CEVA Animal Health, manufacturers of the innovative D.A.P.® range of pheromone products, are to sponsor Dogsblog.com, the simple, easy to use, centralised location for people interested in adopting a rescue dog.
The site contains details of thousands of dogs currently living in rescue centres across the UK, and allows potential new owners to search relevant criteria for a suitable dog. On the site experts from CEVA will also offer advice on behaviour and taking on a rescue dog, as well as answering questions from worried owners considering giving their dog up for adoption.
Fabienne Maçon-Slater, Small Animal Marketing Manager at CEVA Animal Health elaborates, “Due to their often difficult start in life and their very different life in kennels, anxiety related behaviour problems are common amongst recently re-homed dogs. We hope to help address this problem and, using our expertise and innovative portfolio of pheromone products, help reduce the number of dogs returning to centres time and time again.â€
“We are delighted to have CEVA on board as our principle sponsor,’ announced Ryan O’Meara, Managing Director of K9 Media Ltd who operate the Dogsblog.com website, ‘We hope to benefit from their experience and look forward to working with them on future campaigns.
Our first year was an enormous success. Over a thousand dogs found new homes via the website – this year, as well as increasing the number of dogs we help to find new homes we’re also hoping our relationship with CEVA can enable us to offer practical advice and assistance to people who may be struggling with their dogs and might be considering giving them up. We believe it is as important to try and do something to reduce the volume of dogs going into rescue system in the first place as much it is to find new, permanent homes for those dogs who are already seeking new homesâ€.
Thanks to the work undertaken by charitable organisations there has been a dramatic reduction in the number of stray/unwanted dogs in the UK over the last ten years. However, progress has now stagnated. Despite a year on year increase in the number of dogs re-homed, the population of rescue dogs has remained consistent for the last four years. In 2007, 7,892 of these dogs were destroyed1.
To combat these figures CEVA and Dogsblog.com are delighted to be able to announce ‘Dog Adoption Month’ in July 2008, to raise awareness of dogs looking for new homes. A series of educational activities and awareness initiatives are planned to help reduce the number of new dogs ending up in rescue centres each year and to promote the concept of adopting a dog to the UK public.
D.A.P.® is a synthetic canine appeasing pheromone, a substance produced naturally by a lactating bitch to reassure and calm puppies, also proven to have a positive relaxing and comforting influence on adult dogs. The convenient new D.A.P.® Collar formulation is particularly suitable to help comfort and reassure rescue dogs while they adapt to a new home.
For more information on dogsblog.com, National Dog Adoption Month and using D.A.P.® to help rescue dogs call the CEVA Customer Support Line on 01494 781510
References:
Dogs Trust (2007), Stray Dogs Survey, accessed online at www.dogstrust.org.uk/press