake has reintroduced its small animal bedding and wood-based cat litter products to run alongside its already established equestrian and poultry bedding range.
A dog lover has launched a new social network – for dog lovers. The free network (www.k9united.com) allows dog lovers to meet and socialise online as well as upload photos and videos of their pets. The site has the usual features such as events, groups, forum, games and chat.
For cats, growing older is a process that starts relatively early – but takes a long time. Today, 30 per cent of the European pet cat population is over eight years old, average life expectancy is 16 years, and reaching 20 is no longer an exception. However, according to Royal Canin, 80 per cent of owners don’t change their cat’s diet with age – because they aren’t aware of how much nutritional needs change.
More than £16,000 has been raised so far through A Grand Day Out, a series of sponsored dog walking events which took place in Bath, Essex and London in aid of the Kennel Club Charitable Trust and Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Foundation, sponsored by Foresters and Purina PRO PLAN.
Pooch & Mutt has just signed with wholesaler Vital to distribute its full range, including a new product, Scottish Salmon Oil, its joint and bone supplement, Mobile Bones, and its digestion and condition supplement, Bionic Biotic.
A pet pig that was banned from its owner’s shop has been allowed back in after the discovery of a legal loophole.
Cranswick Pet Products, with its leading brand Bucktons, opened the hatch this spring and welcomed 20 pigeon fanciers from around the country to visit the state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities where its leading brand, Bucktons, is produced.
Belgian grain specialist Vadigran is looking for wholesaers in the UK.
A new category has been introduced to the 2011 Pet Industry Awards to promote and celebrate the customer service enjoyed by the pet owning public.
Cargill has been granted a US patent for a cooking process it has developed to ensure every batch of its Loyall premium pet food is cooked consistently.
Nestlé Purina, one of the world’s leading pet food manufacturers, is hosting a roadshow around the UK showcasing its new Pro Plan 5 Point Promise Trial campaign.
Allergy-X Herbal Crunchies for Dogs have been developed to meet demand from customers for a completely natural allergy control, according to manufacturer Verm-X.
On-line retail specialist M8 Group Ltd – which incorporates www.petplanet.co.uk and www.greenfingers.com – has announced continued ‘spectacular’ sales growth, despite the dire figures emerging about high street spending.
The freehold property occupied by WPS Pet Products and Delta Pet Foods, plus the plant and machinery owned by pet food manufacturer Delta Pet Foods, has been sold to local competitor Cambrian Pet Foods Ltd.
Welsh pet food manufacturer Delta Pet Foods is now in administration.
A leading pet food manufacturer has been fined after five workers suffered severe burns when a steam pressure system malfunctioned.
Leading dry pet food manufacturer Wagg is sponsoring a student at Liverpool University through her veterinary science degree.
Verm-X for Garden Birds is the latest addition to the avian range, designed to meet the growing demand for caring for garden wildlife using only herbal ingredients.
The Company of Animals is looking to focus on its core products following the elimination of the FURminator brand from its range this month.
Britain’s 26 million pet owners now spend £14.9 billion a year on the care and welfare of their animals, an average of £11.04 each week.
Trixie is introducing two new treat lines in its popular soft snack range.
The deadline is approaching for pet food companies to comply with new marketing rules introduced in September last year.
The Dumfries & Galloway Canine Rescue has won a valuable donation of £500 from UK pet insurance provider Petplan for the second time after being the first -charity to win this donation six years ago.
This year’s Crufts, the last to be sponsored by DFS, was the second largest visitor event at the National Exhibition Centre so far this year, with 138,000 visitors and 28,000 dogs attending over the four days and millions tuning in to watch on television.
CEVA Animal Health has launched a new Cat Stress iPhone App to help measure the stress levels of cats.
Abbey has announced it will now be known as ‘Abbey England Ltd’ and the change is accompanied with a new logo and soon to follow, an innovative new website.
Wild bird care foods and accessories supplier Walter Harrisons has launched a new range of merchandising solutions.
Monkfield Nutrition has brought out a new terrarium range for ground-dwelling reptiles.
British businesses ended the last financial year stronger than they started it, according to the latest Business Insolvency Index from Experian.
Royal Canin’s Breed Health Nutrition range has been expanded with the launch of Maltese 24 for adult Maltese Terriers.
A man and woman were collared after a theft from an Egham pet shop last week.
PATS Harrogate will next year be held in September, and the two-day trade show will open on Sunday, September 16.
After a hard-fought campaign, KC Dog, the Kennel Club’s campaign to protect and promote dog owners’ rights, has welcomed a decision by Natural England to overturn a five-year long dog ban on Gittisham Hill, Devon.
