PET experts have studied how to remove annoying stains and even odors in the home.

The pro-tips work against persistent odors left behind by cat and dog urine.

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The experts at Lazy Susan’s cleaning service shared their advice to help pet owners keep their homes tidy.

CARPET CLEANING

First, when removing odors from carpets, choosing the right products is crucial.

Improper PH balance can permanently damage the home, making it essential to choose a lower concentration just to be on the safe side.

They also recommended removing debris from the carpet, as scrubbing could push the dirt deeper into the upholstery.

Finally, it may be a better investment to consider hiring a professional for the job.

“Pet carpet cleaners are usually experienced at removing pet stains from your carpets,” they said.

The cleanup pros also recommended investing in a odor spray, which could remove strong odors for good by penetrating the fibers.

“Odor removing sprays are effective at removing stubborn urine odors from dogs and cats,” they said.

GOT TIME

When it comes to cleaning up the mess left behind by pet urine, experts agree that it’s essential to stay calm.

“You must first understand that pet accidents happen and not be too angry,” they advised.

The professionals recommended addressing the problem right away before the odor has time to settle into the carpet.

They added that using paper towels or a cleaning cloth to catch the mess can protect your home from lingering odors.

A home solution may also be the key to addressing the urinary problem.

The experts brewed two cups of warm water, four tablespoons of baking soda and two cups of vinegar mixed in a spray bottle.

After letting the spray mixture sit on the area for five to ten minutes, blot it with the cleaning cloth.

Vinegar is often used in natural cleaning solutions to break down bad odors and neutralize odors.

With Easter just around the corner, vets are urging owners to be wary of seemingly harmless household items that could be deadly to dogs.

David Hollinshead at VetsNow in Middlesbrough warns that owners should pay extra attention during celebrations such as Easter, when the risk of accidents is greatest.

“We see a large increase in pet emergencies during holidays and major events, and often this is due to pets eating things they shouldn’t, such as flowers or chocolates,” he said.

Some flowers can be extremely dangerous

One such flower to look out for is the popular spring flower, daffodils, which sources say are highly poisonous to dogs. Blue Cross.

According to the charity, the bulbs are the most dangerous part as this is where the toxins are concentrated, but owners are warned against consuming any part of the flower, including drinking the water from a vase of daffodils.

Symptoms of daffodil poisoning include illness and an upset stomach. If your dog is sleepy and wobbly, these are also telltale signs of daffodil poisoning that you should look out for.

The charity recommends marking out flower spots in the garden and keeping an eye out for daffodils growing in walking areas.

Similarly, a number of other spring flowers, including tulips, buttercups and bluebells, can be fatal. Consuming any part of the plant, especially the bulb, can make dogs sick, and symptoms of stomach upset are often signs of flower poisoning.

Tulips can also cause drooling, nausea and diarrhea, breathing problems and heart palpitations.

Bluebells are one of the most dangerous spring flowering plants and, if consumed in large quantities, can have fatal consequences. The Blue Cross charity is warning owners to be careful when walking through woodland areas where clusters of bluebells can often be found.

Toxic foods to avoid

While preparing the Easter meal can be stressful, it’s vital that owners are also wary of what’s within reach while cooking, pet food company Purina advises. An expensive vet bill will undoubtedly be much more stressful than burnt potatoes.

Pet owners should avoid feeding dogs anything containing sultanas or sultanas, according to Purina, which definitely means hot cruss buns.

Garlic, onions and leeks can also be very dangerous for dogs to consume, with the average vet bill for impending onion poisoning being £339, according to data taken from pet insurance claims.

ManyPets veterinarian Dr. Kirsten Ronngren says this is because onions contain disulfides that can destroy a dog’s red blood cells, leading to a condition called hemolytic anemia.

“Treatment for onion toxicity depends on the size of the pet and how much it has consumed,” she said.

‘In more severe cases, the toxic dose may have been reached, requiring a pet to be treated for anemia.’

