Chubbs, a 15-year-old white and grey tabby, went missing from his home in Weymouth in September 2012 leaving his owner Donna Gallacher distraught.Kelly took Chubbs, now 15 years old, into Rutland Vets who then contacted Ms Gallacher with the news that her beloved pet had been found.

The new research that looked at domestic cats' DNA identified signs of disease more common in pedigree breeds than experts previously thought.

Dr O’Neill continued: ‘What is most concerning is that so many of the health conditions that English Bulldogs suffer from, such as skin fold dermatitis and breathing problems, are directly linked to the extreme structure of their bodies that has been selectively bred for.

The study was not able to gauge whether more goldfish were being released into the wild by pet owners who bought new fish during lockdown, but anecdotal reports have suggested this could be the case.“Whilst our research didn’t focus on whether this problem has got worse since lockdown, there is reason to believe that this is, or at least will be, the case,” Dickey said.

Experts said the survey highlights the knowledge gap among dog owners over what is normal behaviour (Image: GETTY)Some 42 percent said pulling on the lead was an issue for puppies aged six months to one year, while 37 percent said jumping up at strangers.

Vic still has Frankie with her now (Picture: Vic Paterson)According to researchfrom Direct Let Pet Insurance, more than a quarter of the some 101,500 divorce cases in the UK last year involved the custody or care of a dog or cat, a number that is likely to rise given that 3.2million pets were bought during the pandemic.

The Noppe family is elated to be reunited with Noppe and Max, who both received medical care before a joyous Mother’s Day celebration together, according to Jessica Noppe, 39.This was my first Mother’s Day as a mom," said Courtney Noppe, who celebrated with her daughter.

JACK RUSSELLS have the longest life expectancy of pet dogs in the UK, while French Bulldogs have the shortest, a new study suggests.According to the research, Border Collies had the second-longest life expectancy at 12.1 years, with Springer Spaniels third on 11.92 years.

Overall, the study is a reminder that pet owners (particularly those looking to find a clone-like stand-in for old companions ) are better off choosing dogs based on their individuality and behaviors, not their breeding.

Bill Lambert, Health, of The Kennel Club, said: ‘This new tool, funded in part by The Kennel Club Charitable Trust VetCompass grant, helps us understand and determine more accurately a dog’s life expectancy given different factors throughout their lives, instead of just based on historic breed estimates.

While this could be a sign of better health, prior research has indicated owners of dogs on raw meat diets are less likely to take their pet to a vet.

The study, published in the journal Plos One, found that nearly a fifth (17 per cent) of dogs on conventional diets had four or more visits to the vet over the period of one year, compared to nine per cent of vegan dogs and eight per cent of those on raw meat diets.

Vegan diets are healthier and safer for dogs than conventional meat-based diets, according to the largest study to date, as long as they are nutritionally complete.

Researchers also found that the same exposure to dogs and cats can make people more risk-averse if that's what the advertiser is trying to accomplish.

Once out of the carrier, he walks round the kitchen table in unsteady circles, knocking into chair legs.“He’s still groggy,” the middle one says.My wife is washing up, and the youngest is at the table making guacamole, surrounded by a growing mess.“How is he?” I say, looking at the cat.

They were all asked to report their levels of pain, depression, anxiety and wellbeing before and after a 10-minute visit from a St. John’s Ambulance dog and their handler.The patients reported a significant reduction in pain, symptoms of depression and anxiety and overall wellbeing.

Research shows dogs refuse food, become less active and are more needy when grieving (Image: Getty)Dr Federica Pirrone, one of the study's authors, said: "Dog owners reported several statistically significant changes in the surviving dog after the death of the companion dog, both in terms of activities and emotions.

The dogs could detect their owner in 82 percent of cases (Image: Getty)The dogs were required to differentiate between their owners’ voices and those of 14 strangers, with varying levels of similarity to how their owners sound.Including when the voices were swapped, the dogs could detect their owner in 82 percent of cases, the results showed.

‘Owners of small animals such as rabbits, ferrets and guinea pigs may need to review their pet’s housing and take steps to keep their pets cool in the warmer months to reduce the risk of heatstroke,’ she said.

The researchers say their findings highlight the need for better public awareness of heatstroke and the risk to all animals, and that cases will continue to rise with warmer weather because of the climate emergency.