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For those who couldn't join our Veterinary Matters chat with our guest, Dr Sophie Bell, here it is on Catch-Up TV -
{Apologies in advance, right at the end of this video a couple of t***s gate crashed our webinar - i hope it doesn't ruin what was a fab webinar with some great…
A date for your diary - please join us and bring your questions.
Topic: An Audience with Dr Sophie Bell - Veterinary Matters
Some of the topics we’ll be discussing include:
• Sophie’s New CPD Webinar series for Dog Walkers, Boarders and DayCares
starting 20 March
• Vaccinations & KC
• Parasites
• Neutering
• Nutrition
• plus a mix of your questions
Time: 22 Feb, 2024 06:30 PM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84067681614
Meeting ID: 840 6768 1614
Join us this Thursday.
A date for your diary - please join us and bring your questions
Please feel free to ‘pinch’
Holidays? Plan ahead now!
When you're planning to go on holiday and need to arrange care for your dogs, you have several options, each with its own pros and cons. Here’s a basic guide:-
* Family & Friends
* Pros: Your dogs may already know them and their ‘home’ so less stressed. Less expensive.!!
* Cons: Can be let down at the last minute as other plans may arise. Your friends or family might not be experienced in pet care, and it could be inconvenient for them.
* More Info: Direct discussions with those in your personal network.
* Dog Boarding Kennels:
* Pros: Professional care, socialisation with other dogs, and a structured environment.
* Cons: Can be expensive, your dogs may experience stress in a new environment, and there's a risk of exposure to illnesses from other dogs.
* More Info: Websites like FindPetBoarding.com and licensing team at your local authority.
* Pet Sitters:
* Pros: Personalised care, dogs remain in their own home, less stress for the dog.
* Cons: Can be expensive, need to trust a stranger in your home, and availability might be an issue.
* More Info: Websites like local Facebook community hubs, Pawshake or Rover offer pet sitting services.
* Home Boarding:
* Pros: More personalised care in a home environment, less stressful for dogs.
* Cons: Demand often outstrips availability. Watch out for people pretending to be licensed and therefore not insured.
* More Info: Check local business listings, local authority or websites like local Facebook community hubs, https://www.associationofdogboarders.co.uk/members-list/ and ask the animal welfare licensing team at your local authority.
When choosing an option, consider your dogs' temperament, health, and needs. It's also important to visit and vet the facility or individual beforehand, and ensure they are licensed and insured (Kennels and Home Boarders).
For more information, contact your local authority’s animal welfare licensing team. Local vets can often provide recommendations too based on your specific needs.
Happy holidays.
If you have the time…. Please find it.
The CMA has launched a review into the veterinary services market for household pets.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-respond-to-the-veterinary-services-market-for-pets-review
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a review into the veterinary services market for household pets. Household pets include small animals like:
* dogs
* cats
* rabbits
As part of this work, the CMA wants to hear from pet owners and people who work in the veterinary services sector.
We’re particularly keen to understand your experiences with:
* pricing
* access to prescriptions
* access to medications
* the variety of services that are available
Please fill out 1 of the questionnaires below to share your views.
If you are a pet owner
Pet owner questionnaire - https://tinyurl.com/ycyujuk5
Please fill out this questionnaire if you are a pet owner who has paid for veterinary services in the last 3 years.
The questionnaire will be open for up to 6 weeks.
If you supply products or services to the vet sector, or are retired from the sector
Third party questionnaire - https://tinyurl.com/mr3c9fvs
Please fill out this questionnaire if:
* you work in an animal pharmacy
* you supply products or services to veterinary practices or their customers (for example specialist animal hospitals or crematorium services)
* you work at an animal charity that delivers or buys veterinary services
* you are a veterinary professional who retired more than 3 years ago
Please take the time to complete and to share. Thank you
The CMA has launched a review into the veterinary services market for household pets.
Please ‘pinch’ and post if it’s of help
Please feel free to ‘pinch’ and post if it helps
After months of under the radar development, Pawtul is now live!
