Anything For Animals

posted by admin on Mar 9

We all love puppies - but here are a few tips for your search!

Buying your first puppy can seem so easy; you choose a breed you like then see the cutest little puppy ever - and buy it!

But there are a few things to bear in mind before you take that little ball of fluff home with you.

Rule Number 1:
The most important thing to remember when buying a puppy is that all puppies are cute!

All of them will tug at your heart-strings and you will come up with some little thing about them that means ‘they are the one’.  However, you need to be sensible about these things as not all cute puppies will be perfect for you as they grow up.

When you start looking for puppies for sale, you will find 3 types of puppy:

1) Puppies from a breeder who has many different breeds of puppy
2) Puppies from a breeder who only breeds that 1 type of puppy
3) Puppies from a family pet who has only had this 1 litter

Buying your puppy from the 2) and 3) examples is fine and usually (with 2) the breeder has had years and years of experience handling, breeding, showing and training your chosen breed or (3) the family pet was used just once for breeding so that the family can keep one of the pups for themselves because they love their existing dog so much!

The breeder in example 1) has no doubt been breeding dogs for the money.  They no doubt can tell you a lovely story about this and that - but someone who breeds numerous breeds of dog will predictably breed the most popular puppies - because that’s where the money is.

I mean isn’t that the breed that you are looking to buy?

Great breeders will use the best stud dogs and the kindest bitches to make sure that they are improving the breed and ‘weeding out’ bad genetic traits like hip dysplasia or skin problems - other breeders will just breed which ever 2 dogs they have at the time - regardless of health or behavioural issues.

You can still get your dream puppy from a good breeder - but they might ask you a few questions about you first - well, wouldn’t you want to know the type of person you are selling your puppies to?

So if you are searching for dogs for sale in your local area - then at least do it properly.  There are hundreds of breeders out there to chose from and take your time looking for the healthiest, disease-free individuals.

You wouldn’t buy a car that might have been badly made, or rush into choosing that new kitchen without learning a bit about the manufacturers and fitters would you?

And your dog should be with you for 8-18 years - longer than that car or kitchen - so get it right first time! 

Remember: All puppies are cute - but are they all healthy…….

posted by admin on Mar 1

If you want to give your rabbit or guinea pig (or other small animal) a natural treat - head outside!

There are plenty of foods that may well be growing in nearby woodland or large wooded parks that will make a tasty treat to your little fluffy pets! Alongside their normal complete foods - there is no harm in offering a small amount of certain plants that may well already be growing close to your home or out on a walk - and if anything, they will actually do some good!

Don’t worry if you don’t have access to nearby woodland or glades etc, as you could easily grow many from seed yourself either in your garden or in pots. Also have a read through the other relevant Quick Guides to find wild plants and fallen nuts to find other safe natural foods for your rodents and rabbits!

However, also check the Dangerous Plants Quick Guide for things to avoid - and if in doubt about whether you should feed a certain plant, seed, berry or nut you have found - say NO and pick something else instead. There will be plenty of nice things to pick out there so don’t risk it!

Tasty Woodland Plants & Nuts:
Most bunnies and piggies get the freedom of munching on just grasses and lawns through the summer, so won’t get to taste a lot of these treats along the way.  However, there are many plants and trees that often don’t grow in gardens (or aren’t allowed to grow) so they are more likely to be found out on a coutryside walk or close to farmed land.

It is definately worth seeking these out for a bit of a change - and to leave plants and trees in your garden to attract and feed other mammals, insects and birds!

Fruit Trees - These common trees are totally safe for rodents and rabbits to nibble on and can be great for keeping those teeth in trim!  As long as they aren’t ornamental fruit trees or have been treated with unknown chemicals - you can throw a few twigs in with your pet and wash them gnaw away on the bark to get to the tasty insides!

Willow - This may also be found in gardens and often along river banks and is another safe treat for your pets.  They don’t need much of the branch to enjoy the taste - and of course you don’t want to damage the tree! 

Hawthorn Berries - Bright red berries start to form on these spiny bushes around late summer taking the place of the pretty may flowers!  Mind yourself when picking there as the plant tried to protect it’s berries with sharp spikes that can catch finger if you aren’t careful!  Don’t pick too many at a time as your pet may eat more than it should - and they are an important berry for many migrating or winter birds.