A pet shop owner has pleaded guilty to more than 30 offences, and has been warned he could face jail.
The Quiet Kennel is a “doghouse” with a difference – soundproofed walls and a triple-glazed polycarbonate door mean it cancels out 85 per cent of all noise.
Police in Surrey are appealing to pet shops to be on the lookout after two separate thefts of exotic animals from Beaver Water World in Tatsfield.
Muppet, a cocker spaniel who brings peace and calm to sick children at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, has been chosen as Pets As Therapy’s HiLife PAT Dog of the Year 20010/11.
Barbara Stanier of Thetford, Norfolk, could never have dreamed that her 18 beloved dogs could eat their way to a cash fortune, winning her £5,000 after she found a golden ticket in their bag of Supadog Beef Casserole.
Sharples N Grant has brought out new fun carriers for small pets, from hamsters to cats.
Mars Petcare has introduced Marine Stewardship Council-endorsed pet food products in UK stores. Selected packs from Mars’ Sheba and Whiskas lines are now MSC-certified, offering consumers a choice of more sustainable pet food products for the first time.
Scottish pet store chain Acorn Pets has entered administration for the second time in less than two years, with the loss of more than 120 jobs.
Move over Aleksandr Meerkat because two outspoken new characters have just hit cyber-space.
Hilton Herbs, a leading UK manufacturer of herbal and complementary healthcare products for animals, will soon be launching a range of herbal supplements formulated specifically for cats.
BETA has updated its Guide to Riding Holidays in Great Britain – a glossy, A5 publication containing key contacts and information needed for booking an equestrian holiday.
The Scottish SPCA is appealing for information after two peregrine falcons were poisoned with a banned pesticide in Motherwell.
There are those pet-lovers for whom a cat is too conventional and a mutt simply too mundane. But it appears they wouldn’t turn up their nose at a skunk!
Performance dog food expert Alpha Feeds has launched new 3kg size bags in its Alpha Sporting Puppy and Alpha Sensitive varieties.
Dogs barking through the night, cats using the lawn as their personal toilet and finding the garden has been dug up are just some of the annoyances caused by rogue pets, according to a new survey.
Cats Protection is urgently calling for compulsory microchipping of all pet cats after figures released last month reveal that only a quarter of the UK’s eight million cats are microchipped.
KONG Genius, the company’s newest interactive treat-dispensing dog toy, is available in two interlinking shapes – Leo and Mike – designed to stimulate a dog’s curiosity and hold their attention.
More and more people are contacting The Blue Cross because they have to give up their horse or pony, figures have revealed.
Lintbells, the Hertfordshire-based company behind some of the leading natural health products for dogs, is celebrating being short-listed for a regional business award.
Sharples n Grant has added six new types of cat scratcher to its existing range.
The 15th China International Pet Show (CIPS’11) is to be held on November 16-19 at the Guangzhou China Import & Export Fair Pazhou Complex.
Pet crematorium CPC has launched a conducted funeral service, performed by an accredited celebrant from the British Humanist Association, to provide its veterinary practice clients with a further option for their bereaved customers.
The Blue Cross is urging people not to abandon their animals in the street after seeing a spate of dumped cats and dogs in just one week.
Nylabone has relaunched its extensive range of dog and puppy chews with new packaging.
The Garden Centre Group is launching pet shops at 30 of its outlets nationwide this month.
Nurtured Pets has added two new products to its range.
Nine UK animal charities are benefiting from Almo Nature’s Love Food campaign, sharing 18,668 free meals, helping them to care for abused or abandoned pets.
The owner of a Canadian pet grooming business has adopted a puppy that was dropped off for a bath and a nail clipping, and never picked up.
The Blue Cross has received £25,000 from Support Adoption For Pets, a charity established and supported by Pets at Home.
Pet Trade Solutions is reporting a large number of ‘top level’ sales people seeking positions in the pet industry.
Molar has added a new product to its PlaqueOff range of pet feed supplements.
The NANOplus+ is the ultimate merchandising display island that offers a 360-degree sale point for freshwater or marine livestock.
A Dogs Trust re-homing centre in Telford has received a surprise donation of £25,000 from retailer Pets at Home towards a new puppy block. Roden, one of the Dogs Trust's oldest centres, is undergoing a £5m re-build.
Eighty-five per cent of employees who have dogs would like to be able to take them to work.
A teenage burglar allegedly poisoned three goldfish in a house he broke into because, according to the police, he ‘didn’t want to leave any witnesses’.
