Friends of Animal Welfare

Here are some photos taken at the Companion Dog Show held at the Woodgate Valley Country Park in May 2008. The show was another great success for the charity, the proceeds of which will go towards helping the animal rescue centres in the West Midlands.

Crippling costs!

Animal rescue centres such as Wellcat have been dealt a crippling blow. Previously they have been able to obtain all of their animal medicines and vaccines from Ireland, literally saving thousands of pounds each year on mainstream prices through veterinary prescriptions.

Unfortunately changes to E.U. legislation means that this avenue which they heavily relied upon has now been closed to them. Consequently veterinary bills that currently sit at a minimum of £1,200 per month (£14,400 per year in the case of Wellcat) will rise by a minimum of 48% per month!
These Animal Charities will need AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF HELP. FAW IS WILLING TO HELP, could you help us to help them? If so contact us via our Contact page on the website.

Kennel Cough Update

FAW recommends the kennel cough vaccine for all dogs. The vaccine is given as drops up the nose and most dogs accept it with no problem.

Kennel Cough can be more serious in young and old dogs, but is a problem to all the dog population. Once it takes a hold, it can lead to serious complications which if your dog is not vaccinated can be even worse. It is most recognizable by the cough which gives the impression the dog has something stuck in the throat. It is highly contagious and dogs should immediately be isolated once Kennel Cough is confirmed. Dogs do not need to be in kennels to contract Kennel Cough . The virus is airborne-this means if a dog coughs while out walking, your dog could be at risk. Do not take the chance-get your dog vaccinated today!

Note

FAW in no way condones self-treatment or the administering of drugs to any animal. We would recommend all animals to be treated by a qualified vetinarian when necessary.

Further News

It has been noted by FAW that many rescue societies do not always have their animals neutered before rehoming. We also note that tests for Feline Leukemia and AIDS are not always carried out on cats prior to rehoming. In our opinion, before rehoming, all cats should be neutered, tested for the above infections and given a full vaccination course. Likewise, all dogs should be neutered and given a full vaccination course. Just as important, all pets should be microchipped. If you intend to rehome a cat or dog, please ask for the vaccination certificate as proof that this work has been carried out, and obtain the microchip details.

Finally, a local group, who we have helped recently, Rover Rescue, is recommended by us if you wish to rehome a cat or a dog. This group carries out all tests needed on cats and dogs, and ensures that they are inoculated and neutered prior to rehoming. They are all microchipped. Any animals too young to be neutered or vaccinated prior to rehoming have to have follow-up checks made by Rover Rescue to ensure that the work is carried out. FAW feels this to be the correct way to ensure that all animals rehomed are healthy and not able to breed. Rover Rescue is run entirely on donations from the public, and because of their dedicated approach to animal rescue, we try to give them has much help as we can. We recommend that you contact them if you choose to rehome a pet, or if you can help them financially. They also desperately need foster homes for animals awaiting permanent homes. Contact Lesley on 0121 420 1703.

IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ!

Flea Treatment

We would like to bring to your attention the hundreds of cat owners who are accidentally killing their cats by using flea treatments meant for dogs. Flea preparations designed for dogs that contain a chemical called Permethrin can KILL cats and must in no circumstances be used on cats.
Permethrin is highly poisonous to feines (cats). This chemical is a type of insecticide found in pet flea treatment, flysprays and other pesticide products. It is so dangerous for cats that they should not even be allowed close to dogs that have been treated with a product containing Permethrin. There are many different medications formulated specifically for cats, none of which contain Permethrin.
People aren't aware that products that you can use on dogs can be very dangerous for cats. Cats are just that little bit different. If you have any concerns, contact your Veterinary Practice.
The Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) carried out the study for the above.