Puppy Awareness Week!

Source: The Kennel Club.

My apologies for the late notice but for those of you who don't already know we are half way through The Kennel Club's National Puppy Awareness Week!

PAW is running from 8th to 15 September and aims to help ensure that a dog is for life.  Dogs all over the country are ending up in rescue homes due to the fact that people are buying the wrong dog for their lifestyle from the wrong breeder.  The Kennel Club states that there are 210 breeds of dog as well as many crossbreeds, all have very different needs.  Pedigree dogs are bred to have predictable traits and characteristics and by doing some simple research it is easy to find a dog that is best suited to your lifestyle.

Thinking of getting a dog?  Find out which breed is best suited to you.

KC research has shown that in 2011 as many as one in four people could potentially have bought their puppy from a puppy farm without even knowing.  As you already know if you are a regular reader of this blog, puppies on puppy farms are born to overused and abused dogs that are kept in horrendous conditions.  Puppy farmers place health and welfare beneath their greed, as far as they are concerned: more puppies = more money.

Beware of puppies advertised in free ads (Gumtree for example), sold over the internet or in pet shops and are collected by buyers from neutral locations such as service stations, or delivered direct.  Always ask Where's Mum? 

KC encourages people to always go to a member of the Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme, members of this scheme are the only breeders in the country who agree to follow high standards for caring for the health and welfare of their pups and who agree to allow a KC inspector access to their premises.  If you are looking for a rescue dog, use the Kennel Club Rescue Dog Directory to find a Breed Rescue or another rescue home.

Other recommended rescues include:

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home

RSPCA

Dogs Trust

Mayhew Animal Home

The Kennel Club is asking people to:

Show your support for Puppy Awareness Week here by printing off posters, leaflets and stickers and spreading the word.

Pup Aid 2012

Just a reminder that Pup Aid is taking place on Saturday at Primrose Hill in London.  In case you weren't already aware, Pup Aid is a celebrity judged fun dog show that aims to raise awareness of the horrific practice of puppy farming.  Now in it's third year Pup Aid is back bigger and better promising a fun packed day with trade stalls, fresh food, music and fun dog shows.

The Pup Aid website has been updated with the programme for the day and some useful travel advice, check it out.

We will be attending and Suki is going to be competing in the dog show for Prettiest Bitch, wish us luck and hope to see you there!

Pup Aid Website.

Pup Aid on Facebook.

Pup Aid on Twitter.

ITV = Irresponsible TV

A scene from the show, image from ITV

On Saturday night, ITV aired a show called Keith Lemon's Lemonaid hosted by popular TV presenter and comic Keith Lemon.  One thing I certainly did not expect to hear about this show was a young child being given a Pug puppy as a prize after joining fellow contestants in completing an agility course alongside their parents whilst dressed up as dogs, holding bones in their mouths.  The pair with the most bones won the puppy, presented by pop star and reality TV show star Peter Andre dressed as a large bone... Yes, it does sound somewhat like a nightmare but unfortunately it really did happen.

The child was literally handed the pedigree puppy and there was no mention of the costs, care or commitment involved in caring for a real life puppy.  Under normal circumstances the participants of the competition would not be able to afford to buy a pedigree puppy and many concerned animal welfare campaigners feel that ITV are setting a bad example, causing animals to look like disposable commodities and making a mockery of campaigns designed to prevent people buying dogs on impulse or as gifts.  One such campaign is the "Where's Mum" campaign launched on Mother's Day which will run throughout the summer, endorsed by celebrities, their Mum's and their dogs which will continue to raise awareness until Pup Aid on September 8th.

Surprisingly it is not illegal in England or Wales to give a live pet away, it is only illegal to give a pet away to a child under 16 without their parent's consent.  However, it is illegal in Scotland, where the show was also shown, which means that ITV displayed a prime time entertainment show depicting an illegal act.  

It shouldn't surprise you that it was ITV who irresponsibly decided to air their Super Tiny Animals show in the run up to Christmas fuelling the lust for miniature pets just as children were compiling their Christmas lists.  They still haven't responded to the numerous complaints condemning them for this behaviour and have simply ignored many concerned viewers and animal organisations.

In my complaint to OFCOM I told them that I didn't think a competition prize of a live animal was acceptable and not comparable to giving away a flat screen TV or games console.  I also asked ITV to make clear where they got the pug puppy from (how can we be sure they didn't purchase it from a puppy farm?)


What do other animal welfare campaigners think?

The Dogs Trust have released the following statement 

"Dogs Trust was shocked and disappointed to see a puppy being given as a prize on Keith Lemon's show, Lemonaid. It is highly inappropriate to promote the frivolous gifting of dogs in this fashion and we are concerned that viewers may follow suit without giving any thought to the life-long commitment that dogs command. It was irresponsible to allow such a flippant competition to air on a prime time entertainment television slot. Sadly, animal welfare charities like Dogs Trust often deal with the fallout when dogs are bought on a whim and discarded when the novelty wears off. This poor attempt at entertainment was ill-judged and we urge ITV to issue a full and considered response on this matter.

For more information and advice about rehoming a dog please go to www.dogstrust.org.uk"

Debbie Connolly Animal Behaviouralist at Safe Pets UK blog post.


More statements including The Kennel Club and RSPCA.

Check out Beverley Cuddy's coldwetnose blog for a description of the show and further information.  It will also be possible to watch the show on ITV Player for a limited amount of time.

Please join the Facebook campaign Keith Lemon's Puppy Prize Protest and invite your friends too.

Please complain directly to ITV at by e-mailing viewerservices@itv.com or the producer susan.wilks@talkbackthames.tv, alternatively you can write to them at Viewer Services ITV Plc, Gas Street, Birmingham B1 2JT.  Feel free to copy and paste this blog post into the message, although stating your opinion in your own words would make more of an impact.

Please complain to OFCOM about this utterly irresponsible TV show by clicking here.  The show was called Keith Lemon's LemonAid and was on ITV at 18.15 on Saturday 28th April.

Please sign this petition calling for The Animal Welfare Act to be amended making it an offence to give away an animal as a prize.