Horses and ponies have been extremely popular for young children as they grow up together and share a special bond but as the cost of feeding, bedding and care has gone up many families have had to sell or give away their horses and ponies. The Dartmoor pony is no exception, a while ago they would sell for as little as £1 but a minimum price of £10.50 has been introduced, even with these small price tag farmers and breeders are still unable to shift them on to good homes.

On average 100 Dartmoor ponies are slaughtered each year due to keeping the breeding stock strong and healthy but slaughter men have seen an increase in perfectly good ponies being slaughtered due to lack of interest. The cost of breeding a pony and then waiting for a sale adds up to the breeder and the longer it takes to move them on the more expensive it gets.

As unsuitable buyers step forward breeders have no choice to sell them so they can make a profit but keeping a pony in a small shed or greenhouse is unacceptable with many buyers being completely unaware of how to look after these ponies. Breeders who are unable to sell their stock have resorted to selling them off to the local zoo, Dartmoor Zoo. The Tigers are very happy with the premium meat they get and the Zoo has reported that the Tigers have a much better looking coat due to the protein in pony meat.

It is now though that the Dartmoor pony is even rarer than the Giant Panda with only 1,500 left as opposed to the 30,000 we had just a century ago. Unfortunately they need to have a £5 microchip inserted, a £10 pet passport and also a bale of hay costs around £18 and as they cannot digest food properly they have to continue eating. These high costs are what are attributing to the decline of interest in Dartmoor ponies, it is a shame that many children will not know these fantastic animals but unless rules and regulations are not so strict the ponies will continue to be culled.

Looking after chickens when on holiday

There have been many people who have missed out on holidays because they didn’t think through who would look after their chickens whilst on holiday. Chicken boarding seems to be more available in certain parts of the country and this can be a major fallback. If you live too far then you will have to sacrifice holidays but if you live in an area where you have many options you don’t have to worry too much.

Apart from chicken boarding there are farms and also chicken hotels to consider as popularity for keeping chickens as pets continues to increase. Like I said before some areas are more popular than others as they are more rural so land is more abundant and people who have too much will use this as a way of making some extra money. You should always find a place where the owner has an interest in the animals as you will find that they are more cared for and well looked after when you are gone. Most places will even keep your eggs for you so you can collect them when you collect your hens.

How much does chicken boarding cost?

The cost of boarding your chickens will vary from place to place and what kind you go for, a homeowner that has space in their garden will charge you less than a chicken boarder that has specially prepared plots and coops. Chicken hotels will cost the most as they are usually on larger plots of land such as farms. Most places do charge as little as £1 per day per chicken whereas others will charge a daily rate of around £7 a day per coop. Some chicken coops can house as many as 6 hens so if you want to save money its worth shopping around first as they can run up to £100 for a week’s boarding.

Boarding for a micro pig

Animal boarding for pets such as dogs and cats are very strict, all animals have to be vaccinated and depending on the boarding type they will also need to be neutered. When it comes down to pet pigs there isn’t much option. As of yet there are not many people advertising their serviced for looking after a pet pig whilst the owner goes on holiday. As the weather in England fluctuates a lot many people also keep their pet micro pigs indoor with a small bed for them to sleep in similar to a pet cat or dog. There are not many people who will offer to look after a micro pig as they require as much care as a dog if not more. Micro pigs are very social and need interaction so they constantly need love and attention, if you were to send them away for a week they would surely come back depressed.

The options for boarding a micro pig whilst on holiday are very limited but here are a few things you could try to make sure that family time such as holidays do not suffer even though you like to go on holidays.

Pet sitting – there are many people or small companies that will drop in every day or several times a day to make sure your pet is fed, cleaned and cared for. Some places will also offer to move in for a week or so to also look after the house as well as looking after a pet. This is a good option if you live in an area where squatting is rife as an abandoned house can sometimes be targeted.

Visit the local vet for information – they will usually have a list of local contacts for animals of all breeds and species. They may know of a place that will look after your micro pig while you go away.

Local farm – some local farms already have pigs so they may be happy to offer boarding for a short period whilst you are away. As an experienced farmer you can also rest assured that your pet will be cared for as best as possible.

Micro pig breeder – contact the breeder where you bought your micro pig or one that is closer to you, they may offer to look after your micro pig while you go away or might know a place that will.

Advertise for help – you can post free local advertisements in your local area such as the supermarkets and corner shops you might be lucky enough to find someone who doesn’t mind looking after you beloved micro pig whilst you go away, for a small fee of course.

Having any pet can cause problems when you go away as you will need to find someone to look after them, this also costs money. So before you decide to buy a micro pig find out what would happen if you want to go on holiday because you might live in an area where your options are limited i.e. too near the city.

Most will agree that an extra £10 a month to feed a small pet is not much to contend with other financial restrictions such as health care, bedding and other items cost money that some families do not have. All animals are being received by animal shelters with horses, ponies, rabbits and chickens also being rejected by their owners. This is very sad to hear but like I said animals that require shelter outdoors will need regular maintenance and people just cannot afford it anymore.

