Pleasing 4 Pets

It has been reported that the infamous Battersea Cats and Dogs home has reached its full capacity for the very first time in its history.

Another animal charity the Dogs Trust has confirmed that it also is running at full capacity.

During 2008 so far, Battersea has taken in 6,430 stray dogs, a massive increase from 5,335 throughout the whole of 2007.

Not only are record number of animals being abandoned, charities are finding it progressively more difficult to find them new homes as even animal lovers are forced to tighten their belts in view of the current economic climate.

It is feared that the increasing numbers of abandoned animals finding their way to charitable organisations will reach record proportions in 2009.

An estimated 131,400 are given as gifts at Christmastime each year, and worried animal charities believe that huge numbers could be abandoned when the festive season is over.

The Chief Executive of Battersea Cats and Dogs home commented:-

“While we think part of the rise in numbers of strays is because people can’t afford to keep their dogs any more so are dumping them on the streets, we’re also worried that people losing their dogs don’t know where to turn to try and find them.”

Leading a dog’s life could be much more complicated than anyone had previously imagined.

Research carried out recently by top scientists has revealed that canines often feel the negative emotions usually more associated with their human owners, such as envy, jealousy and pride.

Dogs loathe to witness their owners bestowing affection on others, particularly other dogs and appear to experience complex emotions when a newcomer such as a new partner enters the home environments, when they may suffer the fear of displacement.

One leading animal psychologist from the University of Portsmouth, Dr Paul Morris explained:-

“We are learning that dogs, horses, and perhaps many other species are far more emotionally complex than we ever realised.

They can suffer simple forms of many emotions we once thought only primates could experience.

Dogs show a strong aversion to inequity.”

Until very recently animals psychologists assumed that the majority of domestic pets didn’t appear to have the all important “sense of self” associated with the experience of secondary emotions like guilt, embarrassment, jealousy or empathy.

This latest canine study is one of many which are being undertaken by animal psychologists, other species under the microscope include cats, horses, cows and sheep.

At his Off-Leash dog training school in Miami USA, Omar Muller has been training dogs to do much more than the typical, sit, stay and fetch routines taught at standard doggy discipline academies.

Omar has been training two of his star pupils to skateboard! Six year old Jack Russell, Auggie and his playmate Popeye, a year old American Bull Bulldog to kneel while skateboarding and flip their boards.

Auggie is so advanced at skateboarding that he is even able to judge when and how he should distribute his weight over the board to obtain maximum speed and balance.

Other pupils at the academy enjoy riding bicycles and scooters and perhaps the most extraordinary of all - riding a jet-ski.

The Hollywood canine coach trains his dogs on Miami’s world famous Venice Beach and claims that just about any dog has the ability to learn extreme sporting techniques with the right amount of training and time.

Omar also strongly believes in rewarding his pupils for learning new skills and shows them high levels of respect at all times.

He said :-

“You have to set a goal, but know it’s going to take at least a year.

Dogs also need a lot of treats and love while they’re learning so they’re having fun.

You don’t want the dog to get discouraged. He has to enjoy it so in the end he’s happy and wagging his tail while doing the tricks

“.

Animal lovers buying pets over the festive period this year have been alerted to an international pet scam which incorporates the advertising of cute looking pets available for purchase, which often do not even exist.

Trading standards officials have confirmed the discovery of a number of classified ads, found in free local newspapers and online were aimed primarily at conning consumers into parting with large sums of cash.

Officials also revealed that the ads offered a variety of pedigree puppies and other exotic animals at discount prices. Some even claimed to offer the non-existent pets up for free adoption.

Cash is then requested for veterinary, quarantine and delivery costs.

The trading standards manager at North Lanarkshire Council, David Roderick who is also head of the ‘Scambusters’ team who work alongside Dundee City Council, said:-

“Often these pets do not even exist.

Consumers should look out for telephone numbers beginning with ‘070′. These are known as personal numbers, but your call could be redirected anywhere in the world and cost up to 50p a minute from a landline, or considerably more from a mobile phone.

