At Crufts earlier this month we set a target of £250,000 to be raised during National Pet Month for animal charities throughout the UK during National Pet Month. I think that’s one of the great things about what we’re about - so many charities can benefit, from household names to the smallest local charity.

We launched at a press conference and then National Pet Month patron Philippa Forester and celebrity vet Trude Mostue joined us at the NPM to kick off our campaign by throwing darts (velcro ones!) at our specially made target.

We’d really love to know who you’re raising money for - and how how much you get - so we can see if we can pass our target.

Hi - it feels quite exciting to be putting the very first post on the National Pet Month blog - on our new style website - and it comes at a time when we’re really working flat out to get the packs out to everyone who has asked for one, and to make sure all the press know what National Pet Month is all about.

We now have over 90 events registered on the website - it will be great when we hit that 100 mark! Those new today have included a sponsored walk being run by the Selworthy Vet Group in Devon; free neutering being offered by Manchester and Cheshire Dogs’ Home from now, right throughout National Pet Month and beyond, and two events at Companion Care surgeries - an open day in Margate, Kent, and competitions in Huddersfield.

We know from the huge numbers of packs that have gone out from this office (our long-suffering postman will bear witness!) that there are many more events being organised out there - please let us know so we can help publicise. I’m expecting the steady trickle to become a flood! Alison