Practical Advice on pet ownership

Posted 12th November 2008

The government has recently published codes of practice on the care of cats, dogs and horses. These codes are intended to help pet owners better understand the needs of their animals and fulfil their duty of care established by the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

The codes contain practical advice for owners on how to create a suitable environment for their pet to live in, provide a healthy diet, spot signs of stress and protect the animal from pain suffering, injury and disease. We are proud of our pet owners as the majority of the pets we see are in perfect health, but there are sections of the codes of practice that may surprise owners such as Part 1 in the welfare of dogs:

Healthy weight
Your dog should not be too fat or too thin. Ideally you should just be able to feel its ribs and clearly see its waist when viewed from above. Obesity is a serious welfare concern in dogs as it increases the risk of developing certain health conditions later in life.

Click here to read the recent code of practice on the care of dogs.

Click here to read the recent code of practice on the care of cats.