Pet Product Marketing April/May 2022

For independent pet retailers April/May 2022

www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

State of independence

New Products

How working with independent brands could be brilliant for business

Talking trade…

with Lynne Hopwood from Su-Bridge Pet Supplies

A GOOD SOURCE OF PROTEIN FOR ENERGY, GROWTH AND REPAIR ADDED GLUCOSAMINE & CHONDROITIN TO HELP MAINTAIN JOINTS Larger kibbles perfectly sized for larger mouths For more info, please email GillMckenna@ipn.co.uk or call 07824 846234.

We topped 92% in a Which? consumer poll of best dog foods*

FEELING HEAVY?

BURNS WEIGHT CONTROL Starting to feel heavy?

Try our award winning healthy and hypoallergenic real pet food that helps pets lose weight while keeping them full and satisfied between meals.

Expert nutrition team freephone: 0800 083 6696 (UK) 1800 83 66 96 (ROI) Or Webchat: burnspet.co.uk

trade@burnspet.co.uk • Sales Enquiries: 0800 018 1890 *Which? Magazine, voice of the Consumers Association, brand dog food survey 2020

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Welcome

Welcome!

P

et Product Marketing Magazine prides itself on bringing you the latest product information and pet advice to share with your customers. Our A3 magazine is, of course, the cornerstone of PPM — easy to pick up at a convenient time when you’ve got a quiet 5 minutes in store and to share with colleagues.

But we know the modern world is a digital world and I wanted to let you know about how you can benefit from our e-newsletter which is sent direct to your inbox and will share product news and features.

Sign up to the Pet Product Marketing E-newsletter: visit www. petproductmarketing.co.uk/circulations/subscribe You can also keep up to date through our Facebook page where we will share news and new products as soon as they reach us, so you don’t always

Contents 4 News The latest from the pet industry.

6 New products Could you be stocking these in your shop?

10 Talking trade We catch up with Lynne Hopwood from wholesaler Su-Bridge Pet Supplies.

12 A state of independence How independent brands and independent retailers can work together to achieve brilliant results.

14 Behind the brand We get the inside story on Inaba, who are making waves in the European market.

16 The cat personality test How does your kitty find being petted? Take the quiz to learn more.

18 Ready for anything Make sure you and your dog are ready for an emergency.

20 Debunking health and safety myths Setting the record straight on common misconceptions about health and safety.

22 What’s new in smallies?

Avenues of opportunity in small companion products.

SCRAGGS SC CRAGG R AGGSS

by Richard Riccha hard rd DDuszczak u zczaak us

www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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have to wait for your magazine copy to arrive to find out the latest.

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetProductMarketing If you are from a PR company or a pet brand and want to see your news or new product in Pet Product Marketing, please send press releases and emails to me at Michael.hallam@warnersgroup.co.uk — it’s free to be featured, we’ll be glad to share and want to bring brands and independent retailers together!

Mike

Mike Hallam - Editor, PPM. michael.hallam@warnersgroup.co.uk

YYour

Pet Product Marketing

24 Reptile knowledge There’s an opportunity to keep driving standards of care, says expert John.

26 Customer Q&As solutions We’ve got pet advice you can share with people coming into store.

30 Breaktime read ‘My cat loves skiing — and it’s made him an Instagram star!’

team

Our email: editorial@petproductmarketing.co.uk Our address: Pet Product Marketing, Warners Group Publications, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire, PE10 9PH Michael Hallam, editor (for news and product releases, contact Michael on michael.hallam@warnersgroup.co.uk) For advertising queries please contact Stephen Tanner on 01778 392404 Laura Wright, features and web editor Ellis O’Connell, marketing exec With grateful thanks to Sarah Wright (editor, Your Dog), and Nathan Hill (editor, Practical Fishkeeping) Nigel Fish, design and production manager Natalie Reynolds, production controller Graham Warren, colour repro Stephen Tanner, key account manager (advertising Pet Product Marketing/Practical Fishkeeping) Andrea Walters, key account manager (advertising Your Dog/Your Cat) Kay Cotterill, classified sales (all titles) Regular contributors: Adam Bernstein, Claire Hamblion and John Courteney-Smith Printed by Warners Midlands plc James Buzzel, publisher Subscriptions and back issues Pet Product Marketing is available free to people who qualify for our controlled terms of circulation. If you’d like to register for a free subscription, please visit www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

Pet Product Marketing is published 10 times a year by Warners Group Publications. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in any form in whole or in part, without the prior permission of Warners Group Publications. All material published remains the copyright of Warners and we reserve the right to copy or edit any material submitted to the magazine without further consent. The submission of material (manuscripts or images etc) to Warners Group Publications whether unsolicited or requested, is taken as permission to publish that material in the magazine, on the associated website, any apps or social media pages affiliated to the magazine, and any editions of the magazine published by our licensees elsewhere in the world. By submitting any material to us you are confirming that the material is your own original work or that you have permission from the copyright owner to use the material and to authorise Warners Group Publications to use it as described in this paragraph. You also promise that you have permission from anyone featured or referred to in the submitted material to it being used by Warners Group Publications. If Warners Group Publications receives a claim from a copyright owner or a person featured in any material you have sent us, we will inform that person that you have granted us permission to use the relevant material and you will be responsible for paying any amounts due to the copyright owner. We cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, images, or materials lost or damaged in the post. While every reasonable care is taken to ensure accuracy, the publisher is not responsible for any errors or omissions, nor do we accept any liability for any loss or damage, however caused, resulting from the use of the magazine.

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News

NEWS

PPM NEWS April/May 2022

Investment sees Fish4Pets spring into 2022 and beyond ish4Pets®, the company behind the popular Fish4Dogs® and Fish4Cats® brands, has received a substantial business development fund that aims to set the ‘champions of fish’ on a growth trajectory that will make waves in the petfood market.

FKRA, as principal shareholders, have supported Fish4Pets® since 2004, seeing the business through double-digit growth to an award-winning business, with award-winning brands now selling in over 35 countries.

The senior team in both Fish4Pets® and FKRA identified opportunities to further accelerate the growth of the business around the world but recognised that the business needed to be re-financed to fully exploit these, therefore, sought a co-investor to provide additional financing to enable the company to step up to the next level. This new investment will facilitate accelerated growth and raise the profile of the company and its brands around the world.

The new investor is the Norwegian family-owned investment company DSD, based in Stavanger. DSD is a company that invests in a wide range of sectors, with interests ranging from mobility and ocean-linked businesses, to medical and tourism. The investment in Fish4Pets® is their first in the pet food sector and they were attracted to it because of its sustained growth, wide market reach, and sustainable, ocean-linked sourcing strategy.

Ingvald Loyning, CEO at DSD, says: “As active owners, we have a strategic, dynamic company portfolio and Fish4Pets® will be an exciting addition. DSD aims to join innovative companies with growth potential that work for more sustainable solutions. We believe in the ability of combining new and old wheels to work well together and move in the same direction. In this way, we develop sustainable values and generate good results together

F

Burns launches rescue initiative urns Pet Nutrition, the leading healthy pet food company, has announced the launch of the Burns Pet Rescue initiative, a brand-new support system that offers a helping paw to rescue pets and their new owners, as well as rescue centres and shelters alike.

Burns supported shelters will offer a special Burns bundle to new pet parents, containing some of the necessities new owners will need to start a new life with their rescue dog or cat. They’ll receive 2kg of healthy Burns food and a handy measuring cup, alongside access to top tips, video content, and training sessions from the Burns team of specialised nutritionists.

When it comes time for pet parents to restock their Burns Pet food, they’ll get a special voucher that gives them money off when they shop through the Burns website online.

What’s more, Burns will also send a special food donation to the centre where each owner adopted their pet.

Burns will also be extending their support to independent pet stores with a brandnew voucher scheme launch during the summer. Pet parents will be able to get money off Burns food when they visit their local independent stockist, which will help increase footfall to our local highstreets.

John Burns, founder of Burns Pet Nutrition, said: “We’ve always believed that our pets need good nutrition but we also know that every pet deserves a kind owner, a loving home, and plenty of head scratches along the way. That’s why we started our woofing great Burns Pet Rescue initiative, to help more pets find support in their new furever homes.”

The initiative has launched in the wake of a growing surge in abandoned puppies, following the huge increase in dog ownership over the past two years. Thousands of new pet owners gave up the pets they bought over the lockdowns because they struggled to train them, a study from last year showed. An astonishing one in four new pet owners were considering getting rid of their dogs last year because of problems controlling them and rescue centres have since reported of record numbers in admissions.

Burns Pet Nutrition has always strived to give pets the best start in life by creating healthy food using wholesome ingredients without any of the nasty stuff. They continuously support over 30 rescue centres, donating a large portion of profits and resources to charitable initiatives every year, and even created their own in-house charity, the John Burns Foundation.

For more information, visit burnspet.co.uk/burns-pet-rescue/

B

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with the companies we are involved in.”

Graham Smith, CEO at Fish4Pets®, says: “We are delighted to have secured investment from DSD, as well as increased financial support from FKRA, to drive our ambitious growth plans. DSD bring with them a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm, and we hope to benefit from their experience in other industries, in particularly their commitment to Environmental and Social responsibility.

“This combined with the ongoing support and expertise of our parent company FKRA, means we have two strong shareholder partners, excellently positioned to help us move forward. We are extremely excited.

“Fish4Pets® have an ambitious five-year plan, which includes product development, entering new markets, and increasing operational efficiencies. At the forefront of these plans is environmental impact and responsibility, and our continued focus on putting the health of the companion animals we feed at the forefront of our business, all underpinned by our commitment to our customers and our people.”

Graham concludes: “Like many in the industry, it’s been a very demanding couple of years for everyone, adapting to rapid change due to the pandemic, coupled with Brexit challenges.

Having successfully adapted to these challenges, we believe this investment is coming at an extremely good time for Fish4Pets®, enabling us to drive forward with correctly funded growth plans, expert support, and enthusiastic colleagues. It’s a truly exciting prospect and we look forward to continued success and growth of our brands worldwide.”

TI NY

GREAT. VALUE. When you’re small every nibble matters. That’s why Tiny Friends Farm specialises in the more wholesome things in life - like great taste and outstanding nutrition.

And it’s great value too, so stock up today and help your customers feed their small pets happiness.

Tiny Friends Farm. Feed them happiness

supremepetfoods.com CONNECT WITH OUR FANS @supremepetfoods

www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

15/03/2022 10:04

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Product highlights

New&necessities Karnlea Beef Bone Broth Karnlea Beef Bone Broth is slow cooked to extract high levels of protein, collagen, and minerals ideal for boosting and maintaining pet health. It can be used as a supplement, treat, or topper to support skin, coat and joint health for dogs and cats.

Made from 100 per cent natural ingredients, the delicious broth maintains high nutrient levels which can be lost in concentrated or powdered bone broth or collagen supplements. It can be served, as a liquid, straight from the carton, chilled for use as a jelly topper, frozen into treats or convenient portions, or used in home cooking and bakes.

Bone broth has long been a traditional staple for convalescence in humans and pets – a soup full of healthy goodness — and Karnlea has taken the pain out cooking it from scratch.

The heat-sealed cartons are brick-shaped, designed to sit neatly on the shelf and easy to box and dispatch. Karnlea has already invested in ethical and sustainable processes. Product ingredients have been sourced from antibiotic and hormone-free, grass-fed animals, reared on cooperative farms. All its packaging is recyclable and sustainable, made with paperboard from sustainable forest materials. Its spouts and caps are also plastic-free – produced from a sugar cane derivative!

To become a Karnlea Bone Broth stockist contact Lara at lara@karnlea.com or for more information see www.karnlea.com.