Acorns - Squirrels love them so why not offer your rodents a few?  They are tasty and nutritious nuts and fall from the tree when ripe to save you from picking them yourself.  Similarly in spring, you can also pick off a few new oak leaves for your rabbit - but only the really new leaves and only a few!

Hazel - We all know that hazel nuts are tasty - so why not give your gerbil or rat a few from the woods?  They can use their sharp teeth to gnaw their way in - and get a high protein tasty snack as a reward!  They can also chew on the branches of this tree as well - and as the hazel is usually coppiced, you may be able to find some small twigs left over after the landowners have harvested for themselves!

Beech Nuts - As with the Hazel, both the nuts and the tree itself can be eaten safely by your pets - however both the brances and the nuts are harder to come by!  Most beeches are mature and you can’t easily snap off a twig - and the nuts only fall at random times - and most years there won’t be a single nut on the tree! 

But remember - don’t give too much fresh food at a time. Too much will not only upset their tummy, but it will also stop them eating their complete foods with all the vitamins and minerals in!

They only have a small tummy too, so what ever they don’t eat that same day will die overnight and will be wasted - and that could have been eaten or used by wild animals instead - or picked by you at a later date.

posted by admin on Jan 16

Have you seen something unusual - or the wrong colour - and want to share it with others?

As long as you have a picture of it, then there is a new way to find out what on earth you have just seen or share something different with like-minded people.

It could be that you have just photographed a white squirrel and thought you’d share it - or you may think you are the first to see a species that isn’t usually found in your  area and you have been one of the first to identify it.

The Open University in the UK has basically set up a database of images for exactly these types of things.  Everything in the natural world can be shared here - as well as a whole bank of people who can tell you what it is and why.

Rather than just asking a few work colleagues, having a quick look through your old field guides or just keeping the photo to yourself to admire - you can now share it and let others enjoy your experiences too.

iSpot:
Not another iPhone application as its name might suggest - but a growing online nature database that can sort out your greater and lesser spotted woodpeckers, your wood and yellow necked mice or even your crimson from your scarlet waxcaps! 

You can sign up for free, then easily upload your photographs - as many as you like - to the community.  Whether you know what they are, or have no idea what they are - as long as you upload them - others can help. 

Once signed up, you can start to help with the identification of other people’s pictures. It may be that you have experience in amphibians - but have just taken a picture of an unusual plant that it was feeding on.  You can find out what the plant is in exchange for identifying some garden newts or a river tadpole!

The basic areas are divided clearly into categories including: plants, birds, insects, fish, etc so you can browse images that are already on the system.  You can then just look at some unusual images, admire colour variants of common species or just use the labels to find out where these animals were seen so you can go out and look at them yourself.

Other Information:
It’s not just identification that you can find on the site - there are also a whole load of related links for your further reading, nature surveys, plenty of tips on what to look for when identifying different species as well as links to other useful id and specialist websites.

If you are taking a wildlife course - then this website goes to show that nature is everywhere - and by working alongside the experts on iSpot, you can find out what is living in your local countryside and why - and anything you can do to keep it there or improve the number and diversity of plants and animals there will be a bonus!

So, if you have been meaning to get qualified in something ‘outdoors’ or to help brush up on your basic skills before embarking on a longer or higher level course - then maybe this website could help you keep on top of everything you find on your walks.

It’s lovely to just walk through the countryside and admire the views - but it is even better to know what animals live in it and why.

Also You Might Like To:
Obviously, volunteering with wildlife or landscape-related charities and societies in your local area will help you to experience nature first hand, give you access to great habitats that might be off-limits to the public, and to learn from local experts. 

It could even lead to a larger project or a permanent job somewhere down the line.

And get a camera with a good zoom and an even better macro - and practice observing things. Trying out the myriad of settings at home is one thing - but knowing what to look out for in the field is another. 

Say you take a wonderful photo of a brightly coloured mushroom - only to find out when you get home that there were 30 mushrooms that colour - and the only way to tell them apart was to have photographed the gills and measured the height on it. But until you make those mistakes and get annoyed with yourself - you won’t get any better at identifications.

