HE is on a mission to help our pets . . . and is here to answer YOUR questions.
Sean, who is the head vet at tailored pet food firm tails.com, has helped with owners’ queries for ten years.
Q) I WANT to create a wildlife pond this summer.
Someone told me not to have fish in it, is that true? Should I buy tadpoles to start, and is there anything you recommend to make it a success?
JOHN BARRATT, Sheffield
Sean says: A wildlife pond is a wonderful thing!
Definitely no fish as they tend to eat smaller creatures, therefore damaging the precious ecosystem that develops in a small pond.
You don’t need to introduce frogs, newts or their tadpoles. If the habitat is right to support them, they will arrive under their own steam in time.
It can take a few years, but putting them into an unestablished pond is not a good idea.
It may not be able to support them, but also amphibians are threatened by disease.
Moving frogspawn around can introduce disease.
Make sure you have shallow sides, a gravel “beach zone” and plenty of places where animals can climb in and out. Use native aquatic plants only.
Q) MY daughter Chrissie keeps being woken up in the early hours by her four cats.
They sleep in the kitchen at night, but one, The General, is a Maine Coon who can open doors, windows and even get treats from a cupboard.
At 4am he opens the kitchen door and he and the other three go up to Chrissie’s bedroom and jump on her to let them out for a while.
If The General can’t get the door open they all headbutt it. All the cats are healthy. Any advice to help her get some sleep?
GINA MCFEETERS, Newtownards, Co. Down
Sean says: My first suggestion is to limit their access to her bedroom and door.
That could be by locking the kitchen door at night, or any other doors in between.
Let’s not just think about preventing such behaviour, but about what’s motivating it. It could be boredom, or a routine to get outdoors early.
Another solution is a cat flap so they can come and go as they please from kitchen to garden, or into an outdoor cat aviary, or “catio”.
Q) AS the weather gets hotter, should I shield my rabbits from the sun?
Fluffy and Whiskers love basking in it. They have their hutch for shade but should I give them additional shade too?
They have a run at the end of the garden, which is secure, and they freeflow during the day. But I put them into their hutch at night in case of foxes.
SARAH CASTLE, Bridgwater, Somerset
Sean says: I often watch wild rabbits soaking up the sun. It’s natural because, despite being in Britain for thousands of years, rabbits are not native.
They are native to the sunny Iberian peninsula, Spain and Portugal.
As long as they have plenty of shade, clean water and food, you can let them decide for themselves when to get out of the sun.
Q) MILO, my one-year-old rescue Labrador, chases his tail constantly.
Is this just playfulness or is it a sign of stress?
LIZ CARTER, Newcastle upon Tyne
Sean says: It’s something I can see a young Labrador doing, but more so out of boredom rather than stress.
Tail-chasing can become compulsive, sometimes leading to problems.
Dogs can use it to release endorphins, and become so obsessive about it that they bite their tail, causing physical damage.
I’d ask if Milo is getting enough exercise, company and stimulation. I’d encourage a behavioural modification programme be put in place with the help of an animal behaviourist.
Star of the week
SWEET natured Tia was found abandoned, starving and losing her fur, but now she is learning to trust again.
Birmingham Dogs Home saved the two-year-old Malinois on March 9, as Crufts Best In Show was broadcast, highlighting the stark contrast in how people care for their dogs.
Fundraising Manager Rachel Frost said: “I wish this was an isolated case but, unfortunately, we are seeing a heartbreaking rise in welfare cases this year – dogs neglected, discarded and suffering through no fault of their own.”
She added: “Tia is learning how to trust – treats really help her to feel a little braver.”
See all the dogs that needing rehoming at birminghamdogshome.org.uk.
WIN: Five £50 vouchers for Jollyes
TO celebrate Jollyes’ “Big Cat Takeover” – where the pet store will be filled with cat essentials at great prices – we are giving away five £50 vouchers to spend there.
Jollyes has more than 110 stores nationwide, selling pet food, treats, toys and more.
To enter, send an email headed JOLLYES to sundaypets@the-sun.co.uk by May 25.
See jollyes.co.uk. T&Cs apply.
Gen Z love their dogs more than their family
DOGS really are our best friends, with 83 per cent of Gen Z and 73 per cent of millennials saying they love their pet more than family.
The study by pet marketplace Pets4Homes also revealed that more than 80 per cent of 13 to 28-year-olds regard themselves as parents to their pets.
It’s a big cultural shift as only 25 per cent of baby boomers, born before 1964, reckon their animal is equal to a family member.
Pets4Homes CEO Axel Lagercrantz said: “Many pet owners rely on their pets for comfort in times of stress.
“This became even more apparent during the pandemic when there was a surge in pet adoption.”
A study by Kent University economics experts agrees.
Their research even puts a price on pets’ impact on our wellbeing, estimating our cats and dogs to be worth up to £70,000 a year.
Dr Adelina Gschwandtner, who carried out the study, says: “This answers the question whether, overall, pet companions are good for us with a resounding yes.
“Pets care for us and there is a significant monetary value associated with their companionship.”
But Axel sounds a note of warning: “It’s important to remember that humans are complex and pets are unable to provide the emotional support we sometimes crave.”