Orchard Vet's Blog

National Pet Month

14/04/2023

Throughout April the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) and the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association (PFMA) join together for National Pet Month – an educational campaign that aims to promote responsible pet ownership and make people aware of the benefits of pets for people, and people for pets!

We’ll also be sharing some useful information between now and the end of April and would love to know how your pets have enriched your lives!

What are the benefits of pet ownership?

There have been countless studies conducted into the benefits of owning a pet. Obviously, owning a dog is a great excuse to get outside and get some exercise, but there are other physiological and physical benefits to owning a pet.

Pets are a source of physical contact and comfort and can decrease loneliness and depression, help to tackle anxiety and reduce stress levels while providing devoted companionship.

Owning pets is a great way to teach children responsibility, and has been proven to help them feel more socially included. In addition to this, a number of studies have suggested that children that grow up with pets are less likely to develop allergies!

Various pieces of research have suggested that stroking your pet can lower blood pressure which in turn reduces the likelihood of heart disease and strokes and there are even dogs that have been known to sniff out life threatening diseases.

The Animal Welfare Act

In the UK the welfare of companion animals is protected by the Animal Welfare Act. This means that all pet owners must take steps to ensure that their animals are properly cared for by providing for the five welfare needs. These are:

- A suitable environment

- A suitable diet

- To be able to exhibit natural behaviours

- To be housed with, or apart from other animals

- To be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

If these needs are not being met action can be taken by enforcement agencies and this can, in some cases, result in prosecution.

How can you be a responsible pet owner?

Being a responsible pet owner starts before you bring your new furbaby home as there is a lot to consider: does your lifestyle suit the kind of pet you want? Are you planning any major life changes soon? How would this impact your ability to care for a pet? Is your home big enough to keep a pet? Would your pet require an outside space?

Having a pet can be expensive too. The cost of owning a pet can add up to tens of thousands of pounds over its lifetime, so it’s important to consider if you can commit to this.

These are just a small amount of things to consider before committing to getting a pet. We are always happy to provide free advice to people who are considering getting a pet, so call us today if you have any questions.

We strongly recommend that all pets be registered with a vet. Here at the Orchard Vet Centre, we provide an affordable pet health scheme which covers your pet for veterinary consultations, vaccinations, nurse clinics and health examinations. Call us today if you’d like to know more!

Did you know...

• More than half of the adults in the UK own a pet


• There is an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats


• 24% of the UK population have a dog 

For more information on how you can continue to provide the best in animal care to your pets, visit the links below for heaps of useful guides including some short videos!

www.thekennelclub.org.uk/pawbypaw

www.dogstrust.org.uk/changethetale/advice

www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice

www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rabbits

For more information on National Pet Month, and for details on how to get involved, visit www.facebook.com/NationalPetMonth