It is fine to rely on ‘experts’ for identifying those rare species or all those ‘very similar’ lichens - but you should really start to build up your basic id skills in the field if you are planning any sort of career based in the field.

So pack your camera, field guide and sun cream - and get out there!

posted by admin on Jan 5

Could you be risking an animals life with your careless parking?

When you pull up to your local vets for an appointment - do you think of just your pet - or the effects of your parking on others?  I’m sure not many people think about the health of the other animals at the vets - but maybe it could help you out one day if everyone made this a priority.

For example - what if your pet was really ill and unable to walk far - but all the spaces close to the vets front door were filled by other patients?  What can you do to get your pet inside for urgent treatment?

And how annoyed would you be if you found out that the owners of those cars were just here for routine vaccinations, could have parked further away from the entrance and walked in, or caught the bus even! 

And how much more annoyed would you be if the owners of those cars had already had their vaccines and were leaving their car there while they went for walk to the local park!

Plan Ahead:
Of course, there are many people who do only think of themselves - but if patients all start to adopt a sort of ‘unwritten rule’ about parking, then patients would get a much better deal when they arrived.

I always wanted to park out of the sun as my dog had a bad heart and she would overheat easily - but other people would park there as they didn’t want to get a hot steering wheel and dashboard instead!  Leaving my dog to suffer on the way home…..

Elderly animals and pets should be able to park closer to the entrance than others just out of basic courtesy - and able-bodied owners and pets should feel happy to park further away and walk in - just because they can!

I would have walk her in if I could!  Instead I had to always book the first appointment of the morning so that the sun wasn’t at it’s hottest if I had to park out of the shade.

Other Considerations:
Added to the normal parking available - make sure that you don’t park in a restrictive location either!

For example, no matter how late you are for an appointment - you should never block an entrance or park on clearly marked ‘No Parking’ areas - even if they are big enough for a car!

Sometimes these spaces are essential for staff, pet ambulances or turning vehicles - and you could be stopping all those activities, sometimes to the detriment of someones pet.

You may think that it is quite simple for someone to come and get you from the waiting room if necessary and you can move your car then - but imagine if your pet had been involved in an accident, was bleeding and was going into shock - but you couldn’t get into the carpark as someone had parked there ‘just for a few minutes’.

Those vital minutes could help save your pet - but you have to leave your pet unattended in the car to run to the reception to find out who owns the car, there will be some more wasted  time discussing why they have to move it, then another few minutes for them to get someone else to hold their pet while they run to the car, then they have to find another place to move their car to before you can get yours up to the entrance - all the while your pet is bleeding out.

Would you think that leaving your car there for a few minutes was such a harmless action now?

posted by admin on Dec 31

Have you ever needed a vets appointment at a certain time - and there isn’t one!

It’s probably because there are some people in the world who think that if they don’t turn up to an appointment - it doesn’t matter; they won’t get charged for it.

Well, of course it matters!

Even though your kind vets have not set a charge for missed appointments - it doesn’t mean that they are free by any means.

Your Vet:
Not surprisingly - your vet still gets paid whether you attend your appointment or not - as do the receptionists and the many other nurses and staff at the practice.

You just don’t directly get to pay for that time you just wasted.  It comes off in little pieces all around the surgery - including the service you can be offered, the equipment you can use and of course the cost of medication and treatments in general.

The money you would pay for your appointment is only a small part of the surgery as a whole and if you don’t turn up without having called in advance - you set off a chain of events.

However, don’t just think that your actions have caused this alone - but you can guarantee that around 30 people a month don’t cancel their booked appointments - and this all adds up.

Start The Ball Rolling:
I am going to use arbitrary figures here that add up simply and they do not in anyway represent true costs and figures.

So your appointment may have cost £20, and with your vaccination or treatment for £20 on top of that.  However, if you don’t turn up - they can’t fill that appointment at the last minute - so they lose that £40.  And let’s say that those 30 people all do the same as you leaving the vets £1200 a month - that’s £14,400 a year - basically a whole member of staff.

So now imagine your vets needs to either get rid of a receptionist or trainee nurse to cover that loss.  This means that they may well take longer to answer your original phone call as there are less people on the desk, or they may have to reduce the number of operations they can do a week as they have less nurses to care for the animals afterwards.

