Take a look at Green People's new Pet Shampoo!

Green People produce organic beauty products for all the family - women, men, kids and babies.   And now, I'm delighted to say, they have produced something for the most important member of the family - your dog!

I adore Green People's products.  I've been using their moisturiser, cleanser and sun protection lotion for a few years now, and I love the way they make my skin feel.  They last, too.  I'm not one of those people who spend ages getting ready for the day and I have to say it takes a lot to get me interested in any sort of beauty stuff, but I'm a big fan of Green People.

One of the reasons is that they work with a number of charities - in the past they have worked with BornFree, the Marine Conservation Society, the Woodland Trust and Plantlife.  

The company is based in West Sussex, not far from us, so that's another reason for my loving them.  

Now they have two allPaws pet shampoo products, one for younger dogs and one for older dogs and those with sensitive skin.

Green People say they are safe and gentle, good value for money (because they last) and if you wash your dog outside, the product won't damage the environment.  The tubes are easy to squeeze (handy if you have to chase your dog round the garden to wash him or her) and they won't cause skin irritation.

Take a look anyway and see what you think!  

Baker Ross have up to 34% off their  creative animal world collection so that you can keep the kids entertained with a range of farm animals, jungle animals, sealife and more!

Baker Ross cover all sorts of animals – sloths, llamas, rats, pigs, hedgehogs, farm animals, blue tits, koalas, chickens, snakes, woodland animals, dogs, bats and mice! 

This offer ends on 10th May 2020, so take a look at their amazing animal craft collection today!

Bored at home?  

The lovely folk at the World Land Trust have created some word-searches and crosswords for us all to do – and what’s more, they’ve even provided links to the answers as well!

Go to tease your brain here

They have just announced that their fundraiser to save 642 acres of land in Columbia has been successful and that the land has been saved!  They hit their target of £295,000 in just a few weeks which is all the more remarkable because of what was happening in the world – the coronavirus began to make its impact felt shortly after the fundraiser was announced.   Anyway, it’s a great way to get involved in conservation and to donate to something where you really can make a difference.

Thanks to the World Land Trust’s supporters, Fundacion Biodiversa Colombie (FBC) will be able to protect more of the amazing network of habitats in Barbacoas, middle-Magdalena Valley, home to many of Columbia’s most threatened species.  The Lowland Tapir, Brown Spider Monkey,  and West Indian Manatee all call this home, along with many bird species.

Take a look at the news from the World Land Trust here.

Have you been watching Secret Life at The Zoo?  It's on our screens on Thursdays on Channel 4 at 8pm.  The enthusiasm and love the keepers show for their animals never ceases to amaze me, and there's good news from them from the animals at Chester Zoo!

A rare Asian elephant was born. 

The female calf was born to 15 year old mum Sundara Hi Way, after a 22 month gestation.

And the birth was caught on CCTV cameras!  The rest of the family herd welcomed the new born, including 1 year old half brother Anjan and 3 year old sister Indali.

Asian elephants are listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).  Sadly the species is threatened by habitat loss, poaching and human-wildlife conflict - like so many animals.   A deadly herpes virus threatens them as well.  

Chester Zoo is working hard to help elephants in the wild, focusing on human-wildlife conflict in Assam, India.   The zoos' conservationists are working to prevent the deaths of elephants and to help find ways in which elephants and people can live side by side.

And they are also working to search for a viable vaccine to help rid elephants of EEHV.  Progress is being made - and hopefully one day this threat will be dealt with. 

Plan your visit to Chester Zoo here - you'll find all the information you need!

Did you ever do a first aid course on people?   Well, now you can do a Pet First Aid Course with the PDSA.

The PDSA is the UK’s leading vet charity.  It’s got a network of 48 pet hospitals, and it provides treatment for millions of poorly pets who are sick and injured and who belong to people in need – there are criteria you need to meet to have your pet seen to by the PDSA.

The PDSA also promotes responsible pet ownership.   And one of the things they are doing is running Pet First Aid Courses!  

Pet First Aid Course

The main focus of the training is to help you identify when something isn’t right with a pet and then how you can act accordingly in an emergency situation before you get to a vet.  The course also looks at how you can prevent  some emergencies happening in the first place. 

