THE Animal Care College is delighted that a further eight courses join the suite of three Canine Psychology Courses already accredited by the National Open College Network (NOCN). NOCN accredited courses attract nationally recognised ‘credits’ that can lead to the holder being accepted for degree level courses at university.
There are four new courses at Level 2: The Diploma in Pet Sitting; The Certificate in Veterinary Reception; Diploma of Companion Animal Bereavement Counselling; Grooming (Theory) and the Anatomy and Physiology of Cats and Dogs and three new courses at Level 3: Behaviour Modification for Professionals and the Diploma in Dog Training Class Instruction (Parts 1 and 2).
The new Animal Welfare Bill will place a ‘duty of care’ on anyone involved in the pet sector and accredited courses will be an important way of showing that a nationally recognised standard of expertise has been achieved. This especially true of Pet Sitters and Groomers for whom there is no licensing requirement. The Grooming (Theory) Certificate covers all the requirements of the City and Guilds Grooming examination (recently awarded ‘national qualification’ status).
Full details of these and the other wide range of courses provided by the Animal Care College that include certificates in Complementary and Alternative Therapies and Natural Healing as well as on feline and equine psychology, are available from the registrar, Animal Care College, Ascot house, High Street, Ascot SL5 7HG or direct from www.animalcarecollege.co.uk
Festive feeding frenzy could be a danger to your pet
- Hill’s Pet Nutrition provide festive food advice for pet owners -
It’s well known that we are often guilty of over-indulging on rich foods throughout the festive period, but increasingly it seems that our pets are also regularly tucking into popular yuletide treats. Research has even shown that 62%* of dogs now regularly tuck into a full Christmas dinner.
Whilst we’re aware of the annual battle to avoid piling on the pounds, we often forget that over-feeding our pets at this time could greatly increase their risk of long-term obesity and could be harmful to their health.
With this in mind, Hill’s Pet Nutrition has teamed up with specialist vet Alison Jones to provide some advice to help owners resist the temptation to indulge their furry friends, plus some tips to help you and your pet stave off the seasonal pounds together:
Avoid leftovers
• Be aware that any turkey leftovers given to your cat or dog may contain bones, which could potentially cause internal injuries.
• Whilst just one leftover slice of turkey may not seem excessive, for a dog or cat this could actually be equivalent to a human eating seven slices.
• You might allow yourself a mince pie, but don’t pass one down to your dog – this will use up over a quarter of his recommended daily calorie intake.
• Don’t be tempted to give your pets lots of treats at Christmas, pets have a much lower daily recommended calorie allowance than humans, so something as innocent as one digestive biscuit being fed to a dog could be the equivalent of 4 or 5 for a human.
• Allowing your cat or dog to eat too much rich food can upset their digestive system.
Watch those treats
• If you really can’t refuse your dog occasional treats during the festive season, try lower calorie snacks such as raw carrots or rawhide chews - or simply reduce their main meals if they are having more calorific titbits….
• …..But if you do reduce meal size, don’t replace too much of their regular food - veterinary nutritionists recommend dogs and cats receive no more than 15% of their calories from treats.
• At Christmas time the growing choice of treats marketed for pets may be very high in calories. Rather than letting your pet eat them all straight away, why not spread them out over the course of January – he doesn’t know Christmas is over!
• Remember, human food is not always suitable for animals - chocolate, for example, can be poisonous to dogs. If you’re unsure, don’t give it to him.
How many calories does my pet need?
• The average daily calorie intake for an active adult dog weighing 35 pounds (e.g. cocker spaniel, bull terrier) should be 1000 kcal and for a cat, about 275 kcal. Festive titbits given to your pet could be adding an extra 600 calories on top of this, causing him to pile on the pounds.
Beat the festive bulge together
Christmas indulgence can take its toll on both yours and your pet’s figure. Recent research* by Hill’s shows that you can help each other by getting active together:
• Don’t let your usual dog-walking routine go by the wayside, regular exercise will help you both to keep your pre-Christmas figure.
• You can also get active with your cat; play games – even just an unravelling ball of wool pulled around the house will keep him amused and will get you moving at the same time.
• When your pet pines for food, remember that he may just want attention, so try grooming your pet, playing with your cat or taking the dog for a walk instead. You’ll get some exercise too - and if he’s still pining after that he’ll deserve the treat!
•Often the worst offenders when it comes to under-the-table treats are the children and family members. Make sure everyone knows that feeding extra treats could actually be cruel and your pet is not to be given anything unless you say so!
Alison Jones says: “Christmas can be quite a stressful time for pets, with lots of noise and extra people in the house. To minimise disruption it’s important to maintain your pet’s routine as much as possible and this includes mealtimes. It’s easy to get carried away and give your pet lots of extra treats but this can be dangerous and can spell trouble further down the line. By sticking to a few simple guidelines, you can ensure that your pet gets through the season with minimal consequences to his health.”
