Thursday, January 22, 2015

Another Happy Owner story-kindly written by Frank's owner

As you can see Frank is a big part of our family. On the day he went missing we were on a normal walk in the woods near our house. We think Frank must have caught the scent of a fox or something strong, as he suddenly ran away and kept running even when we called him back. Our whole family walked around the woods for nearly an hour-we were out of our minds with worry as we’d never lost him before. Then my mobile rang-it was a Pet 24 person to say that Frank had been found and was safe in a house with another dog and 2 children making a fuss of him! It’s hard to write how relieved we were-and we are all so pleased that he has a Pet 24 tag….this is a great service and I will recommend it-thank you!

Frank and Luke




                                              Frank was rescued from Dogs Trust

Another Happy Owner story-kindly written by Molly's owner

 This photo of our beloved Molly says it all! She went ‘awol’ in our local park having chased a squirrel and deciding to ignore me! It was very wet and I really thought she would come back to me pretty quickly, but after calling and calling her-no Molly. I went home in a bit of a state to be honest. Then my partner had a call on his mobile from Pet 24-someone had found her and she was sitting in their car waiting to be taxied home! I cried with relief when the lovely man brought her to our house- in the pouring rain. She had a nasty shock and was subdued for a few days, so this photo is quite an honest one! So many thanks to the Pet 24 team-thank goodness you’re there!


Molly is a rescue dog from Dogs Trust

A 'before and after' story-in pictures!

Here's one of our treasured customers Anthony, posing in true Hollywood style BEFORE running off.....

and.........




No need for words are there?!  He didn't collect that head-mud just trotting down the road! Apparently he's learnt his lesson and has now left his 'Houdini' days behind him. His loving owner isn't taking any risks though, and insists he wears his Dogs Trust tag at all times!

Another Happy Owner story-kindly written by Winston's owner Hilary Curtis


Winston is a Tibetan Spaniel rescue dog from Wood Green Animal Shelter in Godmanchester and it was they who recommended Pet 24 to us. It is just as well they did. Within his first week we realised it was no good walking him on a conventional collar and lead. He would wait for you to get slightly ahead, tug backwards and slip straight out of his collar, so we now walk him on a harness. His favourite game, however, is to slip out of the house between your legs unnoticed whilst you are packing the car. Despite our best efforts, he has variously made his way to the local pub, the cul-de-sac round the corner or other streets in the village. He once tried to join a running club going across the field footpaths to the next village! On this occasion, we received a call from Pet 24 and we were on our way to round him up, although it did cost us a bit in wine and chocolates for the kind people who took him in and fed him toast and biscuits. We are very glad that we have Winston back, safe and sound, albeit a little smug - thank you Pet 24!  



Another Happy Owner story-kindly written by Tilly's owner Sarah Neale

Tilly 
I just wanted to drop you a line to say thank you so much for helping us get Tilly back. Your Pet 24 service worked perfectly and we now have our beloved Tilly back home with us. 

She had only wandered half a mile from home but across a busy main road and was too scared to cross back. She is very thin but otherwise fine. 

Thank God for Pet24!  


(Tilly was rescued from Wood Green Animal Shelter)

Another Happy Owner story-kindly written by Cleo's owner Kev

Cleo 
Cleo was only missing a short while, whilst out with her friends something spooked her and she got herself lost in the woods in thick undergrowth.

Despite calling her and the usual whistling she continued to go deeper into the woods. This is only the second week of her being ‘off lead’ and until now she's only had one other occasion when she 'spooked' but found her way back safely that time.

This time she followed her instincts and made for the end of the walk side of the woods where there is a gate. She was stopped from going through by a couple walking their rescue greyhound. They attached their lead to Cleo and seeing the Pet 24 tag called the number and gave Cleo’s ID number.

Fortunately, my friends and I caught up with the couple at the gate. I was very grateful to the couple who had the sense to hold onto her and also to call the Pet 24 number straight away. All is well now and Cleo, despite her stress at getting lost, is happily curled up on her favourite settee.

Had I not been able to find Cleo at the time it is a comfort to know that as soon as I had access to my email I would have known that someone had reported her found. Great job Pet 24!

 Kev





Another Happy Owner-kindly written by George's owner Jane McCarthy

I recently returned home to NZ to visit my mother in Auckland, leaving my dog 'George' with my auntie and uncle in a small village in the Yorkshire Moors.  George is lovely old Border Terrier that we got from the Dogs Trust in Darlington last year who is a real character.  Despite having a gunshot wound in 2 legs he loves his daily walks and these are the highlight of his day.  On Day 1 of him staying with my relatives, I received a phone call from Pet24 to say that George was sitting by himself in a pub and the publican was looking after him!  I was obviously very shocked and worried, but with Pet 24's help I was able to ring the publican and ask him to keep George in there until I could get in touch with my auntie to pick him up - which she promptly did.  It turns out he had got so excited waiting for his walk he decided to go by himself and called in the 'local' for a tipple along the way, a bowl of water and a pat from the locals!!

