Homestyle Gossip

European countries and the US have been offering dog friendly holiday cottages for many years, and the UK is starting to catch up.  There are numerous search facilities online if you want to find a hotel that is listed as being ‘pet-friendly’ or as offering ‘dog-friendly accommodation’.   There are even search sites that find pet-friendly days out and pubs, so you can combine your accommodation with your chosen activities that will ensure that your pet can join in all the fun!

If you don’t want to put your dog or pet in boarding kennels/cattery etc whilst you’re away, or leave them in the care of a friend or neighbour, then you need to make sure that the hotel you’re going to is genuinely pet-friendly and will really make you and your pet feel welcome.  It’s the same as when you see a restaurant that advertises itself as ‘child-friendly’ – some are merely ‘child-tolerant’ and often getting word-of-mouth recommendation is the best bet for finding somewhere that practices what it preaches.

Even the friendliest of pet friendly cottages will usually expect pet birds to be kept in cages, and that your dog will be kept on a lead outside your room.  Good pet-friendly hotels will provide things like food bowls and water bowls, bedding and towels and toys for your pets.  They’ll also be able to recommend local facilities where your pet will be welcome, or walks that your pet dog will enjoy.

Expect to pay a supplement to the basic cost of your room for a pet – perhaps up to £10 per night.  This is to cover the cost to the owners of the hotel of things like extra cleaning.

Having a pet friendly holiday cottages or booking dog-friendly accommodation is only part of your task: you also need to make sure that there are grounds or facilities nearby to exercise your pet.  Not a problem if you’re in the countryside and in the city there may be enclosed areas for dog exercising/toileting, but check before you book.   Some hotels have staff to walk dogs, or to pet-sit, which is helpful if you’re planning on going somewhere for the day that isn’t suitable for your dog or pet to come too.

Some hotels use only some of their rooms for customers with pets (so that they can keep other rooms ‘pet-free’ for people with allergies), and these can book up so if you’re planning on making a trip with your pet then it’s best to book early to avoid disappointment.

Dog-friendly cottages in the UK are prolific, particularly in countryside areas where hoteliers know that people who want to enjoy the countryside normally like to have their best friends with them for a good walk.  Many holiday cottages are also advertised as being pet friendly accommodation, whilst others remain steadfastly pet-free (handy if you have allergies).

There are several sites that allow you to search for ‘dog-friendly hotels’ or ‘pet-friendly cottages’.  They abound in areas like the Lake District, Cornwall, the Yorkshire Dales – anywhere where you would want to spend a good part of your holiday walking in the hills with your best friend.   There are also some chain hotels (even the very basic-cost options) that are dog-friendly, so you don’t have to spend a lot to take a holiday with your pet.  Many do charge a supplement for your pet to stay, but it’s normally in the region of up to £10 per night.

But a tag-line on a hotel’s website saying that they are ‘dog-friendly’ or ‘pet-friendly’ does not necessarily that they are as welcoming as they profess.  Always read reviews and ask for recommendations from other pet-owners, and ask questions of your hosts or the owners of the cottage you are renting.

Ask where your dog can sleep: many hotels/cottages insist that dogs sleep outside in a kennel, which you might not want.

Check whether you’ll need to bring your dog’s food with you, as some hotels offer a range of meals for your pet.  If your dog is on a special diet, chances are you will need to bring their food with you, and make sure to tell the hoteliers that your dog is on a diet so that they are careful not to leave other dogs’ food or treats out where your dog could snaffle them.

Ask for a room on the ground floor if possible, so that you can take your dog outside quickly if the need arises.

Charities exist to plug the gaps where government spending is missing.  They couldn’t do all their good work and help as many people and animals as they do without financial support from caring members of the public.

People raise money for charities in many different ways.  A large portion of many charities’ income comes from bequests made in peoples’ Wills.  When a person writes a Will, they can choose to leave a gift (of an amount of money, or perhaps some property) or a percentage of their estate (the value of everything they leave behind when they die) to a charity or charities of their choice.  These are called charitable legacies, and they are free of Inheritance Tax.

The current rate of Inheritance Tax is currently £325,000 and, subject to a few exceptions, anything you own above that amount at the time of your death is taxed at 40%.  Some people, usually those who own just above the threshold, say in their Will that if they own over the Inheritance Tax threshold at the time of their death, then anything above that amount will be given to a charity or charities.  That way, the charity gets the money rather than the Chancellor.