Alternatively, they could try to get that money back by charging more for their appointments and treatments so that they can keep a full team. 

Neither of which would make them the vet of choice - yet you may have left them no choice.

The Results:
It might cost you 10 pence and 2 minutes of your time to ring ahead and warn them that you can’t attend - and so they could fill that ‘empty’ appointment and keep their money coming in, but without that call - you could be costing them a lot more.

I know it all sounds a bit of a huge fuss to just you as an individual - but it is never just you - it is always multiplied up to a grander scale.

And, think of those sick pets and owners who have difficulty getting their animals to the vets - the appointment you are not going to turn up to could have been perfect for them - but now they are going to have to wait until next week to see a vet when they needn’t have to.

Even calling to tell your vets on the morning of your appointment that you can’t make it could create an opportunity for another person to fill that gap and keep everything running smoothly.

If too many people just don’t bother - then maybe your vets won’t be so cheap, friendly, or as customer-focused when you next call for an appointment!

posted by admin on Nov 30

I work at a local dog shelter - and really wish more people would rehome the lovely Staffies we have here.

They are dogs with huge hearts, full of life and easy to train - but they have a stigma it would seem.  And that is where you come in.

By not being a ‘typical’ Staffordshire bull terrier owner - the fact that you have one (or 2) would go to making them not a cliche.  I mean if there are Staffies out there with pink collars and cow-print coats on, then they won’t look quite so ‘hard’ for their more typical owners and be trussed up in the largest black leather harness and 2-stone chain lead.

Staffies: The Breed:
Staffordshire bull terriers were originally bred as a dog to catch vermin - and some of the best ‘ratters’ of medieval Briton were bull terriers, however the breed was also used for fighting, bear-baiting and other such activities.

As a result of this type of breeding, the have a very muscular appearance and a great big head and mouth!  Needless to say that this translates into ‘looking mean’.

However, you should also be aware that Westies were bred to kill foxes (!) but we seem to think they are cute now!

Staffies are however, very reliable dogs and respond very well to training and absolutely love agility!  You won’t have a quite moment with one of these terriers in your home - but that’s what makes them fun.

There are 2 body types for the Staffies: the short-legged and the long-legged; as well as a whole range of colours from all white through tans, brindle, browns with white faces, chests and feet to all black.  So, something for everyone.

Staffies: The Problem:
Well, the problem is that due to the ’status symbol’ of the perfect Staffie - irresponsible people are breeding and breeding and breeding them until they get the right ‘look’ that they are after - and they are dumping all those along the way that don’t quite meet that look.

Regardless of age or sex - they are all ending up at rescue centres or are dumped - and needless to say; these people don’t have their pets micro-chipped either, so the problem becomes someone else’s.

Unfortunately, many rescue centres have the hope of rehoming as many homeless dogs as possible - so they cannot take more than 1 or 2 Staffies at a time - otherwise there would be no room for all the other breeds that have been abandoned!

As a result, many of the people who genuinely call rescue centres with a Staffie that they can no longer have (for financial or marital reasons) cannot find a reputable centre to care for it!  They have to resort to giving it to anyone who will take it after calling all the best centres and getting turned down - while those who don’t care for their pets just dump them regardless!

Staffies: The Solution:

Firstly - try not to see Staffies as a fighting dog - see them as a dag which has been used needlessly for a fashion statement.

By assuming that all Staffies are ‘bad’ you are making sure that these dogs remain homeless and also that the breed in general is persecuted wherever it goes.

Obviously - it goes without saying that you shouldn’t ever buy a Staffie puppy (or Staffie cross puppy either) as this will help not only to stem the breeding pattern - well if their owners don’t get money for their pups and have to feed them themselves they might have less litters - and then you still have a home ready for one of the abandoned dogs instead!

Love Staffies - Rehome Staffies!

posted by admin on Nov 20

Here’s your chance to get your rabbit the publicity it deserves!

Rabbits are currently the 3rd most popular pet in the UK - and it’s not suprising really since they are sociable, intelligent, can live indoors and most importantly: are cute and fluffy!

Ever since pet stores began encouraging people to welcome the humble bunny into the home - it has come on in leaps and bounds!