Thanks Pet 24 for helping co-rdinate the return of our Gorgeous George!! Jane McCarthy 

     


Monday, January 19, 2015

Dogs in cold weather



As the weather turns colder it’s so important to remember that even though our beloved dogs have some sort of fur coat, this doesn’t mean that they will be warm enough either inside during the day, when the heating might be off, or outside, when they can’t add another layer of warmth as we do!

Here are some quick tips from Pet 24:

1.  Check how the breed of your dog is effected by cold weather. If you don’t already know, this can be discovered easily online or by asking your vet. Not all dogs will need the same attention/protection when it comes to ensuring that their bodily warmth is maintained. Obviously, short-haired dogs like greyhounds, boxers etc are bound to feel the cold more than Alaskan Huskies...but there are some surprising exceptions to the 'thick-fur-coat' expectations we might have!

2.  Make your dogs walks shorter when it’s cold-they’ll appreciate it even if they can’t tell you! For older dogs do remember that those prone to arthritis or other muscular problems, really only need gentle exercise twice a day. Most owners are very alert as to how their dogs are walking- do notice any small changes and take note of any reluctance on their part to go out or stay out….which doesn’t mean to say ‘give in to their immediate demands’ !!

Pet 24 boss, Buster is pretty good at ‘faking it’ at the start of his walks, (he often refuses to budge once outside of the front door!). He’s a little stiff in the mornings, so we often carry him until he's in sight of busy squirrels- so that his ‘squirrel-fever’ soon makes him forget his all aches and pains!  He’s allowed shorter walks when it’s cold, even if it means bringing him home earlier and going out again with his younger and still bouncy sister Roxy (head of dog/customer services).

3.  If your dog HAS to be outside then do insulate their kennel against the cold, taking special care to cover the entrance with an effective, flexible material. There are many inexpensive options listed online that really work, are quick to set up, and will ensure a warm and cosy bed for your loved doggie! When dogs become cold over  a few hours even, their resistance drops and they are much more prone to illness…as owners are to vets bills!

4. PLEASE don’t trim or shave off their winter coats…no matter how scruffy your dog looks! It’s part of their natural defence against winter weather. When we see a freshly clipped dog in the park in the winter (and sadly we do!) it’s all we can do do to resist getting hold of the owner and ripping off THEIR winter clothes just to say ‘ How does THAT feel buddy?!’  Sadly, some people are more interested in how their dogs LOOK rather than thinking about how their dogs FEEL.

5. Please don’t start to overfeed your dog just because it’s colder weather-that’s a real projection of (what many believe to be) human needs, onto dogs! You’ll just end up with an overweight and unhealthy pooch.

6.  Paying a little extra attention to your dog’s needs in the winter can help with vet’s bills…dogs are prone to extra medical stresses in the winter just as we are. Be aware of extra chemicals/salts on the roads and pavements that dogs can pick up easily- do check their paws after a walk through any unfamiliar road and pavement treatments.

7. Older dogs feel the cold much more than younger ones-just like us! Buster, (on the lead below) is 15 in April, and has only recently decided that he’s not going out at ALL without his coat on-despite having quite a thick, fluffy (and scruffy!) coat of his own! (He's spent most of his active life avoiding all dog-dressing-up that his sad owners attempted!)




Buster and Roxy were pretty disgusted when we bought these ‘Dayglo’ jackets, but they are warm and now they can easily be seen at dusk/night when they wander off in the park. These have a warm fluffy lining and now that it’s colder Buster actually ASKS for his coat to be put on by nuzzling up to it when we get out their leads-bless him. Roxy runs about so much more that she warms up quickly and wriggles around on her back to ask for hers to be taken off, which always results in a mad lamb-like gambol!
Here's hoping that you and your beloved doggies all stay warm during the coming weeks!    

NB! The attached lead is NOT a safe walking lead-it's there to stop Buster wandering off due to the utter boredom he experiences when having his picture taken (unlike his sis who'll soon be modelling her latest pearls-she's such a poser as soon as any camera appears). 

Is your best furry friend protected against being lost-with a quick and easy way to re-unite them with their family? Investing in a guardian angel for them is inexpensive and very effective with Pet 24. Please visit us at www.pet24.org.uk

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Frankie and Susan Reunited

Frankie is home safely thanks to his Pet24 membership and fab owner Susan!