The app for pet care pros - Day Care, Boarder, Walker, Trainer or Sitter.
I’ve been privileged to be part of a diverse services trial team.
No more paper! No more chasing! It does the job for you.
You can sign up for FREE (up to 20 client dogs) to see if it suits your requirements, or opt for the Pro membership version (and thanks to the good folks at Pawtul, you get a 10% discount for 6 months with the code “PetCarePros”.
The app has loads of rich functionality and is very competitively priced - which is refreshing change.
The core functionality includes:-
• Client management
• Pet information
• Vaccinations alerts
• Feeding regimes & logs
• Medical & Behavioural history
• Incident logs
• Team Calendar System
• Bookings
• Invoicing
• Branding
• Business Forms
• Ts&Cs
• Secure Data
• Cloud storage
• GDPR compliant
• Accessible Anywhere
There are a few half decent apps out there and this one is more than worth checking out.
I really don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Here’s a little intro video.
https://vimeo.com/795055944
https://www.Pawtul.com
Dog Bite? Advice from subject matter experts
Save their contact information - hopefully you’ll never need it.
‘In the past fortnight we have been contacted by 3 people who signed a police dog disclaimer without properly reading it or understanding the implications of their actions. They then approached us for advice. We made contact with the relevant police forces and found that all 3 dogs had been put to sleep. In all cases, the dogs had been involved in quite minor incidents which had the cases gone to court, the dog would not have been destroyed.
We have been provided with a copy of one of the disclaimers which states that the owner transfers ownership of the dog to the police on the understanding that they may re-home it or have it put to sleep. At the bottom of the form the owner signs a declaration saying that they have read the form and understand the contents. Clearly the owner did not read the form properly and the police did not explain it to them.
There is no legal "cooling-off" period when you sign your dog over to the police. In some cases we have managed to get the dogs back to their owners, but sometimes they are put to sleep so quickly that it is too late for us to be able to help.
Please, please, please contact us on 01442 242999 before you sign over your dog to the police. We will provide you with some brief legal advice free of charge to help you decide what to do. The police may not be too happy at the delay, but better that than rush into the wrong decision.’
Wheldon Law - dog law specialists
http://www.wheldonlaw.co.uk/
on 01442 242999 or at [email protected]
‘This is said over and over. DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING. If police have a warrant and your dog is seized whilst they investigate then fine, let that happen. To sign these forms, made up by each force before you get the chance to get independent advice is totally wrong. Do not accept the police version of how long a case might take, what the injuries are or what your chances in court are. Get advice first.’
My Dog Has Bitten DDA (Facebook group)
http://mydoghasbitten.uk/
Call 0115 8883334 or 0208 1445799�call, text or whatsapp business mobile 07535 173812
‘Many of you out there know that for a long time I have gone on about not signing paperwork if your dog is seized. The seizure of a dog is a stressful time, it is stressful for the dog and upsetting and stressful for owners. The situation can be highly charged and does not always remain peaceful.’
Nowadays in some parts of the country things have progressed from dog owners being asked to sign paperwork to being asked to sign a screen.
The two rules to follow, whatever you are asked to sign be it screen or paperwork are these;
1) Remain calm
2) Politely decline to sign anything and state you will be seeking advice.’
Orion Dog Services
0121 364 8699
[email protected]
oriondogservices.co.uk
As a pet care professional and a man working mostly in a women’s world, I’m very conscious of the exposed places some of us work.
I recently came across an app call Becon - a smart safety app which at first glance and an initial trial strikes me as an app all of us should be trialling if not using ongoing.
Becon is currently built to protect walking journeys and the app is totally free to use. The company behind it are however building a more sophisticated premium version which will be ready to launch in November and users will be able to pay a monthly/yearly subscription fee to upgrade if they wish. This premium version of the app will have a more advanced post-alert interface that, when necessary, will provide Key Contacts with live location tracking. The Premium version will also allow users to fully customise their safety alert parameters to protect them in a totally personalised way for whichever activity they are undertaking (walking, jogging, cycling etc).