Pedigree Wholesale introduce GiGwi Cat range Pedigree Wholesale are now stocking the GiGwi Cat range, a selection of unique, high-quality cat toys with fun in mind. Following the launch of their ‘GiGwi’ Dog toy range last year, Pedigree Wholesale is now stocking their Cat toy range.

GiGwi is a unique pet toy brand whose mission is to reinvent playtime so pets and owners can make unforgettable moments together. The Cat range features 14 products across seven collections, all available to the specialist pet trade via Pedigree Wholesale.

GiGwi Cat toys are high-quality, with most products in the collection made using a combination of plush and Catnip. The range features a variety of motion-activated sound chip toys, toys full of Catnip, and toys made with feathers, all designed to ignite a cat’s natural hunting instinct — the toys retail from £3.99 to £6.99.

A few highlights from the collection include the Bird Motion-Activated Sound Toy. This life-like bird toy makes bird sounds once activated to imitate realistic prey. The GiGwi Feather Stick is made from thermoplastic rubber infused with high-quality catnip and contains natural feathers to awaken a cat’s hunting instincts and entices them in to play. The Refillable Catnip range introduces a cute cartoon rabbit and bear design and a realistic mouse and rabbit that all have a special pouch where a catnip teabag can be inserted to drive cats crazy!

Available for order now, the launch is supported with an introductory offer.

ProDen PlaqueOff® new peanut butter & banana flavour ProDen PlaqueOff®, the oral hygiene supplement, has recently launched a new flavour of their best-selling Mini Dental Bones — Peanut Butter & Banana. The new launch becomes their seventh flavour to join their best-selling range of dental chews.

The Peanut Butter & Banana flavour are designed for small and toy breed dogs under 10kg. The Bones can be added to an oral hygiene routine to help bad breath, plaque, and tartar, contain ProDen PlaqueOff® Powder.

The ProDen PlaqueOff® range has been established in the UK for 17 years, the original oral hygiene supplement has origins ranging back to the 1970s as well as over 1 billion scoops of their Powder given worldwide. All products, including Dental Bones, are available through wholesalers.

For more information, contact Jessica Hargreaves at Swedencare UK Ltd Jessica.hargreaves@swedencare.co.uk

For more information, visit www.petproducts.co.uk, call 0115 982 3900, or email sales@ petproducts.co.uk

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www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

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Product highlights Naturecat tofu cat litter Pettex have launched Naturecat Plant Based Tofu Cat Litter which is eco-friendly and 100% biodegradable.

Derived from pure soya bean, it is free from additives and cat friendly. These natural properties allow for soiled litter to be easily disposed of in an environmentally friendly way, by either compost or flushing down the toilet. It is water soluble, allowing for the flushing of used and soiled litter in small quantities.

Developed for fast absorption, super clumping, and low tracking, it is also soft on paws and light to handle. There is no heavy lifting with this lightweight litter option, only stress free and easy to handle pouring. Non-toxic and produced using a blend of Tofu and natural starches, the litter is also great at neutralising unwanted odours, with its unique fresh aroma.

The packaging is also 100% recyclable, so customers know they are going that extra mile for the planet when purchasing Naturecat Tofu Cat Litter!

Scruffs pet feeding and drinking bowls Manchester-based luxury pet lifestyle brand Scruffs® have launched a new range of pet feeding and drinking solutions. Scruffs® will launch the following types of pet bowls during the Spring:

Straight sided food bowls Straight sided provide stability and are very difficult to tip over. From 8cm to 25cm diameters, the bowls have been sized to perfection, providing the correct heights and capacities for specific sizes of pets.

Water bowls Scruffs® water bowls have been specifically designed for dogs to drink from with optimal comfort. Dogs’ tongues curl backwards when drinking, lifting water into their mouths like a ladle. Many pet owners think that food bowls can be used as water bowls, but low sided drinking bowls do not provide the depth needed for dogs to curl their tongues back with comfort, which is why we gave our water bowls the height they need.

Food/drink saucer Cats suffer from whisker fatigue if their cheek and chin whiskers are continuously pressing against bowls when drinking. Our cat saucer is just 3cm high, which allows whiskers to avoid sidewalls when drinking.

Long eared dog bowls The Long-Eared Dog Bowl tapers in at the top, preventing long ears from drooping into the bowl, keeping them dry of water and clean of food.

For more information, visit www.pettex.co.uk or contact sales@pettex.co.uk

Paleo Ridge Fish Skin Cubes and Sprats Paleo Ridge is extending its portfolio with an exciting move into treat products. The brand-new treats range features two products: Fish Skin Cubes and Sprats.

Made using the highest-quality, ethically-sourced ingredients, the deliciously nutritious new treat selection has been naturally air-dried to preserve nutritional value. The new treats are an extension of Paleo Ridge’s popular Classic range, and are available in 100g fully recyclable pouches, in keeping with the brand’s sustainability commitments. The Fish Skin Cubes and Sprats are the first of a series of innovative treat products that Paleo Ridge is planning to release.

Both fish skin and sprats have a range of health benefits for dogs. Fish skin is packed with omega-3 to boost heart function as well as eye and brain development, while sprats are similarly good for dogs’ hearts, joint health, and improving the glossiness of their coats. Delivering healthy, high-quality treats is more important than ever before as trends show dog owners have been buying more treats during the pandemic.

Visit paleoridge.co.uk/stock-paleo-ridge to become a stockist.

Flat faced pet bowls Our Flat Faced Pet Bowl is for brachycephalic breeds of dog (dogs with flat faces), such as Pugs, French and English bulldogs. Flat-faced dogs generally have reduced airways which can lead to problems breathing, especially when eating. With a regular flat-bottomed bowl, flat-faced dogs have to move their noses against hard walls, making it difficult to breathe. If they inhale air while eating, they can suffer from bloat, indigestion, choking, vomiting, or even excessive wind.

Our bowls raise the feeding surface, bringing it further towards the dogs, and the curved surface inside the bowl means that noses don’t get pushed against a wall, keeping airways free and helping to prevent bloat, indigestion, choking, vomiting and flatulence!

Scruffs® will also introduce a new “My First Bowl” range and a “Scandi” range, which is designed to add a sense of elegance to the category.

My First Bowl The 13cm food bowl is the perfect size for kittens, puppies, rabbits, and guinea pigs and is the perfect welcome to new pets into the home. We know that children have a massive influence on the purchasing decision when bringing a pet home for the first time, so we have selected subtle pink and blue tones as well as a neutral light grey to appeal to all.

Scandi Bowls Our Scandi range has been widely influenced by Nordic designs and lifestyles. Using clean, simple lines with a flared base, we have created a functional non-tip shape that looks modern and minimal. By the combining matt cream and grey glazes with a natural “Potter’s Clay”, we have taken the design element further to create a modern artisan look, so form really has been fused with function. Each Scandi bowl is also hand dipped, making each one unique.

To become a Scruffs stockist, visit www.petslovescruffs.com/pages/become-a-stockist

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www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

15/03/2022 10:02

TELFORD 25-26 September 2022 The UK’s National pet industry exhibition

Where the

pet industry

meet to do business FREE ENTRY | FREE PARKING | MAJOR BRANDS & EXHIBITORS | 100’S OF NEW LAUNCHES | THOUSANDS OF PRODUCTS |

Register for FREE entry Simply visit the website www.patshow.co.uk

Or for more information call 01892 862848

Talking trade

Talking Trade…

with Lynne Hopwood About Lynne Lynne is a veteran in the pet trade industry, with over 20 years’ experience. She was once a Store Manager at Pets at Home, and is now the National Sales Manager at Su-Bridge Pet Supplies Ltd. With an unparalleled knowledge of the Specialist Pet Wholesale Industry, and a wide experience in frontline sales, Lynne’s versatile expertise makes her an industry leading Sales Manager with an uncompromising work ethic and understanding of the pet industry.

Tell us about Su-Bridge’s back story — how long has it been in the pet wholesale industry?

Su-Bridge Pets Supplies are a second-generation familyowned business based in Saham Toney, Norfolk.

From its humble beginnings as a boarding kennels, today it services its core customers in East Anglia and Suffolk from a fleet of nine lorries. Over the last 10 years, we have attracted new customers from across the UK who are supported by a dedicated field sales team and supplied by third party couriers on a next day or two-day delivery service. More recently, our fleet has been extended to incorporate an 18-tonne lorry and a fleet of vans covering the Midlands and the South East with a weekly delivery service.

Su-bridge achieved a sales turnover of £44million in 2021.

Since Brian and Sheila Manning sourced and gifted Value Dog Mix in the 1970’s to all dogs through their boarding kennels, and then went on to supply local pet shops, Su-Bridge is now run by their son Ian. He has continued to manage the development and launch, with huge success, of a comprehensive range of wild bird food, small animal feed and bedding, pond food, natural dog treats, and toys under their Extra Select brand, and recently introduced a Nature Range, including Squirrel, Hedgehog, Swan, and Duck, in a variety of sizes which are proving to be very attractive to retailers.

To add to the own brand portfolio, in 2013, Su-Bridge developed and launched Lovejoys Pet Food, a UK-sourced and made premium range of hypoallergenic and grain free premium dog and cat food range, in both wet and dry feeding options. In 2017, the company introduced an extensive natural dog treat and feeding range under the Second Nature brand. In January 2022 — launched to the trade in full at PATS Sandown — there is now a range of Pure & Natural Dog treats available in prepacks or 1kg boxes for pick and mix retail options.

Su-Bridge provides a great range of products.

How big is the range of products you offer?

Su-Bridge caters for all pets, small animals, and ponds, and offer a comprehensive range of wild bird food and nature products for all our garden visitors.

In addition to our own brands of Extra Select, Lovejoys, Second Nature, and now Pure and Natural (which is 2000+ SKU), Su-Bridge are also exclusive UK distributors for International brands Ziwi, True Leaf, Farm Foods, Animonda , PLAY, Nobby, as well a UK brands I Am Natural, Poochiful, and Broadreach Nature. Like other distributors, we also supply all well-known pet brands from leading manufacturers such as Mars, Skinners, and Burns to Natures Menu, James and Steel, and Pet Munchies to name but a few.

We can supply an extensive product portfolio of over 20,000 lines.

Su-Bridge are unique within the trade, and what sets us apart from our competitors is we do not have a banded price list as we recognise all retailers, pet shops, and country stores are unique so we offer instead a bespoke negotiated account pricing option (Every Day Low Price) so the retailer always gets the best price on what they actually buy. In addition to this, we also supply a two-monthly offer book sent direct to store which includes all manufacture agreed offers and transfer orders, as well as own brand and exclusive trade less offers and bulk pallet deals, so hopefully something for everyone.

How easy is it to open a Trade Account with Su-Bridge?

To open an account with Su-Bridge is easy, either through our website www.su-bridge.co.uk or through our telesales team or area sales managers.

We offer proforma or account terms, and confirm delivery options available to customer location. For example, if delivered on our fleet, the minimum order is £200. If it’s third-party courier delivery up to 30kg, the minimum order is £150 and pallet deliveries are £400 minimum order. This can be mixed and packed. (There are some postcode and product restrictions, see website for details.)

How important is your relationship with independent pet shop owners?

Su-Bridge Pet Supplies success is not only due to their extensive own brand portfolio, product innovation, and actively seeking new categories and ranges to put in front of their customers. Whereas a number of suppliers and leading food manufacturers no longer have representation, Su-Bridge know that the key to continued growth and success is to be in front of their customers and both the telesales and field sales teams are dedicated in supporting and growing

their customers’ businesses, having this year reorganised to deliver an improved service that ensured every territory has a dedicated sales manager for instore support and then telesales support for order processing or enquires. Su-Bridge also on their delivered fleet carry in deliveries as part of our standard service for all stores, so no stock left on the pavement.