But there are many ways you can raise money for charity when you are alive too!  Some people make a small (or large) monthly donation by direct debit, which really adds up for the charity.  Others do one-off fundraising activities.  Fundraising ideas could include those which are wild and wacky, like getting people to sponsor them to sit in a bath of baked beans, or to shave their heads.  Or they can be arduous and rewarding, such as raising sponsorship for running a race, or climbing a mountain.

One of the easiest and most pleasant fundraising idea, though, is probably a coffee morning with friends, or baking cakes for friends and family to buy, with all money raised being sent to the charity.  Coffee mornings work by asking people to come along to your house for the morning, providing them with tea/coffee and cake/biscuits and a gossip, and in return they agree to put some money in the pot (usually an agreed amount of, say £5 each, or you could leave it to their discretion – most people prefer being asked for a set amount, though).

Acquiring a horse as a family pet or for recreation or pleasure is a major decision.  They require extensive amounts of time and care, not to mention money to maintain their stables, tack, food and bedding supplies.  They’re also high maintenance all year round, and it may be difficult to find someone to care for them in your absence if you want to go on holiday.

But all of that is but a drop in the ocean compared to the cost of veterinary bills should your horse become ill or injured.  Insurance is a major consideration for horse owners, and it is something that should be dealt with as a priority once you have acquired your horse.

It doesn’t really matter how much you paid for your horse in the beginning (many people acquire horses from others who have become too old to care for them themselves and may pay a nominal sum for them).  Once they are yours they are part of your family: and if a member of your family were ill, you would pay whatever it took to get them well or healthy again if they fell ill or were injured, wouldn’t you?

The key factor about having pet insurance, particularly for a large beast like a horse, is that no-one wants to be in a position where they have to put a cost on their pets life.  If you don’t have equine insurance, you could one day be faced with choosing whether to pay money you can’t afford, or have your horse put to sleep.  Money is obviously finite, and it is entirely possible that you could not afford to pay an astronomical veterinary bill following a fall (especially if the horse needed surgery).

If you did pay a lot for your horse and it dies, if you have insurance then you can recover the monetary value (even if that will not compensate you for the loss of a loved pet).

Premiums for equine insurance that pays out in the event of their death tend to be based on the value of the horse (that is, the amount you paid for it).    It is well worth adding insurance to cover medical and surgical costs of care.  If you have insurance from an early stage, then the chances are that your premium will be affordable.  If you wait until after your horse has had an illness or accident, premiums will be higher.  Even so, the premiums you pay will usually be far less, when added together, than the cost of the medical care your horse may require if they are injured or ill.  Of course, your horse may be fit as a … well, a horse, in which case you may never have to claim for accident or illness treatment.  If so, the premiums you had paid would have been wasted – but they would have provided great peace of mind in the intervening years.

It’s important to do your homework before signing on with an insurance company. There are many, and all provide different benefits with varying premiums. Don’t jump to the conclusion that the company with the cheapest premium is the best buy.

If you do decide to get cover, then check what your excess will be in the event of a claim being made; check with your local vet whether they are aware of the insurance company’s willingness or otherwise to settle claims (some are quicker to pay out than others) and check whether there are any exemptions (usually, pre-existing conditions are not covered).

It is generally a good idea for a child to have a pet, since having a pet teaches them nurturing and responsibility.  If you are buying a pet for your child, though, remember that your child will probably not end up caring for the pet (certainly if your child is young) and that it will probably be you who changes it, feeds it, waters it and takes it to the vet.  Remember this and don’t punish the pet for what you perceive as your child’s unwillingness to adhere to their promise that they will look after it…

Hamsters and guinea pigs are regarded as ideal pets for children.  They’re small, easy to care for, not known for biting, and are hugely entertaining to watch at play.   But which should you choose?

Hamsters:

Pros:

- They are small enough to be held in the palm of your hand;
- You can build complex tunnel systems for them using the tubes from inside toilet rolls;
- They are cheaper to buy than guinea pigs (though the cost of their housing and other paraphernalia will be similar);
- They like lots of running round and exercise, and are fun to watch;
- If handled often they can become tame;
- They are clean and tidy creatures;
- They do not demand as much attention as guinea pigs do – but then, if they are not given attention they will not become tame.

