Barks and Recreation

09/10/2023

Have a safe holiday, everyone! It’s definitely ok to include your pets in the festivities, in moderation of course - but here are some things to avoid. If your pet does ingest any of the items on this list, the emergency hospital is open today! Give them a call before heading over there - they will be busy today 🦃

23/08/2023

Hey everyone! Long time no social media!! It’s been a busy time at Barks and Rec but I wanted to spread the word about something I’m going to be doing this fall. The good folks reached out about their new Paws & Pals program and long story short, I’m going to lead the session that starts in September! I’m very excited to get to know even more people and their dogs - if you’re interested in learning more, check out the Forest City Sport and Social Club page for more info! This is going to be a lot of fun - join us with your good boys and girls in a few weeks! 🐾🐶🐶

26/08/2022

Here are a few of the friends we’ve been spending time with recently - for your viewing enjoyment!! Just look at these sweet faces 😍🐶🥰

25/08/2022

🚨🚨🚨 🚨🚨

This is HUGE NEWS for London and the surrounding area!!! Congratulations and gratitude to Dr. Egli and Dr. Moffat and their whole team. I worked with both of these lovely people at the emerg clinic in my previous life as an RVT, and I can tell you from both professional and personal experience that these are two ✨exceptional✨ doctors who have years and years of emergency medical practice under their belts. The addition of this urgent care clinic will do so much to relieve the burden of need for pet owners with sick or injured pets in our area. I wanted to be sure that our clients know about this new option for care on the days when our local emerg clinic is closed - your beloved family members will be in very good hands here! Give .urgentcare a follow to keep up to date with all of their announcements!!

19/08/2022

“The workload in small animal medicine has increased greatly. I’ve never seen anything like it, and I’ve been practising for over 30 years,” he said. “Coupled with that is a lot of stress, a lot of burnout and a lot of compassion fatigue. You add to that, the labour shortage, and it’s just the perfect storm.”

More on the closure of our local vet emerg clinic. I’d argue that these problems have been plaguing the veterinary industry going further back than 2017 - the pandemic just magnified what had been brewing for some time. This is a good read for those who are interested.

London’s emergency animal hospital is shutting its doors for nearly half the week due to a veterinarian shortages plaguing the industry, creating a worrying…

22/07/2022

A lot of our clients have been asking us about what’s going on in the veterinary world, having noticed that it’s become a lot more challenging to get their pets seen quickly (and especially for emergencies), or even just to find a clinic that is accepting new patients. This piece outlines the challenges facing veterinary care providers better than anything else I’ve read. For those who want to understand what’s happening, see below! And remember to be generous and show your appreciation to veterinary staff, they sure need the encouragement now more than ever ❤️

14/06/2022

Remembering all of our sweet little beloveds today who have passed over the rainbow bridge ✨🌈✨

31/05/2022

Apollo here with a reminder to stay cool out there today 😎 Stick to shady areas, walk in the early or later parts of the day if possible, and bring lots of water on walks! This heat and humidity can be real tough for pups to adjust to - stay safe and have fun!!

20/05/2022

We have a whooooole lot of friends at Barks and Rec that we haven’t introduced to you yet - all of them have been walking with us for some time now, but we’ve been so busy that we’ve been neglecting our socials!! Meet my buddy Bailey 🥰 this little gal is so bright and funny and hilarious, and we have so much fun together!! Bailey truly does not understand why I keep pointing my phone at her but look at this lil face… can you blame me for wanting to take her picture??? Welcome to the pack Bailey!!

(And ps, stay tuned for more introductions in the weeks to come.. promise!)

31/03/2022

These two sweethearts are looking for a new home in which to spend their golden years - do not need to go to the same home necessarily! 💛💛

31/03/2022

💥ACTION SHOTS!!!💥

Sometimes you take the picture at juuust the right moment 😀🤩🐶

24/03/2022

a couple of weeks ago when Tilly said “Hey I am ready for it to be spring let’s goooooo”

18/03/2022

Happy Friday everyone, meet our friend Angie 🥰 This beauty started walking with us a few weeks ago and at that time was very fearful of a lot of things that are common outside - strangers, loud noises, other animals, etc. We see this so much, especially since the pandemic - a lot of pups have struggled with so much during this time, for so many reasons! When we met Angie it was clear that while she was afraid, she badly wanted to be relaxed and happy and love being outside - as any dog should. It has been a joy to watch her open up to these possibilities again as she’s been walking with Kim ❤️ Welcome dear Angie!! We are so glad to be spending time with you!!

17/03/2022

What a beauty day for an almost-spring walk! Nobody found any four leaf clovers, but look at all these big smiles 😀🤩🍀

09/03/2022

Reunited with sweet Simon after some time apart - we just can’t stop smiling (except for a quick sec to do a serious pose in the forest for treats, then back to big smiles) 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

08/03/2022

The last couple of weeks we’ve had the pleasure of spending time with two friends we haven’t seen for a couple of years - anybody remember our buddies Will and Grace, the ragdoll kitties?? These two are just as sweet as ever and it’s been so awesome to reconnect with them 😻😻 If you’re planning to travel, remember to book with Barks and Rec as early as possible to ensure that your cats have a safe and happy time while you’re gone!!

03/03/2022

Every year I post when I see the first snowdrops, always in the same spot on my walking route with Stan - the surest sign of spring that I know 🌱 We saw them today so even though it’s cold and snowy out still, have no fear - spring is on its way and soon things will be green and growing 💚

(ps Stan remains sooooo handsome 😍)

28/02/2022

Here is Steve in a pineapple to brighten your Monday morning 😻🍍🌟

22/02/2022

I got to spend time with some new friends this weekend and we had a BLAST together - say hello to Cool Moss, Totem, and Dare 🥰🥰🥰

14/02/2022

Happy Valentine’s Day from some of the furry friends we walked with today 🥰❤️😍

09/02/2022

Charlie demonstrating the meaning of the word F O C U S 👀 👀 👀

(Yes I did have treats in my hand at this moment😅)