THE FORMULA FOR HAPPY AND HEALTHY SCHOOL PETS

PDSA, the UK’s leading veterinary charity, is carrying out research into school pets as part of its Long Live Pets campaign, to ensure the health and happiness of all companion animals.  The charity is conducting a survey and is keen to hear from teachers as well as parents to gather as much information as possible. 

The Animal Welfare Act places a legal ‘duty of care’ on all adults responsible for a pet’s care to ensure their pet’s welfare needs are met. 

 There are five things that all pets need to keep healthy and happy:

• Environment – pets need a suitable place to live.
• Diet – pets need a balanced diet that meets their nutritional needs.
• Behaviour – pets should be able to behave normally.
• Company – pets’ social needs need to be met.
• Health and Welfare – owners and carers are responsible for their pet’s health.  All pets should be checked at least once a day (twice for rabbits) for any signs of illness.

Help PDSA’s mission to improve pet health by completing its survey on school pets by clicking on the link below. Feedback will be gathered over the next few months and results published in Spring.

Help and guidance is also available on PDSA’s interactive tool, ‘Your Right Pet’, www.your-right-pet.org.uk.  This is also a useful resource for existing pet owners or people considering getting a new pet. 

‘Your Right Pet’ has a wealth of information on the most popular school pets which the survey has confirmed to be hamsters, rabbits, fish, gerbils and guinea pigs. It explains what a pet’s needs are and how, practically, these can be met for the most commonly kept pets.

The online tool can also be used as an educational resource by children of all ages.  There are fun and interactive elements such as a cartoon animal that changes into different pets as users answer four questions, plus more in-depth aspects of pet care for the older child.

There are other elements for children too such as creating their very own ’virtual’ pet which can be downloaded and used as a screen wallpaper, emailed to friends and added to personal profiles on websites such as MySpace and Facebook.  More information on pet care can also be found on pdsa.org.uk or youngpdsa.org.uk. 

Leading veterinary charity, PDSA, provides free veterinary care to the sick and injured pets of people in need and promotes responsible pet ownership.  The charity operates through a UK-wide network of 43 PetAid hospitals, 4 PetAid branches and some 352 contracted private practices (PetAid practices).

In 2008 PDSA launched its biggest ever pet health initiative, Long Live Pets, to ensure a healthy life for all pets.  A key part of Long Live Pets is the introduction of ‘Your Right Pet’, www.your-right-pet.org.uk, the charity’s new online tool, designed to help prospective pet owners choose the right pet for their lifestyle.

In the last year PDSA PetAid hospitals and branches have provided more than 1.8 million free treatments and more than 360,000 preventive treatments, such as vaccinations, neutering and microchipping.  In addition, more than 40,000 pets are registered for PDSA-funded veterinary care through PetAid practices.

In 2009, delivery of PDSA PetAid services will cost more than £49 million.  The charity is funded entirely by public support; mainly donations, gifts in wills and trading.

To be eligible for PDSA care, pet owners must be in receipt of either housing benefit or council tax benefit and live within the designated postcode catchment area of their local PDSA PetAid service. 

Potential and existing clients can obtain more information on PDSA PetAid services by phoning 0800 731 2502 or by logging onto www.pdsa.org.uk.

PDSA operates 179 charity shops UK-wide and is supported by 4,800 volunteers.

The charity asks that it is referred to by its initials, PDSA, in all editorial rather than by its legal name The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals.

PDSA and PetAid are registered trademarks of PDSA.