At the end of each month we take a look back at the animals that have made headlines in recent weeks, collecting stories from across the UK and around the globe. Sometimes happy, occasionally sad and always enlightening, here are the creatures that are making the news at the moment:

PDSA announces finalists of the 2016 Pet Fit Club

An annual event designed to help owners help their pets stay in shape, this year’s Pet Fit Club’s seven finalists include fat cat Mikey, whose love of crisps, popcorn and cornflakes led to him becoming unhealthy and overweight. There’s also Pebbles, a rotund rabbit, Tyty the Chihuahua, Kaspa the Labrador, Tia the bullmastiff and Entei the cat; each shedding impressive amounts of weight through the year – an incredible total of 4 stone 12 pounds overall! This year’s winner has been crowned as Oscar the spaniel, whose disabled owner struggled to walk him regularly and who was rather partial to a Sunday roast. Since losing weight, he’s regained his youthful vitality and is an inspiration to all podgy pets to shed the pounds!
Each of the finalists this year was classed as obese or morbidly obese, and desperately needed to lose weight to improve their quality of life. Pets carrying 20% or more of their ideal body weight are defined as obese, while pets with over 50% are deemed morbidly obese.

Downing Street dogs in hiding!

It has recently been reported that the Chancellor Philip Hammond has had to take desperate measures to keep his dogs safe from the unwanted attention of Larry, the resident Number 10 cat! The two Hammond family pets, a Welsh terrier called Rex and a dachshund named Oscar, are confined to quarters as feisty feline Larry rules the roost! It is well known that the previous Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne also kept Lola, his Bichon Frise, away from Larry when he moved her into the building in 2013. Which just goes to prove what many of us already know – that unlike in the cartoons, cats are not remotely scared of dogs!

No presidential pets for Trump

Staying with political pets, it looks likely that for the first time in almost two hundred years, when Donald Trump takes office in the spring, the White House will have no four-legged pets in residence. When President Obama was elected to office, he kept a promise to his daughters Sasha and Malia that they could have a dog in the White House, welcoming a Portuguese water dog named Bo to the family, closely followed by a second, called Sunny. President George W Bush had two Scottish terriers, named Barney and Miss Beazley; whilst Bill Clinton had a chocolate Labrador Retriever named Buddy and a cat named Socks. And whilst most presidents opt for one or two canine companions, Ronald Reagan collected a whole menagerie, including Lucky, a Bouvier des Flandres, Rex, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Victory, a golden retriever, Peggy, an Irish setter, Taca, a Siberian husky and Fuzzy, a Belgian sheepdog!
As if being President of the United States wasn’t enough to keep him busy!

Until next time, very best wishes from Shailen and The Ralph Site team
The Ralph Site, non-profit pet loss support

In the latest of our series of mini interviews with friends of www.theralphsite.com we contacted Irene Margaret, who shares her memories of pets she has known and loved, along with some wise words of advice for anyone experiencing the loss of a much-loved companion:

1. Do you currently share your home with any pets? If so, please tell us about them.

We have quite a menagerie of pets at home – the following furry family members live with us at the moment:

•  Salem (a black cat, hence the rather appropriate name)
•  His twin sister Rosie, a Tortoiseshell, both aged one year
•  Ivy, a year-old Gerbil
•  Macey, Lionpig, Cushion and Bonnie, four sweet guinea pigs
• Groucho Marx, our ten-year old Cockatiel!

2. What was the name of your first pet?

The first animal to find its way into my heart was Socks, a little black and white cat.

3. Why did you choose that name?

As I’m sure you can guess, it was because of those four pretty white paws.

4. Cats, dogs or another species? Can you choose? And why?

Both! Along with rodents! I can’t possibly choose  – I adore ALL animals.

5. What is your favourite memory of an animal who has shared your life?

It would probably be the way my guinea pig Charlie would look into my eyes whenever I was sad – it really felt as though he knew. But to be honest, I have SO many precious memories; it is very hard to choose.

