8 minute read
Pets Corner
from SE23 December 2022
by SE Magazines
All Your Pet Wants For Christmas...
Pets Corner with Leonie St Clair | www.londondogstraining.co.uk
As Christmas looms and money is tight, just remember our pets really do not care about expensive toys or designer gear. Save your money and check the list below. Developed out of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, the 5 freedoms are the essential quality of life guide every pet owner should know and follow. 1) Freedom from hunger and thirst 2) Freedom from discomfort 3) Freedom from pain, injury or disease 4) Freedom to express normal behaviour 5) Freedom from fear and distress At first glance the points may appear simple, even self-evident. However, freedom from hunger and thirst may not be the given it seems. Any animal given a plentiful but poor quality/unsuitable diet may still experience frustration and hunger. I have met pet owners who because they were vegetarian, insisted on feeding their cat a plantbased diet. Cats are obligate carnivores; they are designed to eat meat. Think about the pet rodent or bird that lives with a cat or a dog, where it is eyeballed daily and hungrily by the other animal. The caged pet is probably safe, but because it cannot hide it does not feel safe. How free from discomfort or anxiety is the family dog that gets pulled around by the children it lives with? Freedom from discomfort may be a simple matter of access to a safe, comfortable space, but to know what that really means you must be able to read subtle signs of discomfort in your pet and have an understanding of their idea of a safe space. Rabbits need the equivalent of a burrow, many dogs like a den, cats generally like high spaces. Too often, we humans miss ways in which a pet attempts to signal discomfort. How many of us chastise our dog for growling instead of trying to understand and remedy why the animal is upset? Many animals are stoical in the face of pain, illness or injury. The instinct to survive prompts them to mask discomfort- the weak get killed and eaten, after all. Knowing and recognising subtle deviations from your pet’s normal behaviour, ensuring you can handle and inspect them for signs of illness or disease, is so important. All pet owners should research and understand the species-specific needs of the animals they keep and respect that needs differ. For instance, it is not really fair to keep single rabbits- they always live in groups. It is hard to understand why someone might want to keep a type of dog developed over hundreds of years to guard, or to hunt and kill, in a city environment, and expect it to behave like the average dog in the park. Don’t buy an Akita and expect it to behave like a Golden Retriever. We humans always like to frame pet behaviour in a way that works best for us. One regular assumption is that all cats can be left alone for days, so long as food is available. Not so. Some suffer terrible separation anxiety- they just don’t exhibit their distress in a way that is always easy to read. Many dogs are so sensitive to our every micro-expression that we easily forget how our moods, frustrations and routines impact on them, then wonder why they ‘misbehave’. In a nutshell, you don’t need to spend lots of money on your pet this Christmas- just ensure you are meeting the 5 freedoms well and for your pet every day will feel like Christmas!
Friday 9 December: Dulwich Charity Lunch
12:30pm – 4pm. The wonderful Dulwich Charity Lunch is now in its 21st year. The lunch run by SE Magazines will be hostedat the The Lordship Pub. It is also a great excuse to have lunch and a few drinks before Christmas. So, arrival is 12.30 pm and we plan to start eating at 1.15 pm. Only come if you have the time to enjoy the two courses on offer, we won’t be finished by 2 pm! Tickets are £35 for a twocourse lunch with wine. Remember £5 goes direct to Link Age Southwark. I will send out a menu nearer the time and you will be able to pre-book your choice. All dietary requirements will be catered for. Tickets can be purchased on
www.dulwichlunch.co.uk/bookings/
Saturday 10 December: Meet Julia Donaldson & Lydia Monks
11,30pm-12.30pm & 12.30pm -1.30pm. Julia and Lydia Monks will be at Village Books to sign copies of their new book What The LadyBird Heard At Christmas! The clever little ladybird is back to celebrate the festive season and to once again save the day! With a cast of wonderful friends, old and new, plenty of festive fun, and of course, a cunning plan to foil. Tickets: £12.99 – includes a copy of What The Ladybird Heard at Christmas. Terms & Conditions www.village-books.co.uk/events and tickets can be purchased at www.trybooking.com.
For listings contact: angela@semagazines.co.uk
Saturday 10 December: Vintage Christmas Card Printing
2:00pm -5:00pm. BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! This always sells-out fast and is a great way to kick-off the festive season. Start with a special tour of our vintage print studio by Simon Trewin of The Garage Press and then it is time to get printing - using gorgeous typefaces and festive blocks. Learn how to print lots of handmade pieces on one of historic vintage printing presses. All in all - spend a wonderful afternoon embracing traditional crafts and enjoy a mince pie or two. No experience required. The workshop cost is £50 per participant, all materials included. We have bursary tickets available, please email
info@bellhouse.co.uk
Tickets: www.bellhouse.co.uk/events Bell House Dulwich, 21 College Road, SE21 7BG.