Hot cross buns also have the power to result in a hefty vet bill for dog owners. This is because both sultanas and sultanas are poisonous to dogs. It is thought that the tartaric acid in grapes causes the poisoning. Signs of an upset stomach, drooling and loss of appetite are all symptoms of poisoning.

Nutmeg, another common ingredient in hot cross buns, can also be potentially dangerous due to the hallucinogenic toxin myristicin.

Although it is marketed as a healthy alternative, manufacturers tend to put Xylitol, an artificial sweetener, in our food, causing a spike in insulin that can even be fatal for dogs.

Although symptoms often disappear within an hour, the risk of liver failure increases if a lot of Xylitol has been consumed.

Make sure you throw away all chocolate wrappers

While most of us know not to give dogs chocolate, Easter egg packaging can also be harmful to dogs.

Foil packaging can not only pose a choking hazard, but can also lead to a dangerous intestinal obstruction, causing abdominal pain and vomiting.

If you’re trying to make healthier choices for yourself this year, beware that the sweeter one, Xylitol, can be dangerous to dogs.

If you must give them a treat, stick to vegetables

Owners should not only be mindful of what is within the reach of greedy pups, but also be careful about what they feed as leftovers.

Research from Welsh company Burns Pet Nutrition has found that a third of owners overfeed their dogs, with 45 percent even sharing cheese with their dogs.

But founder of vet Burns Pet Nutrition, John Burns MBE, is urging owners to think twice about overfeeding.

‘Dogs don’t necessarily need tasty snacks, only we owners like to give them!’

Don’t let those big puppy eyes pressure you,” he said.

Burns recommends not feeding dogs leftovers and suggests using steamed vegetables if absolutely necessary.

HE is on a mission to help our pets. . . and is here to answer YOUR questions.

Sean, head veterinarian at custom pet food company tails.com, has been helping owners with questions for a decade.

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He says, “If your pet is acting strange or sick, or you want to know more about diet or exercise, just ask. I can help keep pets happy and healthy.”

Question: MY dog Marley has a foot fetish.

He sniffs the feet of everyone who comes to the house.

He will also occasionally give a foot lick.

How can I get rid of his unwanted obsession?

Jade Todd, Cambridge

Sean says: Dogs experience the world in stinkyvision!

So Marley is completely normal, I guess.

Should you leave this obsession behind and ruin his fun?

You have your hobbies, he has his.

If you must, I suggest a technique called response substitution, where he is rewarded for behavior other than sniffing or licking feet when he gets the chance.

Q: WHEN I am cooking dinner, my six-year-old cat, Marmalade, jumps onto the work surface in an attempt to collect something.

I put him back on the ground, but he is persistent.

He is well fed, but he likes treats.

What do you recommend to stop surfing his dresser?

I thought only dogs did that, but he’s an opportunist.

Shelly Brown, Brighton

Sean says: This is a common problem.

The trick is to make it unpleasant by changing what’s on the counter.

It’s a bit complicated – and you may have to do it repeatedly, which can be annoying – but covering the counters with aluminum foil or loose plastic sheeting for a while is a good deterrent.

Cats hate stepping on this.

Marmalade may then learn not to pop up, or may simply start over once the lining is removed.

Don’t reward the behavior and keep him out of the kitchen while cooking. This can also help.

Question: WOULD a bearded dragon be a good pet for my children?

My sons Ethan and Kyle, aged seven and eight respectively, are passionate about reptiles and I want to encourage their passion.

They asked for it, but would it be kind?

Is it a specialized pet?

Mike Castle, Barnsley

Sean says: They may still be a little young.

A responsible adult in the home will need to take control.

Lizards that are active during the day, such as bearded dragons, have sensitive needs.

They should be properly supplemented with calcium and multivitamins, fed a varied diet of live insects, a variety of vegetables and occasionally fruit.

They also need expensive UVB lamps and heat lamps to produce vitamin D to absorb calcium and maintain a healthy metabolism and skeletal system.

If all these needs are not met, they can become very ill.