Cons:

- They can be too small and fragile for very young children to handle safely;
- They only live for up to three years – meaning that an explanation about death may be on the cards for your child at a young age;
- They can disappear into the smallest cracks or under furniture very quickly and easily – so if you’re letting them out for a play it needs to be in a carefully sealed-off area;
- They can bite;
- They tend to be most active at night (not a good idea to have the cage in the child’s bedroom).

Guinea Pigs

Pros:

- They are bigger than hamsters so are less easy to hurt (though note that they are still fragile creatures and should be handled with great care and under adult supervision for young children);
- They are affectionate and like sitting in laps for cuddles;
- They live for up to five to eight years;
- They seldom bite;

Cons:

- They are a little more expensive than hamsters;
- Male guinea pigs tend to smell;
- They need a friend, so you should always buy two together (make sure they are both female…)

Guinea pigs and hamsters

Both need spacious housing, and eat similar things.  They can eat dried food from the pet shop, and/or fresh fruit and vegetables.  They will need things to gnaw on to keep their teeth from overgrowing – overgrown teeth can cause massive problems with their general health.  They are prey animals, and as such they may not show signs of illness until they are very poorly – by which time it may be too late (or too expensive without insurance) to get treatment for them.

You should not aim to keep either type if you already have rabbits (rabbits can hurt them), cats or dogs.

They will both need a cage, food bowl, water bottle/bowl, and a carrier to take them to the vet.  Long-term costs are low, with just food and bedding to top up.  Vet bills can be very high, so consider pet insurance, which is only a couple of pounds or so per month.

You should keep the cage in a family room that is often used to avoid the animal getting lonely, and not in the child’s bedroom so that the child isn’t woken at night by nocturnal scrambling.

Children need to be educated that their new pet is an animal and not a toy – if they are too young to understand that, then they are too young to own a pet.

What could be cuter than a kitten?  Few people can resist the charm of their sleek fur, disproportionately large ears and paws, their playfulness, their big eyes… But if you are thinking of getting a kitten to join your family, remember that they will, of course, turn into cats one day and you need to be sure that you want a cat, too.

Kitten-hood lasts up to around a year – by the time kittens are one year old, they have developed to the age of a fifteen year old in human terms.  By the time cats are four years old, they are almost middle-aged in human years.  How long they will live depends on any number of factors, from health and care to environmental factors such as traffic and other local wildlife.  They can live up to twenty human years and longer.

When you are considering bringing a kitten home, the first thing you should know is that they should stay with their mother for at least eight, and preferably 12 weeks before being separated.  This will give the kitten time to learn from their cat mother things like how to hunt, feed, wash, use a litter tray or otherwise cover their poo, and without that vital time your kitten may never develop these skills properly.

The sort of issues you will need to consider for kittens are:

-              Spaying/neutering (at three to six months)
-              First vaccinations (8 and 12 weeks)
-              Litter-tray training
-              Making sure they are kept inside
-              Losing their baby teeth (around four months)
-              Flea and worm treatment (from 8 weeks)
-              Choosing kitten food (ensuring a good mix of dry and wet food)
-              Whether your kitten (and cat) will stay indoors or be allowed outdoors

Cats, on the other hand, have other issues for you to be aware of.  The novelty of a playful kitten will wear off and you have to be sure that you can commit to loving an animal who is less interested in playing (and some cats don’t particularly like sitting on your knee or even being stroked much).  The initial expenses related to having a kitten can be steep, but remember too that there are on-going expenses that can add up.  Do your sums and make sure that you can commit to caring for a cat for up to twenty years or more, bearing in mind the regular cost of:

-              Cat food
-              Regular vaccinations
-              Cat litter
-              Flea/worm treatment
-              Insurance
-              Vet bills (for things not covered by insurance)

Also be aware that some people may be allergic to cats, even if they are not allergic to kittens (and vice versa), so get that checked out before committing to adding a pet kitten/cat to the family.

Kittens and cats make wonderful additions to any home.  As long as you know what to expect in terms of long-term commitment and responsibility, you will be able to enjoy your relationship with your newest family member for many years to come!