Not all 070 numbers are connected to this scam, some are legitimate sales avenues.

The other things to look out for are a ring tone that differs from the standard UK double ring; and an echo on the line. Both are indicators that the call is connecting outside the UK.

If the seller asks for a money transfer to cover delivery, quarantine or veterinary costs, buyers should be very wary.”

The RSPCA embarked on a considerable rescue operation at kennels in Brigstock recently after being contacted by a concerned dog owner whose pet was staying at the facility which had been abandoned.

As a result of the operation RSPCA officers were able to rescue in excess of 100 dogs, 98 of which were the St Bernard breed, from the Wardana Kennels and Cattery in Nottinghamshire.

One of the dogs found at the kennels was so sick that it had to be out down, and another unfortunately died as RSPCA vets fought to save its life.

Many of the animals at the kennels were housed in locked cages and it is thought that they hadn’t received food or water for a considerable time.

The kennels were being managed by Mary-Ellen Collis, a past Crufts winner, but the RSPCA have not been able to contact her and her whereabouts remain unknown.

The alarm was sounded by a Kettering man who had been attempting to contact the facility to arrange to visit his pet dog, Benson. David Nolan went to the kennels after he was unable to contact the owner by telephone. On his arrival Mr Nolan immediately contacted the local police authorities who in turn contacted the RSPCA.

He explained :-

“I was just concerned for my animal and eventually I had had enough.

It was horrific. I saw my dog, a Staffordshire bull terrier, and he looked like a Jack Russell because he was so thin.

I walked straight past him and only recognised him by the sounds he made.”

Attempts made by the RSPCA and the police to contact Ms Collis remain unsuccessful.

Care homes deny residents the right to own a pet

A report has revealed that 61% of UK care homes for the elderly are continuing to refuse residents the right to keep animals, in spite of much publicised evidence that caring for domestic animals is beneficial to health.

And the numbers of sheltered housing and residential care homes banning pets is increasing.

An expert psychologist who has dedicated many years to studying the effects of the relationships between owners and their pets, and has recently analysed more than 200 residential homes for the study said:-

“We have gone backwards. Separating elderly people from their pets when they go into a home can be deeply traumatic. Often the pet is the last tangible link with a partner who has died.

They can be the difference between coping and crumbling. They are vital to elderly people’s quality of life.”

The ban on pets in UK residential units is in stark contrast to other counties including, France, Norway, Switzerland and USA where the laws stipulate that residential care providers must agree to house the pets of their elderly residents.

As UK Citizens continue to live longer than ever before, more and more of them live alone and are more likely to require housing in a residential unit at some point in their lives, and to date more than 25% of retired UK citizens are believed to own a domestic pet.

Woman forbidden by courts to keep pets

Sylvia Bailey aged 67 if Stevenage was found guilty by Stevenage Magistrates Court of failing to care adequately for her 22 cats whilst bringing about unnecessary suffering to 17 of them.

Bailey was prosecuted after the RSPCA found and rescued the cats from her home in Sefton Road, Stevenage. She was ordered by the court to pay out £500 towards the cost of the hearing.

In court she denied the accusations, claiming that she had kept the cats in a hygienic environment but admitted that she had been unable to meet the expense of veterinary treatment.

In December 2007, RSPCA officials visited the house in Sefton Road after locals contacted them to express concerns that the cats were being kept in unsanitary and inadequate conditions.

The RSPCA informed her that a number of her cats were suffering from dental and skin complaints which required immediate veterinary treatment.

Some eight weeks later when the officers returned, none of the cats were found to have received veterinary care and so all 22 cats were removed from Baileys’ care.

The RSPCA vet who examined the cats confirmed that 13 of them had severe dental disease, and a number of others had huge numbers of ear mites, untreated skin conditions and in growing claws.

The examining vet found that 13 cats were suffering from untreated dental disease, while others were identified as suffering from ear mite infestations, in-growing claws and skin problems.

