National Pet Month

April is National Pet Month, so lets get together with our furry friends and raise awareness about responsible pet ownership for our much loved pets!

White cat lies on woman’s knees

Being a Nation of pet lovers, we are all aware and passionate about the sheer importance of looking after our pets with care and compassion. Every year, April shines a light on the responsibilities that come hand in hand when owning a pet, shown through a range of educational campaigns and fundraising events. As a Nation, we come together in aid of raising welfare charities helping support pets in need, and with your help, we can make a change to the cruel reality of animals being neglected. National Pet Month is also jam-packed full of exciting competitions and events you and your pets can get involved in!

How should we be looking after our pets?

It could be from starting a new family and looking into your first family pet, looking for a new furry friend for your ageing animals, adopting an animal in need, or simply looking for a companion to help brighten your days; what compares with the pure excitement and affection your pet presents you with after coming home from a long day work?!

When deciding to make the wonderful life-changing choice as to buying or adopting a pet there are a few steps you will need to consider to ensure your pets have a healthy and happy life.

Being consistently financially stable is a necessity when owning a pet; taking into consideration that pets certainly aren’t cheap. You have to ensure that you can provide your pets with high quality, nutritious food, resources such as toys, as well as insurance and vets bills. Each of these things are essential and when deciding to take ownership of an animal you must be confident you can cover the not so cheap costs that come with them!

Adopting a pet can be very rewarding, helping provide an abandoned animal with a safe environment and a loving home. There are a few places where you can go to adopt a pet locally: Gables, Woodside, RSPCA and Margaret Green Animal Rescue – Wingletang Rescue and Rehoming Centre.

Being able to provide animals with time and patience are so important. Especially when it comes to newborn puppies! They’re extremely high maintenance to start with.

Requiring you to take them out every half an hour to toilet train, feeding three times a day, general training, and don’t forget keeping a watchful eye on them ensuring they haven’t chewed up the sofa cushions!

Last but most certainly not least is ensuring you are giving them the love and attention they deserve!
How will owning a pet benefit your life?

Owning a domestic pet has not only shown to make a difference to your physical health, by helping motivate you to get out of the house and get active, but also your mental health; shown by many scientific studies. Cases have shown that pets help improve anxiety, stress and depression. They help ease the feeling of loneliness and provide you with the comfort of companionship.

They also allow children to develop a healthy understanding of responsibility and studies have also suggested they even help children from developing allergies!

The latest statistics show that the Staffordshire Bull Terrier was the most popular dog of the year in2019! Were you surprised? Coming close came the cockapoo (2nd place) and then Labrador retriever (3rd place).

Want to find out where your dog ranked? Head to – www.rover.com/blog/uk/britains-favourite-dogs-2019/

Did you know that there are more than 350 different breeds of dogs worldwide?!
National Pet Month has a range of loyal trustees and coordinating registered charities passionate about making a difference to animals in need. These charities include:

National Office Of Animal Health
The National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) represents the UK animal medicines industry: it aims to promote the benefits of safe, effective, quality medicines for the health and welfare of all animals.

Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association
Aiming to be the credible voice of a responsible pet food industry. While striving to achieve a balanced regulatory environment for the production of nutritious and safe food, encourages responsible pet ownership. It aims to be the main resource for its members, public and others as well as playing a lead role in forming opinions in Europe.

Pet Care Aware!
Pet Care Aware is a home for all pet lovers, pet-friendly businesses and organizations 24/7, 365 days per year, connecting you – and your campaigns – with over 100,000 pet fans on Facebook and Twitter.

As well as the national charities, you can also get involved and help charities a little closer to home!

Gables Farm
Gables Farm was initially discovered by two sisters Mrs. E B Guard and Ms. Agnes Grant in 1907. They would cycle around Plymouth collecting stray cats and later evolved to moved on to helping dogs. As the number of animals collected grew, they decided to take the plunge and begin their animal rescue centre solely running on volunteers. To this day Gables is still run by volunteers helping from the goodness of their hearts, who aim to help these animals foresee a positive future in a new loving home.

Woodside Sanctuary
The Woodside Animal Welfare Trust is an animal rehoming charity. The foundation of Woodside’s broad field of work was begun in 1974 by Carole Bowles. Her significant contribution to animal welfare was finally recognized in 2000 when she was made an MBE by Her Majesty, The Queen.

Blue Cross
Blue Cross was founded in 1985 and has facilities for 26 dogs and 22 cats, plus puppy and kitten facilities. Run by a passionate Rehoming Team dedicated to finding the right pet for you. They can help understand the type of pet you are looking for.

See which pets are available to check out their website on the ‘rehome a pet’ page –
www.bluecross.org.uk/rehome-pet