When you buy a dog, you should expect to care for that dog as a member of your family for the rest of its life.  You should have ensured that the breed is right for your existing family, and that you can afford to keep and maintain your dog in the long-term.

However, situations change.  You may have a baby – and your dog may not respond well.  You may lose your job, and have to face a choice between your dog going hungry or you going hungry.  A member of your family may develop an allergy or asthma that is triggered by the dog’s fur.  You may have an illness or accident that mean that you can no longer properly care for or exercise your dog.  Or you may have to move to a smaller house and suddenly find yourself with inadequate space for your large dog.

Any of these factors can leave you with the heart-wrenching decision to have to rehome your dog.  It’s not something that any dog lover wants to do and people will go to great lengths to avoid it.  But if it is necessary, then how do you go about rehoming your best friend?

There are organisations, including the RSPCA, Dog’s Trust and other local dog rescue centres that will take in dogs that need to be rehomed.  If your dog is a pedigree, there are also breed-specific rehoming centres across the country.

These organisations will investigate the reasons behind your decision, and may be able to offer advice and suggestions as to how you could keep your dog at home.  But if they can’t, then they will do their best to match your dog with a potential new owner.  If possible, you should try to keep your dog at home with you whilst a new owner is found, to minimise the disruption to your pet, but in an emergency, the organisation may be able to temporarily care for your dog.  Some require a donation for them to dog rehoming.

The benefit of going through an organisation like this is that they will carefully question and vet the potential new owners, to determine whether their home is suitable, that they are committed to caring for the dog and will take it to the vets regularly and so on.   They will make sure that the dog’s next home will be suitable and that their new family will be loving and will care for the dog for the rest of its life.  This is why it is important that you choose an organisation with an established, good reputation so that they have the appropriate experience and expertise to properly rehome your dog.

Dogs with behavioural problems are very hard to rehome, especially if they are aggressive.  Some organisations vow to never put a healthy dog to sleep, whilst others may have to destroy the dog if it cannot be rehomed as resources are so limited.

If you decide to rehome your dog on your own, remember that once the sale is final you cannot have your dog back and nor can you do anything to stop the new owner from selling the dog on to someone else or giving it to someone unsuitable.  You may not have the ability to adequately vet a potential new owner in the same way as a dog rescue organisation can.   Beware that there are unscrupulous people out there who will use bought dogs in puppy farms, or sell them on for fighting or, abroad, fur.

If you bought your dog from a breeder, most reputable breeders will take them back at any time.   Contact your breeder and ask for advice.

Choosing how to rehome your dog should be made with the same, or greater, care than that which was used to choose to bring him home in the first place.  Do your research, ask questions and be satisfied that your dog will be happy with their new family.

If a person were to get lost, or injured, then it would be relatively simple to be found and helped.  A call to the police, or the ambulance service or local hospital would lead to help being given, and for that person’s family to be reunited with them.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a single place or institution where lost or injured cats can be reported to.  The institutions that do exists – such as the RSPCA, the Cats Protection League, local cat shelters and other animal charities – simply do not have the resources to be able to help each and every injured or lost cat on their own.  So they all play their part in cat rescue work, and all take in as many lost or injured cats as they can.

But it can mean that it is hard for owners to find their lost cat.  If their cat doesn’t come home when expected, they may have to make several phone calls and still not find them.  It is a sad fact that sometimes cats are killed (e.g. in road accidents) and the owners never find out.

So how does cat rescue work?  What should you do if you lose a cat, or find a cat (healthy, or injured/ill)?

If you find a stray cat, first of all you would need to establish that it is, indeed a stray.  Some cats just like to wander, and cadge a free meal where they can by making themselves known to another household near to where they live.  Of course, if they are wearing a collar with a nametag and phone number then this will make it easy enough to establish.  If you think it is a stray, and they don’t have a collar and tag, then the first task is to take it down to the local vet and have it scanned for microchips – this is an easy way for a cat to be identified and may enable them to be reunited with their owner without further delay.

If there is no microchip, your next job might be to put up posters in the local area advertising that you have found a lost cat.  Giving your mobile number where you can be contacted and a brief description of the cat might lead to a very relieved owner giving you a ring.  Be careful to keep back some piece of information about the cat (e.g. that they have a white paw, or some distinguishing feature) so that you can be sure that the person who phones to claim the cat is the genuine owner.  You can also phone round the local veterinary clinics to ask if anyone has phoned to report their cat missing.