It is now well known that rabbits can be litter trained, learn tricks and make great homely companions - so more people are seeing the benefits of the indoor life.

Inside Information:
Well, we all know that they can wreak havoc in the home with their insatiable gnawing and those teeth can be a whole different problem of their own - clocking up some costs at the vets too!

So, before setting out on the rabbit path to pet heaven, it is worth considering a few basics about their health and general care - and that is just what the RSPCA as well as many other small animal charities are hoping to do.

Thousands of rabbits end up in rescue centres across the country every year due to people not realising the very basics in rabbit care - the worst offender being that they really do breed like rabbits!

It seems so obvious that a male rabbit left alone with a female rabbit will produce babies - but endless strings of pet owners seem to think that it won’t happen to them!  A classic excuse is that the rabbits were brother and sister!  As if rabbits have human morals and decline from mating with their close relatives or rabbits they ‘don’t like the look of’!

Another reason for rehoming is that certain breeds of rabbits can grow to quite a size and can live for up to 8 years on average.

Other problems that seem to ’suprise’ new rabbit owners are that they: dig up the lawn (even though they are natural diggers), they smell (only if you don’t clean them out), they chew things (they have to chew to keep their teeth under control) and they fight (not if matched correctly or in a large enough environment - I mean what do you think would happen if you left 2 teenagers trapped in a room for week without toys, games or books, one cup and non flushing toilet?).

Still Interested?
If you love animals and will try to do the best for your pets no matter what the demands - then share your stories and help make a difference to those pets that aren’t so lucky.

Visit the ‘We’re All Ears’ campaign webpages and check out tips and hints on rabbit care and be in with a chance of winning loads of rabbit related goodies!

And make sure you come with a story about your rabbits to enter on the site - to share with others and hopefully inspire a new generation of rabbit owners to come forward and rehome some of the less fortunate bunnies in rescue centres across the country!

posted by admin on Nov 11

Investing in animals couldn’t be easier - if you just plan ahead!

When you put your money in the bank - what is it doing for you, and what is it doing to the planet?

Just because it’s a ‘good’ pension, it doesn’t mean that it is doing good things.  I mean a good APR doesn’t necessarily play out all well for the environment - or the animals living in it.

And if you look at the word ‘investment’ it can mean so much more than financial gain.

I mean what good is a £500 return when another 10 species have been made extinct?  Or another 10% of the world’s coral being destroyed?

By putting your money into the bank without asking questions about what it’s going to be spent on is thoughtless.  You haven’t given a thought for what you are helping to promote.

Where You Money Goes:
By leaving it to someone else to invest your money - you are saying that you don’t care about what it is spent on.

This means that you don’t care if it helps fund a new palm oil plantation in Borneo, or an oil prospecting venture into the heart of the Amazon or the Congo.  You don’t mind if it funds nuclear research or GM studies.

And ironically you can find yourself hindering the very charities that you think you are helping.

What if you were raising money for charity to help protect marine wildlife in the Mediterranean - yet your savings were funding a shipping company that ploughed right through it every day?

Or you were helping to rehabilitate young orangutans who were victims of the palm oil industry - yet your pension was funding the very companies who were burning down their rainforest homes?

Ethical Investments:
As you can see, it really makes sense for you to send your funds to work in the areas that will affect your interests the most.

If you love animals - then show it by choosing wildlife-friendly investments; if you want to protect habitats - then make sure you avoid polluting, destructive investments.

There are plenty of ethical investment companies out there for you to choose from, like sustainable timber farms, etc - so make sure you choose them where possible.

I mean there is no point buying MSC certified fish and using renewable energy with one hand - if you are destroying the environment with the other!

Think about it!

posted by admin on Aug 20

Back again with some more easy to achieve tips for getting ready for your horse shows.  And this collection are all about your horses appearance - and planning ahead for the show.

You may well already use some of these - or you could add yours to the comments below to help others.  Either way, here they are:

1) Create your own great quarter-marks with a snapped up set of teethed combs. Practice with both fine and wide toothed combs to find the best effect and then design your patterns in advance!

2) To hold your quarter-marks in place for longer - use a little hairspray - as long as it doesn’t spook your horse!