If you do decide to give it a try out, it would be great to hear your impressions as it could be an essential part of our tool kit and well worth sharing to all.
Thank you.
https://apgaw.org/2022/08/02/apgaw-publishes-report-on-welfare-enforcement/
APGAW Publishes Report on Welfare Enforcement by APGAW | Aug 2, 2022 | Uncategorised Animal welfare faces a “deepening crisis” if action isn’t taken to improve local enforcement according to new report. A new report published today by APGAW reveals that almost a half of councils in England do ...
An idea for your Home Page wallpaper - just in case
Go on, what’s the best one you’ve received?
With dog ownership growing during lockdown, many owners are reporting a shortage of space in kennels.
I recently commented on a local Facebook group about Vets4Pets which might be of interest to fellow pros.
Vets4Pets as a brand is owned by Pets At Home.
The Vets4Pets practices themselves are effectively franchise operations called Joint Partnerships. So each one is run semi autonomously.
Vets4Pets are one of the leading practices in the U.K.
The challenge for pet owners and pet care pros is the corporatisation of the veterinary landscape.
Since the rules were changed almost 20 years ago to allow non-vets to own practices, the number of sites owned by corporate groups has grown to more than 1,700.
Corporatisation of vets a couple of years ago showed the emergence of these large corporate groups…
Independent Vetcare, the UK’s largest corporate with more than 500 sites, employs 2,800 veterinary professionals, CVS 3,250, Vets4Pets has 2,450, Medivet 1,850, VetPartners employs 1,250 and Linnaeus has 325 vets.
This means almost 12,000 vets and vet nurses work for a corporate veterinary group.
The RCVS estimates that over half of all vets and vet nurses now work for a corporate veterinary group.
It’s important to remember that vets and vet nurses are professional practitioners not corporate animals and 99.99% of them don’t set the pricing. Many just happen to work for the large corporate. So please, treat them kindly as there is a real shortage of veterinary professionals in the UK and su***de levels are ridiculously high, whilst at the same time demand is outstripping supply.
This trend isn’t just a U.K. thing. In the USA Mars owns something like 1,080 animal hospitals - as well as the brand Royal Canin.
And creeping corporatisation of veterinary practices - many of which are run by ‘money men’ not vets themselves means cost increases to us as pet owners.
As the FT recently reported…
“One vet in southern England says the price of Metacam, a widely dispensed anti-inflammatory painkiller, rose at their practice by 28 per cent to £82.79 for a 100ml bottle after IVC took over. The price of ProZinc, an insulin for diabetic cats, rose 39 per cent to £99.34, the vet says, and Fortekor, a heart medication, rose more than 78 per cent to £76.85.
“We probably were undercharging before, but it’s difficult when the client comes in and this has gone up by 30 per cent, that by 40 per cent,” says the vet, who asked not to be named.
IVC says drug price increases recommended by head office have been more modest, with Metacam rising by 5.6 per cent on average, ProZinc 6.8 per cent and Fortekor 9.9 per cent between October 2019 and December 2020. “
Vets and vet nurses came to the profession because they love animals, not the ‘money men’ who increasingly run the practice chains. Just because it says “All Creatures Great & Small” above the door doesn’t mean it’s not owned by a large corporate somewhere and not always the lovely James Herriot.
Thought for the Day
A Guide to Dog Business Insurance - What to cover, which insurance companies to get to quote and useful nuggets to know. Download the Guide here - https://drive.google.com/file/d/19KLQbdpUcc-0AdY0etUagd1J6UkttG4p/view?usp=sharing
How does Jo Public find out about licensed pet carers from the local authority?
Wishing HM The Queen and one and all a lovely celebratory weekend.
Thought for the day
Insurance renewal?
