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.

Fluffy Friday #56 ~ Suki "The Sweetest Staffie"

Last Sunday we took Suki to The Mayhew Animal Home's Hyde Bark event in, you guessed it, Hyde Park.  I am a big fan of the Mayhew and have been looking forward to the event for quite a while.  I was particularly excited about their Diamond Dog show as I love fun dog events and I was interested in entering Suki in the categories of "Prettiest Bitch" and "Sweetest Staffie".  In the end we only ended up entering "Sweetest Staffie" and I'm mighty glad we did, as she only went and won!  

Judges Joanna Page and James Thornton loved Suki's party trick back leg raise, happy nature and sweet smile.  Suki was awarded a rosette and a certificate, she wears the rosette with pride on her harness and I hope this encourages people to come and say hello to her rather than discriminating against the Staffie breed.

Us and the Judges, poor Suki blinked as the photo was taken!

Suki socialising with a distinguished looking Bassett Hound.

All images courtesy of The Mayhew Animal Home, more photos of the event available  on their Facebook page.

Happy Friday!

Fluffy Friday #45

This Fluffy Friday is dedicated to all the animals who have sadly been dumped now that Christmas is well and truly over and the reality of owning a living breathing pet has sunk in.


A lot of the animals disregarded are dogs. Some cross breed puppies that were bred specifically to sell around Christmas time for prices as much as £500 have been dumped after not being sold.  The recession is being blamed for this, but I blame people for not preparing themselves properly to get a pet in the first place and for treating animals like disposable toys.  


A few days ago I was horrified to see someone on Facebook friend asking if anyone wanted to adopt his two puppies.  At the end of last year I witnessed another person on Facebook trying to get rid of her elderly and unwell cat which was very sad and seemed very callous.

Ashley, a Staffie Cross. 

Shih Tzu Crossbreeds Jim and Jane with their puppies Jade, Jess and Jack.
Found dumped in a cardboard box.

Seven Staffies seeking new homes.

Sam, a 12 week old Springer Spaniel who is recovering from a painful case of mange.

To enquire about any of the above dogs please contact North Clwyd Animal Rescue on 01745 560546. 

This is Bunny, aged 1 year from The Blue Cross.

There are hundreds of dogs, cats and rabbits needing homes at the rescue centres listed below.  Please check them out!

Oldies Club
RSPCA
RSPCA Special Appeals
Dogs Trust
Cats Protection
The Mayhew Animal Home
Scruples
The Blue Cross
Retired Greyhound Trust
Farplace Animal Rescue
Fat Fluffs Rabbit Rescue

There are also countless more animals being given away to strangers, sold or even swapped(!) on websites  like Gumtree and Facebook.  Please do consider opening your home to a rescue pet and giving them a new lease of life.


If you do see or know of any friends trying to off load pets using sites like Facebook and Gumtree please do say something.  Be polite but firm and let them know that letting their pet go to a stranger without a home check is basically sentencing them to a potentially unhappy, unhealthy and even life threatening future.

Thank you.