With a heatwave coming , In this week’s community interest article, we offer some do’s and don’ts around how to keep pets cool in the summer months

This community interest article looks at ensuring your garden is safe for dogs

Whether you’ve got a pooch who wears fancy jumpers, a big blonde Labrador or a tiny handbag-sized companion, this month is all about them. If you didn’t know before, now you do: January is National Walk Your Dog Month.

It’s International Dog Day next Friday – a chance to celebrate our cute, cuddly, devoted and dribbly four-legged friends.

As a nation of pet lovers, it’s no surprise that dog ownership increased significantly during the pandemic. Unfortunately, so did the number of dog thefts. There were more than 2,000 reported incidents in 2020 and this number is going up. While dog theft is on the rise, catching those responsible is not. Just 2% of such cases led to suspects being charged in 2020, and concerns have grown so much that the government set up the Pet Theft Taskforce to tackle the issue. On 14 March, the Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance will hold their annual Dog Theft Awareness Day. So, in this quick read, we offer tips to ensure your four-legged best friend is as safe as possible.