Pawfect Pets
Hey all, hope you’re doing well!
The Students’ Union is still working as hard as ever behind the scenes, so make sure to check out our Facebook to see what we have been up to.
This isolation is really starting to affect health and wellbeing now and I really wanted to do a little blog about pets as they are very helpful at times like these. It is so important to follow government guidelines as best as we can right now; “stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives”, The lack of social interaction/human interaction, which is an instinct for many, can really have negative effects on us as individuals. However, the godsend that is pets are amazing at helping human health and wellbeing.
Why do pets help our health and wellbeing?
· Stroking pets can lower our heart rate, reduce blood pressure and keep us feeling relaxed and calm. The time we spend with our pets allows our brains to produce serotonin and dopamine which are feel-good chemicals that are released into our bodies.
· Pets keep us active; we physically must walk some pets and all pets need attention through physical play. Being active keeps us fit and when out on walks; not only are we getting much-needed vitamin D we are also still able to interact with other pet owners, just remember to stand 2 metres apart.
· Pets help with depression and anxiety; they are great companions, they provide unconditional love and don’t judge us as other humans might.
· Animals are great, and they are used to assist with therapy, helping people with deep issues and problems, so you can understand why having a pet or watching pet videos can help reduce stress during circumstances like the current one where we are isolated due to COVID-19.
Not everyone has a pet and not everyone wants one, but we have decided at TSDSU that we want to help brighten your days and let you get to know the pets who have become a part of our families and who are helping us get through these hard times. We feel so lucky to have such wonderful pets in our lives, and at the end of this blog you can look at their pictures and find out a little bit about them all.
We also ask that you take the time to think about the unfortunate pets who live in the local animal shelters; currently, the shelters are struggling to look after all the animals in their care and are unable to hold fundraising events which usually help to fund them. We have many students who have helped out with the local shelters, and we usually invite the shelters to our Freshers' Fairs to help support them.
As we physically can’t do a pet day at the students' union at this time, we ask that if you have any spare money - it could be the money you would usually spend on a takeaway or a coffee - then please donate this to your local shelter and help the shelter families. If you don’t have money to spare, then please consider sharing this blog or posting on your own social media to spread the word and help those in need.
If you would like any information on how to donate or who your local animal shelter is, please email Rebecca at Rebecca.Crane@uwtsd.ac.uk and she will be more than happy to assist.
Please also remember that just because you can’t come to speak to us at the office or on campus, doesn’t mean we aren't here for you. You can rely on us now just as much as you can when we aren't working from home. Give us an email or message us on our social media accounts; we exist to help you!
Now the moment you’ve all been waiting for... The pets!
Fred and George
Nicknames
The boys
Owner’s name
Martha
Favourite meal
fish flakes
Favourite toy
tank plants
On a scale of 1-10 how good is your pet?
10/10
Overall rating
10/10
Speed rate
6/10 they’re not so quick
Special skill
Hiding in the tank
Weird fact- they like to play tig
Annoying scale
3/10, they’re pretty chill
Olive
Nicknames
Devil cat
Owner’s name
Martha
Favourite meal
Mice… yum
Favourite toy
Mice, she plays with her food
On a scale of 1-10 how good is your pet?
4/10
Overall rating
7/10
Speed rate
7/10 she is pretty old now
Special skill
Pest control
Weird fact
When she was a kitten she once unwrapped all my brother's presents at Christmas
Annoying scale
8/10, she’s not a people person and will let you stroke her and then just hiss, scratch or bite you
Artemis
Nicknames
Artie and Shadow demon
Owner’s name
Martha
Favourite meal
Salmon soup
Favourite toy
Scrunched up ball of paper or my hair
On a scale of 1-10 how good is your pet?
10/10
Overall rating
10/10
Speed rate
10/10 she can shadow travel
Special skill
Sitting on my shoulder and she can pee directly down the plughole in the shower
Weird fact
She always has to sit on me, when I’m cooking, sleeping and even when I’m having a bath
Annoying scale
7/10, she likes to knock things off the table and always tries to eat my hair
Loki
Nicknames
Mr Laufeyson, Loki bum and Ice giant
Owner’s name
Martha
Favourite meal
Peanut butter and red Leicester mini cheddars
Favourite toy
Antlers
Scale of 1-10 how good is your pet?
8/10
Overall rating
9/10
Speed rate
Zoomy 9/10
Special skill
Finding food and opening the packet to eat it
Weird fact
He likes to sit in the window like a cat
Annoying scale
6/10, he likes to eat very random things when left alone
Hattie
Nicknames
Hattsickle, Hattsipops and the bear
Owner’s name
Martha
Favourite meal
Cat food
Favourite toy
Hide chew
Scale of 1-10 how good is your pet?
4/10 good girl
Overall rating
10/10
Speed rate
7/10 she is a bit old now
Special skill
She’s an ace fielder in cricket
Weird fact
She is so big you can dance with her
Annoying scale
4/10, she is pretty good but does wake up in the middle of the night barking
Lily
Nicknames
The Cloud
Owner’s name
Elis
Favourite meal
Whiskas
Favourite toy
Trees, walls and anything she can climb
Scale of 1-10 how good is your pet?
