Hello NewsHounds, this week features tips from Battersea on keeping your pets cosy this winter, news on our upcoming PAAWstival Dog Awards, as well as our view on Joe Wicks call out from the British Veterinary Association.
INFLUENCER JOE WICKS TAKES A HIIT
The Nations favourite PE instructor, Joe Wicks, got into trouble with the BVA (British Veterinary Association) recently. After introducing his Dads French Bulldog puppy on social media, Joe was called out for promoting breeds which suffer from breathing difficulties. Whilst I agree with the BVA, and all who work to highlight the issues associated with breeding dogs for looks over health, there is another important issue here. I find it hard to believe that Joe Wicks intentionally used his influence to promote a specific breed of dog. I saw the original post; it seemed to me an innocent post, engaging with his audience to introduce a new family puppy.
Education is key
In my opinion the bigger problem here is lack of animal and pet welfare in education. When my dog Vinnie joined our family, I knew little about the many welfare issues I am now passionate about. These were not topics I had been exposed to in any great detail. The key to ensuring that future generations, who are responsible for ensuring high animal welfare standards, understand these issues at an early age.
The power of the influencer cannot be underestimated, however, an influencer can only influence on a topic they know and understand. French Bulldogs (we have lots of lovely, happy Frenchie pals) continue to be one of the most “Instagrammable” breed of dog in the UK, Joe’s Dad is not exactly unique!
We wish Joe’s little canine brother a long and healthy life, in what I have no doubt is a loving and happy home. We look forward to a day when every child will learn the importance of a kinder world for animals. Of course, not every child will want a pet, however I do believe that understanding tolerance, kindness and the basics of where their food comes from is an important part of education.
Follow this link for more information on Animal Welfare in Education.
KEEPING YOUR PETS COSY IN WINTER
As temperatures across the country plummet, Battersea is offering advice to dog and cat owners to help keep their much-loved pets warm this winter. Steve Craddock, Centre Manager at Battersea said: “Just like humans, some of our pets will need a little extra care over the colder months to help keep them feeling their best. Elderly dogs and cats, or those with short coats, may especially struggle during this time.”
Top tips
Wrap up warm; Make sure your dogs are dressed appropriately for colder weather with warm waterproof coats. If your dog struggles with colder weather, consider taking them on a shorter walk than normal.
Keep them dry; Dry off your dog or cat if they are wet or muddy to keep them from becoming ill, and make sure you provide somewhere cosy and warm for them to curl up and rest, especially if they are older.
Check their paws; During winter, it is especially important to check in between your pet’s toes after they’ve been outside. Salt and grit could get stuck in between paws and cause them to become chapped and irritated. In the event of snow, check your pet’s paws and dry them thoroughly after they’ve been outside.
Avoid antifreeze; One of the biggest and most common dangers that cats face in winter is coming in to contact with antifreeze, which can result in serious illness or even death. Cats seem to be attracted to the ‘sweet’ taste of this chemical which can prove deadly if they ingest in even a small amount.
Check your car; Cars can pose several risks to cats, particularly during the cold, dark months. Cats (and other small animals) have a dangerous habit of crawling under car bonnets to enjoy the warmth from the engine so you should always tap the hood of a car before starting the engine.
For more advice on winter pet care, please visit www.battersea.org.uk.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY STREETVET
Congratulations to Jade and all the team at StreetVet who celebrated their official 2nd birthday last week. StreetVet is a registered charity made up of volunteer vets and nurses that offer free accessible, vet care to pets (mostly dogs) of the homeless nationwide. Well done to all the StreetVet team for all your amazing achievements, and the difference you make on the front line to the homeless community and their pets. A charity that supports the dogs/pets of the homeless and works to address misconceptions facing the homeless and their much-loved dogs, big respect! StreetVet continue to provide much needed support to their clients during Covid-19 in line with Government and BVA guidelines.
We wish StreetVet all the best with the continued roll out of their StreetVet Accredited Hostel scheme, the first of its kind in the UK. The scheme enables hostels to accept multiple residents with their pets by offering free, accessible veterinary care, as well as support for hostel managers and staff to adopt and implement positive pet policies. In the UK, one in ten people experiencing homelessness has a pet (around 32,000 people) and, whilst some hostels accept pets, the vast majority do not. Check out their website for more information StreetVet.
JASMINES’S LAW – UPDATE
The suspension of Private Members Bills, and Petition Debates in Parliament due to COVID-19 means the second reading of Jasmines Law, scheduled for February has been put on hold. Whilst this is disappointing, we are confident that the second reading will go ahead, in the meantime it gives us the opportunity to continue to drum up as much support as possible for #JamsinesLaw #APetInEveryHome.