Emma Calder, Hill’s UK marketing Manager says: “We know that over-indulgence at this time of year is often a problem for people and increasingly pets are also being given much more food than they need. We are trying to help pet owners understand that over-feeding their animals although essentially a loving act can actually be quite detrimental to a pet’s health
“Recent research**, conducted by Hill’s, shows that people and their pets can actually lose weight and keep it off more effectively if they exercise together so this Christmas we are trying to encourage pet owners to get active with their animals so they can both start the new year happy, fit and healthy.”
AK Premium Litter success at Supreme and National Cat Shows
ONE of the trade successes at the recent shows was Spectacular Pet Products, who are distributing the luxury AK Cat Litters.
Breeders and cat owners alike were impressed by its white appearance, superb clumping properties and odour masking baby powder smell.
Hundreds of satisfied customers took advantage of the special show price of £3 per bag, which even included delivery for bulk purchasers.
Sales Director, Graham Westgate, said: “We were blown away by the response, and are now even more convinced that this is the best litter available. Many breeders and catteries are moving to AK, both for its performance and its economy. For private cat owners, AK takes all the hassle out of having an indoor cat. Many who bought at the shows are already re-ordering, and word is spreading rapidly”.
Two 10kg bags can be delivered to your home for £17.95, direct from Spectacular, on 01507 474819 or info@ spectacularpetproducts.com
Significant discounts are available for bulk and trade purchases.
In Eastern and Southern England and the South West, Spectacular are working with Pet Provisions, 0845 230 1835, sales@petpro-uk.com, who will be happy to deliver smaller orders.
Darlene Arden wins International Writing Award
(FRAMINGHAM, MA., 19 November 2005) - Darlene Arden is the recipient of the International Cat Writers’ Association (CWA) Muse Medallion™ Award. Arden was announced a winner at the 2005 CWA communication contest awards banquet held on 19 November in Foster City, California, as part of the annual CWA Professional Conference.
The Cat Writers’ Association Muse Medallion™ Awards are given to the top entries in 40 contest categories including newspaper and magazine articles, books and online publications. This year, there were over 269 entries in the contest. Entries are judged by a three person panel of CWA member judges.
Ms Arden won the coveted first place medallion for her humour article, “40 Tricks To Train Your Human”, which appeared in Cat Fancy magazine. Arden is the author of several books, including: The Angell Memorial Animal Hospital Book of Wellness and Preventive Care for Dogs, and Unbelievable Good Deals and Great Adventures That You Absolutely Can’t Get Unless You’re A Dog. She’s a regular contributor to Animal Radio Network, as well as the producer/host of cable television’s Creatively Speaking.
The International Cat Writer’s Association was founded in 1992 and is dedicated to providing news, information and education on all aspects of cat care and welfare, as well as improving the quality of writing about cats. CWA provides members with networking opportunities and encourages professionalism and communication among cat writers, editors, photographers, artists and broadcasters.
For more information, see its website - www.catwriters.org
AWB to licence home boarding, DEFRA tells Trust
The Animal Welfare Bill will pave the way for secondary legislation to licence home boarding of dogs, a spokesman for the Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs told boarding kennel and cattery owners last week.
Speaking at the Pet Care Trustís Kennel and Cattery Seminar in Bedford on 23 November, Graham Thurlow told around 50 kennel and cattery owners that Defra is mindful of the industryís concerns.
“This is not a banning bill - our intention is to regulate where necessary,” he said. “Mr Bradshaw is not a banning minister.”
In drafting the bill, he said, Defra had been working closely with the Better Regulation Unit. As a result, current plans for secondary legislation include extending the licensing period for boarding kennels and catteries for up to three years, with inspections on a risk-assessed basis.
In his 40-minute presentation to the seminar, Thurlow explained the main points of the bill, including the introduction of codes of practice. A draft Cat Code has been prepared to accompany the Bill through the parliamentary process but is not yet in the public domain. He also outlined the parliamentary process the bill now faced, adding that “if things go according to plan, we hope to have an Act by October 2006.”
Janet Nunn, Chief Executive of the Pet Care Trust, said she was delighted with the success of the charityís first Kennel & Cattery Seminar but dismayed that the Trustís concerns on the health risks posed by commercial home boarding to dogs were being brushed aside by Defra.
“The Pet Care Trust believes that home boarding premises cannot offer an appropriate standard of animal care as set out for licensed kennels and catteries. There are issues of cross infection, segregation and welfare that government need to address. It should not be left to members of the public to assess risk on commercial activity; thatís what law makers are paid to do.”