And they can live more than 15 years, so it’s a long-term commitment.

When put on a lizard, a leopard or a crested gecko requires a little less maintenance, but reptiles are still a specialized pet.

They need the best possible start, not the bare minimum of housing and equipment that is sometimes sold with them.

A lot of research is needed!

Question: OUR two-year-old female poodle Misty sleeps on our bed at night.

But she has to pee two or three times a night and that disrupts our sleep.

Is that normal? And will she grow out of it as she gets older?

Terry Taylor, Sheffield

Sean says: Normally she should have outgrown that in two years.

Are you sure she needs to pee and doesn’t really just want late night walks and fun time with you?

My suggestion is to do a lot more walking and stimulation during the day, and finally a good long walk in the evening to make sure she has had enough time to do her business, both types.

Then crate training in the bedroom, or outside of it, might help you get a good night’s sleep.

Also pick up her water bowl after dinner and put it down first thing in the morning.

Hello to yellow for anxious dogs

OWNERS can now help anxious dogs show their true colors – with a range of yellow accessories.

According to the Royal Veterinary College, a third of puppies have suffered from mental health problems since lockdown.

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Sarah Jones, founder of accessories company My Anxious Dog, owns an anxious cocker spaniel, Bella, 12, who she always outfits with yellow items that say ‘keep dogs away’, ‘anxious’ and ‘don’t touch’.

She said: “Yellow is a way of telling other owners that your dog is not friendly, that it doesn’t want to play and that it should stay away.

“If you had a child who needed space, you wouldn’t think twice about letting people know, right?”

Sarah, 57, from Mortimer, Berks, informs owners about her national #DogsInYellow Day, on March 20, when she explains why puppies wear the color yellow.

A recent PDSA survey found that 45 percent of owners are concerned about walking their pets.

Sarah said: “If your dog is anxious, don’t label him by wearing yellow, show him that you love him.”

For more information, see myanxiousdog.co.uk.

Star of the week

BENTLEY was born with severe hip dysplasia, but now he keeps owner Joe Cameron and his colleagues fit by walking.

Joe, owner of holiday rental company Debbie’s Villas in Paddock Wood, Kent, said: “The vet said we could give Bentley a false hip or see if intensive physio and walks could help – and it worked.”

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The 11-year-old Labrador Rottweiler now leads a normal life.

Joe, 59, added: “I take him to work where everyone loves him and there is always friendly rivalry among the staff over who takes him.

“He is fitter than ever and a much-loved member of our team.”

PET owners paying record costs for vet treatment are lining the pockets of a billionaire known as the ‘baby-faced Assassin’.

Norwegian Christian Sinding heads the company that owns IVC Evidensia – Britain’s largest chain of veterinary practices and one of several companies to be hit in a row this week due to skyrocketing prices.

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As owners face increasingly unaffordable bills, IVC’s UK revenues have increased from £834 million in 2020 to £1.2 billion in 2022.

IVC Evidensia is the largest of six companies identified in a report published this week by the Competition and Markets Authority, which cited “several concerns” and announced a major investigation.

CMA chief Sarah Cardell noted that there were “incentives for large business groups to act in ways that could reduce competition and choice”.

And British animal lovers are paying the price.

Lisa Johnson, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, said she noticed big price increases after the practice she had used for 20 years was bought by IVC.

Seven billionaires

Mum-of-two Lisa, who runs a skincare company and is married to Paul, 50, has three rescue poodles, Dudley, Louis and Marshall, plus hamsters and guinea pigs.

She said: “After our mortgage and bills, half my income goes to vet bills.

‘Dudley, who is eight, had some dental work done three years ago before the takeover, involving anaesthesia, blood tests, cleaning and tooth removal, which amounted to £400.

“He now needs to have his teeth redone and I have been given a quote of around £600.

“Anything else and the bill will rise closer to £1,000.

“Consultation fees – literally popping in for a quick chat – have risen from £35 to £60.

