The Spoilt Dog - Essex/Suffolk Home Boarding & Daycare

16/05/2026

True.

05/05/2026

How brilliant that this little lad who was one of our first clients, and also had puppy health issues, is six today. Happy birthday Amos. I’m sure you’ve been the spoilt dog!!!

29/04/2026

This is a resting bitch face if ever you’ve seen one. No dogs involved, but macaques in Gibraltar. .

11/04/2026

Three pointy noses today. Mini D, JRT and a GH.

19/03/2026

Another 3year, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
licence.

04/02/2026

Just putting it out there….

24/12/2025

Every Christmas, when the North Pole grows quiet and the world below glows with twinkling lights, Santa takes a moment to step away from the sleigh and reindeer. Wrapped in his red coat and carrying a sack not of toys, but of love, he makes a special journey to the Rainbow Bridge.

There, he sits peacefully among the dogs who once filled our homes with muddy paws, happy chaos, and endless devotion. These are the good boys and girls who left paw prints not just on the floor, but forever on our hearts. Santa speaks their names softly, reminding them that they are still cherished, still remembered, still deeply loved—just as much today as the day they were held one last time.

They are warm there. Safe. Comfortable. Curled up in familiar joy. There are favorite toys that never wear out, endless fields to run through, and gentle naps taken in sunbeams that never fade. Their tails still wag with the same excitement, their eyes still sparkle with mischief and love, and their spirits are light and whole again.

As Christmas bells ring in the distance, these loyal souls wait patiently—not in sadness, but in hope. They know the ones they love most are not gone forever, only separated by time. Until that day comes, they carry our love with them, like a soft blanket wrapped around their hearts.

For anyone missing a dog this season, for anyone feeling the quiet ache where paws and noses and warm bodies used to be, this is a gentle reminder: they are not lonely. They are not afraid. They are happy, at peace, and held close by love that never ends.

And somehow—through memories, through dreams, through the quiet moments when your heart suddenly feels full again—they are still with us. Watching over us. Loving us. Offering the same unconditional devotion they always did.

Because love like that doesn’t disappear.
It waits. 🌈🐾✨

20/12/2025

This may be of interest….

The UK government has confirmed that its new Animal Welfare Strategy will be officially published next week, before the Christmas recess.

Last Thursday, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) ministers announced in Parliament that this strategy represents the "most ambitious reform to animal welfare in a generation," aimed at fulfilling several high-profile manifesto commitments.

Below is a breakdown of what is expected in the strategy, what has already been leaked or briefed, and what the practical changes look like.

1. Wildlife and Hunting: "The Trail Hunting Ban"
One of the most significant pillars of the strategy involves fulfilling the manifesto promise to close loopholes in the Hunting Act 2004.
• Ban on Trail Hunting: Briefings suggest the strategy will outline a "planned legislative pathway" to ban trail hunting (where hounds follow an artificial scent). This is in response to claims that the practice is often used as a "smokescreen" for illegal fox hunting.
• Hare Protection: On December 20, 2025, officials confirmed a new close season for hares. Shooting brown hares in England will be banned during their breeding months (February to October) to prevent the decline of the species and protect young hares.
2. Laboratory Animals: Phasing Out Testing
A cornerstone of the strategy is a detailed roadmap titled "Replacing Animals in Science," which was partially unveiled in November 2025.
• The Roadmap: The government has committed £75 million to accelerate the development of alternative technologies like "organ-on-a-chip" and AI-driven safety testing.
• Hard Deadlines:
• By end of 2026: Phase out regulatory animal testing for skin/eye irritation and skin sensitization.
• By 2027: End Botox potency tests on mice.
• By 2030: Significantly reduce pharmacokinetic studies on dogs and primates.

3. Farming: "Freedom and Dignity"
The strategy aims to transition the UK toward higher welfare farming systems, though this remains one of the more contentious areas for the industry.
• "End the Cage Age": There is strong speculation that the strategy will include a roadmap to phase out enriched cages for laying hens and sow stalls (farrowing crates).
• Welfare Labelling: There is an official push for "method-of-production" labelling on food products, allowing consumers to clearly see how an animal was raised.
• Import Standards: The government’s 2025 Trade Strategy already signaled that the UK may use quotas or exclusions to protect domestic farmers from "unfair competition" by low-welfare imports.

4. Pets and Domestic Animals
Several pieces of legislation have already reached "Royal Assent" in December 2025 to coincide with this strategy launch:
• Puppy Smuggling: The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act 2025 is now law. It increases the minimum age for imported puppies, bans the import of heavily pregnant dogs, and prohibits the entry of animals with "mutilations" like cropped ears.
• Livestock Worrying: New laws introduced on December 18, 2025, mean dog owners face unlimited fines if their pets attack farm animals. Police have also been given new powers to seize dogs and enter premises to collect DNA evidence.
What will happen in practice?
Once the full document is released next week, you can expect:

1. Immediate Consultations: For the more radical changes, such as the trail hunting ban or phasing out cages, the government will launch formal consultations to determine the "transition period" for farmers and hunters.

2. Increased Enforcement Funding: The strategy is expected to include a budget for Local Authorities to increase the number of animal welfare inspectors.

3. New Veterinary Act: There have been briefings about a new Veterinary Surgeons Act to modernize the profession and address the current Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) inquiry into vet fees and services.

4. Unofficial "Nuggets" and Rumors
Based on briefings from the Labour Animal Welfare Society and other insiders, keep an eye out for these "leaks" in the strategy next week:

• Greyhound Racing Phase-Out: There is strong pressure for a "roadmap" to eventually end greyhound racing in the UK, focusing on the high injury rates.

• Breeding Regulations: Expect a "Review of Breeding Licenses" to target "backyard breeders" who use platforms like Facebook and Instagram to sell dogs without proper welfare checks. There has also been a rumor that all dog breed is regardless of hobbies to otherwise will be required to have a license. Personally, I kind of hope that isn’t true. The government would be best focused on enforcement and targeting puppy farms and unlicensed pet carers as allegedly less than 2% of offenses actually reached prosecution.

• A New "Veterinary Surgeons Act": The government is briefing that the 1966 Act is outdated. The new strategy will likely propose modernizing how vets are regulated, which could lead to better transparency on pricing for pet owners.

What happens next?

The full Strategy document will be "slipped out" just before the Christmas break (likely Monday or Tuesday). It will act as the "Master Plan" for 2026.

15/12/2025

Some of you will relate to this….

13/12/2025

Tis the season to be jolly…. 🐶

30/11/2025

Someone in our village sadly lost their dog last week. He was diabetic so they have needles and insulin going for free if anybody can make use of them. Let me know…