How have you found the industry over the last couple of years with the challenge of Brexit and Covid?

Su-Bridge, like everyone within the pet sector, found the impact of Covid to be hugely challenging. Fortunately, pet and animal feed were deemed priority and given key worker status so we were able to continue to trade. We had the impact of panic buying in the early days and the adjustment to changes within category sales. Supplier and factory closures led to restricted supply for some products, like mealworms and suet, and that was followed swiftly with supply issues from the Far East pushing lead time from 12 to 24 weeks and load after load increased shipping costs.

Raw material supplies, like animal protein, became short in availability and we started to get multiple price increases notifications.

Post Covid and Brexit, the world is out of balance which unfortunately is going to be impacted further with the war in Ukraine. I don’t think anyone knows quite what is going to happen or when things will return to normal — if ever. What I do know is that Su-Bridge will focus on what we do best which is to support our customers and supply pet and wild bird food.

What sets you apart from other pet wholesalers?

Su-Bridge are family. Our service and customer support are key and it’s what drives us daily to deliver the best.

Everyone within Su-Bridge, from production to e-commerce, purchasing to warehouse, goes the extra mile to do the best we can — that was evident over the last two years with Covid and the resulting supply issues. As a business, we are streamlined to be able to flex quickly and adapt to most circumstances or impacts so as to not let our customers down.

At Su-Bridge, we think outside the box and when faced with extended lockdown and restrictions continuing into 2021, we were the only wholesaler who embraced the virtual show concept and hosted a V Fair two-day show. The whole event was online with virtual and interactive manufacturer show booths and real supplier show offers for our customers.

Having been isolated for over a year, this allowed them in a safe environment to check in, explore what’s new, and take advantage of some great offers.

Our USP is: We are Su-Bridge Pet Supplies — we offer great terms and pricing, flexible delivery, special orders, own brand and exclusive products, staff and nutritional training across multiple brands, category, range and merchandising instore, and the experience and dedication to support our customers to continue to grow.

What are your aims and targets for the business in the next few years?

Su-Bridge has just finalised a business development plan to deliver continued growth over the next five years and achieve £60million in sales. We are due to finish a £2million, on site pallet depot extension in May 2022 and install a state-of-the-art production unit for our prepack and bucket production. We have planned investment in key staff to ensure the continued, if not improved, level of service and invest in the continued expansion of our delivered fleet.

In 2021, Su-Bridge were delighted to have been nominated and recognised as finalists for the Wholesaler of the Year in the PPM Retailer Recommended Awards. I know it’s an ambition of the whole Su-Bridge team to be recognised by their peers and customers for the service that they have delivered over the last 45 years and would consider winning Wholesaler of the Year as an absolute honour, but now we need their help in making that happen.

If you have any enquiries about Su-Bridge, please call Lynne Hopwood, National Sales Manager on 07500 905739.

You can also visit su-bridge.co.uk

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www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

15/03/2022 09:20

New From Su-Bridge At second nature, when it comes to dog treats, we’re all about doing what comes naturally - making extremely palatable, appetising treats that dogs will enjoy and thrive on, at an affordable price.

RRP £2.89

40% Margin!

New Range

Free from artifical flavours and colours

Made using 100% natural chicken breast meat

South West Emma Frake 07747 031878

*UDLQ )UHH

Midlands London & South East Tracey Clark Matt Bond 07894 586648 07730 529250

Tel: 01953 882485

SU BRIDGE.indd 1

+LJK 3URWHLQ

National Sales Manager Lynne Hopwood 07500 905739

'HQWDO &DUH

North East & Scotland East Ian Pullman Liz Matthews 07387 023977 07827 963931

East Jacky Rees 07889 167348

www.su-bridge.co.uk

16/03/2022 10:50

Pet PR

A State of Independence A meeting of minds or a marriage of convenience? The relationship between independent brands and independent retailers is like any other — reinforced by the right mindset and a willingness to support the other.

Marketing and PR Expert Alison Gallagher-Hughes looks into why and how this can be good for business.

Shelf space for independent brands can help your business thrive.

Alison Gallagher-Hughes Journalist and PR expert who owns Tillymint Communications, a marketing communications agency which specialises in a range of B2B and B2C industries, including the pet sector.

Visit www.tillymint.co.uk or email info@tillymint.co.uk

I

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this trade is that a lot of manufacturers use independent retailers as a stepping-stone and then go off into the rest of the marketplace. And in many ways, that is not a bad thing, it can encourage demand — providing those independent retailers are protected on margin and maintain an advantage on price. Manufacturers must be careful about protecting their distribution channels, as nine times out of 10 an independent retailer will be going to a wholesaler and they should not be put to a disadvantage.”

Considering stock flow and how quickly products are likely to fly out or stay on the shelf is another issue. Noone wants to see ‘dead’ stock collecting dust and this is particularly relevant when it comes to food items with expiration dates. There is a window for sale, and demand must meet investment.

“

“

t’s best described as a symbiotic relationship. A mutually beneficial working arrangement between independent manufacturers and retailers which enables both to meet their business objectives and sales targets. For manufacturers, this means a defined route to market — that coveted premium shelf space, brand visibility, recognition, and advocacy.

For retailers, the choice must seem endless and there’s a balance between stocking well-known grocery lines — the major brands that are seen in every supermarket — and lesser-known independents. As part of an industry that is continually innovating, extending customer choice and stocking brands that could provide you with differential is extremely appealing. It’s not just about what customers are buying now but also what they might buy in the future, thinking about emerging market segments (the growth of the Millennial pet owner, for example), trends, and behaviours will inform choice.

Nigel Baker, CEO of the Pet Industry Federation, says: “The independent shop is all important because it’s the one place where a pet owner can go and talk about their pets, and get recommendations about products, which they will not get in any large superstores to the same degree. I think that’s quite important. If you want someone to talk to, who is knowledgeable and been in the marketplace for a long time, the independent shop is a great source of information.

And as such, if your product is in store in an independent shop, and it’s been put on the shelf, chances are, they will understand that product and be able to recommend it, so that that relationship between the person going into the shop, the product on the shelf, and the independent retailer is really important, both for product recommendation, but also to get new products into the marketplace.”

Ultimately, the bottom line for any business must be profit. And when entering into a new deal, retailers should ensure that there is a sufficient gross margin between wholesale and recommended retail prices to make products worth stocking. When dealing directly with manufacturers, review the fine detail before signing on the dotted line.

Minimum order quantities and discounts need to be considered to allow your business to benefit from any brand growth or larger orders in the future.

Nigel adds: “One of the issues that always happens in

Ultimately, the bottom line for any business must be profit.

Personal and professional relationships can be all important. Efficient and responsive customer service is essential for timely dispatch and replacement of damaged goods. Fostering a good relationship with a brand account manager is also worth its weight. They will have targets — and perhaps bonuses — to achieve. Sales is a competitive environment and those with responsibility for regions will be going head-to-head with others. Use these relationships to get added value from the brand — events, promotional merchandise, and early notice of new products in development, for example.

Graeme Wilson, Director of Creature Comforts, Scotland’s leading independent pet retailer concurs with this approach. It stocks a range of independent brands including Acana, Anthos, Robbie’s Holistic Cuisine, Eden, and Canagan alongside its own food brand Forresters.

“I think it’s really important to develop good working relationships in business,” he says. “We know that we can go back to any of our suppliers if anything is not right, just

phone them up if there are any problems, from a burst bag to a late delivery, and get it resolved.”

“Many of our independent suppliers provide excellent support and we have developed a strong bond with them, receiving excellent customer service that has gone above and beyond. They actively try to support us and in turn, we will continue to support them.”

Deborah Burrows is Managing Director of Healthy Pet Store, a bricks and mortar outlet in Totton, Southampton which also has a strong e-commerce offer. Edgard and Cooper, Little Big Paw, Carnilove and Forthglade are among the independent brands it stocks.

She believes that independent retailers are best placed to support entrepreneurs and their growth to help them establish themselves in the market.

“Independent brands often have a unique product which solves an immediate problem they have experienced personally, and which has yet to be copied or is overlooked by the larger retailers as being unviable for them to list.

Being an independent retailer, we are more agile and can bring products on board quickly so we can work with them to support them with challenges they might face earlier on, such as packaging problems. As an independent retailer, we also love the personal story behind independent brands; something which is often lost in corporations,” says Deborah.

From the manufacturers perspective, the pet sector provides a unique marketplace which enables advocacy, leading to informed buying decisions.

Matthew Gerrard is Managing Director of Doodlebone, which launched in 2014 and is based in Oxfordshire. It produces a range of dog accessories from harnesses, collars, and leads to blankets, treats, and compostable poop bags.

“There aren’t many sectors which aren’t dominated by big box multiples. You think of hardware for example, there used to be lots of little hardware stores on the high street which are no more,” he reflects. “But the pet industry still has that diversity, an independence of a trade which gives it life and gives it vibrancy. So, for service and the quality of offering that independents bring, they are very important to the trade and to us as a brand.”

This unique proposition led to Matthew putting independent retailers at the heart of his marketing strategy.

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It now accounts for around 75 per cent of Doodlebone’s sales.

“I set this business up shortly after uni. And I had always wanted a business that could supply independently run trade. It was always part of the plan from the outset,” adds Matthew.

Bricks and mortar outlets provide expertise and brand advocacy — essential ingredients for dog owners looking for the ideal harness fit for their breed.

“They can be ambassadors for your brand. They understand the market very well, they understand what consumers and dogs need, and they can deliver a level of service that’s difficult to replicate by major multiples.”

As companies grow, many move away from being family or founder-owned businesses but retain a family ethos within their workplaces and in their dealing with independent retailers.

Fish4Pets, based in Worcestershire, puts their ‘Fishionaries’ at the centre of their mission to convey their brand as champions of fish.

Marketing Director Jo Mulgrew says: “Independents are key ambassadors for our brand. They recognise the unique selling points of our products and help educate prospects into the benefits of feeding fish. They are passionate about the products they stock and many of our top tier independents are like an extension of our own team. They are engaged and excited by our range and really get into the science, which because we only use fish, is easy to understand and communicate.

“To support our independents, we offer training face-

Why Independent Brands Need You ● Brand Visibility – this isn’t just about acquiring premium shelf-space (although that’s a significant win) but also conveying company credentials, its ethos, product range, variation, life stage (puppy, adult, senior), ingredients, and categorisation. ● Convenience and Accessibility – during lockdown, manufacturers noted an increase in direct sales via ecommerce sites with many people buying pet food in bulk in order to ‘stay at home and stay safe’. Despite changes to customer behaviour, there is evidence that shoppers like the convenience of being able to top up on supplies, seek advice and try pet accessories at bricks and mortar outlets. ● Advocacy — awareness and understanding of the brands you carry, how they should be used and knowledge of other products within a range can be crucial in helping customers make their buying decisions. ● Positioning — being in the right place, at the right time helps manufacturers position their brands

Independent brands will often offer retailers product training.

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to-face with our small, expert team of reps and customer services advisors. We also have an e-learning platform.

We offer pop-up demo days and lots of in-store product merchandising options, from PoS (point of sale), to fullybranded displays and merchandisers. We also now provide bi-monthly marketing materials they can use on their own social platforms, which provide engaging content and help support promotional offers which we tailor throughout the year.”

Karnlea is a new name to the industry which has chosen independent retailers to spearhead the launch of its Bone Broth range. As an “ambient category product” which can be used as a supplement, treat, or supporting food for dogs and cats, owner Lara McCullough is keen to harness the power of independents to convey its nutritional benefits and the ways it can be used.

“Karnlea is the first UK brand to offer a fresh-packed bone broth. It’s a new concept: a 100 per cent natural product that is Tetra packed to maintain high nutrient levels with off-the-shelf convenience. As a new product, we know that there is work to do to help inform and educate prospective customers which is why we are putting independents front and centre stage of our marketing strategy,” she reveals.

