Saturday, February 12, 2011

Ignore Valentine's Day: this is much more important


Don't forget! Put it in your diaries. Set your electronic calendars.

Chief Inspector Mark Thompson will be opening our new charity shop at 10A Market Street, Newmarket at 10 am on Monday 14th February: this coming Monday!

Please come and give us your support. The Newmarket group have worked their hearts out getting the shop ready; now they need your help to make it a success.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Extraordinary Dogs: book review



Extraordinary dogs is a collection of articles about dogs who assist human beings in an enormous variety of fields of life (and occasionally, as in the case of Scamp, who appears to recognise when nursing home residents are nearing the end of their lives; death). However it's much more than just a disjointed collection of anecdotes because each group of stories is introduced with a brief summary of the science that lies behind the dogs' abilities. It's not a book about dog training as such, but may benefit ordinary pet dogs by encouraging their owners to realise their need for mental stimulation and physical exercise. 

We tend to think that of working dogs as belonging to just a few specialised breeds, but this book shows that talent exists in breeds as unexpected as the little Chinese Crested, Yorkshire terrier and Miniature Schnauzer.

For anyone who wants to find out more, there's a useful list of organisations consulted, together with their websites, but I felt it was a bit of a pity that there were no other suggestions for further reading, or references to the science involved.

The Channel 5 series it accompanies is on now.

Interested in training as a vet?

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has a YouTube channel with information about veterinary careers. If you love animals and are wondering about the possibility of becoming a vet this is a useful source of reliable information.



The video series is produced in association with UK Vet Schools, including the Cambridge Veterinary School which provides clinical services to our clinic and uses it for training purposes.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Sheep rescue in Caernarfon, North Wales



RSPCA inspectors abseil down a cliff to reach a sheep trapped on a ledge.

Not suitable for anyone who doesn't like heights!