6. Which three words would you choose to describe Charlie?

Loving, cuddly and loyal describe him perfectly!

7. What is your favourite fictional animal and why?

I think I would have to say the lion in the Wizard of Oz; he is such a caring animal.

8. If you could be any animal, which one would you choose and why?

I would definitely like to be a pampered domestic cat, enjoying a wonderful life of love with no responsibilities. Nothing to do other than being cute, and returning my human mummy’s affection!

9. What advice would you give to someone grieving for a much-loved pet?

It’s important that you take as long as you need to grieve – grief is a journey, and unfortunately it’s a painful one. Share your feelings with like-minded people, and keep your beloved pet’s memory alive, in whatever way is easiest for you.

10. When and how did you first come across The Ralph Site? What do you think is the most important role of The Ralph Site community?

I have been aware of The Ralph Site for several years now – its most valuable service is in offering a private, safe space for like-minded pet-loving people, who truly understand, and do not judge each other. Here we can share our grief, our memories and our joys with friends who know exactly what it feels like to lose a much-loved pet.

We’ll be featuring regular mini-interviews with friends of The Ralph Site in future; so do keep an eye out every first and third week of each month!

Until next time, very best wishes from Shailen and The Ralph Site team
The Ralph Site, non-profit pet loss support

Friends of The Ralph Site will not be surprised to find that one of the most popular sections of our website is our Memorials page. Hundreds of bereaved carers have already uploaded photos and memories of their special friends – placing a permanent visual record of their pet online serves a number of positive purposes:

•  Providing a lasting reminder of the unique character of a beloved companion
•  Drawing empathy, thoughts and prayers from other pet carers
•  Helping to provide a sense of closure and acknowledgement

Some people find that it helps to share stories of the unique personalities of their own much-loved pets, whilst others take some small comfort from reading about pets who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge. When the time comes, if you want to share your own feelings on The Ralph Site, it’s very easy to add a memorial. You can find more details here.

Every day we share one or more memorials on our Facebook page  marking the anniversary of animal companions that have passed away within the previous three years. Our many Facebook friends tell us that they greatly value this welcoming and understanding space, where pet carers can share their feelings and offer advice to anyone feeling angry, sad or frustrated in their loss. Others often add poignant and sensitive posts and comments, which help anyone grieving to understand that they are not alone.

Ultimately that is what we are most proud of at The Ralph Site – the shared sense of community created by people from all walks of life, united by a common thread. We have each experienced the pain of losing a much-loved friend and we aim to support anyone going through, or preparing for, the loss of a pet through our work. If you have visited The Ralph Site recently, you may have noticed that we offer friends the opportunity to commission ‘Original pet portraits’. These lovely pastel artworks are done by Mel Saalfeld, a veterinary colleague of our founder who has very kindly offered to donate her commission fees to The Ralph Site. As a not-for-profit organisation, we are always very grateful for any support that helps us continue our pet loss work.

Until next time, very best wishes from Shailen and The Ralph Site team
The Ralph Site, non-profit pet loss support

In the first of our series of mini interviews with friends of www.theralphsite.com we contacted Penny Hudson, who shares her memories of pets she has known and loved, along with some wise words of advice for anyone experiencing the loss of a much-loved companion:

1. Do you currently share your home with any pets? If so, please tell us about them.

We have a cat called April who we fostered from the local Cats Protection. When she first came to us she had been found as a stray, 10 months old and pregnant. After her kittens were born and rehomed, we adopted her.

2. What was the name of your first pet?

When I was a child we had a cat called Tibby. However, the first pet in my current family came to us when I was married – another cat, called Cheekie.

3. Why did you choose that name?

My daughter named her – I think perhaps she identified a trait in her personality early on!

4. Cats, dogs or another species? Can you choose? And why?

I would choose a cat, having been more used to them throughout my life. In recent years though I have had more contact with dogs, as I regularly take care of my son’s dog when they go away.

