Types Of Pet Insurance Policies (UK)

1) A policy that is limited to a set period of, usually, twelve months. This is the cheapest policy. If the pet is in the middle of a treatment when the policy ends, the policy will not continue to cover it.

2) A policy which has a cover limit for a condition. It will cover any condition up to a certain amount. The treatment for the condition will end as soon as it reaches the financial cover limit so it may not give complete cover for a long-term ongoing condition.

3) A full lifetime policy. This will provide a cover limit per year per condition so it renews each year for a condition even if a claim has been made and thus the pet is covered throughout its life. A premium is paid each year and the policy offers  cover for vet fees each year per condition per year; the policy usually gives other benefits too such as holiday cancellation, advertising and reward etc. This policy cover might be the most expensive but is most suitable for on-going, long-term conditions like arthritis and diabetes. It also offers the owner a lot of peace of mind.

Look around for the kind of pet insurance that best suits the needs of your pet.

Animal Friends provide a wide range of pet cover plans, ranging from the new entry-level Accident Only policy to the higest level of cover found in our Prestige policy. Please call us on 0845 55 70 300 to discuss the best options for you and your companions.

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This month, AFI are pleased to bring you a series of updates on charities which we have supported in the past. As these are such challenging times for everyone, we though it would be helpful to highlight some of the current campaigns and appeals run by the individual organisations themselves. Remember, too, that every pet insurance sale from AFI will contribute to helping the plight of animals in trouble all around the world.

The Mayhew Animal Home

The Mayhew Animal Home was established to become a sanctuary for lost and starving dogs and cats in London. They rescue thousands of animals from cruelty and neglect each year. The organisation tries to tackle this animal welfare crisis from all angles. They are pro-active, innovative and work to assist animals on all levels.

The first event in their diary is the Friends of Little Wormwood Scrubs Fun Day. They will have some of the current dogs looking for new homes and lots of information and items for sale. The fun day will be held Saturday July 4th.

The Mayhew Animal Home is also taking part in the British 10K London Run and they are looking for runners who would like to join them on Sunday July 12th. The event takes place in the heart of London and the route takes you past some of the capital's most historic landmarks. The 10K is approximately 6.2 miles and you have 2 hours to complete the run. If you like to participate but can't run yourself, you can sponsor someone from the Mayhew who is.

The Mayhew Animal Home Open Day is scheduled for Sunday July 19th. This event is fun for the whole family. There will be live music, delicious food and gift stalls to browse. This is a great opportunity to meet some of their animals and to show your support for this charity. They are always looking for volunteers if you would like to join the fun at any of their events.

Animal Friends Insurance is proud to have supported the Mayhew Animal Home via a special promotion last year. Pet insurance from AFI allows you to provide the best medical treatment for your pets to insure a long a healthy life. Besides being able to provide for your pets you will be contributing to other organisations that help animals in trouble around the world.

Bookmark us and help AFI make a difference!

This month, AFI are pleased to bring you a series of updates on charities which we have supported in the past. As these are such challenging times for everyone, we though it would be helpful to highlight some of the current campaigns and appeals run by the individual organisations themselves. Remember, too, that every pet insurance sale from AFI will contribute to helping the plight of animals in trouble all around the world.

Gearing Up 4 Gorillas

Gearing Up 4 Gorillas (G4G) is a UK charity that focuses entirely on the conservation of the mountain gorilla in Virunga National Park in Eastern DR Congo. They provide funds and equipment to the rangers whose job it is to protect them.

Tickets for G4G's Summer Raffle are now on sale and the prizes are beautiful artwork pieces created by local artists of the Dorset region. There are over 50 different paintings to be won; the raffle tickets are £1each. The G4G raffle will be held on July 19th at Chettle Village Hall, Dorset. G4G has many ongoing projects that help the mountain gorillas and the rangers. There are loads more things going on - check out the events page of G4Gs new website for more ways to help the mountain gorillas.

The Camp Bukima Challenge is a project that is ongoing and G4G has pledged to support five of the rangers at the camp each and every month so their work can continue. This camp is set up deep in the heart of mountain gorilla territory and give 24/7 protection and monitoring of the gorillas. The camp was set up after the horrifying execution of 10 mountain gorillas in 2007.

One of G4G's main purposes is to provide equipment to the rangers. They provide the funds for equipment that can be purchased at a cheaper price in Africa. There are other equipment and supplies that are best found in the UK and then sent over. Some of the things that they try to supply the park rangers with includes IT equipment, tents and sleeping bags, binoculars, and mountain bikes. They are always in need of items and donations to keep this project going.