If no-one replies to the posters, you might consider keeping the cat – but be sure to get them checked for disease and vaccinated/spayed/treated for fleas and worms if you do.  But if you feel that you cannot keep the cat yourself, then you should call a cat rescue service.  This might be the RSPCA, the Cats’ Protection League, and local cat rescue centres.  Many of the smaller charities or rescue centres are run by volunteers who may not be able to answer the phone when you call as they may be out – leave a message and someone will phone you back.

Many local cat rescue services may not have enough volunteers to be able to give the cat even a temporary home whilst the owner is traced or a new home is found.  This is because there is a shortage of volunteers to foster cats, and it can mean that you may need to phone several places before you can find someone who can care for the cat.

Animal rescue centres will be able to care for the cat if they have space.  The cat will be well fed and looked after, treated for any illness or injury.  The RSPCA can collect stray cats if you are not able to transport them to one of their centres.

If you have lost a cat, you should phone round your local veterinary clinics, cat rescue centres and cat rescue charities including the RSPCA.  Ask each when you should next phone, as if they don’t have information about your cat that day, it might be worth you phoning in a few days’ time.   Put up ‘Lost Cat’ posters in your local area, local newspaper and newsagents/post office and consider asking door-to-door as to whether anyone else has seen your cat.  If your cat has been injured, they may have gone to hide – ask neighbours if you can look around their gardens/sheds.  If there are building works nearby, it is worth asking the foreman to keep an eye (and ear) out for your cat as it is not unknown for cats to get trapped in newly-built houses or amongst foundations.

As the popularity of keeping exotic pets increases evermore, people are becoming far better informed on how to care for their exotic pets.  There are more specialist pet shops that stock these creatures and staff are usually well-informed and can offer good advice on what you will need for your new pet, how to care for them, and what to do if you notice any problems such as a change in behaviour or apparent sickness.

Such advice can be rather self-interested on the part of the shopkeeper, since their advice may end in you buying more equipment, tonics and so on.  So to educate yourself, we have provided some advice on how to take care of your exotic pet, below.  If you feel that your pet is not well or is in any distress or discomfort, you should seek the advice of a specialist vet.

Before we start, though, you should be aware that you need some solid reasons for choosing an exotic pet and not just because it is a bit different.  You should have already had experience of caring for some kind of special-care pet (e.g. tropical fish), or at the very least have had a variety of well cared-for pets in the past; you need to be fascinated by exotic pets and enthusiastic about owning one (and not just for the novelty value – that will wear off).  You also need a healthy respect for what some of these exotic pets are capable, and treat them carefully accordingly.  Think about who will care for your pet if you go away – it’s not like having a neighbour pop in and feed the cat, you need someone who knows what they’re doing.   Remember that you will need adequate space for your chosen pet – both initially and when it gets older (and larger….).   And you need to be aware of all the costs relating to that pet, so that you can be sure that you can commit to caring for it in the long-term.

Once you have decided whether you can and should take on an exotic pet, you need to be aware of certain rules and regulations.  The Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it an offence to fail to care for an animal properly – so if you don’t care for your exotic pet in the right way (including giving it suitable housing, diet and a natural environment), or neglect its needs, then you could end up with a fine (up to £20,000), imprisonment (up to a year) and a criminal record.  The Act also says that you have to be at least 16 before you can buy a pet.

Specific to exotic animals is the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 makes it illegal to own creatures that are a danger to the public (this was at a time when you could buy a tiger from Harrods).  The Act contains a list of such animals, which is often revised and updated, so check it before you buy as otherwise you will need a special license if you inadvertently acquire an animal that is listed.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes it illegal to release exotic creatures into the wild, so if you find that you can no longer care for your exotic pet you cannot simply set it free.

The sort of practical things you will need if you invest in an exotic pet and pet care are:

Adequate housing

-          Terrarium (a specialist tank made of glass or plastic) that is big enough to house your pet even when it is fully-grown.

