Get involved with National Pet Month 2010
A picture from last years NPM showing Janet Nunn, a Trustee of NPM, from the Pet Care Trust.
From 3rd April to the 3rd May, National Pet Month will be celebrating its 21st birthday. Thousands of people will be celebrating life with their pets at hundreds of events up and down the country and this could offer your veterinary practice a great opportunity.According to the organisers of National Pet Month, one of the ways that veterinary practices can play their part during this National Pet Month is by getting involved with local schools and engaging with children directly about animals and their care. It’s a great way to raise awareness amongst young people of pet ownership, and to raise your profile in the local community.
Some tips for veterinary practices to help develop an effective relationship with a local school are:
- If there’s been no contact in the past, get in touch with the Headteacher in the first instance and let him/her know you are there and that you will offer free animal care advice
- Pitch a talk to the appropriate age-group and get details from class teachers about what they are looking for in a visit, so that you can talk accordingly
- Find out how many children you will be talking to and what type of room you will have if you are visiting the school. This will impact on the number and types of animals that you take in
- Let the local newspaper know that you are visiting a school. Check with the school first, but animals and children make great picture stories and give you a local boost too
- Tell National Pet Month if you are involved: if you arrange a visit to, or from, a local school during National Pet Month, log on to the website www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk and become a supporter.
Phil Sketchley, chairman of NPM said:
“National Pet Month was so successful in 2009 we are looking forward to the month-long 21st birthday celebrations in 2010.
The 2009 winning veterinary practice event was held by the Minster Veterinary Practice in York. Event organiser Tracey Pulleyn explained why they got involved: “The aim of our day was to put something back into the community: to invite regular clients and attract new clients to come and look round the practice and see what happens behind closed doors.
“We estimated that we had 800 people attending the day and over 200 children completed our ‘mini-vet challenge’. Our gallant efforts raised a huge profile for charities, ourselves and events in the area – and we raised over £787!” she added.
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