An RSPCA official said:-

“These cats were kept in an entirely unsuitable environment and were denied veterinary treatment.

“All the cats are now healthy and thankfully will eventually go to new, caring homes.”

UK Veterinary Charity, The Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) issued a stark reminder to pet owners recently, warning them of the dangers of hypothermia and frostbite in pets during the winter months.

Despite often having thick coats of fur, the PDSA confirmed that any animal has the potential to develop frostbite after ongoing contact with any cold surface, although Hypothermia is more likely to be seen in small, aged or sick animals, particularly in breeds with thinner coats or naturally low body fat.

The PDSA advises owners of small furries, such as Guinea pigs and Rabbits to house them indoors during sever winter weather. Puppies and kittens experience particular difficulties controlling the temperature of their bodies and the PDSA recommends that they are kept indoors during spells of cold weather.

The charity also advises pet owners to dress smaller dogs particularly those with thinner fur, appropriately, and to remember to clean and dry body and paws thoroughly when they have been outside in cold or wet weather.

One senior veterinary surgeon, Sean Wensley revealed that shivering in an animal is the primary sign that an animal is cold, but that shivering stops when an animals body temperature becomes critically lowered after which animals appear subdued with cold paws and ears. He said:-

“Frostbite, which develops through prolonged contact with cold surfaces, can affect a pet’s ears, paws, tail, scrotum and mammary glands. Affected skin will at first appear white and will be itchy and painful.

In severe cases, the skin will turn black. Owners should check their pet over regularly as a pet’s fur can hide frostbite damage. The first thing you should do if you suspect your pet is suffering from hypothermia or frostbite is to make sure they are dry.

Then, gradually raise their body temperature by placing them next to a well-covered hot water bottle or use a hair dryer, on a low heat. It is very important to call or visit your vet for advice.

Don’t ignore the signs of possible hypothermia and don’t take any chances.

It’s easy for us to wrap up warm and add on layers to keep us snug, but it’s not that simple for our pets, That’s why, at PDSA, we are keen to give owners some important seasonal advice to help keep their pets safe and healthy as the cold winter weather sets in.”

Keeping your pets from harm in your own home sounds easy enough, but in actuality can be quite a difficult task. They don’t always take the same cautious view us humans take when exploring new surroundings.

Domestic pets are often highly curious, especially when they are introduced to a new home. One of the most dangerous places in a home is the fireplace. Dogs in particular like to examine every nook and cranny in all the rooms of a house. Usually when they do this they rush around doing it too.

It is for this reason that fireplace guards and even safety gates blocking entire rooms are sometimes necessary. These safety gates can be picked up from most retailers that sell pet merchandise, so they aren’t too hard to find.

Many people like having a fireplace in their home, feeling it adds to both the decor and, in most cases, heat of a house. Don’t feel you should completely avoid houses with fireplaces if you are having pets, just make sure you take due care when it comes to looking after your beloved animals.

It is worth noting that although dogs are one of the worst for running around the house, it is equally important to cover your fireplace if you have a cat or other domesticated animal.

Popular pet retailer Pets at Home, the country’s largest retailer in pet care has confirmed its intention to go ahead with its planned investment programme, despite the fact that the UK economy is officially in recession.

The record investment plan comes as UK consumers maintain spending on treats and luxury items for their pets in Pets at Homes 220 outlets, even though they continue to cut back on similar items for themselves.

Matt Davies, Chief Executive of Cheshire based Pets at Home, confirmed that there were no plans to slow down the £21million expansion programme of its stores, which include refurbishments at existing store, plans for a Pets at Home Superstore in Stockport, 10 additional new branches before the end of 2008 and the opening of a further 20 outlets in 2009.

Revenue for the stores is predicted to reach almost £400million by the close of the year ending March 2009, an increase of £354.6million on the previous year’s figures.

Mr Davies commented:-

“We are not slowing down our expansion programme.

We believe pets to be a particularly resilient sector. People look on their pet as a member of their household and they are right up there as a priority. People recognise the joy that flows from having a pet as part of the family.”