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Boxer pup searches soar following John Lewis advert
Boxer in leaves
The John Lewis Christmas advert has sent online searches for boxer puppies to record highs.

Rescue workers fear being inundated next year

The John Lewis Christmas advert, which sees a boxer dog jumping on a trampoline, has sent online searches for boxer puppies to record highs, according to new figures.

Published by the Kennel Club, the figures show that searches for the breed on its Find A Puppy website rose by 160 per cent on the day following the release of the advert.

Furthermore, in the five days after the advert’s release, searches were up a total of 169 per cent. Searches for all breeds of dog were only up four percent in the same time period.

“When there is a sudden and enormous spike in people searching for puppies within a breed that is in the media spotlight, we all too often see the same breed overflowing from rescue centres a few months later,” commented Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club secretary.

“It is understandable that adverts, films and other media will feature and celebrate dogs given that we are a nation of dog lovers, but the Boxer breed could be in real trouble if people let impulsiveness take over and rush out to buy one without knowing much about the breed.”

In light of the figures, the Kennel Club are reminding potential owners about the importance of research to prevent dogs needlessly ending up in rescue. The organisation strongly urges anyone who is serious about getting a boxer to go to a responsible breeder or consider a rescue dog.

Betty Head of the Southern Boxer Rescue Service has voiced concern about seeing an influx of boxers through her doors in the New Year.

“Boxers are absolutely wonderful characters but we fear being inundated next year, after the interest the John Lewis advert has generated in the breed,” she said. “We saw lots of Boxers called George coming into us after the Colman’s Mustard ad featuring a Boxer, so we know it happens.”

To educate people on boxers the Kennel Club has launched a ‘Living with Buster’ web page to show the reality of living with the boxer breed. To find out more visit: www.thekennelclub.org.uk/livingwithbuster.

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise £100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.