Although Belfast-based Karnlea may qualify as a startup, Lara is far from being a pet sector newbie. She founded and recently sold two well-established brands which in contrast were “Amazon heavy.”

“That company grew organically through digital sales.

It wasn’t a deliberate sales strategy, it just happened. In

which can be reinforced by pricing and packaging to make them appear more desirable. ● Reach and Availability — establishing a strong geographical presence and getting products ‘on the ground’ is essential in order to secure a market share. ● Eyes and Ears — all products have a lifecycle and knowing when to reinvent them through brand variation and product development is key. Product managers may use trusted retailer networks to support research and testing programmes.

Why You Need Independent Brands ● Differential — whether you are boutique and bijou or a market-style industrial site outlet, the products you offer can make you stand out from the competition – other pet stores and grocery outlets.

Shelf space is finite, so choose wisely and measure sales to ensure that you are carrying the right products. ● Sales and Marketing Support — some

Lara has launched Karnlea.

comparison, Karnlea offers something totally new so we have made an active decision to work with independents which want products that can help solve customer pet problems like skin, coat, and digestive issues.”

manufacturers will offer practical help to support your business. This may include merchandising and display (which also helps them with brand blocking), promotions, events and marketing collateral. They are also investing in marketing which in turn helps make their products more recognisable in-store. ● Training and Development — in order to be a brand ambassador you need to understand what’s behind the brand. Many manufacturers will see this as a worthwhile investment to assist you in helping educate and inform a customer. ● Market Research — manufacturers will always have their eye on the bigger picture with access to financial and market research to identify emerging trends and geo-demographics. Tap into this where possible to assist in planning and forecasting. ● Industry Awareness — we glean our industry awareness from many different sources (including PPM!). Manufacturers will likely be members of professional bodies, trade associations and attend trade shows — often sharing information and opportunities with their stakeholders.

Independent pet shops can be sources of knowledge for customers and advocates for brands.

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15/03/2022 09:51

Behind the brand

Inaba Foods We get the inside story on one of the world’s largest pet food manufacturers who are bringing their hugely popular pet treat to the European market — and they want to work with independent pet shops. ou may not have heard of Churu but the manufacturers of these insanely palatable treats, Inaba Foods, are one of the largest pet food companies in the world and are growing fast with $20m sales in the USA alone just five years after launch.

Y

Mike Lane, Head of Operations, says: “We started in Europe right at the beginning of the pandemic which inevitably delayed our plans but as of today, we are present in over 35 countries and have established distribution across Europe. With probably the largest stand at Interzoo (the international pet industry trade show), we intend to show both our heritage and ambition. We are committed to growth in Europe with plans in place already for factories in the UK and Poland.”

every order placed with Sharples Pet will also receive samples.

As well as building a following with veterinary clinics, Inaba are keen to support the independent distribution network, something which Mike believes their partnership with LickiMat will help them do. Mike said: “When you have a good treat product, sampling is key and the palatability of our treats means that once owners try Churu they generally return to buy again and again helping to support footfall in independent stores.”

Signature product — Churu Puree

Heritage Founded in 1805, Mr Yoshizo Inaba went into business to provide freshly caught, ethical and dolphin safe tuna to families in Japan. Building on their sustainable seafood harvesting heritage, Inaba branched into the pet food industry in 1958.

Inaba (pronounced ‘In-aah-ba’if you were wondering) take great pride in providing premium cat and dog treats that are extremely palatable, low calorie, grain free, high moisture and prepared without preservatives or artificial colours. Blending sustainable, ethically sourced, natural ingredients with functional green tea and collagen is key to their gaining a 99% palatability rating.

Inaba manufacture Churu products from ten of their own FDA licenced premises, the latest of which is a state-ofthe-art facility in Atlanta, Georgia. Inaba use high welfare chicken, naturally raised on closely supervised farms and deep sea tuna which is sustainably caught and certified dolphin safe. The packaging materials have special oxygen blocking properties to preserve the nutritional value and natural goodness meaning every treat tastes as moist and fresh as the day it was packed.

The cornerstone of Inaba’s product offering is Japan’s absolute favourite cat treat, Churu Puree. A luxuriously creamy paste for which a search on YouTube will return a plethora of videos of cats frantically consuming the creamy treat. It’s easy to see why sampling works so well for Inaba when you see the reaction of cats and dogs to these palatable treats.

Available for both cats and dogs, Churu Puree is perfect to use with enrichment toys like LickiMat which is why in March this year Inaba formed a partnership with Sharples Pet (exclusive UK distributor of LickiMat). Mike says: “The synergy with LickiMat is obvious, soon every LickiMat sold in the UK and Europe will contain a sample of Churu, creating even more demand.”.

As well as the puree, Churu treats include a range of soft, high quality, moist treats for dogs and cats — such as Churu Bites, little parcels of chicken filled with Churu Puree which are perfect for hiding pills, as well as high value training rewards.

A veterinary formulation of Churu is starting to gain traction with vets in the UK as a valuable aid to distract cats during examinations and procedures, as well as encouraging sick and convalescing cats to eat. Anecdotal reviews from veterinary clinics include crediting Churu with helping to turn the fortunes of one seriously injured cat and a handful which have avoided the stress of intravenous fluids by employing the use of Churu.

Ten great reasons to love Churu! ● Churu are the only puree treats with Green Tea and Collagen. ● It’s packed full of antioxidants. ● The range is made with entirely natural ingredients —NO fillers and NO derivatives. ● Churu is grain free and potato free. ● Recipes are high in chicken or dolphin friendly tuna. ● They are low in calories. ● The high water content helps keep pets hydrated. ● In independent trials they were awarded a 99.9% palatability rating. ● There are lots of exceptionally tasty varieties to try. ● Cats and dogs just LOVE it!

Building demand To help build demand, Inaba are sponsoring all of the key cat and dog shows, supplying entrants and visitors with samples of Churu treats. Inaba will also be building demand by sampling direct with pet owners via social media and

Get samples of Churu!

Churu samples are available on request — for more information, email mike@inaba-foods.co.uk 14 April/May 2022

p14-15_PPM_Apr/May22.indd 14

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Now available from…

&

LickiMat

A range of irresistibly lickable & biteable treats for dogs & cats with…

Green Tea Extract

VIT Added Vitamin E Natural Collagen

Churu samples now available with all LickiMat products!

LickiMat have teamed up with Churu and will be including free samples of Churu with LickiMat products; resulting in pet owners coming into store again and again to buy these irresistible, natural Churu treats for dogs & cats!

If you are not already stocking now is the perfect time to start!

For more information email info@sharplespet.com or mike@inaba-foods.co.uk p14-15_PPM_Apr/May22.indd 15

14/03/2022 14:25

Cat knowledge THE CAT PERSONALITY TEST

Part three:

how does your cat respond to being petted?

On which parts of your 3enjoycat’sbeing body do they usually stroked?

In the latest fun quiz, Dr Lauren Finka helps you work out how your cat likes to be stroked.

Find out how your cat likes to interact with you.

W

hen we think about our cats’ personalities — and particularly their less desirable attributes — we tend to use a lot of loaded adjectives.

I often hear a lot of cats described as grumpy, aggressive, feisty, difficult, independent, aloof, and so on.

However, while these descriptors might feel quite apt, they are unlikely to help us understand why cats behave in certain ways or what we could do to encourage more desirable responses from them.

Essentially, we might be giving these negative labels to our cats a little hastily, without first considering if their reactions are much more about what’s going on around them and less a reflection of their underlying personality.

The way we interact with our cats and their subsequent responses to us are a perfect case in point. It’s not just about whether a cat behaves aggressively or not though. In many cases, cats that aren’t enjoying interactions may still tolerate them, rather than protest with their teeth or claws.

This in itself is problematic given that: one, we might miss the more subtle signs that they are uncomfortable and carry on regardless, and two, research suggests that these cats might be more stressed than the individuals that behave aggressively or try to escape, implying that the process of a cat tolerating (but not enjoying) interactions might compromise their well-being.

In this issue, we are therefore focusing on determining your cat’s specific preferences for interaction. This lighthearted quiz is designed to be fun for you (and hopefully your cat) to complete. Most importantly, it is designed to get you thinking a little more about what really works for your cat.

1

A Head, chin, cheeks, back, tummy, tail — all without fail.

B Mostly around the head and face, but will sometimes enjoy other areas.

C Mostly around the head and face, but will sometimes tolerate other areas.

D Will sometimes enjoy/tolerate a gentle cheek stroke.

E None of them, ever.

Or, You would never even attempt to touch your cat for fear of injury.

4

When you stroke your cat, do you ever notice any of the following signs of discomfort?

(Tick each relevant box):

Did you know?

This series is inspired by sections of Dr Finka’s book, ‘The Cat Personality Test’, published by Penguin Randomhouse.

How keen is your cat to interact with you?

Sit or kneel down about a metre away from your cat. If you need to, politely get their attention. Gently offer your hand (palm facing down) towards your cat. Pause with your hand in this position for 20 seconds and allow your cat to choose whether they make contact. Observe your cat. You can say the odd word of encouragement if it helps. Ideally, repeat the above several times at different times of the day.

DID YOUR CAT: A Start smooching, rubbing, and climbing all over you before you even managed to kneel down.

B Give you a good amount of cat-on-human action but with little

pauses in between — 20 seconds of contact is actually quite a lot!

C Take their time but eventually come over, humour you with a half-hearted sniff or cheek rub, then start looking for the treat packet.

D Give a brief glance in your direction then pretend to carry on with whatever it was they were doing before you decided to disturb them with this silly test.

E Give you the evils before getting out of there as quickly as possible — how could you forget the 2m rule?!

Or: You have no idea because you couldn’t even locate him/her; they are probably hiding from you.

2

DID YOUR CAT:

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HOW OFTEN DO YOU SEE ANY OF THESE SIGNS? A Never! We are both equal fans of cuddle time.

B Occasionally, but usually only when I push things too far or try to touch the ‘forbidden’ areas.

C Quite often: it’s almost as if my cat’s trying to tell me something…

D Pretty much every time without fail — OK, maybe it’s time to change tactics a bit.

E Stroking would involve physical contact and we don’t do that!

Stroke your cat in the way you usually would for about five seconds, then stop. Observe what your cat does next.

A Instantly rub you or paw at you — why on Earth did you stop, human?

B Calmly turn to look in your direction and maybe lean in gently for a bit more.

C Look comfortable but not ask for more — short and sweet suits them fine!

D Only allow you about two seconds before they scarpered and/or delivered a ‘continue at your peril’ sort of warning.

E Not applicable: stroking your cat is not something that ends well for either of you.

■ Moving or walking away from you as if you’re contagious or something.

■ You suddenly notice your cat no longer seems to have any limbs — they are all safely tucked away from your horrible, clammy hands.

■ Remaining relatively passive during the whole process, in the hope that this helps it to be over quicker.

■ Blinking, shaking their head or body, or licking their nose; brain reset is being attempted.

■ Suddenly deciding they are extremely dirty and launching into a frantic grooming session.

■ Skin twitching or rippling as if someone just walked over their grave.

■ Tail taking on the appearance of an angry snake, swishing furiously from side to side or thumping up and down.

■ Suddenly going a bit still, doing their best statue impression.

■ Ears flattening downwards or rotating towards the back of their head.

■ Sharply turning their head to face you or your hand, accompanied by a death stare.

■ Biting or swiping at you, or bopping you with their paw — take that annoying human!

■ Hissing, growling, or emitting an unpleasant sort of groaning noise — pay attention or you’ll get what’s coming to you!

Cats have certain areas they prefer to be petted.