The Trust is also pressing for minimum competency standards, experience or qualification, to be applied to the boarding sector, as they apply to pet retailing.
The Trust is now planning a second Kennel & Cattery Seminar on Friday, 24 February at mypetstop, Leeds. See www.petcare.org.uk for further details.
Pet passions mean business as ethical pet insurer is honoured in national awards
ELAINE Fairfax, the creator of ethical, non-for-profit Animal Friends Insurance, has been shortlisted as a finalist in the prestigious 2005 NatWest everywoman Awards.
The 51-year-old is the only pet business to have been shortlisted from hundreds of other female entrepreneurs for the Hera Award, that recognises the inspirational achievements of businesswomen aged 50 and over. The overall winner will be announced later today.
Animal Friends Insurance is the UK’s only pet insurer to re-invest 100% of its net profits in animal welfare projects around the world, including:
• Feeding moon bears rescued from captivity in a sanctuary in China;
• Providing safe and comfortable head collars for horses and donkeys in Gambia, to replace the cruel practice of using rope and wire;
• Helping fund a safe sanctuary in Scotland for abandoned small animals, birds and fish.
“I’m thrilled to have been shortlisted for this award”, commented Elaine.
“My buzz comes from helping animals, not creating a profit, and every penny we make goes back into animal welfare. For me, you don’t get a much more motivating business model than that”.
Part of a table leg, a spoon, bones and a cork - all in a days work for PDSA vets
Part of a table leg, a spoon, bones and a cork are some of the strange objects found in pets’ tummies last Christmas by PDSA Veterinary Surgeons.
PDSA hopes that these grizzly discoveries, mainly found in dog’s intestines, will shock owners into keeping a closer eye on their mischievous pets this Christmas. PDSA PetAid hospitals also reported carrying out operations on pets to remove a squeaky bone, spare ribs, tinsel, bones from a turkey carcass, a corn on the cob core, a dummy teat, and foam padding!
PDSA Veterinary Surgeon, Elaine Pendlebury, comments: “We treated over 10,000 pets during the festive period last year and itís fair to say that foreign bodies form a major part of our vets’ work over this time.”
To help prevent similar cases this year, PDSA is encouraging pet owners to pick up one of its ‘Pet Safety Indoors’ leaflets, which highlights some of the dangers pets face in the home.
It’s not just at Christmas time that owners should take care, but all year round. Elaine adds: “Every year PDSA sees many household-related injuries to animals that could have been prevented such as burns, electrocution and poisoning from chemicals and plants.
“One particular danger area is electrical household appliances. It’s not unheard of for curious cats to curl up inside the drum of a tumble dryer or washing machine,” continues Elaine, “which could be disastrous if the appliance is unknowingly switched on.
“The same goes for cookers and hobs. The smell of meat being cooked will always be a temptation for cats and dogs and the warmth from the hob can be enticing.”
PDSA would advise carrying out a house safety audit this Christmas. Look round your house room by room, identifying, removing or minimising any potential dangers.
Think of your pet as a curious child and protect it by taking the necessary precautions to prevent accidents.
The Pet Safety Indoors leaflet forms part of a larger range of Responsible Pet Care information leaflets produced by PDSA that cover a variety of pet care topics including, First Aid, Diet and Nutrition and Neutering.
The leaflets are available from PDSA PetAid hospitals and PDSA charity shops nationwide. Further information can be obtained from www.pdsa.org.uk or by calling freephone 0800 917 2509.
Introducing LitterAid
A Litter Additive for efficient control of
l Bacteria l Virus l Fungi l Parasites l Moisture
l Ammonia l Hydrogen Sulphide
Composition
• There is no “active ingredient or chemicals
• Three forms of very pure phosphate - 85%
• A specialist structural clay material - 10%
• A combination of specialist forms of iron and copper salts - 4%
• An essential oil - 1%
MODE OF ACTION
• LitterAid is not cytotoxic - it does not invade or destroy cells
• LitterAid works as an absorbant, attaching a wide range of pathogenic organisms onto its surface
• Either the pathogen is attached or it is not, therefore no resistance can build up and many years of use have demonstrated this
• The product does not act as a chemical and so it remains active even in the presence of litter, faeces and urine
• It will remain active for many days
• Its structure allows it to be a powerful drying agent
• It works to bind ammonia in the air and reduces ammonia emmissions by inhibiting urease activity
APPLICATION
• Directly onto the surface of litter used at a rate of 1 to 2 teaspoons (dependant on litter tray size) every 2-3 days
• Regular washing of litter trays is still recommended
COST
• Mail Order £6.99/500gms delivered, including VAT. Reductions for larger consignments.
