National Pet Month

Don’t forget our schools’ art competition ‘A happy pet I know’

Alison — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:38:35 +0000

An article on the BBC website today talks about the value a school dog, Missy, brings to help calm unruly children’s behaviour http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8632592.stm - she creates a safe haven where pupils can calm down, then open up and talk. Our schools section gives more background on this.

Our National Pet Month schools competition this year - once more art focussed - is themed ‘A happy pet I know’ - and as well as getting schools involved we’re also encouraging pet shops and vet practices to get in touch with local schools to talk to them about responsible pet ownership (and indeed, how to behave responsibly around animals) - and to share with the pupils and teachers some of the joy that being around animals can bring to children.

The competition is open till 28th May, so there’s still plenty of time to get involved - details are here: National Pet Month art competition.

As we near the final quarter of National Pet Month there are still lots of events going up on the website all the time - don’t forget to tell us about yours if it’s yet to happen - and if you want to find a local event to go to - then look at the What’s On section of the website. We’ve already had some amazing events and I can’t wait to hear more - and see photos - about how they went.

BSAVA Congress - did you see the presentation?

Alison — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:55:20 +0000

A team from the NOAH contingency of National Pet Month trustees has just spent four days at the British Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress in Birmingham - primarily to promote NOAH’s Pet Health Information website, but also it presented a great opportunity to remind vet practices that National Pet Month was only half way through - and there was still plenty of time to get involved. It was great to see the National Pet Month presentation being beamed down to the vet profession from the big screen (only punctuated by the Grand National!) and we had a lot of positive feedback.

And while we and hundreds of vets and nurses were talking about National Pet Month inside in the National Indoor Arena, all round the country many other organisers were taking great advantage of the first really great spring weekend to hold some fantastic events. (And one of those, in Welwyn, gave my big, over-exuberant white ex-rescue boxer the chance to show off in public his agility skills. No he did not do a clear round but, hey, he stayed in the ring and had a brilliant time! We really have come a very long way!)

It isn’t too late to do something this year - let us know and we’ll get an event pack straight off to you. Or why not think about the art or photography competitions? There’s still plenty of time to enter.

The first weekend is over - how was it for you?

Alison — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 12:21:39 +0000

Did you hold your National Pet Month event over Easter? Please send us lots of photos (or put them onto Flikr tabbed NationalPetMonth) so we can see how you got on. And if you’re still in the planning stage, don’t forget to register your event on the website so people looking for something to do will find it. That’s where we’re directing local press to as well. If you haven’t started planning don’t despair - there’s still plenty of time. We’ll get a pack out to you straight away - just make a request through the website, and don’t forget to tell us what you’re doing. Thanks to everyone for their fantastic support!

Pets in Wonderland is RCVS Trust NPM theme

Alison — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 12:09:51 +0000

As National Pet Month gets closer and closer, I have just read that RCVS Trust is suggesting that practices host ‘Alice in Wonderland’ events during National Pet Month to raise funds for their charity. Now - the first practice to get Johnny Depp there gets a very special prize - a personal visit from the hardworking National Pet Month office team!!

This is a great idea for a theme and there are plenty more amongst the exciting events being registered on the website - have a look for some inspiration. And if you have made plans, don’t forget to register your event so we can help give you some of the publicity you deserve!

Pet Trade World features NPM

Emma Tombling — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:20:35 +0000

Those of you planning events this year who subscribe to Pet Trade World http://pettradeworld.com/ may be interested in a feature on page 17 ‘NPM 21 years of celebrating pets and people’. They also have a feature on organising a pet event on page 40. If you are planning an event during April-May don’t forget to register it with us.

Become a National Pet Month supporter at: http://www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk/portal/admin/create-account.php then you can request an event pack. The website is filled with great ideas on what you can do. Last year we had a vast array of events (over 450!) including church service for pets, a super sponsored slim down, quizzes, fun days, open days and owl displays, rabbit talks, sponsored walks, 5K runs & doggie swim-a-thons.

We look forward to hearing what you are all planning this year. Keep in touch and please add your events to the website. It lets us and everyone else know what you’re planning and generates interest in your event whilst promoting responsible pet ownership. Don’t forget our website also has some great resources for schools http://www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk/schools/index.php .

New Year’s Honour for NPM supporter

Alison — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:15:43 +0000

Good to see that John Bower MRCVS has been awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours list. As well as his stirling work for his own practice, for BVA and BVA Animal Welfare Foundation, John was always a staunch supporter of National Pet Month and its predecessor National Pet Week. Indeed, his former practice in Estover, Plymouth was a former winner of our best event competition, and even since John’s retirement has been a runner up in the veterinary category. Their excellent established Open Day in National Pet Month shows just what an opportunity NPM can give a practice - or indeed any pet care business - to show pet owners just what they have to offer their animals and to have some fun too!

John recognised these benefits to the extent that a number of years ago he wrote an small brochure giving some very handy pointers for vet practices planning events - I am going to be hunting through our NPM paperwork and putting a pdf copy into our ‘resources’ section for supporters to try and offer some inspiration.

So think beyond the ice and snow and start to plan your 2010 National Pet Month event - we will be contacting supporters very soon to offer 2010 event information.

Happy New Year!

Many thanks, Des Thompson

Alison — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:49:13 +0000

I’ve just read in the Northern Ireland Veterinary Today Journal that Des Thompson has retired from his Earlswood Veterinary Hospital Practice after 48 years in the veterinary profession. Des was one of the founders of National Pet Month, or National Pet Week as it was then - indeed it really only took off due to his enthusiasm so if there had been no Des Thompson, there would have been no National Pet Month! So all the best to you, Des, from National Pet Month, in your retirement - we wish you well.

Churchfields Nursery Unit wins our School Art Competition

Emma Tombling — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:25:39 +0000

http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/4649378.SOUTH_WOODFORD__Artists_win_award_at_Churchfields_Primary/

Well done to Churchfields for their winning entry this year. We had a fantastic response and some beautiful pictures to choose from but Churchfields stood out due to their depiction of happy, healthy pets.

Two members of the trustees to National Pet Month visited the school on 24 September to present them with their winning certificate. Phillipa Davis from Goddard’s vets also came with her colleague, Dominique and brought a guinea pig, a dog and some lovely goody bags for the children. They gave the children a talk on how to look after your pet and then the children had the opportunity to meet the animals.

We would like to say thank you to Lynn Platt at Churchfields and her colleagues for making us so welcome. Follow the link at the top to see the local newspaper article.

Many thanks to a talented photographer

Emma Tombling — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:45:28 +0000

We would just like to acknowledge Daria Casement for allowing us to use her beautiful photographs for next year’s National Pet Month publicity. We found her after her Mount Stewart (winners of our competition in 2008) photos were put on Flickr and linked to our webpage: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dareangel/3585549031/

Many thanks Daria. You are a star!

What a success - thank you all - and tell us all about it!

Alison — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:44:07 +0000

Wow! A record number of events registered on the site (450 to date) and a huge amount of press coverage, all culminating in the Ultimate Pet Show where we had around 800 voters in the Hall of Fame competition!

I do hope you all enjoyed National Pet Month as much as we did. Please, please, let us know how you got on. There’s still time to enter the Best Event competition - you will have had a form in your pack (if you claimed one) and been sent one by email if we have your details. These are due in by 5 June and we will be judging this - and the schools ‘Healthy Pets Make Happy Pets’ competition - that day.

Can’t wait to find out the winners - who needs ‘Britain’s Got Talent’!!?