Bits for Pets Blog

A burglar who stole a parrot with a “vicious temper” was traced after it bit him and he left a trail of blood.

Frome magistrates heard how detectives traced Tristan Maidment, 23, of Greenhills in Edington, Wiltshire, from DNA recovered from the shop in Frome.

The court heard how the bird was taken to Maidment’s home and kept in a “very cramped” cage in his bedroom, “squawking as if distressed”.

Magistrates adjourned sentence until 3 August and remanded him in custody.

In his police interview Maidment said he could not remember being bitten by the bird but admitted drinking before the break-in.

Maidment said his accomplice must have taken the bird to his house and he believed the bird was later sold in Bristol.

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Only 56 butterfly species now remain in Britain as others have fallen victim to disappearing habitat, a charity says.

The Butterfly Conservation charity said urban sprawl, modern farming techniques and lack of woodland management had all played their part in habitat loss.

Hertfordshire has lost the most species - 17 - in the past century, with Bedfordshire, Suffolk and Lincolnshire having lost 15 each.

The list has been published ahead of the first Save Our Butterflies week.

Cambridgeshire comes fifth on the “extinction” list, having lost 12 species, followed by Essex which has lost 11.

Conservationist Dr Martin Warren, from the charity, said: “Butterfly species are becoming extinct county by county. It is deeply worrying.

“Butterflies in profusion tell us that nature is in balance. Where butterflies are disappearing, nature generally is in trouble.”

He added: “These extinctions are the result of habitat loss. That’s the result of either urban spread, lack of woodland management or intensive farming practices.”

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A brave dog who saved the lives of two sailors during the Second World War is to get a very special honour - 62 years after his death.

Giant Bamse the St Bernard was based on the Norwegian warship the Thorodd.

The 89kg dog saved a young lieutenant who was being attacked by a knifeman and also rescued a sailor who fell overboard, going in after him and dragging him to the shore.

The dog, whose name means cuddly bear, was also loved by the people of Montrose, Angus, where the ship docked during the war.

Bamse the heroic Norwegian sea dog
All the schools in the town were closed as a mark of respect when he died at the dockside on 22 July 1944.

The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animal’s chairman, Freddie Bircher, will present the rare award to Vigdis Hafto, daughter of Bamse’s owner Commander Erling Hafto, on Saturday, exactly 62 years after the dog’s death.

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What do you do when your beloved pet is ill or injured and you just can’t afford the vet’s bill? It’s a dilemma for any animal lover. Thankfully, the PDSA - an animal charity which offers free treatment - has now set up in Northern Ireland.

Pet owners know that you can’t put a price on the love and companionship of a family pet. But for many owners, the cost of keeping their animals healthy and happy is more than they can financially bear.

A pet needing bowel surgery after eating a sharp object could result in vet’s bills in excess of £1,500, repairing injuries caused by a car accident costs between £500 and £2,500, and even medicines for animals suffering from asthma set owners back a whopping £50 a month.

For pets, their owner’s ability to meet these costs could mean the difference between life and death. This year, Northern Ireland opened its first People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) hospital - a unique service that caters solely for pet owners with financial difficulties. Already, the charity has brought relief to thousands of suffering pets and anxious owners.

Susan Mooney, principle veterinary surgeon at the Antrim Road hospital in Belfast says: “Our research showed that there was a real need for our free veterinary service in the region and the number of clients registered and pets treated so far is testament to that.”

The state-of-the-art hospital is the 43rd established by the PDSA in the UK since the charity started back in 1917. Already, almost 2000 clients have registered for treatment, with between 600 and 700 animals coming through the hospital’s doors every month.

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PET OWNERS in the South-East rate their pets more highly than their friends and 94 per cent consider their pets to be part of the family, research from the RSPCA reveals.
But thousands of pets face an uncertain future as 81 per cent of the 400,000 pet owners in West Sussex fail to make arrangements for their pets in their wills.
Whilst pet owners may assume that family or friends can look after their pets if they die, unwanted pets can actually be a huge financial and emotional burden for the bereaved, with less than half of those surveyed saying they would happily take on an animal if someone close to them passed away.
This means that thousands of pets each year could be left without the care and attention that they deserve and many could end up homeless after their owner’s death.
To tackle this problem and give pet owners peace of mind, the Southwater-based RSPCA has launched Home for Life - a completely free service which aims to look after pets following their owner’s death and help find them a loving new home.
All pet owners need to do is add a simple clause to their will instructing that care of their pets is handed over to the RSPCA when they die.
TV personality, Des Lynam, who supports the RSPCA’s Home for Life, said: “Rehoming pets is a vitally important part of the work that the RSPCA does. Pets from all walks of life deserve owners who will look after them and give them the necessary care, attention and love. Thanks to the RSPCA pets should continue to enjoy a good home, even after their owners die.”

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