animals

January 6, 2023

NEWS: Four legged friendly Erdington residents wanted for next series of Channel 4’s The Dog House

Words by Ed King

Producers of Channel 4’s The Dog House are looking for Erdington residents who want to share their homes and hearts with a new four legged friend, to be part of the hit TV series.

First broadcast in 2019, The Dog House follows the lives of puppies and dogs at Woodgreen Pets Charity as they look for new ‘forever homes’ after being abandoned.

All rescue dogs, many have been left with Woodgreen because their previous owners were not able to take care of them anymore – but all are now looking for a permanent place to call home and people to love and be loved by.

Often referred to as a ‘dog dating show’, The Dog House features families and individuals looking for a new furry friend who are then ‘matched’ to a dog (or dogs) the staff at Woodgreen believe will be the perfect fit.

Some are looking for simple companionship, to bring joy into their lives after a difficult time – like a break up or bereavement. Others are hoping to improve their physical or mental health by having a dog to care for.

After a ‘first date’ meeting at the Cambridge based animal sanctuary, the lucky pups are sent home with their news owners – whilst those that didn’t quite make the match go back to their kennels.

Sue Ketland, dog behaviour and training specialist at Woodgreen, told: “Every dog deserves a loving home, and those in Woodgreen’s care find themselves without a family to call their own.

“Taking on a rescue dog not only saves them from loneliness, but you too. Dogs truly are the best source of comfort and joy! With so many people struggling with feeling alone, dogs can bring purpose and companionship, as well as getting you up and active every day.

“It’s an incredibly rewarding experience to offer a dog a second chance, and to help them settle and grow into their new life with you.”

To be considered for series five of The Dog House you must first register your interest online with Channel 4 before 28 April 2023. To register or for more information visit: www.channel4.com/4viewers/takepart/the-dog-house

The show’s producers will then establish a shortlist of possible contenders for series five, which is likely to be broadcast in January 2024.

Series four of The Dog House began broadcasting on Channel 4 from Thursday 5 January, with episode one showing three visits to Woodgreen from people looking for the perfect pup.

Nine year old Oliver and his younger brother Felix took home a cockapoo puppy called Percy, with parents Hannah and Craig hoping the new addition to their families will help Oliver’s anxiety. After a slightly tentative start, the young boys and puppy bonded with Oliver stating: “I’ve never had joy… like this before.”

Next, the Foreman family were looking to fill a hole in their hearts after their dad and husband Andy had recently passed away, eventually finding the right fit with two seven month old Westie/Poodle cross puppies who “definitely have given us hope as a family.”

Finally, The Dog House also found a partner for golden retriever Rosie who was suffering with a broken heart after her owner’s break up meant she lost her life long pall Hollie. Enter Badger, also a retriever, and now Rosie is now “very much over the breakup and… definitely has the sparkle in her eye back.”

The Dog House is produced by Five Mile Films and broadcast on Channel 4, with series four currently going to air every Thursday at 8pm.

For more on The Dog House visit: www.channel4.com/programmes/the-dog-house/
For more on Five Mile Films visit: www.fivemilefilms.co.uk

For more on Woodgreen Pets Charity visit: www.support.woodgreen.org.uk

June 15, 2020June 15, 2020

NEWS: Erdington family embark on 5K sponsored walk to help save Twycross Zoo

Words & pics by Ed King

As zoos and safari parks across the country reopen from 15th June, when the Government eases the lockdown restrictions for selected businesses and tourist attractions, one Erdington family is busy fundraising to help save Twycross Zoo.

“A special place,” for the Campion Garden residents, Ollie (9) and Rosie (5) Kinsella are embarking on a 5k sponsored walk around Pype Hayes Park – hoping to raise £500, dressed head to toe as their favourite animals, by Saturday 27^th June.

To know more about Ollie and Rosie’s sponsored walk to help save Twycross Zoo, or to make a donation, visit www.totalgiving.co.uk/mypage/ollieandrosietosavethezoo

“I went there for my first ever birthday,” tells Ollie – as he practices hiding like a Zebra, in his black and white camouflage costume, behind the sofa.

“My favourite animals are penguins, because… they swim. And I like swimming under water. But there are no penguins at Twycross Zoo, so I’m a zebra… they’re my favourite because they’re stripy and they run fast. I can already run fast.”

Rosie has opted to be a flamingo, because she is an expert at standing on one leg and “flamingos are my favourite because they are pink.”

But the Erdington family of four are worried that the prolonged lockdown could put the UK’s zoos and safari parks at serious risk, seeing them as important places for children’s experience and education about the wider world.

“Obviously, you can’t just go to South Africa and see the animals in the wild,” says Chantal Kinsella – Ollie and Rosie’s mum.

“Some people are against zoos because the animals are not in their natural habitat. But you get to see things that you wouldn’t normally get to see every day – you get to see how they’re looked after, they do talk shows, they feed the sea lions… it’s a place of learning for the children.”