5. What is your favourite memory of an animal who has shared your life?

That would have to be the sight of Toffee approaching people passing the house, wanting to be stroked!

6. Which three words would you choose to describe him / her?

So much love!

7. What is your favourite fictional animal and why?

Winnie the Pooh – he always seems so happy and is loved by all, young and old.

8. If you could be any animal, which one would you choose and why?

I would definitely like to be a cat – the idea of being able to take plenty of naps and have lots of fuss made of me is very appealing!

9. What advice would you give to someone grieving for a much-loved pet?

No matter what anyone else says, never feel guilty about grieving for a pet; they are just as much a part of the family as the human members. Surround yourself with memories and talk to others who understand how you are feeling.

10. When and how did you first come across The Ralph Site? What do you think is the most important role of The Ralph Site community?

To support each other with love and understanding.  When my cat Toffee died I found the grieving so hard. I had feelings that I didn’t know how to cope with – I felt guilty and kept replaying memories of her last hours. A member of my veterinary practice recommended The Ralph Site to me, and through it I met some wonderful people who understood my feelings. I was able to remember Toffee with a memorial, talking about her with people who understood. Now I hope I can help others who are grieving by reassuring them that they are not alone, by talking and listening as they describe the sadness they are experiencing after the loss of a precious pet. All these experiences and feelings are perfectly normal, and that is one of the strongest and most positive messages from The Ralph Site community.

We’ll be featuring regular mini-interviews with friends of The Ralph Site in future; so do keep an eye out every first and third week of each month!

Until next time, very best wishes from Shailen and The Ralph Site team
The Ralph Site, non-profit pet loss support

Reflecting the spirit in which The Ralph Site was originally created, the community of friends and supporters who use its resources and share their own experiences and emotions with other bereaved carers has developed into something truly amazing.
Complementing the original website www.theralphsite.com are two Facebook pages, each serving different needs:

• Our open-access Facebook page bit.ly/ralphsitefbpage features a daily ‘Today we especially miss…’ post, celebrating the life and memory of a pet that passed on the same date in previous years. Our page currently has over 43,000 friends!
• A members-only closed group bit.ly/ralphsitefbgroup, which you can join by request and benefit from support and advice from others in the same position, without exposing your posts to wider public view. The group currently has over 1,500 members so there’s always someone who understands.

We also write this weekly blog, providing advice on a wide range of pet care issues and support for anyone struggling with the loss of a beloved pet. Those of you who read the blogs regularly will notice a change in the coming weeks, so we wanted to let you know what we’re up to!

The Ralph Site will continue to publish a new blog every week, with the first and third blogs of every month written by you, our friends! We’ve already contacted some of you to answer ten pet questions, and you’ll see the answers to these next week:

1.  Do you currently share your home with any pets? If so, please tell us about them.
2.  What was the name of your first pet?
3.  Why did you choose that name?
4.  Cats, dogs or another species? Can you choose?! And why?!
5.  What is your favourite memory of an animal who has shared your life?
6.  Which three words would you choose to describe him / her?
7.  What is your favourite fictional animal and why?
8.  If you could be any animal, which one would you choose and why?
9.  What advice would you give to someone grieving for a much-loved pet?
10. When and how did you first come across The Ralph Site? What do you think is the most important role of The Ralph Site community?

We always love to hear your thoughts and listen to your stories of the many special pets that have shared your lives, and this twice-monthly mini-interview seems like a good way to share these with a wider audience. The second week of each month will feature advice and information on a range of bereavement support issues, with the aim of providing practical support to anyone in need of help at such a difficult time. Finally, the last blog of each month will be a round up of animals in the news, topical stories of our four-legged friends from across the UK and around the world. We hope you’ll continue to join us for your weekly read!

So, until next time, very best wishes from Shailen and The Ralph Site team
The Ralph Site, non-profit pet loss support