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SPONSORED BY

Your cat initiating contact is a good sign!

INTERPRET YOUR CAT’S SCORE: My cat scored mostly A’s You don’t need a quiz to tell you that you’re the proud parent of a total love bug. Your cat is one of those rare specimens that totally defies its aloof, uncuddly wildcat ancestry. Keep doing what you’re doing because it seems to be working.

My cat scored mostly B’s

5

When you stroke your cat, do you ever notice any of the following signs of enjoyment? (Tick each relevant box): ■ Rubbing themselves all over you as if it’s been a year since they last saw you.

■ Sticking themselves to you like a cat-shaped magnet.

■ Purring like a motorboat.

■ Kneading you with their front paws as if you are a loaf of bread.

■ Holding their tail upright, standing to attention; it may also have a small crook in the end like a big furry question mark.

■ Gently waving their tail from side to side in the air, as if plucking at an invisible harp.

■ A relaxed facial expression, ears pricked and pointed forwards; it’s almost as if they’re smiling at you.

■ Generally looking relaxed and comfortable — it’s nice having a personal masseuse!

■ Falling asleep at some point — all this loving is exhausting!

■ Giving you a gentle nudge with their cheek to let you know your stroking speed needs increasing.

■ Following you around until they’ve had enough — I say when it’s over, human!

HOW OFTEN DO YOU SEE ANY OF THESE SIGNS? A Absolutely always.

B Pretty much every time, except when I know I’m being a bit too full on with the stroking.

C Some of the time — why do I often get the feeling my cat has something better to do!

D Occasionally, but I get the impression their heart isn’t really in it.

E Again, we don’t partake in this activity.

If your cat wants to move away, let them.

6

Reflecting back on the interactions between you and your cat, who usually initiates them?

A Almost always my cat — they are perpetually hopeful that its cuddle time.

B We take it in turns, although my cat will always respond positively to my requests.

C It’s usually me — sometimes my cat will respond positively, other times they will merely tolerate my petting.

D It’s almost always me — sometimes my cat will tolerate my petting, other times they will try to avoid me or may bite, swipe, or growl.

E Physical interactions are typically avoided at all costs!

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Your cat likely gets a lot of pleasure out of stroking sessions with you, although they likely have a preferred stroking style that they would like you to adhere to. Sometimes they may also prefer to interact with you in ways that don’t involve any hand-on-fur action.

The following are some key subtle signs suggesting your cat isn’t that keen for strokes. ● You offer them your hand and they decide not to reciprocate with the usual cheek rubs. ● They politely turn their head to face away from you. ● They don’t rub you as enthusiastically as usual. ● They go a little bit still or quiet during your stroking session. ● They engage for a short while, then decide it’s time to politely excuse themselves.

To get a better sense of the stroking style your cat prefers, think about this in terms of where, when, how much, and for how long. During interactions with your cat, use the behaviors listed in questions 4 and 5 to help you gather this information.

My cat scored mostly C’s While this certainly doesn’t mean your cat dislikes being stroked, for him or her to be able to enjoy physical contact, they are likely to need to be provided with complete choice and control over the interaction. The more closely you pay attention to all the subtle signs that they aren’t comfortable (and respond accordingly by pausing what you’re doing) the more your cat will enjoy these sessions. The following simple ‘CAT’ guidelines (something I previously developed for staff at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home) are scientifically demonstrated to increase cats’ comfort and affection towards people, while at the same time reduce aggression and signs of discomfort. While it might mean you end up stroking your cat a little differently to usual when following the guidelines, they should help to ensure both you and your cat enjoy the experience.

‘CAT’ guidelines: ‘C’ for Choice and Control ● Did I let my cat choose whether he or she wanted to be touched? ● Am I allowing my cat control over when the stroking ends?

The best way to achieve the above is to allow ow your cat to make the first move; gently offerr your hand towards your cat and allow them to decide ecide whether to rub against you or not. If they don’t, on’t, this is probably because they’re just not in the he mood (and that’s OK!). Never restrain your cat at or pick them up when stroking them. If yourr cat does make contact, you can progress to the next stage…

‘A’ for paying Attention ● Am I attending to any of the signs that suggest my cat is feeling comfortable or uncomfortable? (See the lists of behaviours mentioned in the quiz above.)

If stroking the cat, briefly pause every 3 — 5 seconds to ‘check in’ with the cat. When youu

Top Tip! If your cat used to enjoy stroking but doesn’t seem to any more, or you’ve noticed that he or she has recently started to avoid interactions or behaves aggressively when touched, this could be a sign that they are physically unwell, stressed, or in pain. In this case, a trip to the vet’s is always recommended.

stop stroking them, do they rub against you to ask for more? If not, they may be ready for a break.

‘T’ for Touch ● Am I focusing on the areas my cat prefers being touched? (The base of the ear, chin, and cheeks are usually preferred by most friendly cats. If touching other areas, pay close attention to the cat’s reaction to ensure they are enjoying this.)

My cat scored mostly D’s and E’s Your cat is certainly displaying all the classic signs of wanting to steer clear of any of that stroking business. Why this is the case may vary with each cat, but what’s really important is to respect that this is the cat’s choice and not to push things. Remember that as humans, we are a sociable and tactile (or touchy-feely) species.

This is in stark contrast to the domestic cat’s close relatives which basically try to avoid social gatherings at all costs.

If you want to interact with and touch your cat, you should certainly implement the ‘CAT’ guidelines. The chances are you won’t progress much further than receiving the briefest of sniffs or cheek rubs from your cat, but it may simply be better (and kinder) for both your sakes to accept that your cat simply doesn’t like being stroked much and that this is probably just part of their character.

Your cat may also enjoy engaging in a range of hands-off activities. These could include: Interactive play using a fishing rod pole or a feathered wand. This is a great way to keep your cat positively entertained and also allows them to let off some of their predatory steam (at a safe distance from your hands and feet!). ● Simply letting your cat hang out near to you or on your lap (without touching them). Many cats will just enjoy being close to people without needing physical contact. ● Some basic training, such as teaching your cat to come to you when called, a ‘sit’ or ‘paw’.

This works well for confident, food-motivated cats.

Visit: catit.com for their fantastic antastic range of cat toys.

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14/03/2022 15:43

Dog advice

Be prepared!

READY FOR

ANYTHING! Make sure you and your dog are prepared for an emergency. loods and high winds seem to be becoming a regular occurrence in the UK — but as well as extreme weather conditions, incidents such as fires, sinkholes, gas leaks, and domestic and industrial accidents may mean that you need to evacuate your house in a hurry.

While you personally may be able to count on the help

of others, have you thought about what might happen to your dog in the event of an emergency? Should you need to evacuate your home it may only be for a few hours, but in the event of a major incident you could be away for days or even weeks. Don’t just have a disaster plan in place for the humans in your family — make one for your pet too.

FIRST AID CLASSES

disorientated and get lost, as a major incident can change both the visual landscape and olfactory cues, which he normally relies on.

F

It’s not a bad idea to take classes in human and canine first aid — you never know when they might come in handy, and could save a life. Your dog may benefit from refresher classes in basic obedience too.

FIRST AID KIT

Include a first aid kit in your evac pack; many of the items can double up as a human first aid kit in an emergency. You can buy a ready-made kit or put together your own; don’t forget to replace any items you use, so it’s always kept fully stocked. ● While you’re at it, make up a pocket first aid kit that you can carry with you on walks.

WHERE TO GO?

In the event of an evacuation, stay together if you can, and keep your dog’s collar on at all times. If a centre has been set up locally for you and other evacuees to go to, your pet may be equally welcome there, but it’s sensible to have a back-up plan should that not be the case. If you plan to go to a hotel instead, ring them first to check that they accept dogs.

Depending on circumstances, your dog may have to be boarded at a kennels, in which case having vaccinations up to date will ensure that the doors will be open to him.

Your evac pack can be handed over with him, so that his temporary carers will have all the important details to hand, as well as a few familiar items to help him settle.

Alternatively, you have relatives or friends y you could y do y both stay with? It is, of course, a good idea to discuss the idea before you ever find yourself caught up in an emergency. ● Keep your dog on the lead rather than allowing him to roam loose. He may normally keep close to you and be very obedient, but evacuation is not a normal situation and he may feel stressed and behave out of character.

Should he get loose and try to return home, the area might not be safe. There’s also the chance that he may become

CARE NOTES

Although you can store all the important information about your dog digitally (for example on a USB stick) you should also have it ready to hand as hard copy. An ordinary notebook will do fine for this; the spiral bound type will make it easy to tear out pages when the information on them needs updating, so there are no confusions.

Have large, clear headings at the top of each page so that it’s easy for you (or a temporary guardian) to quickly find the information needed, such as food, medications, vet and veterinary history, likes and dislikes, useful contacts.

Add a pocket to the front inside cover into which you can pop copies of microchip and vaccination records; it’s a good idea to also place up to date colour photographs of your dog in there along with a detailed description just in case you become separated and he goes missing. Place the notebook inside a clear, sealable, waterproof plastic bag, and put it in your evac pack. ● In the physical description, include your pet’s name, species, breed, age, sex, colour, distinguishing marks and any other essential information about his characteristics and behaviour.

AWAY FROM HOME Make sure that friends, relatives, neighbours or anyone who regularly pet-sits your dog knows where to find your evac pack just in case disaster strikes while you are away from home.

EVAC PACK If you have to leave your house fast in the event of an emergency, you may not have time to pack any essentials your dog will need, so have an evacuation pack ready to grab. Things to put in it might include: ● A blanket which can be rolled up. ● A toy. ● Spare collar with ID and a spare lead. ● Food and water bowls; if space is an issue use collapsible ones. ● A week’s worth of food — this will ensure that any stress caused by being evacuated isn’t further exacerbated by an abrupt change of diet. Hopefully you will be back in your home again fairly quickly, but if not and your dog requires a specialist diet, this will at least give you time to source further supplies. ● Pack a week’s supply of any medications your dog needs; pop them inside a separate, clearly labelled, waterproof container so they are easy to quickly locate inside the pack. ● First aid kit. ● A pack of treats. ● A towel; a microfibre one will save on space. ● Care notes. ● Poo bags. ● Wipes and clean-up items in case of accidents. ● Store a collapsible crate or carrier next to the evac pack, ready to scoop up in a hurry, plus a sheet which can be placed over it. It may be safer for your dog to travel in it, and when you reach your destination it will provide him with an enclosed den where he may feel more relaxed. ● Check any foodstuffs and medications in the evac pack regularly — remove and use them before their ‘Use by’ dates expire, and replace with newer ones. ● Don’t keep your dog’s necessities in a cardboard box; bo it won’t be very sturdy, things may fall out, and it will be difficult to carry. Instead, pop them in a bag which can be zipped up, a small suitcase, or a rucksack. Keep it wh where your dog can’t access it, but you can grab it quickly, an and ev of above floor level so it doesn’t get wet in the event a flood. ● Add a luggage label to your dog’s evac pa pack

with your name, your dog’s name, your address, ad and mobile phone number on it. Write your you details in indelible ink in case they become becom damp. ● Make sure you keep your dog’s mi microchip

details up to date, so that it’s easier for you to be reunited should you become be separated.

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14/03/2022 15:57

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petproducts.co.uk 16/03/2022 10:54

Business advice

well-being frameworks: “A focus on training, signposting of services, disciplinary communications, and line manager checkins to consider workloads and concerns, are all matters that I would seek to explore.”

And if there are inadequate procedures and assessments, failures in training managers and educating the workforce on mental wellness, she warns that an organisation may find itself subject to a Prevention of Future Death Report.

Myth No.3: Only companies that don’t care about health and safety have accidents

Adam Bernstein Writer/researcher for independent businesses.