As thousands of businesses across the UK were forced to shut their doors from 23^rd March, helping to stem the spread of COVID-19, zoos and safari parks have been closed to the public since early spring. But following guidelines from Public Health England, places that operate outdoors have begun to reopen as they are seen as lower risk.

“I am very grateful to the zoo industry for their cooperation and forbearance,” explained Boris Johnson during the Government’s daily briefing on Wednesday 10^th June, “and am happy to confirm that they too can reopen from Monday (15th June), provided visitor numbers are managed and safeguards put in place.

“That includes keeping indoor areas such as reptile houses closed and facilitating social distancing.”

But as the light at the end of the economic tunnel begins to shine, there are still concerns for the welfare of such beloved places of interest.

“People take it for granted that the zoos are always going to be there,” explains Craig Strawfrord, Ollie and Rosie’s dad – who once had a closer than usual encounter with a giraffe when he was stationed in Kenya, training for Afghanistan.

“People might think just because they’re opening, they’re magically going to get the money back. But businesses can still be trading by slowly going under, because of the debt and interest rates. So, every little bit we can give them helps.”

“Originally the zoos weren’t opening so they weren’t getting any income whatsoever,” adds Chantal, “they are opening now – but there’s still a shortfall because the zoos are not going to be able to have as many guests as they normally would have.”

Twycross Zoo first opened in 1963 and welcomes over half a million visitors to see the 500 animals in their care – including the ‘the largest collection of monkeys and apes in the Western World.’

The reported costs of running the wildlife sanctuary are over £500,000 per month.

But to Ollie and Rosie Kinsella it is a place of magic and learning, where they can experience wonders of the world a short distance from home. And if it helps to keep Twycross Zoo open for birthdays to come, walking 5km around Pype Hayes Park is a small price to pay.

“They tell you facts,” explains Ollie – who is now trying to stand like a flamingo alongside his sister Rosie, “like how cheetahs can run fast… Did you know there’s a neon fish, that glows in the dark? In the sea. But they live very deep, so you’d need to dig a really big hole to see them.

“I’d like to see a giraffe, like the one that walked over Daddy when he was in the war… But If I saw a tiger I’d run… or I’d fight back.“

Ollie and Rosie will be making their 5k sponsored walk round Pype Hayes Park on Saturday 27^th June – aiming to raise £500 to help save Twycross Zoo. For more information, or to make a donation, visit www.totalgiving.co.uk/mypage/ollieandrosietosavethezoo

To find out more about Twycross Zoo, visit www.twycrosszoo.org

May 20, 2020May 19, 2020

NEWS: Business is pawsitivley booming for Erdington Pet Centre

Words by Keat Moore / Pics by Keat Moore and Ed King

Erdington Pet Centre has been catering to the needs of Erdington’s pet lovers for the past 10 years and has continued to do so during the COVID-19 pandemic. Erdington Local went to find out more about the store and what affect the lockdown has had on their business.

“We’ve actually got busier,” says owner Paul Beresford, “when it started, we had lots of people panic buying and we were really busy. But after a little while it quietened down, and we’ve managed to keep that busier pace.”

On the list businesses exempt from lockdown restrictions, pet stores have been kept open across the UK – providing the food, medicine, and exercise essentials for thousands of furry friends. But at Erdington Pet Centre, the stay at home message has some seen some unexpected increases in sales.

“We’ve sold an awful lot of fish tanks and we’ve seen an upturn in wild birdseed as well,” explains Mr Beresford, “which I think is due to people looking for new hobbies whilst at home and spending more time in their gardens.”

Compared to most of the shops on the High Street, Erdington Pet Centre is one of the few without a queue – which Mr Beresford says has helped bring in new customers: “We’re seeing a lot of new faces, sometimes from out of the area, so we’ve got no complaints.”

He has also found the Government’s support for small businesses to be especially useful during the lockdown, “the Government has helped us tremendously, especially the reduction in business rates and the small business grants – they’ve been a big help.”

But Mr Beresford says he’s been surprised at just how many people are still out shopping: “I have another shop in Wolverhampton, which I’ve actually closed as it was the opposite to here – there’s no one around in Wolves town centre, it’s dead.”

The busyness of Erdington High Street has been an area of concern for both the police and the community; Birmingham City Council recently implemented new road markings and erected barriers to widen the footpaths and help enforce physical distancing guidelines.

But at Erdington Pet Centre, Mr Beresford doesn’t see it being too much of a problem, “I think there’s possibly more people about in Erdington than needs to be. But on the whole, I think they’re being sensible and respecting social distancing.”

Erdington Pet Centre can be found at 117 High Street, Erdington. Its trading hours, including during lockdown, are between 9.00 am to 5.00 pm – Monday to Saturday. To contact Erdington Pet Centre, telephone: (0121) 373 1323