8/10 good girl
Overall rating
9/10 she is a lovely cat but very introvert
Speed rate
10/10 disappears as swiftly as she arrives, runs into objects as she makes her escape from the house
Special skill
Disappearing; only ever seen sunbathing on the neighbours' shed, sleeping around the house or when food is ready
Weird fact
Highest and longest meow
Annoying scale
6/10, she takes too long coming home, she is always at least 3 gardens away
Meg
Nicknames
Squeak
Owner’s name
Elis
Favourite meal
Chicken strips
Favourite toy
Dice; board games involving dice are off the cards, if Meg gets hold of the dice, you’ve had it
Scale of 1-10 how good is your pet?
10/10 good girl
Overall rating
9/10 she is lush, adorable and very tame
Speed rate
8/10
Special skill
Brushing my dads face with her tail, it moves like a propeller
Weird fact - although she is mostly dark furred, she has a patch of ginger fur on her chest that is shaped like a heart
Annoying scale
3/10, she only annoys my dad
Rala
Nicknames
Missy
Owner’s name
Elis
Favourite meal
Diced chicken, cat food will not do, Rala is ‘above’ it, unless the cat food belongs to another cat.
Favourite toy
The sofa
Scale of 1-10 how good is your pet?
8/10, she thinks she is a goddess and demands the appropriate treatment for this role
Speed rate
7/10; she’s a bit tubby
Special skill
She is a huntress, chases birds, frogs and everything she can get her paws on; not so good for the wildlife
Weird fact
She will stare intensely through any and all windows
Annoying scale
7, she’s pretty tame, until you’re having dinner and then she wants all your attention so she can have what’s on the plate; will constantly jump and climb all over me
Marley
Nicknames
Mooman, Mister and Marls
Owner’s name
Becky
Favourite toy
A tatty little white rag with blue tassels. Disgusting!
Scale of 1-10 how good is your pet?
Sometimes a 4, sometimes a 10 and sometimes a 0
Overall rate
11
Speed rate
10/10 when running, but he likes to meander
Special skill
Plays fetch, he will get his white rag and bring it back and drop it into your hand
Weird fact
He growls at the door whenever someone knocks
Annoying scale
If he hasn’t been fed, he will scream at you for hours,; sometimes he has the zoomies at night and I have to spray him with some water to calm him down
Jack
Nicknames
Boo Boo
Owner’s name
Michelle
Favourite meal
Anything I am eating
Favourite toy
Ball
Scale of 1-10 on how good your pet is?
10
Overall rating
10
Speed rating
7, as he is getting on a bit now
Special skill
Great at hide and seek
Weird fact
He is artful; he sleeps on top of the covers of my bed, but when I wake up he is not only under the covers he is snuggled up right next to me
Annoying scale - he is only annoying when the postman comes or cars or foxes pass the window and then he goes bonkers
Weirdest sleeping position
Sitting upright in my arms having a cuddle
Sasha
Nicknames
Sassy, Sass, Sash
Owner’s name
Laura-Cait
Favourite meal
Whatever I am eating and cups of tea
Favourite toy
The ball that doesn’t break
Scale of 1-10 on how good your pet is?
7.9
Overall rating
11
Speed rating
6
Special skill
Farting and smelling the room out
Weird fact
Sometimes she gets so excited when she sees other dogs that she starts shaking
Annoying scale
Extremely annoying as she always wants food and attention Weirdest sleeping position - falls asleep with a ball in her mouth sometimes
Roberto Firmino
Nicknames
Bobby and Bob
Owner's name
Ffion
Favourite meal
Dandelions
Favourite toy
Ball
Scale of 1-10 on how good your pet is
5; cute and naughty in equal measures
Overall rating
Obviously 10/10
Speed rating
10/10 very fast
Special skill
Zoomies
Weird fact
He likes to launch himself at me in the hopes I will catch him; for example, he will jump onto my back when he is behind me; when he jumps out of his hutch, he is quite creepy.
Annoying scale
He is so annoying but his fluffiness makes up for it.
Weirdest sleeping position
He sleeps on his back
Lola
Nicknames
Loleee, Chicken soup, Shadow, Velvet and Zachels
Owner's name
Rebecca
Favourite meal
Slow-cooked chicken or bacon treats
Favourite toy
A monkey named Rainbow (He no longer has stuffing inside him)
Scale of 1-10 on how good your pet is?
Has to be a 10!
Overall rating
Off the scale!
Speed rating
10 (she is still young and very energetic)
Special skill
Does tricks on command without treats and knows how to find particular toys by name.
Weird fact
Lola is very lanky for her breed and has eyelashes so long that people always comment on them.
Annoying scale
Lola isn’t that annoying, but sometimes she will be chill all day and the moment you sit down to watch TV she will bark at you nonstop, so I’d say a 5/10.
Weirdest sleeping position
she sleeps on her back a lot and looks like she is playing dead.
All the best, Rebecca
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