“Last week I had to pay £88 for a five minute consultation for Louis’ bad back, which included some basic anti-inflammatories.

“We are struggling with energy bills and food prices. I feel like we are being taken advantage of because we are animal lovers and never want to compromise on their health.”

The six companies named in the CMA report – CVS, IVC, Linnaeus, Medivet, Pets At Home and VetPartners – already own 2,869 of the UK’s 4,920 veterinary practices and are chasing a market worth more than £2 billion a year.

I feel like we are being taken advantage of because we are animal lovers and never want to compromise on their health

Lisa Johnson

Meanwhile, the number of local independent practices has fallen from 89 percent to just 45 percent in the eight years to 2021.

Of the six major players, IVC, which also operates in Europe, is by far the largest, with 1,018 practices in the UK, more than double the number owned by any other company.

The secretive Sinding, 51, whose nickname comes from a combination of his boyish looks and business skills, lives with his American wife and two children on Zurich’s Gold Coast, where properties sell for an average of £4 million to £6.5 million.

He has turned EQT – the Swedish private equity group that owns IVC Evidensia – into one of the fastest growing companies in the world, with around 300 companies employing around 700,000 people.

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In addition to his home in Zurich, where he has lived since 2013, Sinding has a seaside summer home in Fredrikstad, Oslo, where he owns two adjoining £2 million properties.

He recently sold a house in Bygdoy, Norway, for £3 million.

Sinding admits he ‘doesn’t like to talk’ about his vast wealth.

And his colleagues are not short of money either: EQT’s success has created seven billionaires.

There are no golf partners at EQT. So if you sit back, buy a house in Spain and start playing golf, you are no longer a partner here

Christian Sinding

But Sinding, who has little to do with the day-to-day management of IVC Evidensia, emphasizes: “There are no golf partners at EQT.

“So if you sit back, buy a house in Spain and start playing golf, you are no longer a partner here.”

His is one of many chains accused of buying up small, struggling veterinary practices and then raising prices while failing to fully inform customers about costs and alternative treatments.

Three of the six, including IVC, are owned by private equity firms, which tend to borrow to finance acquisitions and then force the company to pay back the interest.

Industry experts fear these costs will be passed on to pet owners in the form of higher treatment costs.

Average bills for Britain’s 17 million pet owners have risen by 24 percent in the five years to 2022.

‘Money grabbers’

Sue Davies, head of consumer protection at Which? said pet owners were often faced with ‘eye-watering’ bills.

One cat owner was quoted £188.96 for a constipation powder which he claimed cost a fraction of the over-the-counter price, plus £36.89 for a two-minute phone call.

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Veterinarian Alex Crow, from Nottingham, said: “Every week I hear about a local vet with a long experience being bought out by one of the big corporate chains.

“I’ve seen data where an office visit cost 15 percent more in a corporate clinic compared to a small private clinic.”

The CMA report shows that some veterinary practices make around 25 per cent of their turnover from the sale of medicines, much of which can be bought cheaper elsewhere.

And it found that the lack of competition caused by the big chains puts customers at risk of overpaying.

Veterinarian Dr. Daisy May, from Liverpool, believes the loss of the veterinary practice will also have an impact on healthcare.

She said: “Independent vets are better able to tailor services and payments to individuals, an aspect that is crucial for pet health.”

The major chains are seeing their profits rise.

Independent veterinarians are better able to tailor services and payments to individuals, an aspect that is critical to pet health

Doctor Daisy May

CVS posted a 50 per cent rise in pre-tax profits last year to £54m, with its three top executives pocketing a total of almost £4m, while boss Richard Fairman took home £1.7m.

Pets At Home made a pre-tax profit of £122 million last year and said its veterinary business, made up of Companion Care and Vets4Pets, was a “significant value creation opportunity”.

Medivet, which has 470 UK veterinary practices, was acquired in 2021 in a deal worth more than £1 billion by private equity firm CVC, while VetPartners, with 350 clinics, was bought by BC Partners in 2018 for £720 million.