This Christmas like all others animal shelters are looking for donations as they struggle to stay afloat, food, toys and bedding are welcome as it will help keep their costs down. People are not donating as much money to charities as they used to and if this continues animal centres will eventually close down as there are no funds to help them. Animal charities and shelters do not rely on the government for support but do rely on the public to donate money when they can.

As this winter continues to get colder there are many sick and injured animals that need constant care and a warm environment this means leaving the heating on a little longer and getting in more volunteers to help take dogs for walks.

Do not adopt a pet if you are unsure of the future as they will cost you a lot of money over time, if you have young children who desperately want a pet then start them off on something that has less maintenance and adult involvement such as fish or sea monkeys. They will soon learn to care about animals and hopefully put off having a higher maintenance pet until they are old enough to understand the burden it can have on adults and their wallets.

If you are an animal lover and have some money to spare then give it to you local animal shelter or better yet donate some food, canned, pouched or dry all donations are appreciated and you can be happy to know that you may have just saved an abandoned pet from starving.

Dogs are not like cats they need more discipline and interaction as well as encouragement to exercise more whereas cats are independent and will come and go as they please. Dogs love to chase and catch balls and sticks but some of the more adventurous ones will hunt down huge branches that have fallen down from the trees. You will often seen dogs and their owners going for walks and chasing balls and sticks but do you know the hidden dangers of playing fetch with your loved one?

In recent years injuries caused by playing fetch have soared, dogs have had their jaws nearly ripped off, splinters in the mouth and also very painful cuts and scrapes inside the mouth. The cause of all this is chasing sticks and branches. Many dog owners do not realise just how dangerous they are and to what extent damage can be caused. This is why a dog owner has come up with a safe way for dogs to play fetch with no risk of injury.

Rubber Safestix for dogs

Did you know that you could pay up to £1,500 for treatment if your dog was injured while playing fetch, x-rays for the mouth and treatment will soon be expensive if you don’t have insurance and that is exactly what one dog owner found out when he took his dog out for a walk. An army sergeant was left distressed when his beloved Jack Russell ended up with serious injuries to his mouth whilst playing fetch. As a result of this he invented Safestix a 2ft long rubber stick that is used to play fetch with. It has so far been a success with other dog owners coming forth to talk about their bad experiences with playing fetch with sticks.

Safestix has been approved by the Royal Veterinary College and is supported by vets, at the cost of £14.99 not enough people have bought it yet for it to be reviewed. If you have one then leave your thoughts here today by submitting a comment.

Unfortunately since the trend started a few years ago many of these little pigs that were meant to stay little are in fact huge, only after 1 year to 18 months the rate of growth is noticed and the micro pig is no longer so micro. Some reputable breeders have also failed to meet the demands of people wanting a micro pig so have had to buy from other breeders but instead of buying micro pigs they were normal pigs worth only £40 compared to the £400 – £1500 price tag of a micro pig.

There has even been a Facebook page set up for those that have been mislead by thinking they would have a little piglet for life, some breeders promised the little piggy’s to stay small whereas others promise they would not grow over a certain height. No breeder can make this assumption as they all grow at different rates, some buyers come thinking they will have a small 12 inch pig for life when the reality is they can grow to over 2ft.

Before wasting money on a micro pig you should do some research and make sure that your expectations are not too high. People who have bought micro pigs and live in the average home have had to give them up after they turned out to be bigger than first thought. Thousands of pounds of damage can be caused by pigs when they get bigger and aggressive. You could of course sell them but would you be able to live with yourself knowing that it had been turned into bacon?

Remember that if your ‘micro pig’ turns out bigger than you expected you may have to build secure housing outside in the garden so take this into consideration when thinking of buying a pet pig, also it is illegal to feed pigs scrap food due to illness and disease so it is essential to buy pig food.

What are micro pigs and how much do they cost?

These are two of the most common questions asked by the curious public, as they are featured quite regularly in newspapers many people often wonder what they actually are. Well like the name suggests they are pigs but bred smaller than the average farm ones that you see and are much heavier. Although newspaper articles show them as small little piglets they will generally grow to the height of your knee whereas farm pigs can be much larger in size. Micro pigs vary a lot in size depending on the breed and popularity of them but some places start from as little as £650 rising up to over £1000 for a popular breed. Micro pigs are a long term commitment as they can live up to 15 years just like a dog, so if it is for a young child they must understand this commitment and you may have to sacrifice holidays if you cannot find a suitable person to babysit.

In order to keep a pig legally in the UK you must have a CPH number this is a nine digit registration number that is free to obtain. You need to contact the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) to get one and it usually takes two weeks. A CPH number is required so that they can trace you and the pig in case of a disease outbreak. It’s important to have this first before looking for a micro pig as most places will ask for this. If you are truly interested in getting a micro pig this will be but a small inconvenience for you, also if you were to see the baby piglet you want but didn’t have you CPH number then you will miss out as those who do will have priority.