• Recognising normal for your pet
• Heatstroke
• Bandaging
• Bloat
• Poisoning
• Seizures
• Choking
• Resuscitation
• Being prepared

These take place around the country and you can find a list of pet first aid courses here.   They are delivered by the PDSA’s Community and Education Nurses, using some theory work, group discussion, case studies, video examples and practical exercises.  You can test your knowledge afterwards by completing an online quiz – you’ve got 7 days and 3 goes to pass the quiz and then a course certificate will be emailed to you.

Find a Course Near You

The course is free but not surprisingly it’s very popular so the PDSA have introduced a £5 admin fee for booking. 

Please note - due to the increase in demand for their Pet First Aid courses, the PDSA have had to introduce an administration / booking fee of £5.00 per person (that’s non-refundable & non- transferable) (Including VAT)

You can also sign up online for their Free Pet First Aid Guide

Why not take out Pet Insurance with the PDSA and help support them that way?  It’s one way they raise funds to continue providing free vet care to the UK’s most needed pets and to promote responsible pet ownership.  Find out more here

Autumn is a wonderful time of year to take a walk in and there’s nothing like walking alongside water.  

Walking is great exercise – you can stretch your legs, drink in the view, watch the wildlife, enjoy the autumn colours in all their glory and breathe in some fresh air.

©Canal and River Trust

Even if you don’t live in the sea, you may find yourself near a lake, a loch, a river or a canal.

©Canal and River Trust

The Canal and River Trust has lots of wonderful walks for everyone to enjoy – and they have information about dog friendly walks on their website.

Walking your dog by a canal or river...some tips

• Keep your dog on a short lead around busy spots like locks and bridges – you don’t want them jumping into a lock or into a canal from a bridge, for instance
• Ensure they are wearing a collar with an ID tag
• They respectfully ask that you pick up anything your dog might drop and put it into a bin
• Don’t let your dog swim in the canals – they may upset the ducks

Don’t forget to take water for your dog – dogs get thirsty as well!

In winter, it’s particularly important to keep your dog on the lead in case they are distracted by geese and ducks and try to jump into the canal to go after them.  Your dog may think ice on a canal is a solid base.  

If your dog should fall in, the Canal and River Trust advise you not to jump in after your dog; keep your voice calm and encourage him or her to swim to you where you can lift them out safely.  And if they can’t do this, try to reach them with a line or long branch.

And if you don’t have a dog, go for walkies anyway and enjoy yourself!   Woof, woof! 

Go to the Canal and River Trust's website - why not volunteer or become a member? 

The  Government has just created 41 Marine Conservation Zones, stretching from Northumberland in the North East to Norfolk, to the Isles of Scilly and beyond.  These will help marine life recover and thrive in protected areas.

A group which was important in gathering the information to help decide which areas should be protected was that of volunteer divers.

They are members of an organization called Seasearch.

Seasearch is a project for volunteer scuba divers who are interested to find out and discover more about what they see under water.  They also want to help protect the marine environment around the coastlines of Britain and Ireland.

Seasearch divers record what lives in each area, and establish the richest sites for marine life.  They also pinpoint sites where there are problems for marine life – and those areas which need protection.  Visit their Recording page for more information.

These findings helped the government decide which marine areas should be protected. 

So if you enjoy scuba diving and want to make a difference, take a look at Seasearch.  My husband did one of their courses and really enjoyed it.

Here’s a list of Seasearch groups around the country.

I’m putting a more sombre touch to this website today to give some time and thought to all the animals and peoplel who have been killed or injured by war.

If you’re in London, one thing you could visit is the Animals in War Memorial at Brook Gate, Park Lane, (map here) on the edge of Hyde Park. It’s on the edge of Hyde Park . 

The Animals in War Memorial was created to remember and pay tribute to all the animals who’ve served with our Forces in the wars and conflicts of the 20^th century.   They served, suffered and died alongside British, Commonwealth and Allied forces and deserve to be remembered. 

Horses, mules, donkeys, dogs, pigeons, cats, elephants, oxen, bullocks, canaries and even glow worms served in the wars.

They had no choice.

The Animals in War memorial is a beautiful tribute to them, but if only the wars had never happened, so much suffering and death could have been avoided for millions of animals and people.

Today on D-Day, let us remember them.

Visit the Animals in War Memorial’s website to find out more here