A ROMANIAN animal shelter is calling on UK dog lovers to help support its work tackling the country’s stray dog crisis. Speranta Shelter, based in Bucharest, is expanding its mission of rescuing, re-homing and rehabilitating strays with a sterilisation campaign and education programmes for children and adults. And it is also appealing for dog lovers in the UK to support its remote-adoption scheme, which helps fund care for dogs in Romania.

Dr Franscisco Gomez explains why he wrote The Pet Eye Guide.

THE scale of pet homelessness has risen to worrying new heights in the last five years. The data highlights a growing number of pets being surrendered, as the cost-of-living crisis pushes more UK families to make painful choices. Now, to help tackle the growing issue, Blue Cross has launched its Christmas appeal.

A STUDY has revealed for the first time the extent of the devastating impact of plastic pollution on livestock, humans and the wider environment on the Kenyan island of Lamu. The study was carried out by members of the Revolution Plastics Institute at The University of Portsmouth in collaboration with The Donkey Sanctuary, The Flop Flopi Project and the Kenyan Marine and Fisheries Research Institute.

THE owner of Sausage Dog Box has launched a new company called BreedFit by Surgery Suit, which creates post op recovery wear and compatible absorbent pads for pets in tailored breed-specific sizing. The innovative GOTS-certified organic cotton and OEKO-TEX Bamboo recovery garments are non-toxic and hypoallergenic to cater for pets with sensitive skin.

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.

BURGESS Excel has launched two new premium feeding hays: Excel Long Stem Feeding Hay with Marigold 1kg and Excel Hedgerow Herbs Feeding Hay 2.7kg. The new products reinforce the brand’s commitment to providing high quality, vet-recommended nutrition that keeps small pets healthy, while offering owners more choice and better value for money. Sourced from trusted Yorkshire farms, every batch is hand-selected for quality and consistency.

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.

VETERAN presenter Angela Rippon has made a heartfelt appeal supporting ponies in need and remembering the emotional bond she shared with her own beloved horse, Katie. The Strictly Come Dancing star takes centre stage in The Mare and Foal Sanctuary’s new television advert, being broadcast nationally throughout October. It was filmed at the charity’s Yelverton Moorland Rescue Facility, on Dartmoor, and features ponies rescued in recent high-profile welfare cases.

WORLD renowned artist Dame Tracey Emin has lent her distinctive hand to a new Christmas card design in support of pet charity Blue Cross – using her cats Teacup and Pancake as inspiration. The limited-edition packs of ten cards, feature the feline pair - one cat seated, the other reclining - accompanied by the words ‘Teacup, Pancake I Love you more Than Anything’, along with Emin’s signature and the year 2025.