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| PET GAZETTE | TRADE TALK
TRADE | PET GAZETTE |
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VETS
‘OVERWHELMING RELIANCE ON NON-UK EU VETERINARY STAFF’,
CLAIMS COMMITTEE
A report has found that there is an
overwhelming reliance on non-UK EU
citizens to fill crucial official veterinary
positions in the UK.
The UK currently has some of the highest
farm animal welfare standards in the
world and there is cross-sector support
for maintaining those high standards
after Brexit. The Committee calls on the
Government to ensure that the industry is
able to retain or recruit qualified staff to fill
these roles post-Brexit.
Chair of the EU Energy and Environment
Sub-Committee, Lord Teverson said: “The UK
has some of the highest farm animal welfare
standards in the world and UK producers
are rightly proud of those. We see no reason
why Brexit should diminish those, as long as
the Government is aware of the challenges
ahead and acts accordingly.
“We heard evidence of undeniable
concern that opening up the UK market
to free global trade poses a number of
issues. As we said in our last report, Brexit:
agriculture, the Government may find it
hard to reconcile its free trade ambitions
with its commendable desire for preserving
high farm animal welfare standards. We
heard overwhelming
support for farm animal
welfare standards to be
maintained or improved.
To help achieve that, we
urge the Government to
secure the inclusion of
high farm animal welfare
standards in any free trade
agreements it negotiates
after Brexit.
“Whilst Brexit provides the UK with
the unique opportunity to review and
potentially improve farm animal welfare
standards, the Government will need to
consider the effect of increasing standards
on the competitiveness of UK producers as
well the future trading relationship with
the EU.”
WORK
PURINA PUSHES FORWARD WITH THE PETS AT WORK ALLIANCE
42 percent of those aged 18-34 across
the UK would like or would enjoy a dog-
friendly workplace. The new findings from
Purina PetCare prompted the company to
launch the Pets at Work (PAW) Alliance to
encourage firms to become dog-friendly.
Purina has shared the following reasons
for inviting dogs into the workplace:
n Dogs can reduce stress
n Boosting morale
n Improving working relationships
n Work life balance
To join the Pets at Work (PAW)
Alliance, ask your firm to download
the toolkit with six easy steps for
a successful Pets at Work scheme,
as well as health and safety
advice, responsible pet ownership
guidelines and education and
advice on workspace requirements
at: https://
www.purina.co.uk/pins/pets-at-work.
BUSINESS
14K ENTREPRENEURS ARE IN DEBT DUE TO STARTUP LOANS
Since 2012, Startup Loans UK have given
out 45,618 loans to aspiring entrepreneurs
dreaming of creating the next big thing (as
of February 2017).
On average 30.2 percent of entrepreneurs
will default on their loan repayments.
Roughly 14,000 aspiring entrepreneurs
are now in debt. Founded in 2012 by Lord
Young, and backed by David Cameron’s
Conservative government, Startup Loans
U.K. provide small business loans to business
owners up to £25,000.
According to Startup Loans, seven out of
ten recipients of the Startup Loan wouldn’t
have received a loan from elsewhere.
Meaning simply that banks don’t feel
comfortable giving loans to these aspiring
entrepreneurs, but the governme nt does.
Carly Ward, entrepreneur, who took a
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Startup Loan said: “I took a Start Up Loan of
£20k to help me with my business. It really
helped with cashflow at the time but has
caused longer term cashflow issues. I think
it’s a good scheme for people starting up but
many people may not think of the cashflow
issues it could cause later down the line”
Muhammad El Dharrat, entrepreneur, was
promised a Startup Loan: “I was promised a
loan but they rejected my application three
times. They pretended everything was rosy
and I’d get one, they just gave me the run
around and I felt like I was there to tick some
boxes for them.”
August 2017
www.petgazette.biz
August 2017