Bits for Pets Blog

A cat managed to swim to safety despite being stuffed into a bag and thrown into an Aberdeen river.

The young cat managed to escape to the embankment after its ordeal in the River Don at the Grandholm Bridge and a witness caught the injured animal.

It is now being cared for by animal welfare experts following Thursday morning’s incident.

The Scottish SPCA wants to trace a man who was seen with a dark blue car at the scene.

It was the second high profile animal cruelty incident in the region this week, after a badger was found clinging to a harbour ladder in Fraserburgh.

“She’s a lovely wee cat and has had a very lucky escape”
Alison Adam
Scottish SPCA

In the latest incident, the friendly grey, tan and white cat is thought to be between six months and one year old.

She was wearing a distinctive sparkly silver collar but had no identification.

“She has a broken front tooth and is exhausted. But amazingly she is otherwise uninjured. ”

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Scientists believe a tick which can kill dogs has spread to the British mainland after a dog in Kent was bitten by the insect and died.

Janet Hunt, from Ashford, said she used to walk her dog Caffreys near railway lines used by Eurostar trains. Foreign trucks also park alongside the paths.

Caffreys died from the blood-born disease babesia, caused by a tick not previously known to be in the UK.

The disease was diagnosed by a research scientist at the University of Bristol.

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Fast-breeding pairs of rabbits are adding to a crowding crisis at a Lincolnshire animal shelter.

Nearly 100 unwanted pet rabbits have been occupying cages at a shelter run by Lincoln’s RSPCA branch.

The charity has stopped taking in more rabbits and says there is only enough funding to care for those already housed for two more months.

It says part of the problem is that pet shops are selling people breeding couples, instead of same-sex pairs.

The RSPCA has urged people to come forward to offer homes for the pets.

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A huge hedgehog hunt called Hogwatch has begun, to find out how many of the prickly creatures there are in the UK.

The People’s Trust for Endangered Species is asking people to report sightings of the animals as they are worried hedgehog numbers are falling.

Some experts fear the number of hedgehogs in the UK has dropped by as much as 20% over the last four years.

Hedgehogs are thought to be under threat from farming and the loss of their habitat in towns.

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We are seeing rising criticism of the pet industry coming out of the pet insurance sector. Last year Saga Pet Insurance voiced its concerns over unhealthy pet treats while Sainsburys Bank told us that owners of pedigrees are more likely to claim than crossbreed owners. Earlier this month Churchill told dog owners that they have no idea how expensive our dogs really are. Now Direct Line Pet Insurance is telling owners that they are spending £46 million on vets bills throughout the lifetime of their pets - due to poor kennel conditions. The pet insurer has launched a campaign to further regulate kennel standards.

The research points out that of the 5,400,000 dogs in the UK, 300,000 have had to go to the vet as a result of a stay in kennels at a cost of more than £150 each on fees. Over one in 10 dogs (12%) had contracted an illness and 4% sustained an injury from their time in the kennels says the company.

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A road trip to visit a friend in Liverpool turned into a voyage of discovery for Heather Martin from Bristol.

After arriving in Merseyside and hearing a noise coming from under the bonnet of the car, she was surprised to discover the cat hiding by the engine. And when the stowaway’s owner was traced, Heather was staggered to find Nacho lived next door to her in Bristol.

“I’ve just moved into my house in Bristol and hadn’t met my neighbours, so I didn’t recognise the cat - but what a way to break the ice!” said Mrs Martin.

“The RSPCA inspector was fantastic,” she said. “I was so pleased the cat was alright and mortified that I hadn’t known he was there all the time. The fact that he was chipped made it so easy to find out where he was from.”

Click Here! For the full story and why it is important to micro chip your cat or dog.