Marc the vet

Special pet-free foster home needed for Billy

Oldies Club are appealing for a special pet free foster home with an experienced owner for Billy.
Billy is a lovely little dog who is obedient, good on the lead, and great in the car, but it takes him a while to learn to trust people. He has a bad back, and although he does have [...]

This week’s Pet Club on ITV’s This Morning

I’ll be holding my second-ever Pet Club on Wednesday 12th May on ITV’s This Morning with Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby (below).

I’ll be chatting about ‘How to get the right dog for you’ and talking about puppy farming, buying a puppy from a responsible breeder e.g. Kennel Club Accredited Breeders, and of course adopting a [...]

Checklist for Buying a Pedigree Puppy

If you’re dead-set on buying a pedigree puppy and you’ve already considered visiting your local rescue shelter and adopting a dog then please ensure you don’t fall into the trap of buying a puppy bred on a cruel puppy farm.
By following these simple points it’s likely that you will purchase a well-bred happy and healthy [...]

Channel 4 News Exclusive: RSPCA to turn away unwanted animals

This story broke last week but very interesting, controversial, and well-worth a read.
It suggests that the RSPCA will only take properly abused animals and not just unwanted ones. So basically if you want to successfully rehome your pet you have to be cruel to it first - bit ironic?
Furthermore, I watched an episode of [...]

Mumbai: Working with Welfare of Stray Dogs India (WSD)

I’m off to Mumbai, India to volunteer with the fantastic organisation Welfare of Stray Dogs India (WSD), a non-profit trust dedicated to helping street dogs set up and registered with the Government in 1985.

Recognised by the Animal Welfare Board of India (Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India) and associated with the Royal Society [...]

Victory for ‘Deed NOT Breed’ in Scotland

(BVA Release) Vets are celebrating a victory for the principle of ‘deed not breed’ in the control of dangerous or out of control dogs, after the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Bill passed Stage 3 in the Scottish Parliament unanimously today.
As a member of the Dangerous Dogs Act Study Group (DDASG), the British Veterinary Association (BVA) [...]

Sensational Rescue Dog ‘Chandi’ on Britain’s Got Talent

If you didn’t get to see last Saturday’s Britain’s Got Talent then here’s your chance to catch-up with one of the most impressive acts from the series opener.
Two years ago Kate & Gin dazzled us with their phenomenal heel-work to music routines that warmed the country’s hearts, and now it’s the turn of dancing duo [...]

Vets Issue Advice to Pet Owners on Volcanic Ash

(BVA Release) Following the Health Protection Agency’s advice to the public on the possible health effects of the Icelandic volcanic ash reaching ground level, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) has issued some simple advice to pet owners in the UK.
The HPA has suggested that people who experience symptoms such as itchy or irritated eyes, runny [...]

Congratulations to S.O.F.A. Group!!

As the very proud patron of Speaking Out for the Animals (S.O.F.A.) Group I’m delighted to inform you that they have just smashed the 10,000 signatures mark on their online petition to have compulsory microchipping made law in the UK.
This would not only help with lost/stolen pet unification and relieve overflowing rescue shelters, but also [...]

The day I met the Sudell Alpacas.

I was recently fortunate enough to be invited up North to rural Lancashire to meet a herd of breeding alpacas.
And what a great day it was too. It’s certainly not every day you get up close to one of these fascinating creatures even though their popularity is well on the rise with an estimated 20,000 [...]