Police have arrested three people on suspicion of stealing a snake from an aqauatics and reptile shop in the Midlands.
In celebration of reaching 4,000 fans on facebook, Pooch & Mutt has launched a competition with a wide range of pet and equine prizes.
David Cameron and his helpers are set to travel around the UK to find out how happy we are as a nation. The Prime Minister’s Big Idea is the National Happiness Index, which will gauge the nation’s fluctuating mood year by year.
Groomers Limited has launched its ultimate online encyclopaedia containing all of the essential dog breed information groomers and dog owners need, as well as everything from grooming tips to puppy care and nutrition advice to training guidelines.
As a nation of pet lovers, we all know that the unconditional love of our furry friends is more than enough return on the investment to keep them happy and healthy.
The Kennel Club has announced a selection of dates in 2011 when visitors will have the opportunity to take a tour of its head office in London’s Piccadilly and its extensive art collection.
Debbie Connolly, dog behaviourist and star of BBC’s Dog Borstal aims to offer straight talking advice on avoiding buying your puppy from dealers, puppy farmers and backyard breeders with the launch of her new book, Better Dog Behaviour.
Dolittle Pet and Aquatic Superstore, in Wolverhampton, has invested in a new system from global information technology services company Episys to produce point-of-sale signage quickly across the store, to save the retailer both time and money.
Royal Canin is the Platinum sponsor for this year’s National Pet Month, held from April 2-May 2. Also joining the team for another year is the veterinary chain Companion Care Vets.
Top-selling dog care brand Pedigree has launched a ‘playful’ new campaign to tackle gum disease in dogs.
Collarways, distributor of the Zogoflex interactive range of dog toys, has launched a limited edition in pink and lilac, including the new Mini Zisc and Mini Hurley for toy breeds and small puppies.
Global animal nutrition business the Provimi Group has reached agreement to sell its pet food activities, Provimi Pet Food (PPF), to private equity firm Advent International for an enterprise value of €188m.
The Whistler ball is now available in the UK from Mines for Pets. This Chuckit speciality ball whistles in the air, which is made naturally in flight due to the internal moulding of the rubber.
Three halls of Harrogate’s International Centre were populated by an enthusiastic pet trade yesterday as the UK’s dedicated pet trade show made its annual visit to the much-loved northern town.
UK-based dog grooming franchise operation Dial A Dog Wash has revolutionised Irish pet grooming by making micro-chipping available to all pet owners at an affordable cost.
Supreme Products has introduced a product for applying the final touches before entering the equestrian show ring or arena.
Reports that the prevalence of ticks in dogs in Great Britain is higher than expected is a timely reminder of the vital importance of tick treatment in pets, the British Veterinary Association says.
Owners of working dogs are being offered the chance to help keep both their working animals and family pets healthy with a special discount offer on vaccination to ease strains on household bills during the economic downturn.
Dengie is running a Total Laminitis Care (TLC) campaign to increase awareness of all the products in the Dengie range that are suitable for horses and ponies that are prone to the condition.
News that the Welsh Assembly Government will not be carrying forward legislation within this term to tighten controls on dog breeding and bring to an end the practice of puppy farming has been met with grave disappointment by the British Veterinary Association.
Digital mapping expert Memory-Map has launched a new, free-to-use route planning and sharing website, which it says it ideal for dog walkers.
Veterinary group Vets4Pets has partnered with NCI Insurance Services to launch a new pet insurance product through its practices.
Leicestershire-based Darian Lifestyle has launched the first range of pet products under its own Pets love-it! brand.
Natural feeding pioneer Anglian Meat Products is celebrating its 30th birthday this year by encouraging more pet owners embrace raw food.
New research has shown that, when given the choice, cats will consistently select food that is nutritionally similar to their natural prey, such as mice and birds.
Wagg Foods is giving away 150,000 rope dog toys worth a whopping £500,000, with every ‘big bag’ sold.
A new company is looking to set up partnerships with pet retailers to sell non-prescription veterinary products.
No grooming range is complete without a flea shampoo to keep these common pests out of a pet’s coat. Johnson’s Veterinary Products is one of only a couple of manufacturers in the UK with a fully (VMD) licensed insecticidal flea-killing shampoo available on general sales.
Health experts are investigating the safety of fish pedicures after concerns that this latest pampering craze could spread infections, reports BBC news. The treatment involves dunking feet in tanks filled with Garra rufa fish that nibble away dead skin.
A prolific burglar has been blamed for the closure of a long-running family business after targeting it twice in just a few weeks.