Debunking health and safety myths — part one

ealth and safety law is central to regulatory intervention. But this wasn’t always so and as a result, myths have become entrenched leaving some unable to tell fact from fiction. But as soon as an incident occurs, management quickly see the myth-based traps that they have just walked into.

In seeking to counter some of these myths, Adam Bernstein, in a two-part feature, sought the views from two lawyers on where they see problems appearing.

In the first part he spoke to Laura Shirley, Head of Eversheds Sutherland Birmingham EHS team.

H

As to what is regarded as ‘reasonably practicable’, Shirley points to what has been laid out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) — the need to plan work appropriately; select the most suitable contractor; ensure the contractor is provided with the right information; provide suitable monitoring and supervision; and regularly review the contractor’s performance.

Shirley explains that each of the steps should be “proportionate to the risk of the work being performed as well as other factors such as previous experience with the contractor.”

Myth No.1: We can delegate our liability to our contractor

Myth No.2: Mental health at work isn’t regulated and therefore we don’t have any duties under safety law

Many firms see the attraction of using contractors. But for Shirley, the ability to pass on liability is not one of them; she observes that for decades there have been prosecutions of those that have failed to properly manage contractors.

As she explains: “The use of contractors forms part of a client’s ‘undertaking’ – that is, the way it runs its business — and therefore invokes a duty of care under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.”

The natural question is that if the appointment of contractors does little to mitigate liability, why use them at all? There are, of course, two good reasons: contractors are often the experts in what they do; and contractors may be able to ‘bulk buy’ labour in a way that a client cannot.

Nevertheless, Shirley sees a conundrum — accepting a duty of care in a situation when the client does not have the expertise and/or the resource necessary to provide constant specialist support. Helpfully, she says that “the legal duty of care requires clients to do only what is ‘reasonably practicable’.” To this she adds: “There is an acceptance that clients need to rely on the expertise of a contractor in the right circumstances and that a client may need to trust a contractor to ‘do the right thing’ when they are not around.”

In the last few years, awareness and education around mental health and wellbeing has improved societal attitudes.

This, according to Shirley, “has assisted in reducing the stigma and prejudice associated with these unseen illnesses; the shift in attitudes has encouraged organisations to direct focus on the ‘health’ in health and safety management.”

None of this should be new to management for, as Shirley says, “organisations have a duty to assess levels of work-related mental health issues and implement measures to remove or reduce identified risks as far as reasonably practicable.”

She details how guidance from the HSE focuses on work-related stress but also acknowledges that work can aggravate pre-existing conditions and can bring on symptoms or make them worse.

“Organisations,” says Shirley, “often fail to address these risks and frequently well-being in the workplace is forgotten.”

She continues, noting that “the number of suicides has increased year on year since 2013. As an unnatural death, they are referred to the Coroner’s Service for investigation.”

Shirley tells how, when considering such cases, enquiries will often extend to the suitability and implementation of workplace

20 April/May 2022

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Any organisation can have an accident and Shirley knows that at accidents happen when a series of events or circumstances es come together. Referring ng to what is known as Reason’s Swiss cheesee model, she explains that “an organisation that prioritises health and safety will often have more layers of defence to those factors lining up, but it does not mean that they ey cannot or won’t line up.” p.”

As she says, “no employer can eliminate te all risks — even the best est are vulnerable to unwanted events and sometimes the events that lead to an incident are only a hair away from no incident happening at all.”

So why do incidents happen? In answer, Shirley says that there is never usually one reason, but there is usually complacency, stagnation, or a culture that the health and safety job is done. That is why she says that “it is so important for organisations to regard health and safety as an ongoing business critical risk, monitored at the highest levels and periodically revisited.”

A key point she makes is that the “wellknown health and safety risks have been joined by psychosocial risks around work related stress, mental health and well-being that employers are obligated to manage.” For her, it’s only a matter of time before these new risks become subject to enforcement – “the legislation is there to do it.”

In her view, “the real measure of an organisation is how it evolves its culture after an accident to make what is an awful situation into one which puts health and safety at the heart of everything it does.”

Myth No.4: Good health and safety advisers just tell people off when things go wrong For many, references to health and safety conjure up negative stereotypes, and “quite often,” Shirley says, “this includes descriptors about health and safety advisers being ‘fun spoilers’, ‘killjoys’, or ‘bureaucrats.’”

However, in her view, “it’s an unfair, misleading and an unhelpful myth that needs busting.”

She refers to 1972 when Lord Robens published his report into health and safety regulation in the UK. Written in the wake of the Aberfan disaster, six years earlier, “the report recommended wholesale revisions to the old Factory Inspectorate regime which led to the 1990s introduction of new health and safety regulations, and an increase in corporate governance, leadership, and a standards-driven approach to health and safety.”

Further, Shirley notes, “the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 introduced responsibilities upon employers to carry out risk assessments and health surveillance as well as requirements relating to the sharing of information with

employees; and competence, capabilities and training.”

Turning to the role of the health and safety adviser, Shirley says it’s “to assist organisations in implementing strategies and control measures that appropriately address risks arising in the workplace, and to ensure that hazards are controlled.”

Notably, she says, the regime requires advisers “ensure that all employees understand the health and safety systems in place within the business, importantly, why and how these are designed to protect them, and what they must do to protect themselves.” The role, says Shirley, necessarily requires “engagement and coth workforce, to secure operation with the their buy-in to those safety arrangem arrangements, and thereby encou encourage compliance with the organisation’s sa safety policies and p procedures.”

From her p perspective, good h health and safety m management systems recognise t that compliance ca cannot be achieved by “un “unilaterally imposing rules and seeking to enforce them.” Rather, they en seek to engage, discuss and wo involve the workforce in those rules and procedures.

Myth No.5: Even if the HSE investigates, unless it prosecutes, we won’t be hit with costs Following a conviction for a health and safety offence, the HSE will seek to recover its investigation and legal costs. However, it often comes as a surprise that it can also charge for time spent investigating matters that do not result in legal proceedings.

Shirley says that since its controversial introduction in 2012, “when the HSE inspects a company and identifies a material breach of the law, the company will have to pay a fee for intervention — FFI.” She details how work undertaken by the HSE is recorded on an hourly basis and includes time spent identifying the breach, the provision of advice to rectify the breach and also investigate and take enforcement action.

Shirley explains that a material breach occurs where “the HSE inspector deems it to be serious enough to notify the company in writing… normally in the form of a Notification of Contravention.” That said, HSE inspectors are required to apply HSE guidance to their decisions and any enforcement decision should be based on the principles of the HSE’s enforcement decision-making frameworks. Even so, Shirley says that “the subjective nature of the FFI regime has attracted much criticism.”

She tells how many labelled the scheme as unfair and argued that “it was particularly unjust for the HSE to play judge, jury, and executioner.” But having faced the threat of a Judicial Review in 2017, the HSE introduced an independent panel to decide invoice disputes — “this,” she says, “is generally accepted to be working well and has provided much needed transparency.”

Her advice to companies is to carefully scrutinise FFI invoices upon receipt and raise any queries promptly with the HSE: “With a current hourly rate of £160, FFI invoices can be significant, particularly where multiple site inspections or specialist support is engaged by the HSE for complex issues.”

Next month: More myths are debunked including those relating to COVID, the actions of employees, and fines levied. www.petproductmarketing.co.uk

15/03/2022 08:52

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16/03/2022 10:52

Small companions

What’s new in smallies?

Claire Hamblion Marketing manager at Supreme reme Pet Foods

W

A tighter bond

Consumer relationships with their small animals have become closer than ever. With small pets now very much seen as members of the family, we are seeing an increasing demand for premium products that meet the specific needs of individual small pet species.

Tying into the premiumisation trend, exotic specialist vets are continuing to advance their understanding of small animal care needs and are passing this information onto their dedicated clients. All in all, this further increases the need for well-researched and high-quality products. By making sure you stock premium products developed with an up-to-date knowledge of small pet care, you can mark yourself out as a caring and well-educated retailer.

Owners are buying more premium products for their small companions.

Bathing sand is becoming a more popular product.

New innovations

When it comes to providing gold-standard care, you can also showcase product innovations that encourage instinctive behaviours, such as snuffle mats. These mats are great for enrichment, especially for animals like guinea pigs and rabbits, as they promote sniffing and foraging at the same time as preventing boredom. Why not set these mats up as part of an enrichment display by grouping snuffle mats with associated treats, to create complete enrichment activity sets for owner purchase? You could also incorporate products for other enrichment activities including tunnels, slopes, and hidey holes.

As always, when it comes to new and interesting products, it’s worth ensuring that you and your staff are up to date with all the relevant product functions, as well as how these can link to the behaviours of the species you cater for. Lots of brands will also provide you with information and training courses to help keep you in the know about what their products have to offer. At Supreme, we’re pleased to provide comprehensive product training support for retailers.

The success of subscription boxes

New avenues of opportunity

Alongside the demand for premium products, increased owner awareness of small pet needs can sometimes drive purchases in new categories. When this happens, it opens up valuable opportunities for retailers.

One example of this is bathing sand — previously, bathing sand was primarily purchased for chinchillas, but it is now becoming more widely known that sand can improve the welfare of several small pet species that originate from the desert. This has resulted in increased consumer demand for bathing sand, with sales of Tiny Friends Farm’s Harry, Charlie & Gerri Bathing Sand up by 30% year-on-year. A likely factor behind the success of this sand is that it is clearly marketed as being suitable for degus, hamsters, and gerbils as well as chinchillas, with the characters Harry, Charlie, and Gerri representing three of these species.

Bathing sand will be popular with customers looking to provide gold-standard care for their pets, as it encourages the expression of natural behaviours including burrowing and — of course — bathing. With the premiumisation trend continuing to rise, we at Supreme have also recently launched a new bathing sand as part of the Science Selective range. This product has been designed with sand particles that are all a very similar size, meaning they are super soft and gentle on the skin and paws of small animals.

Again, we are seeing strong commercial performance.

22 April/May 2022

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As millennials become the primary owners of small furries, these individuals not only want to spoil their pets — often treating them like family members — but they’re also looking for convenience, as well as a good variety of wellresearched products. Because of this, subscription boxes (particularly those for rabbits) have proved extremely popular with this new generation of small pet owners.

When your customers sign up to receive regular subscription boxes, this will help to guarantee regular sales, while providing you with the opportunity to include samples of new products and brands, such as small packets of treats or food. These boxes are often home-delivered, which is convenient for busy owners, as this ensures that they will receive a regular selection of lots of different products to indulge their beloved pets, even if they don’t have time to mooch around the local pet shop.

When deciding which selection boxes you would like to stock, try to select a box with premium products from well-known, trusted, and interesting brands. It’s also a good idea to select a box that offers a wide variety of items that differ from month to month as, if your customer becomes disinterested in the boxes they’re being sent, they are likely to unsubscribe — especially if the boxes have a higher price point.

Or, why not create your own subscription boxes? These could include some of your best-sellers, as well as new and innovative products you want to push or introduce. Creating a subscription box specific to your business is a great way to offer your customers a more convenient, COVID-safe way to purchase your products, and will also encourage them to try lots of different items from your store.

packaging, or is the packaging biodegradable or recyclable?

All of these things can impact your eco-conscious customer’s decision to purchase.

“

“

hen it comes to stocking small animal products, retailers will know how important it is to always keep your finger on the pulse. The small animal category is constantly evolving, and this is often influenced by changes in owner behaviour, the introduction of new innovations, and fluctuations in the popularity of classic favourites.

In this article, we’ll be discussing all the key trends for 2022 so you can make the most of current opportunities that will help to satisfy your customers’ wants and needs and maximise your small animal sales.

It’s also no secret that millennials are very environmentally conscious.