Dr. Anna Judson, chair of the British Veterinary Association, stressed that vets are not ‘money grabbers’.

She said: “Fees have increased due to factors such as rising inflation, labor shortages and medical advances.

“Practices must charge appropriately for services to ensure they remain financially sustainable.”

A spokesperson for IVC Evidensia said earlier this evening: “We have always strived to ensure that our prices are appropriate, fair and competitive and that we inform customers before any costs are incurred for any treatment.”

EQT declined to comment on Mr Sinding’s wealth and property portfolio.

WHEN Jennifer Shoubridge’s cat got sick, she wanted to do everything she could to help him.

She knew her daughter Reese, who was in college, would be devastated if anything happened to 11-year-old Finley.

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Veterinarians initially couldn’t figure out why the pet was breathing so heavily, so they suggested an in-depth CT scan.

But Jennifer was shocked when she had to pay £3,800 for the procedure – more than double the £1,500 average for a human CT scan.

Jennifer, 49, a photographer from Devon, said: “Eventually I had to move the bill on my credit card, then go home and raid the savings.

Britain’s vets are now facing an investigation into prices after it emerged this week that pet owners may be paying too much for medicines, prescriptions and care, with six major companies dominating the UK market.

The Competition And Markets The authority, which is launching a formal investigation, has found that customers are not given basic information about prices and are not always told the full cost before agreeing to treatment.

There were 56,000 responses to the CMA judgementincluding an unprecedented 45,000 from the public.

Pet owners have told The Sun how prescription costs have more than tripled in some areas in recent years, from £9 to £29, and how a small dose of paracetamol can cost up to £30. One vet tried to charge £1,400 to remove a dog’s teeth.

Jennifer’s cat Finley was eventually diagnosed with cancer and died last March, six months after his CT scan.

She said: “When I was told he needed the scan, the vet said it would cost between £2,000 and £4,000 but it would probably be on the lower end.

‘I got you by the throat’

“I kind of thought, ‘That’s a lot of money,’ but he had been struggling for a long time and sounded like Darth Vader when he breathed.

“I wanted to do everything I could to help him but was so shocked by the latest bill. I don’t know the ins and outs of scanning because I’m not a vet and don’t have their training or experience, but it feels like an awful lot of money.

“We then had to pay £120 a month for chemotherapy for nose cancer.”

Mum-of-two Abby Summerville pays £120 a month for injections to prevent her two-year-old Hungarian vizsla Csaba from itching due to allergies.

She found the same dog medicine online for less than half the price.

Abby, 45, who lives near Bedford, says she has to pay a £50 consultation fee every time her dog is given the medication – even though the vet knows what’s wrong with him.

Abby, who runs a business selling earrings, said: “Csaba was scratching a lot and emerged in huge beehives last March.

“The bumps on his skin were so bad he looked like one of those CGI images you see in movies.

“The vet saved us money by telling us we could give him human Piriton for the hives, but he needs Cytopoint injections to calm the itching, which cost us £120, plus £50 for a consultation.

“I have discovered that I can get two vials of the drug from an online registered vet shop for £89. The vets have agreed to show us how to administer it, but they did not offer to do so first.

“I’m a small business owner and I understand there’s a premium to be paid, but when I see I can get bottles for half the price, and the vets are probably getting it for even less than that, it’s a unnecessary surcharge. -upwards.

“Your pets are part of the family and just like your children are sick, you are going to do everything you can when they are sick. I feel like the vets have you by the throat because they know you’re going to pay.”

Many pet owners are turning to online companies such as VetUK and 365 Vet to get cheaper medications for their animals, but they must first get a prescription from their own practice.

Owners complain that prescription prices have also soared, and a quick online check shows vets across the country are charging between £10 and £30.

The Sun found that vets were selling deworming tablets for as much as £47.50, while another brand can be bought online for just £3.76.

Combined flea and tick deworming tablets, which retail for up to £60 in practice, can be found online for £33.

