Latest news from the Buddies pet insurance news team…while the rest of the economy is ‘going to the dogs’, it seems that the pet industry is flourishing. The UK’s largest pet retailer, Pets At Home, has recently revealed that it has been in discussions with a number of banks about the possibility of going public. In 2008 profits were up by 30 per cent and with talk of a flotation, it would be logical to assume that 2009 is looking good too. Originally started back in 1991, during the last recession, the stores now belong to Bridgepoint, a private equity firm. The chain has steadily expanded through a mixture of organic growth and acquisition, including a £30 million deal for its rival PetSmart.

Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…dog enthusiasts are being urged to visit Leeds Castle, a spectacular building that boasts a unique collection of antique dog collars, some dating as far back as the Middle Ages. The unusual subject matter has attracted the attentions of the Daily Telegraph which has featured the exhibition in its top ten unusual museums. Unlike their modern counterparts, these collars were actually designed to protect the dogs from falling victim to wolves and other vicious predators they might encounter while out hunting with their masters. More modern pieces dating from the 19th Century commemorate famous victories at early versions of Crufts. Others are simply engraved with the name and address of the owner, an early prototype of today’s dog tag.

Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…derogation is not a word that crops up very often in connection with the veterinary profession. However, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) will both be sighing with relief that the UK has an extension to its derogation. What does all this mean? Well the European Commission has decided that changes to legislation that make it easier to move animals around the EU, will not apply to the UK, Finland, Iceland, Malta and Sweden. This is something both bodies representing UK vets have been lobbying for. Before we all feel too smug at the prospect of keeping rabies, echinococcosis and leishmaniasis at bay, the derogation is only in place until the end of 2011. Even more worryingly, it has yet to be ratified by the European Parliament and Council.

Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…celebrity vet, Marc Abraham, is on the publicity trail again in an attempt to hold the ‘biggest ever’ puppy party. Puppy owners are being invited to come along to Brighton Race Course on September 19 along with their pets. All canine attendees must be over 12 weeks of age and have their vaccination certificates available for inspection. The non-profit event will donate the entry fees to three charities, including Hope Rescue, Sussex Pet Rescue and Pro Dogs Direct. Organisers plan to use the party to educate would-be owners about the dangers of buying from unscrupulous dealers who source their dogs from puppy farms. Marc Abraham’s top tips when buying a new puppy are: - contact the Kennel Club for a list of reliable breeders, - ask to see the mother - watch out for breeders selling a range of breeds - ask for a sale or return deal (responsible breeders should be happy to take the puppy back) - consider getting a dog from a rescue centre

Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…the Australian government is to stop the import of irradiated pet food immediately, following the death of cats in the country. Evidence presented to the Ministry of Agriculture was compelling enough to persuade officials that there may be a link between the sterilisation process and neurological damage. Sydney vet, Georgina Child, first spotted the problem when several cats, fed on Canadian gourmet pet food Orijen, fell ill and subsequently died. The manufacturer hit back, claiming that the food had undergone irradiation treatment because the country’s quarantine laws demanded it. The company has since set up a compensation fund to pay towards veterinary bills associated with the case.

Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…the heatwave has claimed the lives of two police dogs who were left unattended by their handler in an unventilated car that was parked outside Nottinghamshire Police headquarters. Experts claim that temperatures, which may well have reached nearly 50 degrees centigrade inside the car, would have resulted in death within 20 minutes. The RSPCA has interviewed the dog handler, who could face a maximum sentence of six months and a fine of £20,000 under the Animal Welfare Act.  The handler who was on duty during the time of the incident is understood to be on compassionate leave. The Independent Police Complaints Commission has handed over responsibility for a full investigation back to the Nottinghamshire force.

Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…its seems that the arrival of British holiday makers is creating a problem for authorities in Bulgaria. Strays are being targeted in effort to tackle safety issues, following the death of a 56-year-old British woman who was attacked by a pack of wild dogs. The charity Four Paws has highlighted two cases of mass euthanasia in the country and claims that 70 per cent of Bulgarian local authorities are not abiding by the European Animal Protection Law. The travel industry represented by ABTA is more concerned about the threat to tourists and put out a statement supporting the actions of authorities involved in mass culling. While British visitors maybe indirectly causing the death of strays, the good news according to The Bulgarian Society for Animal Protection is that holidaymakers, exposed to the poor conditions of many of the animals they come across, are now the biggest contributors the charities coffers.

Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…dog owners are being warned over a new threat to their pets brought on by the heatwave. Cyanobacteria, a potentially lethal blue-green algae found in ponds and rivers, has been thriving in the unusually warm growing conditions. Vets are concerned that dogs seeking respite from the heat will jump into infected water and inadvertently ingest the poison. The recent case of a five-year-old Border Collie, Cassie, has resulted in national media coverage, after being rushed to her local vet practice following exposure to the algae in a National Trust lake. Fortunately for the owner, vet Charles Williams of Springfield Veterinary Surgery, spotted the symptoms of poisoning immediately. Following a call to the Veterinary Poison Information Centre, he was able to treat Cassie successfully.

Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…Border Collies are renown for their ability to cope with tough conditions, but when Sonya and William Mckerron’s 17-year-old collie, Lucy, was still missing after five months they must have feared the worst. So imagine the owner’s surprise when they learnt that Lucy had been found safe and well some 550 miles away. The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home was happy to report that they had found a microchip with a Cornish phone number and were delighted to reunite the pet with her owners. How Lucy managed to end up in Edinburgh is still a mystery however.

Latest from the Buddies pet insurance news team…a US pet cloning company, specialising in pet dogs, has chosen the winner of its ‘Golden Clone Giveaway’ for the world’s most ‘clone worthy’ dog. The publicity stunt prize, worth an estimated £100,000, has resulted in five new dogs cloned from 9/11 hero, Trakr. The German Shepherd search and rescue dog, died in April, having won the admiration of many people for working a full 48-hour shift searching for survivors of the New York Twin Tower terrorist outrage. He located the last survivor found in the rubble of the buildings. The cloned offspring were presented to Trakr’s handler, James Symington, who went onto to tell reporters that one of the puppies was an exact replica of the canine hero, not only in looks, but in character too.