All about insurance

Finally, as customers and their vets become more and more educated on their small pets, this inevitably means that insurance and health plans have become increasingly popular. This is because as owners learn more about the health and welfare of their pets, they’ll be keener than ever to support them with regular health checks and preventative treatments, and they’ll also want to ensure that their pets will receive appropriate care if they do become ill.

Creating a small animal health plan or club for your customers is a great way to boost your sales. These plans can include products that support animal health and welfare, and they can mean discounts for customers and regular monthly sales for you — so everybody wins.

Pet insurance is also becoming ever-more popular amongst small pet owners, especially for rabbits. If you sell pets in your store, you might like to think about the possibility of partnering with insurance companies to offer insurance to new owners as well.

When researching upcoming trends as a pet trade retailer, it’s often tempting to focus on spending patterns in the cat and dog markets. However, with a new generation of small pet parents who are more invested and willing than ever to provide gold-standard care for their pets, it’s well worth making the most of the ever-expanding small animal category.

Enrichment for small companions is a valuable market for retailers.

Environmental impact

It’s also no secret that millennials are very environmentally conscious. Again, this is something it’s well worth considering when you decide which products you want to stock. For instance, are you selecting products that are produced locally and sustainably? Do they have minimal

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16/03/2022 10:55

Reptile care

The right environment

John Courteney-Smith MRSB Arcadia Reptile; Head of Science and Innovation/Author/Herpetologist

There is a big opportunity to keep raising the level of care for the reptiles we keep, says John. t has been and continues to be wonderful to see this almost wholesale shift in animal care towards naturalism and bioactivity, especially in the UK, where we lead the world in advancing care theory. Of course, these ideals are not new but we are now starting to be able to obtain the equipment and knowledge base required to keep these species in wild-like conditions, at long last.

Naturalism is, as I pointed out in a previous piece, the overall key to success. If we can provide a level of care to any species within the orientation, energy fields (light), diet, and decorative style of the wild animal, we are over halfway there to providing perfect care. Why? Because every species has changed and adapted over vast time in order to take all that it needs to thrive from this wild habitat. Therefore, it is these providers of the wild, per species and locality that have become the base need of any given species. If we change our care away from that required by long adaption in the wild, we enforce a lack of balance. The closer that our care advances towards replicating these providers, the closer we as keepers progress to providing a herpetological nirvana, a living space that offers perfect energy and enrichment, but without the threat of predation or disaster.

Bioactivity takes naturalism one step further by inserting live cultures of fauna and flora that work together to bring further life to microflora and fauna of the substrate and indeed the whole enclosure. Naturalism done well is the goal that we should all be reaching for, bioactivity remains a bolt on to this, that expands upon and increases welfare (when done correctly) within naturalism. I see no merit in ‘bad bio’. What do I mean by this? Well, if we have a species that climbs within its usual behavioural tendances and we build a viv that has a range of plants from all over the globe and no climbing areas, we are not meeting the animal’s needs, regardless of the insertion of inverts into a live soil.

Furthermore, we can greatly increase welfare by thinking clearly about plant species choice, using species that actually occur in the wild range, instead of just dumping bromeliads, spider plants, and vines in every cage.

plant food and also increase enrichment for insect eaters, aid plant growth, and quite wrongly, reduce the amount of time required for active cleaning. In reality, bioactive care is a melting pot of parameters, all working together in order to create a live functioning ecosystem within an enclosure.

This means that we have to include insects of many species, all working hard, finding food and recycling waste, alongside the natural bacterial and fungal interactions of a healthy soil. All of this requires time and skill to establish and even longer to monitor and care for.

Bioactive care

By definition, our systems are ‘closed loop’. What do I mean by this? A closed loop is a system that has no other forces adding to or taking away from the elements pre-inserted into the system, other than those that remain inside of the system. This means that it is the human custodian/ keeper that is responsible for feeding, watering, monitoring, and caring for the whole system, including the biological function and cycles of the bioactive substrate. This is where we must take some cues from aquaculture, wherein the substrate, water, and mechanised filtration all take part in the cycles that maintain beneficial water quality and allow aquatic flora and fauna to flourish. The same is true for reptile keeping, wherein the substrate itself becomes a filter,

Bio is not a magic bullet that suddenly elevates care to stratospheric levels of professionalism. Bio is a useful tool that can be used within naturalistic care to further increase enrichment and variety. Adding in bugs to an overall poor design would have very little positive impact when compared to the reduction of care and potential stress caused by not allowing climbing naturally at the right angle per species and not providing adequate areas in which to self-regulate and hide. In this way, it is better to work towards naturalism and forget bio.

Bioactive care assumes that live insects living in the substrate will convert animal and plant waste into usable

24 April/May 2022

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“

The bio ideal has been quite wrongly sold by some as a way to keep exotics and to not have to do much cleaning.

“

I

The bio ideal has been quite wrongly sold by some as a way to keep exotics and to not have to do much cleaning.

This is a lie! Good bioactive care, within a system that is functioning to the wild level, will take much more time to care for than simply whipping out soiled newspaper, replacing, and cleaning a water bowl. As so it should — life is complex and fragile. What we are trying to achieve here is an emulation of the vast food web and cycles of the earth and then force it to function to this level within an X-sized box. Does this mean that we stop trying? 100% NO! Naturalism and bioactive care are both positive to welfare and our hobby as a whole. But we should be honest with ourselves and those that we advise that it is not the lazy keepers choice.

The right system

maintaining a balance that can and does deal with plant and animal waste, and in a way where this waste does not cause harm to the animals or plants.

Bioactive care can never be relied upon if we assume that the insertion of springtails and isopods alone are enough to bring biological cycles into play in full. It is far more detailed and complex than this. Indeed, many of the reptile and amphibian species that we keep will either create not enough, or too much waste for a system to continue to thrive as a sole food source. The system can either starve or putrefy. As such, as keepers we must remove large waste matter in good time but also feed the soil with organics so that the soil and its cultures can remain within its aforesaid fully functioning status.

We must also factor in the mineral cycles for plants, in which minerals contained within soil are taken up into the plants as they grow via the fungi to plant symbiosis and are therefore removed from the soil. Yes, as plants continue to grow these minerals are locked into the plant and depleted from the soil until the plant itself is recycled back into the soil, or eaten and then the waste returned to the soil.

Mineral removal from a closed loop system, especially within the heavy planting that we as keepers prefer, is a very real issue. It is also the primary reason why flourishing long term systems can suddenly crash and for no apparent good reason, the plants are simply starving. Therefore, if we wish to maintain good levels of growth, we must remineralise the soil with suitable reptile and amphibian safe soil foods. This is in addition to practical foods that can be added to the system in order to both feed and allow the invertebrate custodians to reproduce in number high enough to establish a functioning biosystem that is practical and effective.

All of this takes a level of skill and foresight, learned per keeper over time. Overfeeding a soil will as much imbalance it, as allowing it to become stripped of nutrients will.

Assuming that the waste and urates of a large snake, lizard, or tortoise can be dealt with solely by a few springtails living in a shallow substrate is totally wrong. These larger waste deposits can take weeks to break down, posing an infection risk if left in contact with the animal and its keeper. Balance and skilful feeding of the animals and the system’s culture as a whole is always required. Waste removal is always very important, even for the most fertile of the bioactive system.

As we can see, we have opportunities to grow within our hobby, to start to drill down into the many benefits of naturalism and how ‘bio’ can further build on these important keeping methods. We have opportunities to advise upon the practicalities of soil health and indeed help to provide solutions for keepers to be able to feed and maintain their habitats.

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15/03/2022 12:07

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petproducts.co.uk 16/03/2022 10:56

Customer Q&As

QA

Customer & solutions Let your rabbits control social situations.

Rabbit advice

Grieving pet My 13-year-old rescue dog, Phoebe, is grieving with us following the recent death of my other rescue dog, Billy. Billy and Phoebe had been together since they were both two years old.

Phoebe has reacted to Billy’s death in a totally different way to what we expected. My partner and I cannot go out without her howling or barking. She will not leave my side and wants to be with me all the time. When let out into the garden, she starts barking at imaginary things, or she stands at the front door and barks, even when we are there and there is no one at the door or anywhere near our drive. I’ve tried

Socialising rabbits I’ve just got a pair of rabbits. What is the best way to socialise them?

Rabbits don’t enjoy being handled, but they are cheeky and intelligent. They’ll soon learn and enjoy taking treats from you and following you about.

Don’t expect cuddles from your rabbit Although traditionally rabbits are a popular children’s pet, they are only really suited to families who will be happy to socialise with their rabbits sitting on the floor and not cuddling them.

Rabbits find being picked up and cuddled extremely stressful.

You may well be scratched, kicked, or bitten as they try to struggle free. This is not an aggressive behaviour, simply a way of escaping from a potential predator. You may expect that the more you handle a rabbit as a kitten, the calmer they will become. Sadly, this often has a negative effect as the rabbit matures and often goes on to be a grumpy grown up.

Dog behaviour everything to help her separation anxiety, going out for five minutes and gradually increasing the time, but within two minutes she is clearly distressed. We have a camera on while we are out just to see what she does; she simply paces up and down and is not happy at all. She has also suddenly started weeing in the house. I have been heartbroken at losing Billy and I did wonder if she was picking up on that grief. I’m trying not to be upset when she is around. I don’t know if getting another dog would help her, but I don’t want to stress her out any more.

Tamsin says: I completely empathise with the create anxiety and distress, which could affect distress experienced after losing such a beloved the new dog too. It’s worth waiting until you friend. Dogs certainly read our emotions and and Phoebe are feeling better in yourselves, as experience grief themselves for the loss of it’s still very raw for you both. a constant companion. However, the Many dogs grieve It might be difficult for you, and dogs behaviour change you describe in will respond individually, but leaving the loss of a canine Phoebe might also arise from some things out that still smell companion. medical issues, especially as of Billy might provide Phoebe she’s a teenager. Please have her with some support. Keeping to a examined by your vet so any daily routine will help her feel coincidental medical problems secure. Ensuring she has the can be treated. opportunity to exercise, explore, Your vet will also be able sniff, and play will connect you to refer you to an accredited as you both grieve. behaviourist to help Phoebe feel For your own benefit, please differently about life without Billy, contact the Pet Bereavement and the necessary changes in her Support Service whose trained routine and environment this will involve. volunteers are dedicated to helping owners They will be able to guide you through helping deal with their loss https://www.bluecross.org.

Phoebe feel secure within the home again. uk/pet-bereavement-and-pet-loss While getting another dog right away might feel as though it would provide Phoebe with Tamsin Durston is a canine behaviour officer in Dogs Trust’s company and support, a new dog might also canine behaviour and research team.

Let your rabbits come to you The best way to socialise your rabbit is to sit on the ground in their run area offering tasty treats. This will help both you and your rabbits get the best out of living together. Avoid the temptation to stroke and pick them up. This way, your rabbits learn to hop up to you and away again without anything but pleasant things happening — this being food!

After a while, even the shyest rabbits will come up to inspect you. They will often rub their chin on your shoe or leg and hop over to nibble the treats on offer. This is their way of claiming you and feeling relaxed. If you’re able to do this with your rabbits daily, you’ll soon find they happily choose to hop and sit on your lap or follow you around.

Never offer your hand in front of your rabbits’ face to sniff. This will often result in a bite — its their blind spot and will take them by surprise.

Wood Green, The Animals Charity helps pets and people at every step of the way. As well as being a safe haven for vulnerable pets in need of urgent care and a loving new home, Wood Green provides expert advice and hands-on support to pet owners in need of a guiding hand. With almost 100 years’ experience in rehabilitating and rehoming pets, the charity’s is committed to making sure that pets have the best lives possible. This vital work is only possible thanks to the generosity of supporters.

