EDITOR’S LETTER | PET GAZETTE | 3
MEET THE EXPERTS CONTRIBUTING
TO THIS MONTH’S ISSUE
Nigel Baker is chief executive
of the Pet Industry Federation
(PIF). He joined the PIF in
2012 and has more than 30
years’ experience in the pet
trade. Nigel has considerable
commercial experience from
the senior positions he has
held in pet food manufacturing
and supplier companies.
John Courteney-Smith MRSB
is the bird and reptile manager
for Arcadia Products and a full
member of the Royal Society
of Biology. He believes that we
still have much to learn from
the wild and has a passionate
dedication to ever increasing
animal welfare. His aim is to start
a ‘revolution in exotic pet care’.
Caroline Offord has worked
in the RSPB Communications
Department for over ten years
and has spent her working life in
the conservation/environmental
sector. She enjoys being outside
in nature and since becoming a
mum to two boys is passionate
about getting them outdoors to
enjoy and experience wildlife
and the natural world.
Nicole Paley is the
communications manager at
the PFMA and has worked in
the pet food industry for over
ten years. Liaising with the
PFMA’s team of industry and
veterinary nutrition experts, Nicole
writes on a range of subjects
from pet nutrition to industry
trends and developments.
EDITOR’S LETTER
Refl ecting on the year gone by, the pet trade has seen
signifi cant changes. With the government seeming to stick to
its pledge to put animal welfare at the forefront, the banning
of electric collars, introduction of Lucy’s Law and the Animals
Activities License have all signifi ed small steps towards a better
and healthier pet trade. While opinions on some of the new
legislations have been split, all the decisions have attempted to
reform and weed out the irresponsible players in the trade.
Looking ahead, the sector - along with the rest of the UK - are
yet to see the impacts of Brexit but what can be counted on is
the fact that more changes are to come.
In this issue, Casey Cooper-Fiske looks at the Dogs Trust
slogan: A dog is for life, not for Christmas. He speaks to the
charity about what this slogan has meant to the trade over the
years and its signifi cance today. Find out more on page 24.
Continuing to delve into historical events, he also looks at
the WW2 pet massacre, which saw pet owners make a tough
decision during a scary time. Read about this on page 26.
I speak to Mars Petcare and other pet food brands about
clean eating - after the launch of Mars’ pet food brand Nutro,
just what effect has the trend had on the trade as a whole?
Read more on this on page 29.
As always I hope you enjoy this issue and I wish you all a
merry Christmas a happy new year.
Shekina
Shekina Tuahene, Online Editor
www.petgazette.biz
December 2018