With over 20 million dogs and cats (PDSA study) in the UK we call on all animal lovers out there to get behind this bill. We ask those who are living happily with their pets to consider the many who experience pet discrimination every day, resulting in facing heart-breaking decisions. They need your support more than ever.
We will be teaming up with our friends at AdvoCATSeastmids over the coming weeks. Keep an eye out for their upcoming blog post, and more details about how our dogs and cats will unite to support this great cause. If you haven’t already, please consider signing this petition.
PAAWstival DOG AWARDS 2021
It’s almost time! We’ve been busy getting the processes and procedures ready for our PAAWstival Dog Awards 2021. Now that we’ve dotted the I’s and crossed the T’s we are delighted to reveal that entries will be opening in February.
PAAWstival Dog Awards; a Dog Show with a difference, in aid of StreetVet and The Wild at Heart Foundation. Seven categories, online pawditions, celebrity judges, and a live final taking place on the aptly named Isle of Dogs later this year*. The top prize winner will run away with £10,000 plus a very special award, our six lucky runners up will receive a barking £500 to spend on their favourite things. Sign up to our newsletter – click here for updates and the opportunity to enter 24 hours before the official announcement.
PAAWstival 2021 aims to make its home in a tranquil green space in the middle of the ‘Isle of Dogs’, with Canary Wharf on the horizon. An urban festival celebrating all things pet, we will be teaming up with the movers and shakers in the pet world to bring you something unique, quirky and fun, packed full of entertainment and activities, to keep even the most energetic pets entertained. There will be lots of human fun for all ages too. *We have processes in place to take the show online should the live event be unable to go ahead.
Throwback to our launch party in 2019.
PAAW HOUSE AMBASSADORS x BURLY BEAR POM
Burly Bear has been busy helping to expand our family of PAAW House ambassadors. We are honoured to have a growing crew of team members who share our values, our passion for animal welfare, and who want to help us make the world a better place for pets. We will be introducing you to our new team members over the coming weeks at @paaw_house.
We caught up with our little friend on Zoom yesterday to find out what else he’s been up to “I’ve been a busy boy co-ordinating my A-Z series on Instagram. Luckily, I got my A-Z of London Tube Stations done before lockdown. Its great to see all my Insta friends engaging, I’m really looking forward to sharing the rest of the series with you. My Dad’s going to be busy! I’m also super excited that my friend Prudence invited my Dad to feature on her podcast ‘A Dogs Life’ with Anna Webb. It's out on 24th January, have a listen and let me know what you think. I’ve featured in a couple of exciting magazines as well as helping plan PAAWstival 2021, but more about that another day” “Thanks to all my lovely followers, I look forward to the days when we can all get together again.”
Love, Burly Bear Pom
MUSIC FOR PETS
Check out the Spotify playlist by Pryve, a selection of music for dogs, especially aimed at relieving stress in dogs that struggle with anxiety. We’ve been giving it a play and can confirm that it has the desired effect. Vinnie, Bibi and Barry are already hooked, Digby’s not so sure. There’s a playlist for cats too!
As well as our love for our pets and passion for animal welfare the PAAW House team are also united by their love of music, the arts and having fun! With PAAWstival in mind we have decided to create our own unique playlists, inspired, and voted for by you.
Head over to PAAWs United , let us know your favourite tune, why you love it and we will add it to our playlist. Vinnies favourite is definitely ‘Born to be Wild’
SWEET WILLIAM for MISCHIEVOUS MUTTS
We love London based Sweet William. Celebrating people’s love of dogs, with a range of products depicting celebration and family, with a sense of British humour. Designed in Greenwich, London and inspired by family Dog William who has sadly passed over the rainbow bridge, William leaves behind a wonderful legacy. The Mischievous Mutts collection has become the brand’s signature range, first beginning with William’s Black Labrador mug and now featuring a growing variety of popular breeds and products. Vinnie pictured with his ‘Obedience Classes Are For Wimps’ water bowl.
We are also big fans of the dog walkers’ range of gifts. This natural range includes, bath foams, creams and scented triple milled soaps, all aimed at the discerning dog walker in the family.
Gabby, Vinnie & The PAAW Crew
If you have something you would like to share with our members relating to pets, pet/animal welfare, pet friendly or your favourite pet brands get in touch at newshound@paaw.house
For updates and information on getting involved in PAAWstival you can contact paawstival@paaw.house. We welcome like-minded brands and businesses, who may like to feature on our online PAAWstival marketplace, take a stand at our live event or join our pack of sponsors.