One cat owner, who asked not to be named, said: “It seems vets can charge whatever they want, there is no clearly established pricing policy.

“You still have to pay expensive consultation fees to go to a vet if something is wrong with your pet before they write a script and you can get medication online. Why don’t they just charge a lower amount so people don’t go somewhere else?”

The Competition And Markets Authority – a watchdog set up to ensure fair play in business – fears Britain’s 16 million pet owners are being charged too much.

A study found that consumers may not be given enough information, including price lists, to choose the best practice and treatment for their pets.

Eight in 10 CMA-inspected practices had no prices online, even for basic services, and 25 percent of people did not know they could buy their medicines elsewhere with a prescription from their vet.

The CMA also raised concerns about weak competition in some areas as major companies have bought up many local operations.

CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell said: “We launched our research last September because this is a crucial market for Britain’s 16 million pet owners. The unprecedented responses we have received from the public and veterinary professionals show that the power of feeling is great.”

She added: “Our research has identified several concerns with the market that we believe require further investigation.”

Since 2013, the number of practices of the big six – CVS, IVC, Linnaeus, Medivet, Pets At Home and VetPartners – has increased from ten percent to 60 percent.

Independent vets say corporate ownership of practices has caused prices to rise dramatically.

£1,400 for checking a dog’s teeth

Veterinarian Doug Paterson, of Apex Veterinary Center in Denny, nearby Falkirkwrote on Facebook: “I’ve seen prices skyrocket because shareholders need to be paid.

“I also see changes in the facilities outside office hours (night-time emergencies).

“When I first qualified, every vet in every practice did some on-call duty, looking after their own patients day and night. At Apex Vets we still do this because we passionately believe it is the best service for our patients and their owners.

“On the other hand, we regularly hear from disappointed customers at other veterinary practices who have to take their pets to centers in Edinburgh or Glasgow for overnight care, and there is a link here with corporate ownership of veterinary practices and rising healthcare costs. day and night.”

One dog owner said vets tried to charge him “from £1,400” to check and remove some of his pet’s teeth. He said: “I ended up going to another vet who charged me £400.”

Rabbit owner Rachel Pennington, 33, from St Helens, Merseyside, discovered how expensive vets can be, even for small pets. She spent more than £1,000 of her wedding gift money to save her rabbit Phoebe after the animal fell desperately ill in 2021. Writer Rachel also pays up to £700 every time her second rabbit, Hans, suffers from the recurring, potentially fatal, gastro-disease GI stasis.

She said: “Hans can go into a period of stasis every few months so it feels like he has a second mortgage.

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“We paid for one of the best vets in the country to save Phoebe and had another 18 happy months with her before she passed away last April.

“I don’t regret spending a cent of our money on our rabbits, but I do wish someone had advised us to get good insurance for them when we bought them.

“We had no idea how much these little creatures would cost.

“I would say to anyone thinking about getting a pet that you have to be willing to make great sacrifices for them to keep them healthy and happy and sometimes to save their lives.”

The chairman of the British Veterinary Association, Dr Anna Judson, said: “Rising prices are a concern for everyone, but it is crucial to recognize that there is no NHS for pets.

“Whether they are employed by companies or independent practices, veterinarians provide highly specialized, customized care. And the costs fairly reflect the investments in medical equipment, supplies and medications, and the time veterinarians spend caring for each patient.

“We would like to see healthy competition and consumer choice and that is why we are already working on that steps to support veterinary practices to be more transparent, both in terms of costs and practice ownership.”

IF you’re hoping to add a furry friend to your home, there are some breeds you may want to avoid.

A professional dog trainer revealed three breeds she would never own after working with them.

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In her videojess (@zoeytheteacupdane) explained why she avoids any type of dog.

Firstly, she advised her viewers not to get any husky breed as a pet.

“Now I’ve had huskies, but it was like getting my pointless tattoo at 18 just to say I had it, I was young and stupid,” the TikToker said.

