In this issue
National Pet Month
April is National Pet Month, which promotes the idea that “healthy pets make happy pets” and responsible pet ownership. It’s the ideal time for all pet owners to take the opportunity to brush up on their animal welfare and pet health knowledge, whether through visiting the National Pet Month website (www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk) or attending a local event. This could be anything from a fun dog show to a free health clinic at your local veterinary surgery, and if there isn’t anything in your area yet, why not have a go at creating your own?
Just because responsible pet ownership is a serious issue, doesn’t mean that your event has to be! You could include dog agility, guess the name of the guinea pig, a quiz or a race. What’s more, there’s the prestigious title of ‘Best Event’ on offer.
So what are the essentials of responsible pet ownership? Obviously we need to feed and water our four-legged (or winged, scaled or finned) friends, but what really makes a happy healthy pet?
Responsible pet ownership starts before you are even an owner – there are some questions you need to ask before you decide to take on any new members of your family:
· “Can I afford this pet?” – whether your new pet costs £5 or £5000, you need to remember that your financial responsibility goes beyond buying your pet. You will need to keep it up-to-date with appropriate preventive healthcare (for example, vaccinations), feed it, consider insurance, make sure it has a suitable home with any special equipment it might need.
Once you have got your new pet, it is your responsibility to ensure that they are well trained and socialised. Obviously the need for training and socialisation varies from animal to animal, but unless your pet is a fish it will need some degree of development – from regular, gentle handling to get it used to you through to, for example, puppy training classes. Ask your vet for advice on what kind of training and socialisation your pet needs and, if you have a dog, if there are any local classes or groups that would be suitable for you.
It’s not enough to just fill your pet’s bowl with their favourite food, like us, they need a balanced and nutritious diet that meets their biological needs. When choosing what to feed your pet, talk your vet or pet care specialist or look on reputable websites for advice on what would suit you and your pet best.
If you have a furry friend, you will need to groom your pet regularly – this is a good hygiene ritual as it will keep you pet clean, make sure their coat is comfortable for them and it will alert you to any parasites they might have such as fleas or ticks. You will also need to clean up after your pet, whether this is cleaning out their hutch or litter tray, or bagging and binning their poo and disposing of it responsibly when out on a walk.
Neutering or spaying your pet is something owners of many types of pet should consider sooner rather than later. Unless you are, for example, considering becoming a professional breeder one of the most responsible things you can do is have your pet spayed or neutered – it can reduce your pet’s likelihood of suffering some health problems and improve their life expectancy. It will also mean fewer cats and dogs looking to be rehomed in shelters.
These are some of the aspects you can consider promoting when arranging an event for National Pet Month 2009. To learn more about how to organise an event, or for general information on National Pet Month, please visit www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk
Being a pet owner can be a fun and rewarding experience – you will have a loyal friend for many years who will keep you company, appraise any new boyfriends or girlfriends and will never care if you are having a bad hair day. But in exchange for all this love and affection, pet owners have a responsibility to take proper care of their animals.
April is National Pet Month, which promotes the idea that “healthy pets make happy pets” and responsible pet ownership. It’s the ideal time for all pet owners to take the opportunity to brush up on their animal welfare and pet health knowledge, whether through visiting the National Pet Month website (www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk) or attending a local event. This could be anything from a fun dog show to a free health clinic at your local veterinary surgery, and if there isn’t anything in your area yet, why not have a go at creating your own?
Just because responsible pet ownership is a serious issue, doesn’t mean that your event has to be! You could include dog agility, guess the name of the guinea pig, a quiz or a race. What’s more, there’s the prestigious title of ‘Best Event’ on offer.
So what are the essentials of responsible pet ownership? Obviously we need to feed and water our four-legged (or winged, scaled or finned) friends, but what really makes a happy healthy pet?
Responsible pet ownership starts before you are even an owner – there are some questions you need to ask before you decide to take on any new members of your family:
· “Can I afford this pet?” – whether your new pet costs £5 or £5000, you need to remember that your financial responsibility goes beyond buying your pet. You will need to keep it up-to-date with appropriate preventive healthcare (for example, vaccinations), feed it, consider insurance, make sure it has a suitable home with any special equipment it might need.
· “Do I have the time to look after this pet?” – If you are away from home for much of the day, you might need to consider what kind of pet would be suitable for you. Dogs, for example, need companionship and exercise – perhaps there’s a better choice for you. If you spend a lot of time away from home, you may need to consider whether you really have the time to look after a pet in your current situation. Perhaps, for now, think about satisfying your dog-walking or cat-cuddling urges by helping at a local rescue centre.
· “Do I have enough room for this pet?” – if you live in a one bedroom flat with no garden, you may want to reconsider getting a St. Bernard dog! Do some background research on your pet, you can look on our pet pages if you are looking for somewhere to start, find out how much room your proposed pet needs and if you can really offer that to them. If not, perhaps a different breed, or even a different animal might be a better choice.
Once you have got your new pet, it is your responsibility to ensure that they are well trained and socialised. Obviously the need for training and socialisation varies from animal to animal, but unless your pet is a fish it will need some degree of development – from regular, gentle handling to get it used to you through to, for example, puppy training classes. Ask your vet for advice on what kind of training and socialisation your pet needs and, if you have a dog, if there are any local classes or groups that would be suitable for you.