These are worth checking out:-
British Pet Insurance
https://www.britishpetinsurance.co.uk/professional-insurance/
Pet Business Insurance Limited
https://www.petbusinessinsurance.co.uk
Protectivity
https://www.protectivity.com/product/pet-business-insurance/
PetPlan Sanctuary
https://www.petplansanctuary.co.uk
Cliverton
https://www.cliverton.co.uk
Pet Professionals At Work
https://ppawinsurance.co.uk/
Things you should be thinking about and checking whether it’s included:-
✓ Public liability
✓ Care, custody, and control of animal negligence cover
✓ Death &/or Disappearance up to £2,000 per animal
✓ Loss of Customer’s keys up to £10,000 any one period of insurance
✓ Veterinary Fees up to £50,000 (example) any one period of insurance
✓ Collection & Delivery included?
Optional extras to consider:-
✓ Personal accident cover **
✓ Loss of personal equipment
✓ Interruption of business services
✓ Loss of licence (licensed pet carers)
✓ Professional indemnity (usually if you’re providing consultancy or products)
✓ Product liability (not usually required by service businesses)
✓ Legal Expenses including Legal Helpline
✓ Advertising & Reward up to £500 per claim
✓ 24 x 7 veterinary advice line
✓ Cover for your own dog when being walked with customers’ pets
Not typically covered but available from some:-
✓ Home contents (licensed pet carers)
Also, don’t forget:-
✓ Transport - business usage cover
✓ Cover for your own dog when being walked with customers’ pets (possibly consider Dogs Trust)
** Highly recommended
‘Pinch’ it
Thought for the day
https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/wellbeing/dogs-get-depression-too-and-theyll-need-more-than-walkies-to-make-them-feel-better-1507886
Mental health problems affect three-quarters of dogs, according to a survey - and owners need to learn to spot the signs
Pet care professionals please share with friends…
PLEASE BE AWARE
Vets are reporting higher than usual occurrenced of gastroenteritis in dogs which is fitting with a wider phenomenon as reported by The Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET). So far we have found that the cases seen- whilst clearly being poorly- have responded well to treatment.
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) advise that with prompt veterinary treatment almost all dogs make a full recovery from this uncommonly violent gastric bug.
How Is This Vomiting Bug Different?
According to Vet Dr Danielle Greenberg of SAVSNET, this vomiting bug is unusual due to:
- Prolific vomiting of 5 or more episodes in a 12 hour period which can stop for a period (such as overnight) and then starts again
- Dogs are often unable to keep water down at peak vomiting stage
- Anorexia and lethargy for 2-5 days
- Diarrhoea: Most dogs have ‘gravy-like’ diarrhoea
Full recovery can take 5-10 days
What We Know So Far:
This outbreak is affecting areas across the Midlands, Wales, the North of England and Northern Ireland.
The illness is most likely a virus but has not yet been identified.
Seems to be dog-specific, thankfully humans don’t appear to be at risk.
This is not caused by Parvo or Salmonella
If necessary get vet advice asap. Some insurance companies and food companies have 24 hour vet advice for members. Check if you do.
England - Boarders & DayCares - new licensing guidance effective February 2022 has been published today. https://www.cfsg.org.uk/legislation-and-guidance/?fbclid=IwAR36uOLx5j7PWGZbVL9LX8cPaCPmcUk49jiynhcsMvTVPEojM1fzm3Vq5g4
For Home Boarding - things that stand out immediately are:
New Higher Standards (Mandatory and Optional) in order to receive a 4 or 5 star rating
To qualify as meeting the higher standards, the business needs to achieve all of the required higher standards as well as a minimum of 50% of the optional higher standards.
REQUIRED higher standard
Exercise - Dogs must be exercised at least twice per day. Each dog must have a written daily exercise regime including lead exercise and free running in a secure area. There must be a clear plan setting out 2 walks per dog each day for a minimum of 20 minutes each including lead exercise and free running in a secure area. There must be an alternative form of enrichment planned for dogs that cannot be exercised for veterinary reasons for the same periods of time.
Behaviour & Training - A facility must create a written programme that shows how they provide an enriching environment inside and outside. This must be agreed with the owner. The programme will show how the facility will provide:
● grooming
● socialisation
● play
Staffing - There must be at least one full-time member of staff per 8 dogs.