Saturday 10 December: The Illusioneer - Magic Mix
7:30pm - 10pm. Puzzlements, Curiosities, Parlor, Street and Cabaret Magic from The Illusioneer team and guests in a fun and relaxed setting: Bring your own liquid refreshments. We have the drinking vessels. Sorry no food allowed in the venue but there are a variety of eating places close by. Performers are from our resident team and guest artists; they will vary each show. All artists give their performances free, and profits are donated to our children’s charity 'Breathe'. Our special thanks to Fison Fitness Centre of Herne Hill for their support. 7.30pm Doors open to show you Puzzles and Curiosities. The show of two halves starts at 8pm with a short interval. Finish 10 to 10.15pm. Tickets £16-£19. Fison Fitness Centre, 280 Milkwood Road, Herne Hill Railway Arches, Herne Hill,, SE24 0EZ. Tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk
Come along to Dulwich Village to celebrate some Christmas cheer! Meet Miss Christmas between 12pm - 3pm, listen to Popchoir Dulwich perform at 2pm, plus there will be a mystery stock hunt for children all day, and a whole lot more!
Sunday 11 December: The
Massive Violins (cellos actually)
5pm - 7pm. It’s coming on Christmas and the famous Massive Violins are coming to Dulwich, bringing music and joy and a massive dose of fun. They all sing, and they all play the cello and together they produce the most stunning sounds. Come and thrill to their fabulous arrangements of seasonal favourites and some not so well-known numbers such as Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer... Tickets from: www.massiveviolins.com. The MCT at Alleyn’s school, Townley Road, East Dulwich, SE22 8SU
Monday 12 December: Dulwich WI Monthly Meeting.
7.30pm-9.30pm. We meet on the second Monday of each month at Vits+Kicks, 57 North Cross Road, East Dulwich, SE22 9ET. https://dulwichwi.com
Wednesday 14 December: Christmas Wine Tasting: Champagne vs English Fizz
7:30pm – 8:30pm. Join wine writer Margaret Rand and Master of Wine Simon Field for a Christmas-themed wine tasting in celebration of Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book 2023. Put your palate to the test with two leading Champagnes and two leading English sparkling wines. Ticket price includes tasting of 4 wines and a copy of Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book 2023. Book & Ticket £35 (includes a copy of Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book 2023, RRP £14.99) A Village Books and Alleyn’s School Enterprises Event. Location: Junior School Hall at Alleyn’s School, Townley Road, London, UK. Tickets can be purchased at www.mct.alleyns.org.uk
Wednesday 14 December: East Dulwich WI December
7:30pm – 10pm. The December event is a Christmas party with games and a raffle. Guests are very welcome. Location: The Castle, 280 Crystal Palace Road, East Dulwich SE22 9JJ.
www.eastdulwichwi.co.uk
Friday 16 December: One Tree Hill Choir
I Bring You Good Tidings 7:30pm -9:30pm.
Come join in with Christmas singing at our friendly local choir Christmas Concert. We perform short pieces from across the ages and much-loved Christmas carols and songs. We invite the audience to sing along! Bar and Snacks. Pay in advance or on door. Cash/card reader. St Saviours Church, Brockley Rise, Honor Oak SE23 1JN. Tickets: www.onetreehillchoir.co.uk
Saturday 17 – Sunday 25 December: Christmas at St John’s
Saturday 17 - Carols by The Green from 11am with refreshments, crafts, music and singing. A great family free event. Sunday 18 – Christmas carol service in church from 6pm. Saturday 24 – Christingle services at 3pm and 4:30pm. Midnight Mass at 11:30pm. Saturday 25 – 10am Festival Sung Mass Any enquiries, please contact Denise Fulgoni:
office@stjohnseastdulich.org.
Thursday 22 December: Live
Band Karaoke Christmas Special
7:30pm – 11:30pm. Ho Ho ho ... it’s the Live Band Karaoke 2022 Christmas Special! Belt out pure classics, live on stage, backed by a stunning live band. In addition to the regular 350+ song list, you can expect festive bangers aplenty, from the likes of the Pogues, Mariah Carey, Wham... The bar will stock beer, spirits, mulled wine, and a range of food options will be available. AMP Studios, 897a Old Kent Road, SE15 1N. Tickets