‘If you want a fire alarm to go off in your house every time you are bored or disturbed, choose husky.’

She added that the breed sheds so much that “every day is a hair storm.”

Jess then explained to her audience why she avoids dachshunds.

“They’re stone-cold killers on four-inch legs,” she explained.

“If you don’t think sausages can be evil, just remember that everyone thought Chucky was just a doll.”

Jess told her viewers that the “little fur noodles get the biggest attitudes out of any dog.”

Finally, she warned potential dog owners to think twice before purchasing an English Mastiff.

“I absolutely love these guys, but I personally couldn’t own one because it’s a full-time job just cleaning up their drool,” she explained.

“These dogs can and will slime your ceiling with just a tilt of the head.”

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Jess joked that you should hide your meals from the family “because if they see your food, you’ll have to file a homeowner’s claim for flooding.”

Her followers shared their thoughts on the advice in the comments section.

“English Mastiff mom here and you ain’t lying,” one viewer wrote.

“Huskies are amazing to see someone else own them,” said another TikTok user.

“Great Dane and English Mastiff [owner] here! Drool is my favorite way to decorate the house,” said a third person.

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By Jimmy Briggs for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 01:59 EDT, March 15, 2024 | Updated: 02:03 EDT, March 15, 2024

CAT owners still have three months to act before there is a major change to the rules, which could see you hit with a £500 fine.

It comes a year after the government introduced legislation to parliament to make it mandatory for households to microchip their cats.

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Brits have until June 10, 2024 to have their cat microchipped.

Under the new rules, cats must be implanted with a microchip before they reach 20 weeks of age and their contact details must be stored and updated in a pet microchip database.

The goal is to make it easier for stray or stray domestic cats to get home safely.

Any owner found not to have had their cat microchipped has 21 days to have one implanted or face a fine of up to £500.

According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), there are more than nine million domestic cats in England, of which as many as 2.3 million are not microchipped.

Mandatory chipping of dogs has been in force since April 2016.

Microchipping involves placing a chip, usually the size of a grain of rice, under a pet’s skin.

This has a unique serial number that the holder must register in a database.

When an animal is found, the microchip can be read with a scanner and the registered owner identified in a database, so the pet can be quickly reunited with him or her.

However, the new cat microchipping rules are not mandatory for free-living cats with little or no human interaction or dependency, such as farm cats, feral cats or community cats.

Owners of cats who are already microchipped should ensure their details are up to date, Defra said.

Commenting on the change, Chief Veterinarian Christine Middlemiss said: “Microchips are by far the most effective and fastest way to identify lost pets.

“As we have seen with dog chipping, chipped dogs are more than twice as likely to be reunited with their owners.

“By microchipping their cat, owners can increase the chance of being reunited with their beloved pet if it goes missing.”

The move was also welcomed by Cats Protection, the cat rescue and welfare charity.

Since the measure was first introduced for dogs, Cats Protection has been calling for all cats to be microchipped.

Madison Rogers from Cats Protection said: “The charity regularly reunites owners with their beloved cats, and in most cases this is only possible thanks to microchipping.

“No matter how far from home they are found, or how long they have been missing, if a cat has a microchip, there is a good chance that a lost cat will cat will be returned home soon.”

How much does it cost to have a microchip inserted?

Costs vary, but microchipping usually costs between $10 and $30 per pet.

Some veterinary clinics and charities offer discounted microchipping programs in addition to sterilization.

To find the best option for you and your pet, research what’s available in your area

How are they implanted?

Microchips are implanted under your pet’s skin between the shoulder blades using a needle. It is a very quick procedure that takes just a few seconds.

Microchips can only be implanted by veterinarians, veterinary nurses and people who have been specially trained.

Like any injection, chipping can cause a little discomfort, but fortunately it is a very quick procedure that only takes a few seconds.

Most pets barely notice and can easily be distracted with a treat during and after the procedure.

Microchips are made of non-reactive materials, so once they are in place they should not hurt or cause any problems for their entire life.