Herald - Issue 414

Page 46 • The HERALD • 28th October 2021 v THE HERALD - INDEPENDENT AND PROUD OF IT v ANIMAL MAGIC 38 Pylewell Road, Hythe, Southampton, Hants SO45 6AQ Tel: (023) 8084 1000 Fax: (023) 8084 5651 www.hythevets.co.uk An Independent Local Practice The Pet Healthcare Centre PROMOTING POSITIVE PRACTICE IN CANINE OWNERSHIP, WELFARE & UNDERSTANDING • Rescue dogs in need of homes • E-learning courses for dog owners • FREE courses and resources • Training and behaviour consultancy • Gift vouchers • We are a not-for-profit organisation • Donate your unwanted dog equipment • Help us to help them www.dogs2fosteruk.org Telephone 023 8178 1707 Is Your Dog Suffering from Separation Anxiety or Anxiety in General? by Dogs2Foster All dog breeds are di erent, but certain breeds are more prone to anxiety than others. e top dog breeds that su er from Separation Anxiety are: • German Shepherd – is is a working dog, they need to be physically and mentally stimulated, they are best when they have a job to do. • Bichon Frise – is is a companion breed who need the company and companionship of their owners. • Toy Poodle – is is another companion breed who generally become distressed if le alone. • The Labrador Retriever – Because they are such a sociable breed, they can struggle with being le alone for any length of time. • Collies – ey are what we refer to as high energy dogs who require lots of physical and mental stimulation, they can struggle with boredom and become destructive if their needs aren’t met. • Jack Russell Terrier – ey are full of energy and can quickly become bored if not physically stimulated. • Vizsla – ese are hunting dogs and they like to be with their owners, they need a good outlay of physical activity and companionship. • German Shorthaired Pointer – is is a breed that was bred to hunt with their humans so if inactive and starved of time with their family they can su er anxiety. • Cavalier King Charles Spaniels – ese are companion dogs and therefore need to be around their human family to feel content and relaxed. Any dog, regardless of their breed can su er with separation anxiety if they’re not living in the right environment or their daily routine is de cient of certain aspects. Take our FREE quiz at www. dogs2fosteruk.org and nd information on how to help your dog NOW! Call for more information: 023 8178 1707. OUT & ABOUT WITH THE RSPB The New Forest Local Group of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds are celebrating their 21st Anniversary. Dominic Couzens, best-selling nature author and journalist, will talk about “Birds Behaving Badly” at an indoor meeting at 7.30pm on Wednesday 10th November at Lyndhurst Community Centre, High Street, Lyndhurst SO43 7NY (doors open 7pm). e RSPB New Forest Local Group’s next eld trip is on Saturday 6th November from 10am to 1pm at Badminston Common (SU 461 021), meeting at the end of Badminston Lane, Fawley. All meetings are subject to current COVID-19 restrictions. For any further information, p l ea s e ema i l : newforestgroup@RSPB. org.uk or visit: www. r spb . org . uk/ groups / newforest. Those taking part in eld trips should wear suitable, dull coloured clothing and sturdy footwear. Admission at indoor meetings for non- members is currently £5 per evening. Over 140 of the UK’s Rarest Lizards Released Back into the Wild Join Ranger Julie from Bird Aware Solent on a walk around Lepe Country Park. You will discover the o en hidden world of overwintering wader’s ducks & geese who must not only survive winter here, but ensure they stock up on enough food to complete long migrations back to northern breeding grounds. is walk is intended for anyone who loves spending time on the coast. You do not need to know anything at all about birds. Children welcome although the programme is designed for adults. Well behaved dogs on lead welcome. Binoculars will be provided. No booking required, but the event does have limited spaces. Duration: 1 to 1.5 hours of a leisurely walk. Ranger Julie from Bird Aware Solent will also be inviting you to join her in the bird hide. See amazing marsh specialist birds up close through a spotting scope camera or borrow a pairs of binoculars. Learn about what the birds get up to in the winter. is is a great activity for kids, especially on a rainy day! All ages welcome. Saturday 13th November - Meet outside the Lookout at 11am for the walk and then Julie will be in the bird hide from 1pm for an hour. Sunday 12th December - Meet outside the Lookout at 10.30am for the walk and then Julie will be in the bird hide from 12.30pm for an hour. Parking charges apply. Bird Aware Solent at Lepe Agroup of theUK’s rarest lizard – the Sand Lizard - have been released back into the wild in Dorset. Over 140 of these endangered species, bred at several locations including Marwell Zoo and Forestry England’s New Forest Reptile Centre, were released in a partnership project led by Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) to return these species from near extinction. e young sand lizards were reintroduced on Forestry England land in Dorset and follow on from a group of 200 released in the same spot last year. Despite an unfavourable spring, many lizards managed to lay two clutches of eggs and the lack of prolonged hot or wet periods over the summer helped these to remain in good condition, prior to being excavated and incubated until hatching. In the UK sand lizards are dependent on dry, sandy lowland heathland or coastal sand dunes. Growing to around 20cms long, females can be identi ed by their sandy-brown colour with rows of dark and white spots called ocelli along their backs. Males have vivid green anks which are particularly distinctive during the breeding season. e restoration of sand lizards to heathland habitat is a vital part of a wider conservation and environmental recovery. Sand lizards are good indicators of a healthy ecosystem where ora and fauna are thriving. Nick Moulton, Reptile Conservation Officer for ARC, said: “ We are delighted to be able to release an encouragingly high number of sand lizards again this year. Conservation projects like this rely on the hard work and support of multiple agencies. We are extremely grateful to Forestry England for supporting the releases and their on-going management of key habitats, and to Marwell Zoo our breeding partners for their captive breeding expertise and on-going support of this project.” Mark Warn, Wildlife Ranger, Forestry England , said: “Dorset’s heathlands and forests are home to some of the UK’s rarest wildlife and we work hard to ensure they have the right habitats to thrive here. Projects like this require commitment over the long term and whilst there is still much more work to be done it’s really encouraging to see the positive progress being made by the sand lizards released over the last few years.” e sand lizard released in Dorset over recent years have been bred at Marwell’s specialist reptile breeding centre, Forestry England’s Reptile Centre, Avon Heath Country Park and by local wildlife specialist Martin Noble.