PET Blood Bank UK has issued an urgent appeal for dogs across the country to donate blood as supplies drop to critically low levels. The charity needs to collect 800 units before Christmas to ensure no dog is left without lifesaving blood this winter. With the colder and busier period of the year settling in, Pet Blood Bank has seen a sharp drop in appointments and an 18% fall in new donor registrations.

A PET food company backed by investors on Dragon’s Den has appointed a new canine behaviourist to help support dog owners and their anxious pets. Nico Joiner has joined the team at Omni Pet, which produces allergy-friendly, healthy food. He now leads the firm’s free behaviour consultation service, which offers tailored, one-to-one guidance to help overcome challenges such as separation anxiety, noise reactivity, travel stress, and fear of fireworks.

Hannah Godfrey, BVetMed, MRCVS, looks at the need to stay safe when walking dogs during winter.

PARK LiFE, the family-run creators of naturally guilt-free dog treats, has launched a new line called Dog-Friendly Noses. The grain-free, chocolate-inspired treats which are shaped like dog noses, come with a ‘Happy Belly Promise’ and are made with 100% natural, human-grade ingredients. PARKLiFE, which has released the treats in time for Christmas, wanted to create a safe alternative to real chocolate, which is toxic to dogs.

A NEW digital welfare tool which aims to transform breeding transparency and support healthier dogs across the UK has been launched by PetProov.com The Innate Health Assessment (IHA), is a free, 10-point welfare framework developed by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare (APGAW) in collaboration with Dr Dan O’Neill of the Royal Veterinary College (RVC).

THREE in four couples do not have a pre-nuptial agreement in place to determine who keeps a pet if their relationship ends, research from digital bank Monzo has revealed. The study says this can lead to people being left to meet the financial cost of caring for their pet by themselves, which can cost up to £1,455 a year.

PET owners are being urged to think of their companion’s health before dishing out festive treats or scraps of food from the Christmas dinner table. Shelves across supermarkets and pet stores are already stacked with advent calendars, rawhide candy canes and ‘turkey dinner’ biscuits for cats and dogs. Whilst these may look fun and festive, Paws and Co Veterinary Centre, in Yorkshire, is warning that many of these Christmas products could be doing pets more harm than good.

A CHARITY which trains dogs to save lives perform by detecting human disease is celebrating the arrival of a very special new litter. Medical Detection Dogs has welcomed four golden retriever labrador cross puppies and is now urgently seeking volunteers to help socialise the future lifesavers. With the right care and training, the dogs could one day help detect serious illnesses such as bowel cancer and Parkinson’s faster and less invasively than other methods.

TWO dog rescue centres in Yorkshire have received a donation of food from Burgess Pet Care. Pabs and Pals Rescue as well as Helping Yorkshire Poundies were winners of the firm’s first-ever Yorkshire Takeover campaign. The centres will share a donation of £3,500 worth of Burgess Supadog food to help support their work.

A NATIONWIDE survey of UK dog owners has revealed that while old-school names like Rover and Rex have almost vanished, younger owners are convinced they are due for a revival. The online poll from online pet-supply retailer ePaws.co.uk found that while traditional names are not currently used or even considered by 85% of dog owners, 70% of respondents – and 80% of Gen Z - believe those names will make a comeback.

SHEDDING season is well and truly upon us, with Google searches for ‘pet shedding’ soaring 67% as pet owners seek help for their home.  A new study from Shark Clean has analysed how pet owners are coping with shedding season, finding that 2.1 million adults in the UK are leaving pet hair on their sofa and abandoning their cleaning efforts as they struggle to keep on top of the mess.

A MAD Hatter’s Dog Day is being held to raise funds for a charity which rescues and rehomes dogs, delivers kindness education to children and runs therapy dog programmes in schools. Underdog International is a UK charity with a mission of ‘children helping dogs, and dogs helping children.’ By 2030, it aims to positively impact two million children and dogs worldwide. The Mad Hatter’s Dog Day is being held at the three-acre Elmtree Canine Restreat, Waltham Abbey, Essex, on Sat

PET owners are being invited to honour their lost companions and unite for National Pet Memorial Day. The event, organised by The Association of Pet Bereavement Counsellors, takes place on Sunday, September 14, and gives people the chance to pause and pay tribute in a way that brings them comfort.

CLARKS Village’s popular Pawsome Pooch event is set return later this month. Free activities on offer at the Somerset shopping outlet will include pet photo shoots, pooch pampering, dazzling dog trick displays, have-a-go agility sessions and live portrait illustrations.  Held on Saturday, September 13 and Sunday, September 14, Pawsome Pooch’s judges will also be looking out for the next CEO - canine executive officer - of Clarks Village.

A PET owner has launched a range of air fresheners to help people rid their homes of animal odours. Jordan Ashford, from Hereford, decided to take matters into her own hands after becoming frustrated with the quality of similar products on the market. She discovered store-bought wax melts and air fresheners only masked odours rather than eliminating them and has now created Ease-E Melts to offer a pet-safe solution.

A FAMILY dog has received a life-saving operation after local vets identified a life-threatening disease as a result of a free dental check. Eddie, the nine-year-old Border Terrier, was brought in to All Creatures Vets in Warrington for a free ‘summer smiles’ dental check, as his owner Dee had noticed a lump on his gum. All Creatures vet Simon Gillingham confirmed Eddie had dental disease and planned surgery under anaesthetic to remove the lump. He also recommended taking blo

A DOG whose leg became lame while playing in the park has been cured thanks to innovative surgery. Lola, a lively three-year-old neutered female Hungarian Vizsla, was referred to East of England Veterinary Specialists, Cambridgeshire, after suddenly becoming lame on her right hind limb. Specialist Orthopaedic surgeon Mark Bush took charge of the case and immediately identified a swollen and painful tarsus.

A CELEBRITY vet who features on This Morning and hosts a popular YouTube show will be helping to focus attention on Birmingham Dogs Home. Dr Scott Miller, a regular face on the popular breakfast show who also has more than 114,000 subscribers to his Rescue Vet channel, has been named at the home’s celebrity ambassador for the year.

THE summer holidays are in full swing and National Dog Day is fast approaching – a perfect time to pamper those pooches and give them a taste of the high life with Marriott.

A new platform called BuyAPet aims to connect responsible breeders, rescues and rehomers with prospective pet owners...