-          Heating pad/lamp (to keep your creature warm, if it is from a hot climate) that goes at one end of the tank – that way, your pet has the choice of where to sit, day and night, and may choose to sit in the cool end or the warm end depending on what it needs.  Any heat source that your pet can reach must be covered with a guard to protect against burns.

-          Thermostat to keep an eye on the temperature.

-          UV lamp (to give Vitamin D)

-          Water bottle with misting attachment, to keep the tank humid if appropriate (you’ll need to spray the tank regularly).

-          Bark/leaves/branches/sand – whatever is recommended as being closest to your pet’s natural environment (and check for toxicity as some leaves may be poisonous to your pet).

-          Sterilising equipment – to clean anything that is going to be put into the pet’s home.

Appropriate Feeding

-          Most exotic pets will need to eat live food.  That might be locusts, worms, or small mammals like mice or chicks.  Read up on your chosen pet to discover its particular needs.

Careful Handling

-       Some exotic pets should be merely observed, whilst others can tolerate and even enjoy handling.  Read up on your chosen creature and check out advice on its behaviour and temperament and how it responds to handling.

-       Be aware that your pet may be nocturnal – so having their tank in your bedroom may not be a good idea.

Cost

-          The initial outlay for housing can be quite expensive, but remember to budget for their long-term costs such as live food and any veterinary bills.

-          You may need to do some research to find a vet who specialises in exotic pets – most vets will be unfamiliar with the ‘norms’ for exotic pets and could miss something vital.

-          Consider pet insurance – this will avoid a situation where you have to choose between your money and your pet’s life.

Do your research, choose carefully, and enjoy a long relationship with your exotic pet!

There are many reasons why some dogs end up at rescue centres.  Some have been abused, some have outlived their owners, and others have been abandoned by owners who can no longer afford, or no longer wish, to care for them.

Whilst some people choose a pet dog based on its breed or appearance, and buy from dealers, pet shops or breeders, others gain great satisfaction from choosing to adopt a dog from one of many rescue centres.

Taking in a rescue dog is the same as taking in any dog: it requires great commitment, thought, preparation and dedication on your part.  In addition, rescue dogs may come with additional anxieties born out of the treatment they have previously received and may require extra care and attention.  Remember that this is a long-term commitment not to be taken lightly.

The RSPCA is just one organisation that cares for dogs until they can be rehoused.  Considerable time and effort goes into finding suitable placements for the dogs and they are cared for in the meantime whilst their names remain on a list of dogs who are available to be rehomed.  Dogs rehomed via the RSPCA are all spayed/neutered, vaccinated, wormed, treated for fleas, healthy and screened for temperament so that they can be matched to the right new owners.  Not all organisations that offer rescue dogs for adoption take these steps, so be sure that you know what you are getting when you agree to adopt a rescue dog.

Before you visit a rescue centre, do your homework in choosing the sorts of breed that you could accommodate.  This will help you to resist the temptation of adopting a dog on impulse because you feel sorry for it or because it looks cute.  The breed is important because it can determine things like how much exercise it needs, how often it needs to be groomed, and how much it eats (important to note if you’re on a budget).  In order to be sure that you have chosen the right dog, consider these points:

-              Do you have adequate space at home (and what size/breed of dog will be most suitable for that space?)

-              Do you have somewhere nearby to exercise your dog regularly – and do you have the time and energy to do so?

-              Will the dog react well to your children (and remember that some dogs like babies but not toddlers and vice versa)

-              Will your other pets and the new dog get along – how will you introduce them?

You should also take out pet insurance to cover veterinary bills so that you are never faced with a choice between money and your pet’s life.

Most dogs from rescue centres will be housetrained, which is a benefit that you wouldn’t have by buying a puppy.  Remember, though, that their temperament and behaviour may be different in the first few weeks of being rehomed than it is once they have gained some confidence and feel at home – they will feel safe to be playful and happy.  You may find that the quiet little dog you adopted becomes a boisterous lolloping creature when you’ve made him feel at home for a while.  Whilst this can prove to be a nice surprise, you may want to consider waiting to adopt a dog until any children you have in the home are a bit older, because a dog that seems to be compatible with young children initially may turn out to be not very compatible at all.

Adopting a rescue dog can be very rewarding but you should go in with your eyes open, having done your research, to make sure that your relationship with the newest member of your family is a lasting one.