National Pet Month: April 1 – May 2
More of us than ever have welcomed a new pet into our homes during the pandemic, with a rise in first time pet owners.
So, this National Pet Month – April 1-May 2 - we’re focusing even more heavily on education and support for you, our amazing pet owning family.
This year, working with leading vet and pet professionals, we’ll look at the five key welfare needs of our animal companions – Companionship, Behaviour, Diet, Health and Environment – and how we can best provide them as a responsible pet owner.
In the coming weeks look out for blogs, interviews, live broadcasts, social posts and lots more as we tackle important pet care topics to help you provide a safe, happy and healthy environment for your pet.
Latest statistics from NOAH (National Office of Animal Health) show pandemic pet owners are more likely to face challenges with pets due to our changing lifestyles.
“With three in 10 owners welcoming a new pet during the pandemic, there has never been a greater need for education and support around responsible pet ownership,” says Dawn Howard, NOAH Chief Executive.
“With national lockdowns, restrictions on travel and social gatherings, loneliness has been at an all- time high, so it’s no surprise people have introduced a new pet. The benefits to our mental and physical health are proven.
“However, although recognising a pet is part of the family, some owners are struggling to adapt as we return to the workplace and start more regularly socialising again. In some cases, our pets are finding themselves back in rescue or suffering from separation issues.”
Dawn adds: “We need this to change. That’s why NPM will be tackling important issues like separation anxiety, new owner worries and more during this year’s campaign.
“We want pet owners to know there is help available and encourage them not to give up on their pet.
In many cases, there are simple steps you can take to improve a pet’s behaviour. Sometimes just one conversation with a vet or pet professional can make a positive difference for you and your animal companion.”
Follow our pages: www.facebook.com/joinscratchingpost (for cat lovers) and www.facebook.com/joinparkbench (for dog lovers)