The Companion range by Battles showcases over 175 years experience in animal care, with a range of skilfully formulated products using only the finest ingredients for the day-to-day care of your canine.
Monkfield Nutrition has been appointed as the official distribution partner for the Australian-based brand for everything reptilian Reptile One.
Essex-based pet and aquatics wholesaler Harlings has ceased trading. The company went into liquidation on February 22, after ‘financial difficulties’.
The millionaire owner of London’s Pet Pavilion has been fined after his dog bit a jogger on the bottom.
Aesculap has announced a spring promotion for its Favorita range of clippers, which runs from March 1 to May 31.
MARS Petcare has added Duck flavour to its Dreamies range. This means Dreamies crunchy squares with soft centres are now available in five flavours: Beef, Cheese, Chicken and Salmon and now, Duck.
The traditional PATS buzz began soon after the show opened; and the pet trade was busy, busy, busy!
Kennel Club figures for dfs Crufts, which celebrates its 120th anniversary this year, revealed that over 21,400 dogs competed at the NEC, Birmingham, over the four days from March 10-13. The Golden Retriever was the most well represented breed at the show with 491 dogs and bitches, beating the Labrador Retriever into the top spot after its entry dropped from 507 to 481.
Staff at a grooming salon were gutted when thieves stole a nearly-full charity collection tin from their premises. However, determined not to let the charity down, they are now organising a sponsored walk up Snowdon!
Burglars ram-raided a retail outlet and returned later the same night to set it alight.
With about 4,400 trade visitors from 51 countries, spoga, the International Trade Fair for Equestrian Sports, increased its visitor figures by seven per cent on last year.
A new initiative from PATS organisers actively encourages PATS exhibitors to show off! The Activity Point is a product demonstration area that has been created to give PATS’ visitors additional opportunities to see a selection of the show’s products in action.
Pet retail chain Pets Corner, which currently operates 62 stores, plans to open a further 20 a year to bring its total to 200 UK outlets.
Robert and Jill Angell have been appointed to develop the Pet and Vet Division of Byotrol Technology Plc.
Robinson Animal Healthcare have more than 140 Seasonal Mud Kits to equine charities to support them in their battle with mud fever over the winter months.
A Labour Party spokesman is supporting The Blue Cross in pushing for government action on animal welfare.
Herbs can play a valuable role, alone or alongside conventional medicine, holistic vet Nick Thompson told delegates at the annual AHDA conference.
The JW Pet Company has introduced six new lines into its Natural Rubber Dog Toy Range, including the Arachnoid Ball which won the Best In Show Award at Global Pet Expo in Florida last year.
Two animal charities have each been given £500 by insurer Petplan.
Burgess Pet Care and the University of Edinburgh have launched a joint initiative to understand the true benefits of correct nutrition for rabbits, in what marks the start of a long-term relationship to raise the profile and health of the UK’s third most popular pet.
A pet retailer is to close this month after trading for nearly 50 years in Basildon town centre. Ray Hyland, owner of Aquatic and Pet Shop, in Southernhay, attributed the closure to a massive rent hike (up £5,000 to £25,000), fewer customers, the recession and Internet shopping.
Interquell has appointed Happy Dog Toys Ltd as its sole wholesale distribution partner in the UK.
Jackie McLean and Alison Brady of Southside Pets in Cardonald, Glasgow, have won a new laptop computer courtesy of Petplan.
Politicians, councils and groups campaigning for the rights of dog owners during 2010 were celebrated in London’s Mayfair at a prize-giving ceremony to honour the winners of the annual KC Dog Awards 2011.
Burgess Pet Care has signed up as sponsor of the Discover Small Furries section of the London Pet Show, which takes place at Olympia in London on May 7-8.
Aesculap has announced a spring promotion for its Favorita range of clippers, which runs from March 1 to May 31.
The Kennel Club has repeated its call for the Dangerous Dogs Act to be repealed in the wake of the BBC Wales X-Ray programme covering the rise in dog attacks in the principality.
Interpet has relaunched its website – interpet.co.uk.
CASCO Europe has completed its latest aquatic shopfitting installation in Halle Saale, Germany.
Beaphar has recalled a Cat Spot on product that repels fleas, and has placed advertisements today (March 11) in the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror and Daily Express.
dfs Crufts opens today at the NEC, Birmingham, with more than 21,000 dogs entered.
Hatchwell’s Easter Eggs will be in new packaging this year and now include a carob and peppermint easter egg for horses!