For a boarding premises that keeps multiple dogs at once, there must be an overnight trial stay for all stays longer than 3 nights. Only one dog can be trialled at a time unless the dogs are from the same household.
OPTIONAL higher standard
Suitable environment - Ventilation must be a managed, fixed or portable, air system to maintain temperatures in all weathers. This can be an air conditioning unit or removable fans installed safely away from animals.
Suitable environment - Any outside space will have two secure physical barriers between any dog and any exit.
Staffing There must be a member of permanent, full-time staff with an appropriate OFQUAL regulated Level 3 qualification.
Rooms - Bathrooms, hallways and partitioned rooms are not used as designated rooms
Staffing - There must be a designated other person or member of staff who can cover any emergency so that the dogs are never left alone.
Dogs - Only dogs from the same household are boarded at any one time
FOR DAY CARE
Assess the area provided and continuously accessible for each dog (other than in private dwellings). If the premises is mostly:
● outside space, there must be 1.25 square metres in the shelter plus 6 square metres outside per dog
● inside space, there must be 6 square metres of space per dog in total
21.3 There must be an area where any dog can avoid seeing other dogs and people if it so chooses.
This can be done by using open crates, screening with blankets as well as by separate areas.
Legislation and Guidance This page sets out the legislation relating to cats and dogs in England. Most recently Government introduced a significant change with the Animal Activity Licensing Regulations 2018 and below you will find the Guidance documents to assist businesses in meeting the new requir...
Please ‘borrow’ if it helps share the message
This was posted on one of our local community pages and we thought Hannah deserved more business. So if it’s of interest, please message her through her Instagram page.
“Hi, I run a small local business from home called Wood and Palmer and I am making wooden dog stair guards - these are made to order and are starting from £30 for a 80cm with personalisation. If you would like any other information or about any of the other products please get in touch. Dm me or head over to my instagram page Wood and Palmer
Keeping pooches safe at Christmas
https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/christmas-dangers-dogs
Licensed home boarder?
There is a Code regarding rights of entry produced by UK Government based on actual legislation.
As the enforcement party, local authority Inspectors can check that any licence conditions are being complied with. They are also able to check that the general requirements of the Act and any secondary legislation made under it are also being complied with.
Legislation confers powers to the enforcement officers of a local authority to enter and inspect licensed premises and premises where the inspector reasonably believes a licensed activity is going on.
So the LA uses this ‘right’ to knock on your door to carry out their enforcement duties regarding your licence.
The practical reality is that inspectors turn up without an appointment for several reasons - to spot check Welfare compliance, to get through their list as quickly as possible where immediate compliance helps, and of course an inspector can enter a commercial day care or kennels environment, right there and then with no appointment. Which kind of makes sense when they’re checking upon on animal welfare.
However, an inspector may only enter a private dwelling if he/she gives 24 hours’ notice.
Powers to apply for a warrant to enter are available elsewhere in legislation if the inspector reasonably believes that an animal in distress is to be found on the premises or if he reasonably believes an offence has been committed on the premises.
So - if they knock on the door unexpectedly, if it’s inconvenient (not because you need 24 hours to get your all your paperwork up to speed, although this may be true) for you - because you’re picking up from school, just taking a dog to the vet, have an appointment etc etc.
I’d suggest other members of your household should be briefed to politely decline entry to any random knock of the door (Covid helps) as the ‘licence holder is not present’.
To be fair, most LAs give advance warning.
But it’s worth remembering, that as long as the Inspector gives a minimum of 24 hours advance notice, if you then decline, technically the inspector can use secondary legislation to revoke a licence, or amend its conditions, should a request to enter premises in order to carry out an inspection be unreasonably refused.
As I understand it, regardless of what the LA letter says, these are the operational parameters that an Inspector has to follow - assuming someone’s not trying it on for other reasons - eg trying to conceal animal cruelty etc.
I hope that’s worthwhile filing away.
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