Bits for Pets Blog

A COYLTON cat could be officially classed as loveable and entertaining if she wins a national competition.

Proud owner Gayle Glendinning is beaming that Mylo has been nominated into the national Felix Factor competition - and she could see herself bagging a holiday and camcorder if he’s chosen.

While Mylo would be given the prestigious title of the UK’s Most Loveably Mischievous Cat and a years supply of cat food.

The winning cat in the competition has to have certain qualities - a feline as loveable and entertaining as the TV favourite black and white cat, Felix.

Gayle only entered Mylo because of her endless mischievous antics including jumping on to Gayle’s bed from the top of the bedroom door.

She said: “Mylo loves to have everyone’s attention all the time and is always climbing through our neighbours’ open windows to say hello. I hope that the judges will think that Mylo has the Felix Factor too and I have my fingers crossed that we will win.”

Felix Factor is part of National Mischief Month following recent research that a little bit of harmless mischief is good for us – giving the brain a buzz and increasing feelings of wellbeing.

If you think your cat has the Felix Factor visit www.catslikefelix.co.uk or post your entry to Felix Factor, Clarion Communications, The Griffin Building, 83 Clerkenwell Road, London, EC1R 5AR.

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A world-class guide dog training school has been officially opened in Forfar.

Dogs will come to the new centre at about one year old for initial training before going out to teams around the UK for finishing touches.

There is an outdoor area where dogs can get used to different paving types, traffic lights and obstacles such as bollards, road signs and even a puddle. An indoor section will allow obstacle and agility equipment to be set up for the animals when the weather is bad.

Operators of the centre have said that the design of the kennels is also innovative.

They are set in an “L” shape so that the dogs can see and interact with each other and staff.

The official opening has been carried out by HRH Princess Alexandra.

Guide Dogs chief executive Bridget Warr said: “This is a fantastic day for Guide Dogs as we celebrate the opening of our world-class guide dog training school that supports our position as a world-leader in the breeding and training of guide dogs.

“We also cement our commitment to Angus, and thank Forfar and its residents for all the support they have given us in our 43 years of training guide dogs here.

“Guide Dogs’ top priority for the future is to improve and expand the guide dog service so that it is accessible to everyone who could benefit from a guide dog, in Scotland and across the UK.

“The Guide Dog Training School in Forfar will play a huge and important role in this for many years to come.”

Guide dogs are in constant demand as their working life is only about six years and an owner could have about seven dogs during their lifetime.

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Beechwood Veterinary Hospital is not only helping save the lives of sick pets, it could help save their owners too. The surgery is the first and only place in the country where dogs and people can give blood.

The Doncaster vets has teamed up with the National Blood Service (NBS) and Pet Blood Bank UK (PBBuk) to offer the community the chance to help with these worthy causes.

Mark Straw, veterinary surgeon and associate director said: “I’m a regular blood donor and know how important it is to give. I thought it would be a great if I could do it at work, luckily enough so did the other staff and the owners of our patients. I am proud that Beechwood is now a people and pets lifesaver.”

Mark added: “Once we were on the way to arranging our first NBS visit one of the dogs we were treating needed a transfusion so we made some calls and our first canine session takes place in May.

The NBS sessions take place on the organisation’s bloodmobile which has three beds, health screening booth and the all important tea and biscuit area. The bloodmobile travels to various companies and organisations around South Yorkshire.

Craig Taylor, spokesperson for the NBS, said: “We would thank to thank everyone who gave and remind anyone interested that if you give you will be helping ill patients. Our thanks also go out to everyone at hospital for making us so welcome.”

“This is a real first for the country and it is happening here in Doncaster. It just goes to show how generous all it’s residents are, I’m sure they will have as much support from their doggy donors as well.”

The first visit saw 28 people attending and 22 rolled up their sleeves and gave a pint, including 13 brand new donors. The next for people takes place on Tuesday, 8 April. Four legged donors get their chance on Sunday 18th May.

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CAT-lovers from across Worcestershire are being called on to enter this year’s version of the Oscars for rescue cats.

Now in its fourth year, the Cats Protection Rescue Cat Awards 2008 are designed to celebrate the real-life stories of survival, bravery and heroism in the cat world.

The Worcester and district branch of Cats Protection, which covers Worcester, Malvern, Droitwich and Tenbury, is on the prowl for county nominations for the awards.

Lynn Glaze, Worcester and district branch co-ordinator, said: “There is something very special about each and every rescue cat, and that is something we want to celebrate.

“The last event was very well-supported and we had someone from Droitwich who reached the finals.”

This year’s ceremony on Friday, August 1, will be attended by celebrity supporters at a glamorous awards evening at the Pharaohs Palace Hospitality Suite in London’s O2 Arena.

Owners have until Tuesday, May 27, to enter one of the four categories: Hero cat - cats that save the day; Ultimate Survivor - tales of feline survival after those nine lives have been spent; Best Friends - where a best feline friend has radically improved the quality of human life and Most Incredible Story - belief-defying, true stories.

The awards are open to any living cat rescued as a stray by its current owner or adopted from an animal welfare organisation.

For more information and an entry form, call 01905 820348 or visit www.cats.org.uk The forms will also be available from vets, pet shops and catteries across Worcestershire and Wychavon.

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A colossal shire horse in Australia has been proclaimed the biggest horse in the world by its owner, beating the current Guinness World Record by several inches.

The giant five-year-old, from Pakenham, S.E Australia, measures a staggering 20.1 hands, or 2.057m tall. He weighs over 1.3 tonnes (1300kg) - about the same as a small car - and is still growing.

His owner, horse trainer Jane Greenman, 47, says the only time the lumbering beast runs is when there is food on offer.

“It sounds like a mountain moving when he gallops across the paddock to come and get his breakfast,” she says. “He eats an incredible amount. I would hate to run a team of eight horses his size - it would send you broke.”

Mounting the horse is no easy task, either. “We have to use a ladder to get on top of him, or swing off a tree,” says Jane.

The massive horse, whose full name is Luscombe Nordram, was born in Australia to a mare and sire imported from England. Noddy’s grandfather, Ladbrooke Edward (UK) was the world’s tallest horse during the 1980’s.

But Jane had no idea that the foal she hand-reared from the age of six months would grow this big. Noddy immediately began to rocket and soon overtook both his parents in size.

“Every year I measure him on his birthday and we discovered that he was getting really huge.”

Although she says that she is not interested in the Guiness Book of Records, nevertheless Jane has carried out her own research and is sure that Noddy comes top.

“The nearest is a horse in Texas, at 20 hands,” says Jane.

“Noddy is already an inch taller than that. The scary thing is he still hasn’t finished - shire horses aren’t fully grown until they’re about six or seven”.

Jane has hinted that Noddy could be sold overseas, possibly even fetching a record price to match his height.

She is reluctant to sell, but to fund the immense cost of keeping him she needs to put him to work. Despite Noddy being trained to harness heavy loads, this is not easy for a horse his size.

“He needs a job. It’s very hard to find jobs for such a big horse in Australia. I wish he could stay here but I’ve tried everywhere,” she says regretfully.

“I just want people to enjoy this beautiful animal as much as I do.”

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