Poultry enthusiasts and sisters, Rosie (10) and Olivia (12) Parsons were delighted at the National Poultry Show when their Gold Partridge Dutch Bantams won ‘Best Pair in Show’.
Police are appealing for witnesses after a burglary at a pet shop in Gateshead, Tyne and Weir.
With a combination of biodegradable ingredients, including natural bacterial cultures and fermentation extracts, BUST-IT Pet Stain & Odour Buster is specially formulated to remove nasty pet stains and odours from all types of surfaces.
Healthy Paws has launched a Game and Millet complete food for adult dogs.
Banks and mobile phone companies are planning to have payment by mobile phone facilities available in a large number of London stores by 2012. They see the Olympics as the perfect event to publicise the new technology and expect it to be fully available across Europe by 2015.
The Blue Cross Bromsgrove adoption centre is celebrating its silver jubilee after 25 years of helping needy pets. The centre admitted its first homeless cat in May 1986 and the first dog that June.
Burgess Pet Care has appointed Richard Rocket as new brand manager for its Supadog, Supacat and Lifelong brands.
BETA International 2011 has been declared an overwhelming success, with 4,839 visitors arriving at the show – 400 more than last year!
Abbey has welcomed another member of the family to the team.
Following a highly successful and incredibly popular Barley & Molasses Free Range Trial, Allen & Page has picked the winners.
A nationwide initiative by Natural Parasite Control company Verm-X will see five lucky winners each receiving a share of £5,000.
Whiskas Simply has won the Product of the Year Award 2011. The award follows a phenomenal first year for WHISKAS Simply that saw it become the biggest grocery launch of 2010 and deliver an impressive £36.5m retail sales volume.
With more than three billion ‘apps’ downloaded to date, online pet superstore K9 Capers thought it was time there was one for pets. So the West Sussex-based company developed an app to fill this gap!
After a year of development, award-winning pet food manufacturer ORIJEN has unveiled its new 80.20 formula dried pet food, with 80 per cent meat content. The food is available throughout the UK and Ireland, via independent pet retailers and on line.
The Blue Cross is putting portly ponies through their paces as a new study suggests half of all horses in Britain could be overweight.
The High Street is facing the greatest challenge for survival in its history, say experts.
Thieves have stolen a large amount of dog and cat food from a Norfolk pet shop.
BARF diet specialist Natural Instinct has introduced a new premium range, Country Banquet, to its raw food recipes for dogs.
A businessman has incurred the wrath of his local council for taking his pet micro pig to work.
Anyone working with animals in the south-west is urged to take part in research launched by Lantra and VETNET Lifelong Learning Network South West.
The BBC has been accused of ‘outrageous scaremongering’ about the impact of public spending cuts after commissioning a documentary in which a street has all its council services taken away.
Alpha Feeds were in force at Crufts showcasing its range of performance dog foods for the first time at this premier event. The 10-strong range includes food for all dogs whether resting, training or competing.
Cats Protection is urging all veterinary practices to sign up to a new online register to help people find a local veterinary practice that carries out neutering at four months of age or earlier.
After the success of Town & Country Petfoods’ new HiLife Potty about... cat food range last year, the company is now launching two new HiLife Potty about... single varieties – Tuna in Jelly, and with Chicken & Beef.
A change of venue from Baltimore, a new midweek format, the return of major manufacturers and distributors and a chance to win up to $10,000 in cash and a new Mercedes are all in store at H.H. Backer’s 23rd Annual Pet Industry Spring Trade Show.
SAI Global is set to carry out 278 Retailer Quality Assurance audits for the UK’s largest pet retailer, Pets at Home, over the next 12 months.
AAK has introduced a new range of nutritional oil-based supplements for dogs. The new range includes Fullolife Pure Cod Liver Oil, High Strength Joint Care, Calmer and Skin & Coat.
Pooch & Mutt founder Guy Blaskey has been awarded membership of the Courvoisier Future 500 – a group of the 500 most pioneering entrepreneurs in the UK.
Two UK feed companies have joined forces to produce a new complete dog food.
In announcing the PetQuip programme of initiatives for 2011, the association’s director general, Amanda Sizer Barrett, welcomed the UK government’s support for British exporters.
Copdock Mill, the East Anglia-based wholesaler and manufacturer of pet and animal products, has launched a new wild bird product.
A virus has killed millions of crickets raised to feed pet reptiles and zoo animals, putting some producers out of business and disrupting supplies to pet shops across North America.
This year will see a country-wide roll-out of the UK’s first all-species veterinary thermal imaging service, which quickly pinpoints where an animal is in pain, limiting distress and offering lower costs to owners.