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Exercising your Dog

It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to exercise your dog. Exercise can lead to longer life for your pet. Exercising with your dog will strengthen the bond you two share. It will also help control your dogs' weight and ensure that they maintain a healthy heart, lungs and muscles.

The type of exercise that you do with your dog depends on their needs and physical condition. For example a healthy puppy can play for hours at a time and never seem to get tired. On the other hand a nice easy walk may be the better option for an older dog. If you don't want to do any of the actual walking youself there are other ways to give your dog the exercise he needs. Playing fetch is a great way to give your dog plenty of exercise whilst you can take it easy. Most dogs love to run after and return a ball or stick, and some like to catch things like a flying disc.

When you are exercising your dog keep in mind the weather conditions; and by that I don't mean remember to take an umbrella! Dogs can be susceptible to frostbite and heat stroke. If you walk your dog in the snow be sure to wipe their pads to remove any snow afterwards. In hot summer conditions should also remember that hot asphalt from tarmac roads can burn your dog's pads, so let your dog walk on the pavement or grass wherever possible.

If your dog seems to be "hyper" or always getting into trouble, the problem may be that your dog isn't getting enough exercise. Common reasons for behavioural problems in dogs are boredom and lack of adequate exercise.

Every dog is different and before you start any type of exercise program you want to make sure your dog is in good health. Another thing to take into consideration is the breed of dog you have. Some dogs are happy with a daily walk and some breeds need intense workouts. You should be careful to do some research before embarking on bringing a new puppy or dog into the family; all too often there are stories in the press of dogs who have become dangerously overweight, or even abandoned, because owners have failed to take their physical needs into account and have found themselves unable to exercise them fully. Not only is it a moral responsibility to ensure that the physical needs of pets are met, it is also a legal requirement under the Animal Welfare Act to provide them with the exercise, diet and care that they need to be happy and life-long companions.

To make sure your dog stays healthy and will enjoy a long life, you might want to consider buying pet insurance in case there will be any unforeseen medical expenses in the years to come. You have health insurance on the rest of your family and for peace of mind you might want to get pet insurance on your canine companion.

Bookmark us and help AFI make a difference!

This month, AFI are pleased to bring you a series of updates on charities which we have supported in the past. As these are such challenging times for everyone, we though it would be helpful to highlight some of the current campaigns and appeals run by the individual organisations themselves. Remember, too, that every pet insurance sale from AFI will contribute to helping the plight of animals in trouble all around the world.

Born Free

Born free is an organisation that fights hard for wild animals. They believe that wild animals should get a chance to live in their natural habitat. They rescue exotic animals from abusive situations and place them in sanctuaries that mimic their natural habitat perfectly.

The organisation is international and they help all sorts of animals ranging from turtles to elephants. They are dedicated to increasing awareness by hosting educational events and keeping their ideas and beliefs in the public eye.

To kick off the 25th anniversary, Born Free hosted an event at London's Royal Geographical Society. There was a wide variety of special guests including; celebrities, experts in wildlife, and leaders of other wildlife organisations.

The speeches took guests back in time to relive the birth and first days of the Born Free Foundation. Then, guests got to visit exhibits of the animals they have helped rescue and rehabilitate. This special celebration was a night of remembering past victories and looking forward to Born Free's future successes.

Born Free has many ongoing campaigns including, the Zoo Check Programme, which takes action to stop captive animal suffering. The Big Cat Project rescues lions, tigers and leopards from tiny cages and gives them lifetime care at sanctuaries. This project also funds conservation projects and fights hunting big cats for sport. They also support the UN's Great Ape Survival Project and have an Elephant Project to protect wild elephants from the brutal ivory trade. They also have ongoing projects to help protect marine life, wolves and polar bears.

When you buy pet insurance from Animal Friends you play a direct part in helping organisations like this continue their work, as all net profits from pet insurance sales go directly to charities and welfare groups helping animals in trouble. You can read more about how AFI has supported animal welfare organisations around the world by visiting AFIs charity support pages.

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Dogs Can Catch Our Yawns!

A recent study performed by Birkbeck College of the University of London, has concluded that dogs empathise with their owners and can actually catch their yawns. As well as yawning being contagious between humans, pets can catch it too. It was previously thought that this phenomenon was confined only to primates.

Yawning is thought to be the result of several factors, among them stress, rather than merely a symptom of tiredness.

The research was done on 29 dogs in 2 different conditions. The participants were of different dog breeds, including Dobermans, Yorkshire Terriers, Dachshund, Spaniels and Labradors. The two groups were observed for five minutes each: whilst a stranger either yawned with eye contact or simply just opened and closed their mouths, without actually yawning. They found that 21 of the dogs did in fact yawn when the stranger yawned, but none yawned when the stranger only pretended to yawn.