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p26/28_PPM_Apr/May22.indd 26

I live in a London suburb and to my surprise I saw a fox trotting down a nearby street. I have two cats that have free access to outside by a cat flap. I am now worried that my cats Charlie and Chocolate may be at risk. Do foxes attack cats?

Foxes can attack cats.

Cat general care

Celia says: Yes, foxes do occasionally attack cats, especially if they are particularly hungry.

Fox lovers claim that cats can see off foxes, but this only applies to some healthy bigger cats that stand their ground. Kittens, elderly cats, cats that are small in size, or cats limping home from an accident are the most likely victims of foxes. That said, most animal bites on a cat seen by vets come from fights between two cats rather than foxes.

The only 100 per cent way to keep your cats completely safe from both foxes and road traffic injuries is to keep them as entirely indoor cats. However, because both Charlie and Chocolate have been used to roaming, they will undoubtedly hate being confined and it may take several weeks before they adjust. You will have to be strong minded, if you make this choice.

You can reduce, though not eliminate the risk, by closing their cat flap at night. Foxes hunt more often at twilight and night, than during full daylight. Call your cats in at a set time each evening and offer treats and an evening meal.

Make sure there is nothing to attract foxes to your garden — no hedgehog food or bread for birds.

Security lights that are triggered by garden movement will also be a deterrent.

It will also help if you train both cats, using treats, to come to you when you call them using a specific command word. Start the training inside the house, then do it in the garden. Finally, during the day, call them in from the garden itself, reward them and then let them back out again. This ensures that they do not associate your call with always being immediately shut in.

Celia Haddon MA MSc MA is a well-known pet columnist and author of numerous cat books. She is a cat lover and owner, with a cat behaviour qualification and broad experience of feline issues.

▲

28 April/May 2022

Are foxes a threat?

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Customer Q&As

He goes back to our old home!

Cat behaviour

Cats can return to their former territory.

I have been trying to find a solution for my cat Jimmy who seems determined to travel back to our old house and has done so many, many times.

We lived in a rental house for two and a half years where we bought two male cats (brothers) and called them Jimmy and Jamie. We then decided to buy a house which was around four miles away. I honestly thought Jimmy would settle fine and it was Jamie I would have a problem with. How wrong was I! We moved into our new house beginning of August. I kept both cats inside for a week (which wasn’t easy as they have always been outdoor cats), and used a plugin diffuser which I thought might help them settle. After a week, we let them explore outside a little at a time while we kept an eye on them.

I don’t recall the first time Jimmy disappeared but since we have lived here, Jimmy has walked back to the old house consistently once and sometimes twice a week.

When he disappears, we go to our old house, usually call his name a few times, and there he is. He jumps into the car and is happy to get his taxi back home. This is normally a day or two after. The longest he has been missing is a week (I would go

back to our old house twice a day calling his name but he never appeared). There are stables and ponies near our old house and we think this is where he sleeps.

We have tried keeping him in for a while but he is meowing and desperate to go out so we eventually cave in. Both cats were allowed out whenever in our old house (through a cat flap) and they were often out all night but I have now put a curfew on their cat flap and they are locked in at night.

I would welcome any advice your experts can provide on what to do about this situation. He is a very happy loving cat so I don’t think he does it because he is unhappy. He just seems to prefer our old house!

Clare says: Cats are, by nature, territorial creatures. Once they establish a territory, they work very hard to defend it from neighbouring interlopers. The area around your former home will have been viewed by Jimmy as his territory and the urge to maintain it will be what’s driving him back there.

When he first went out exploring his new environment, he may well have found a familiar route that took him back to his old home. Have you been in touch with the new occupants of your old house? They might inadvertently be encouraging Jimmy through stroking him, feeding him, and even letting him in the house. Make sure to let them know not to pay him any attention as this could be very confusing for him.

In this type of situation, it’s important to make his new environment irresistible by providing all the important resources and enrichment he needs to encourage him to stay put. Feeding him small, frequent meals will hopefully motivate him to stick around. Using plugin diffusers containing artificial pheromones may help to settle him, as well as providing him with items on which he can deposit his own natural scent.

These include scratching posts on which he can secrete his scent as he scratches them.

The more of his own scent there is in his new environment the more settled he should

feel. Playing with Jimmy using toys that replicate his natural hunting instincts will not only allow him to associate your new home with positive activities but will help to maintain a strong bond between you.

It is possible that his new outdoor environment would have already had a feline ‘king pin’ in charge of it when you moved in, so if you do see any other cats in or around your garden it’s a good idea to chase them off, and in doing so you’ll hopefully be making it a little bit easier for Jimmy to establish the new territory as his.

Unfortunately, there’s no quick way of resolving this and it may take many more months before Jimmy settles. If there appears to be no sign of this happening, and the route he takes incorporates busy roads it may be safer and kinder to find out if the current residents of your former home would be willing allow him to stay where he feels more comfortable.

Labrador grooming routine

Dog grooming

We are about to get our first puppy, a Labrador, and I’d like some advice on how to introduce a good grooming routine for him from the start, so we don’t experience any problems as he gets bigger. What would you recommend and how often?

Labradors have a double coat that moults.

Joanne says: It’s lovely that you are thinking about your puppy’s grooming needs from a young age. The sooner you start, the more accepting he will be of handling and grooming.

As a puppy, the best thing you can do is ensure your dog is comfortable with you handling every part of his body from the feet to the ears; this way when he is being groomed he will not be concerned about you handling him.

A Labrador has a double coat, which traditionally moults, but you will find with modern living that there will be constant hair loss. A rubber brush is good to use as this will help to remove dead coat. I would recommend a good brush once a week, and more frequently when in full moult.

Most professional groomers offer puppy introduction sessions, which will help acclimatise your dog to the full grooming process. Labradors vary in their requirements for professional grooming appointments, as this will depend on how well you keep the coat at home and how sweet you want him to smell! I have some Labs who come for a bath once a month and some that come twice a year. To find a professional groomer near you,searchthegroomersspotlight.com

Clare Hemington DipCAPBT is an accredited feline behaviourist. She has a cat behaviour referrals practice and runs her Honeysuckle Cat Toys business with the help of her Siamese, Billy.

You can find out more from her website: www.honeysucklecattoys.co.uk

Can I have some more?

Dog behaviour

My Golden Retriever pup (seven months old) has started barking before mealtimes and when playing. After I have fed him, he will keep going back into the kitchen, jump up at the cupboards and cooker, and bark for more food. What am I doing wrong?

Tamsin says: Don’t blame yourself — there are likely to be many factors at play and it’s great that you’re seeking support early! Dogs this age can typically show frustration-related behaviours, which sounds like what your pup is displaying.

Your clever, food-motivated puppy has learned where meals come from and when, so is trying to communicate that he wants feeding/more food! With toys, he’s likely trying to get you to engage in more play.

Barking’s difficult to ignore, but our responses might inadvertently encourage our dogs. Generally, with any unwanted behaviour, the goal is to set dogs up for success by managing the situation. Teach him that barking at you doesn’t get a response; however, a more appropriate behaviour will always be praised or rewarded. For example, when playing, reward your pup for sitting before the toy is thrown.

Around mealtimes, give him something else to do while you prepare his food, such as asking him to settle, and intermittently reward him with a treat for staying quiet and calm. After the meal, encourage him to settle, or distract him by letting him in the garden.

Preventing access to the kitchen might help. If he does bark, try to ignore or distract him, avoiding any telling off/feedback for it. Getting cross never helps and might make him bark more. Lastly, check with your vet that his diet is appropriate for his age and keeping him feeling full, as this might contribute to food-seeking behaviour.

Tamsin Durston is a canine behaviour officer in Dogs Trust’s canine behaviour and research team.

Clever dogs soon learn where the food comes from and when.

Joanne Angus LCGI is a founder member of the Guild of Master Groomers.

28 April/May 2022

p26/28_PPM_Apr/May22.indd 28

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Breaktime read

‘My cat loves skiing — and it’s made him an Instagram star!’

Gary has even tried pack rafting!

lthough some cat breeds are wellequipped to deal with the snow due to their supposedly thick, waterproof coats — such as Norwegian Forest Cats — the average domestic longhair doesn’t have this luxury and will avoid snow at all costs. So, when Gary the rescue cat, who lives with his owner James Eastham in Alberta, Canada, started dropping hints that he wanted to go out exploring, his adventurous owners were happy to oblige him!

A

regularly can be spotted whooshing down the slopes on James’s shoulders, and videos he took of Gary on his shoulders have gone viral.

James has found employment in local ski resorts and Gary has become famous with many of the other staff and guests.

“When we’re walking around the resorts, people will stop and stroke him and he gets lots of attention — it’s quite strange!” James said.

People will often ask James if the temperatures are too cold for Gary, but James is always quick to reassure people that his thick fluffy coat keeps him nice and warm, and he also has his own ski jackets and goggles to keep him toasty.

On top of their skiing exploits, Gary also likes to head out on the lakes with James in a pack raft and has even been known to have a bit of a swim in the lake on his terms!

Keeping warm at Banff National Park.

Step by step

James and Gary in their skiing attire.

Many cats hate the cold and wet and stay inside when the snow starts to fall, but not this Canadian cat whose skiing exploits have made him a hit on social media!

30 April/May 2022

p30_PPM_Apr/May22.indd 30

Gary had made an immediate impression on James when he first came into his life, as he was adopted at four months old by his partner from Calgary Humane Society and the two became firm friends. “I didn’t have pets before, but Gary has turned me into a crazy cat man!” James laughed.

Gary first started showing signs that he wanted to explore the great outdoors when he was three years old. James said he would stand by the door of their apartment and when it would blow open, would try to escape. Then Gary’s persistence became more vocal as he would sit by the back door and meow as loudly as he could to get his point across!

When the couple moved to the mountains, James would spend many hours hiking around their new environment and decided that if Gary was going to join him, he should do it properly.

James bought Gary a harness to keep him safe and spent time getting him used to it, which he did quite quickly, and they began with short walks around the area. Then they went out to explore the area near to where they lived with some short hikes, taking a backpack along in case Gary became tired.

“He did really well and enjoyed himself,” James said. “He enjoyed being in his backpack as well.”

Their first proper hike was around nearby Grotto Canyon and Gary enjoyed sitting in the backpack and watching the world go by as he got used to the new experience.

They even found a beautiful frozen waterfall on one of their hikes.

Outdoor pursuits Over time, Gary became more and more fond of the great outdoors and will make his feelings very clear if he wants to go outside, by continuing his loud meowing until James gives in and takes him out!

His first try at skiing came almost by accident when a bad snowstorm meant that walking anywhere was almost impossible so when Gary began his demands to go out, James took him for a walk on skis and they came to a short hill.

“I thought I’d try going down it with him on my shoulders and he seemed to enjoy it,” James remembered. “All I kept thinking was ‘Wow, I’m skiing with my cat!’”

Since then, Gary’s love of winter sports has gone from strength to strength and he

SOCIAL MEDIA STARS James said he was taken by surprise when Gary’s videos and photos on Instagram made him so famous and popular.

“I really wasn’t expecting his account to do so well,” he said. “But people love Gary and it’s nice to see some fun and nice news these days as there’s so much depressing news at the moment.”

The fluffy feline has amassed more than 445,000 followers on Instagram and has become quite popular on Tiktok as well. In fact, Gary has become so popular that TikTok have featured Gary in their new advertising campaign.

You can also see Gary’s canine siblings in his Instagram posts, Douglas, Duke and Marge, along with his feline brother Carl.

More info ● Fans of Gary can now buy some of his merchandise from Cotton Bureau at cottonbureau.com/people/gary-the-cat ● To keep up to date with Gary’s antics, find their TikTok account at www. tiktok.com/@greatgramsofgary and Instagram at www.instagram.com/ greatgramsofgary

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