It is very important that you choose a reputable breeder that is happy to answer your questions and make you feel at ease. A good breeder will also make sure your little piggy is vaccinated and well cared for in a happy environment so make sure you visit beforehand.

Is it wrong to keep animals in cages?

Many would say yes as it is unnatural and many will go crazy being in such a small confined space for a long period of time. Others will say no, as in most cases it is preserving the species and saving them from extinction. The last time I went to a zoo it was Colchester Zoo and they had a baby hippo in what I would call a giant glass box with a waterfall in the background. It was far too small for him and all the visitors gawping at him made him so uncomfortable that he stood in a corner. He hated it; it made me sad to see him like that. I vowed never to go to a zoo again.

There have been many stories this year about animals that attack their keepers, the most recent being and elephant from Ohio who had attacked his keeper he knew from birth. Some keepers think that if they know the animals from birth that they will grow up knowing who they are and will not harm them. This is not true, many keepers know their zoo residents from birth but when they reach a certain age they act like they would in the wild. Louie the elephant from Ohio apparently was playing with his keeper, but when you look at the footage it shows him doing what is completely natural if he was in his natural habitat.

The same goes for Zion Wildlife Park in New Zealand, last year a keeper was mauled to death by one of the large cats. It just goes to show that keeping animals caged up is unnatural and somewhere down the line they will turn on you. Unfortunately you can’t win but I would prefer animals that are endangered to have thousands of acres of land that they could roam free and be what they are. There are a few in Africa due to the vast land that they have but here in England it would be too expensive to buy and run as it would need regular donations and sponsors.

We shouldn’t be encouraging zoos to keep animals caged up so don’t fall for ‘sponsor an animal today’ scheme as this is just giving them fuel to keep their zoo open and profit from animals that are in cages.

In some ways I know that going to the vet is overrated, flea and tick medicine sells for a fraction of the price online and so do other medicines such as eye drops and worm medicine. But when you visit your vets you pay over the odds for medicine you can buy elsewhere but cheaper, they try to scare you and make you buy from them. But if you do your research you can find a reputable company online. You can also be sure that blood tests and investigations are advised when they are not really necessary but if you have insurance it is covered other than that you will pocket the expenses.

Medivet have branches all over the UK and with many 24 hour centres you would think that they are the most reliable day or night should your pet need medical attention. An investigation has found that they have been unnecessarily overcharging their clients and suggesting expensive treatments that they just do not need. Many pets are treated badly by hanging them in the air to examine them and even beating them to stay quiet. This is unacceptable as many pet owners look after them as they were their own kids.

The investigation into Medivet also found that trainee nurses and vets have been made to carry out life threatening procedures with little or no supervision. This is very distressing as the loss of a pet has no compensation, if you have insurance they can offer you a few hundred pounds but this cannot replace your loss.

How to choose a reputable vet?

• When you call the receptionist should be knowledgeable and friendly, if she doesn’t know the answer to your query she should call a nurse who will be happy to help you
• If you go for an appointment the vet should not push you to have treatments or other things you may not want such as micro chipping, do not be fooled if they say they have a limited time special offer
• Stay clear of vets that constantly hound you through letters and telephone calls they’re touting for business and should be avoided
• Shop around for prices of things such as vaccinations and neutering as you will find they can vary a lot
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Remember not all vets scam people so if you find one that’s reputable and meets your pets needs stick with them. Try and use a vet that a friend or neighbour recommends as they are hard to come by.

Luxury cat hotel

There are many of them all over the UK and very popular in America. The reason they are called ‘luxury cat hotels’ is because they are more like private apartments that are on the ground floor and have a garden view and lots of room inside to play. Cats will be fed daily and some cat hotels also have a play room or recreation room that they can also play in. The rooms all have an activity centre, bedding and sometimes even a cat sized sofa. The only downside of this is that they don’t actually get to go outside and roam around like many cats do. They have a small garden enclosure at the end of their ‘apartment’ that allows fresh air in and they can see outside. Some older cats no longer use litter trays and most still like to spend a lot of their time outside lazing around in the sun on a nice day. Cat hotels do not allow this as they can get confused and run away so they are confined in this ‘apartment’ for their duration of stay.

Cost of luxury cat hotel stay

I have found the cheapest price of £8.95 for one days stay at a cat hotel but prices can go up to as much as £25 a day, for a second cat sharing the same room its usually a reduced rate but only a few pounds less than the standard rate. They do look very cosy and clean but for the price you pay it isn’t really anything special. It’s just another way of people to exploit cat owners to make money out of them. I have two cats and they spend a lot of their time outdoors even if it’s raining or snowing, they also do not use litter trays so a cat hotel would upset them as they would be confined all day.

If you do choose to send your cat to a cat hotel then make sure they have been vaccinated and neutered as well. The accommodation should also be approved by the council, don’t be fooled by professional looking websites, always visit first to make sure it is up to a high standard. A weeks lodging for one cat can cost as much as £80, for two cats £144 so before you fork out make sure you do a little research first.