So it is now believed that dogs do empathise with humans that they are able to read social cues not confined simply to hand gestures or signals. They are aware of others' feelings, and can respond to them accordingly.

Other studies into canine behaviour have shown that the following of human pointing can relate to how a dog may be able to tell humans the location of hidden objects, even when they didn't see the object being hidden. This could also go to explaining how dogs steal food when humans aren't looking - aside of course, from sniffing it out!

The special relationship between man and dog is believed to be the result of wolf domestication over 15,000 years ago. When our ancestors started to produce more food than they could consume, the befriended wolves that spent times with humans stayed, and this was the origin of a line of domestic canines. Those dogs were more communicative and aware of human emotions; empathic, sensitive to danger and protective of their new-found source of food it is also why we often refer to our dogs as "mans' best friend".

This empathy which dogs have been proven by the yawn study to possess can also explain to why dogs are such excellent therapy. Therapy dogs are widely used for those who are ill or elderly patients. They seem to understand the need for their companionship, and with their unconditional love, they can help to heal and comfort.

In order to provide your canine companion with all the love and care he will need throughout your life together, it is important to have the security of a good dog insurance policy. Animal Friends Pet Insurance provide a range of pet plans to suit just about any dog and any pocket to give you peace of mind should your best friend become ill or need emergency veterinary treatment.

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How to Tell the Difference between Good and Bad Breeders

There is a perfect breed of dog for every home

Puppy farms cater to pet stores and people who are brokers for pet stores. There are so many of these type of places that it is hard for the government to regulate and inspect all of them. When you are looking for a purebred puppy it is wise look for a breeder in your area where you can see the puppies and the conditions they are being raised in.

After you have decided which type of dog breed you want to purchase you should visit several breeders and ask a lot of questions. Things to look for in a good dog breeder:

The breeder should be a specialist in the type of dog you are looking for. Usually good breeders only raise one type of dog and don’t have a lot of different breeds to choose from.

They should ask you a lot of questions and seem genuinely interested in finding good homes for the puppies.

The puppies should be properly socialized with humans. You can tell this by watching the pups and how they react to people.

The breeding facility should be well kept and clean. Take notice of their water and food bowls, their beds and if the dogs seem to be in good health.

Most good breeders will have had the puppies checked by a vet and have had their first vaccinations and worming done. They will also be able to provide proper documentation on health checks done on the parents of the puppies to look for common diseases such as hip dysplasia.

Make sure you ask to see the parents of the pups and take notice of their behavior and how they react to humans.

All purebred puppies should have a proper Registration Certificate authorized by the appropriate governing dog body. Most good breeders will agree to take the puppy back with a full refund if for some reason you are not satisfied. You do have rights and they are enforcible. We also have an article on uk pet control that is well worth a read.

Once everyone in your household including your newest member has settled down into a routine; and you know that this is the right pup for your family. You might want to consider getting pet insurance on your puppy incase their will be unforeseen medical expenses in the years to come. You have health insurance on the rest of your family and for peace of mind you might want to get dog insurance on the newest member of your home.

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How do I get rid of fleas on my pet?

Fleas are nasty little critters that can infest your home and make your pets miserable. To rid your pets and home of fleas you must attack them from all sides. If you use the four-step plan described below you can effectively rid your home and pets of fleas.

You can begin by using a product that prevents the flea pupa from leaving the egg. These products generally have a high safety rating and can be given by tablet once a month. This treatment prevents flea breeding but does not kill fleas.

Now you need to use a product which will kill adult fleas; some type of topical insecticide. These types of products are usually in spot-on form. They work by dissolving into the fatty skin tissue of your pet which means your pet will still be protected after shampooing. Some of these products last up to 3 months. You can also use flea powder and flea collars on your cats and dogs.

Then you must use a flea spray for your home. The chemical must kill both adult fleas and also the eggs and larvae. Most of these types of products last up to 7 months. Many will adhere to the base of your carpet and will not be removed when you vacuum.

And the last and most important step is to vacuum thoroughly and often. Vacuuming is very effective and should be done daily. Make sure you also keep your pet's bed clean and vacuum areas where they spend the most time. Pay particular attention to areas of the house in which fleas are most likely to breed, such as underneath radiators or other warm spots.

And remember, pet insurance is like having health insurance on yourself, it is there when you need it for those unexpected large health-related bills. By having this kind of insurance you can ensure that your pets will get the best treatment if they are ever injured or seriously ill. You can buy pet insurance no matter the age of your pet. As long as you keep the premiums up they will be covered for their lifetime.

Next Pet Health FAQ...

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