3) To make a white tail look really white - try washing it in a tiny amount of biological soap powder - but be careful not to get it on your horses skin!

4) When trying out new styles of plaiting, quarter-marks or your own clothes, make sure you take pictures from both close up and farther away (like the judges will see). This way you can find out in advance which looks better for the show.

5) Plan to space you plaits evenly by using a plastic comb or other small item as a measuring stick. Planning it’s length in advance will let you know how many plaits you will need for the complete look.

6) When plaiting up before the show - make sure you have threaded up all the needles you think you will use and stick them in the front of your jumper - rather than using the 1 needle and wasting a lot of time inbetween each plait!

7) Also, the types of plait you use can help improve the appearance of your horse. For example lots of smaller plaits can make a short neck look better proportioned, and larger raised plaits can make a thin or long neck a bit more chunky looking!

8.) To keep plaits in place during a show - why not use a setting lotion instead of water while plaiting.  This should stop wispy bits from coming loose during the day.

9) If cutting your horses tail for the show, get someone to put their arm under his tail to raise it slightly to the height he carries it when moving - otherwise you may cut it too short!

10) And if not cutting the tail then plait your horses tail tip when still wet and leave to dry. When ready, brush out the plait with your fingers with the result that the tail tip will look wavy and fuller in time for the ring!

Fantastic Stuff! Your horse should look beautiful by now!

posted by admin on Aug 15

RSPB - The Royal Society For The Protection Of Birds

Although the full name seems very old-fashioned and a little specific in nature - the new RSPB is about so much more these days!

Yes, it is still the UK’s biggest bird charity - but they have expanded their horizons.  They have found that just protecting the birds themselves doesn’t solve the problems facing them and neither does keeping them isolated.

Birds have to feed, breed and rear young - they aren’t just isolated beings - therefore their whole habitat and feeding areas need to be preserved.  As do all the other animals that make up that environment - including humans.

The Wider Landscape:
For example an estuarine landscape needs to be fed by a clean meandering river, enriched by an unpolluted sea, grazed by certain livestock and managed by sympathetic landowners.  There needs to be a whole host of insects and larva in the mud-flats to feed other insects and waders in the shallow waters, which in turn feed other birds and animals in the wider landscape.

And although certain habitats are threatened by encroachment of human habitation and quad bike users for example - keeping humans out of the picture doesn’t create ongoing support for their work.

By keeping these areas a ‘people-free’ zone, they are keeping away the very people who will be able to look after them in the future - the kids.  So the RSPB are encouraging schools and youth groups to become more involved in the work that they do and in getting hands-on with the wildlife on their reserves.

Even Further Afield:
And, the RSPB know that looking even further from their habitat is essential for supporting our visiting birdlife as many species migrate here from across the globe.

There is no point making everything perfect for species A here in Norfolk and species B in Lindesfarne if they live somewhere else for 9 months of the year!  What if species A has to contend with Maltese hunters to get to Africa and species B has to fly to the dirty tar sands of Canada to breed?

How do we know they will come back next year if we don’t start to protect them around the world?  What if there is nowhere for their young to fly to in the spring?

And it’s not just UK birds that they help around the globe: they have brought tropical rainforests in Indonesia and changed fishing practices around the Antarctic!

What Can You Do?
Well, you don’t even need to spend a penny to help the RSPB with their aims!  There is plenty for you to do that is totally free or of very little cost to you.

For example, you can sign up to their newsletter online so that they can keep you informed of any activities they are organising - like their current campaign of a ‘Letter to the Future’ aiming to save our landscape for future generations to enjoy.  All you need to do is sign it and send it off!

Visiting their reserves is also a great way to show support as their visitor numbers can reflect growing interest in the ‘great outdoors’ and can help them to decide which species interest the most people and start a campaign to help it.

Also, encouraging your children and their schools to become more involved with nature will start them off in the right direction for the future.  I mean there is no point in saving habitats today if nobody wants to care for them in the future!

If you want to become a member you can do so for just £3 a month, or only pay a few pounds for entry at the few sites you visit each year.  Most of their sites are free anyway, so at least donate a few pounds each time anyway. 

I mean - if people don’t support the places they love; then they can’t expect them to be there in the future can they?