DogCast Radio
Home Episodes Articles Blog Breed profiles Book reviews Photos Contact

The DogCast Radio blog

Tiny puppy dumped on coldest night of the year will be warm and loved this Christmas - with the woman who rescued him!

Once Patterdale terrier pup Elfie went home with RSPCA officer Heather Cook it was clear he’d never be leaving…!

Parts of England were submerged in snowdrifts and in other corners of the country the temperature had dropped to -13C. So when a tiny six-week-old terrier puppy was found dumped in a cardboard box in Manchester it was a miracle the vulnerable baby had survived.

Patterdale terrier pup Elfie was shivering when he was found by a woman who was walking to the shop on 12 December, just weeks before Christmas.

...more

Is your dog or cat insured?

RSPCA urges owners to insure their pets

Pet insurance can help save thousands of pounds in vet fees
The RSPCA is raising awareness about the importance of pet insurance as owners reveal their own nightmare experiences.

The oldest and biggest animal welfare charity is raising awareness on the importance of insuring pets to help with the cost of those unexpected accidents and illnesses and avoid hefty vet bills, sometimes costing thousands of pounds.

...more

Get a Santa snap with your dog at Battersea

This December, a very special guest will be paying a visit to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in Old Windsor.

On Saturday 8 December from 10am till 4pm, Santa Claus will be visiting the Berkshire-based rehoming centre to give dog owners the chance to have a festive photoshoot with their four-legged family members.

...more

Can you help Snoop see his first Xmas?

RSPCA centre launches appeal to raise £2,000 for puppy’s life-saving surgery.

The RSPCA has launched an urgent fundraising appeal to pay for life-saving surgery for a little puppy in Yorkshire.

Snoop was rescued by the charity earlier this month when his owners were unable to afford his ongoing veterinary costs.

The 10-week-old pup has been at the RSPCA’s Doncaster & Rotherham branch for two weeks.

...more

Councils need more funds or animals could suffer says RSPCA

New report from charity reveals the scale of difficulty councils face in providing animal welfare services.

The RSPCA today warned that animals could suffer as councils are being expected to deliver more welfare work with no extra money.

...more

Man banned from keeping pets for selling sick Christmas puppies to families

Man sentenced for animal welfare offences after breeding and selling sick dogs

A man has been handed a suspended prison sentence and disqualified from keeping animals for his involvement in running a puppy farm in his partner’s backyard in Kent.

Glen Hayes (DoB: 11/07/65) of Beatty Avenue, Gillingham, appeared at Bexley Magistrates’ Court on Monday (26 November) for a sentencing hearing having been convicted earlier this month of 10 animal welfare offences.

...more

Leave a gift to help animals in need this Giving Tuesday

It cost more than £200,000 to feed the dogs in RSPCA care last year.

This is why the RSPCA is highlighting the importance of legacies this Giving Tuesday (November 27).

Giving Tuesday is the time of year when we are encouraged to think about what we can give back to charities. Even if you can’t make a donation today, leaving a legacy means you can make a lasting impact to animals. Legacies are the lifeblood of charities and helps to fund more than half of the RSPCA’s vital work.

...more

Dogs firmly on the nice list - New research finds over 80% of dog owners will be buying a Christmas present for their canine co

New research by Mars Petcare UK and Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has revealed that eight out of 10 dog owners in the UK are planning to put their pet on top of their Christmas gift list this year.

...more

Fireworks petition backed by 358,000 people handed in to UK Government

RSPCA and the FAB Firework Abatement UK hand in petition today
Fireworks campaigners today handed in a petition backed by 358,000 people, calling on the government to restrict their use.

The RSPCA and FAB Firework Abatement UK today visited the Office for Product Safety and Standards in Birmingham with the petition which renews calls for an urgent review into the existing, outdated fireworks regulations in place.

...more

Senior dog Daisy needs a second chance

A nine-year-old Mongrel named Daisy has been at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home for nearly 100 days, but so far no one has come forward to give her a cosy and warm home this winter.

Daisy’s owners got her from Battersea eight years ago as a young dog, before bringing her back to the charity earlier this year after a change in circumstances made it difficult to keep a large dog like her.

Steve Craddock, Centre Manager at Battersea said:

...more

Sharing

281 - dog AITA and am I being unreasonable

In this podcast, host Julie considers a variety of Reddit AITA questions, and Am I Being Unreasonable from Mumsnet. We have stories of a puppy biting a child at a family get together, the pet sitting friend who took the dog to doggy daycare, the rescue dog defender feeling the pressure to meet up for dog walks, the sister who caused trouble when she said her sister's baby name sounded like a dog's name, the devoted owner who ducked out of his brother's wedding to care for his injured dog, an off lead dog causing issues and two alleged service dogs joining at the children's playground. Do you agree with Julie's take on all these canine conundrums?

189 - The Dog Healers and War Dogs Remembered

In this episode you can hear Mark Winik talk about his debut novel, The Dog Healers, and listen to Julia Robertson explain why she founded the charity War Dogs remembered. Plus there's the DogCast Radio News, and what Mischief the German Spitz puppy has been up to.

188 - Service Dogs UK and Roxie the Doxie Finds Her Forever Home

In this episode you can hear about Service Dogs UK, a fantastic charity which trains assistance dogs to support veterans of any service - military personnel, police, firefighters, paramedics and the coastguard - who develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder due to their job. Also, listen to Dr Jody A Dean, a clinical psychologist talk about how her book, Roxie the Doxie finds her Forever Home, is helping children understand and talk about adoption and other family issues. Plus the DogCast Radio News and some thoughts on the alpha dog myth.

187 - Muffins Halo and Chorley Fun Dog Show

In this episode you can hear about Muffin's Halo for Blind Dogs, and what motivates people to enter their dog in a fun dog show. In the DogCast Radio News, listen to stories about the latest dog related research. Plus there's a new member of the DogCast Radio team!

186 - Maxwell Muir on wolves

In this episode you can hear trainer, behaviourist, writer, broadcaster and wolf expert Maxwell Muir talk about what wolves mean to him personally, their plight in a modern world, and his hopes for their future. Plus we have the DogCast Radio News.