It’s not enough to just fill your pet’s bowl with their favourite food, like us, they need a balanced and nutritious diet that meets their biological needs. When choosing what to feed your pet, talk your vet or pet care specialist or look on reputable websites for advice on what would suit you and your pet best.
If you have a furry friend, you will need to groom your pet regularly – this is a good hygiene ritual as it will keep you pet clean, make sure their coat is comfortable for them and it will alert you to any parasites they might have such as fleas or ticks. You will also need to clean up after your pet, whether this is cleaning out their hutch or litter tray, or bagging and binning their poo and disposing of it responsibly when out on a walk.
Neutering or spaying your pet is something owners of many types of pet should consider sooner rather than later. Unless you are, for example, considering becoming a professional breeder one of the most responsible things you can do is have your pet spayed or neutered – it can reduce your pet’s likelihood of suffering some health problems and improve their life expectancy. It will also mean fewer cats and dogs looking to be rehomed in shelters.
These are some of the aspects you can consider promoting when arranging an event for National Pet Month 2009. To learn more about how to organise an event, or for general information on National Pet Month, please visit www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk
A Necessary Cutback?
As the economic downturn starts to impact on our lives, people are looking for way to reduce their monthly spend. But with some people choosing to cancel their pet insurance and skip vaccinations to save money, is this really the most prudent course of action?
It might seem like these preventative measures are an unnecessary cost in hard times, but they could prevent even greater expense further down the line. Vaccination for diseases such as parvovirus, leptospirosis, feline leukaemia and myxomatosis with boosters every six months to 3 years may seem like a lot to pay in one go, but worked out over a year, it adds up to a relatively small amount per month. Additionally, some diseases can take hold with alarming speed and can kill. When there is treatment available, it will be much more expensive than the vaccine and will also be an unforeseen cost that you may not be prepared for.
So what about pet insurance? Unfortunately, animals can still become sick or injured regardless of the economic climate, which is why pet insurance is another prudent measure. Depending on the insurance firm and the policy pet insurance can cover you for a wide range of things, from loss or theft through to traffic accidents and illness. The price you would otherwise pay from your own pocket could be considerably more and finding the money at short notice in these times could be a struggle.
It might seem like these preventative measures are an unnecessary cost in hard times, but they could prevent even greater expense further down the line. Vaccination for diseases such as parvovirus, leptospirosis, feline leukaemia and myxomatosis with boosters every six months to 3 years may seem like a lot to pay in one go, but worked out over a year, it adds up to a relatively small amount per month. Additionally, some diseases can take hold with alarming speed and can kill. When there is treatment available, it will be much more expensive than the vaccine and will also be an unforeseen cost that you may not be prepared for.
So what about pet insurance? Unfortunately, animals can still become sick or injured regardless of the economic climate, which is why pet insurance is another prudent measure. Depending on the insurance firm and the policy pet insurance can cover you for a wide range of things, from loss or theft through to traffic accidents and illness. The price you would otherwise pay from your own pocket could be considerably more and finding the money at short notice in these times could be a struggle.
Fab Fish
Did you know that a goldfish was once a traditional gift for a man to give to his wife on their first anniversary? The golden scales of the fish were thought to bring riches and luck, so were given as a sign of the prosperity that lay ahead for the couple.
Clownfish are also known as anemone fish because they live in sea anemones.
Here’s a selection of fishy facts to celebrate our new-look fish section!
Did you know that a goldfish was once a traditional gift for a man to give to his wife on their first anniversary? The golden scales of the fish were thought to bring riches and luck, so were given as a sign of the prosperity that lay ahead for the couple.
Reedfish are calm, peaceful fish that normally only come out at night to feed. However, they have an amazing party trick – they can jump out of their tank! Owners should be careful to have a tight-fitting lid on their aquarium to stop fish from accidentally throwing themselves overboard.
Catfish have no scales, just bare skin, although some species have developed armour plating. The largest recorded catfish, a Mekong giant catfish, weighed nearly 300Kg (just ofer 47 stone)
According to Wikipedia:
'Attaining an unconfirmed length of 3 m, the Mekong giant catfish grows extremely quickly, reaching a mass of 150 to 200 kg in only six years. The largest catch recorded in Thailand since record-keeping began in 1981 was a female measuring 2.7 m (roughly 9 feet) in length and weighing 293 kg (646 lb). This specimen, caught in 2005, is widely recognized as the largest freshwater fish ever caught'
All clownfish – the most famous being Nemo in the excellent Disney film – are born male and some then change into females. Because clownfish are all born as males, they are protandrous hermaphrodites. This is in contrast with another form of hermaphroditism, known as protogyny, in which all fish are born as females but can change to males later.
Clownfish are also known as anemone fish because they live in sea anemones.
In the wild they all form symbiotic relationships with sea anemones.
It is a good idea to check that any clownfish you buy was bred in captivity, rather than caught from the wild, as they are more resistant to disease and live longer.
Goldfish are loo-pea for shelled peas. A few cooked peas can be a great treat for your goldfish. Squash each cooked pea slightly and remove the outer skin - the skin is too hard for your fish to digest - and then add one or two peas to your fish tank.
