The  First  'Assured Pet Specialist'  in  the  North  West

Clipsley Pets & Aquatics in Haydock has become the first pet shop in the North West of England to be awarded Assured Pet Specialist status by national charity the Pet Care Trust.

The award recognises our commitment to only buying livestock from reputable breeders and providing high quality accommodation and care until the animals find permanent homes.

Assured Pet Specialist health and welfare standards guarantee that all Clipsley Pets and Aquatics’ animals receive the best possible start and join their new families happy and healthy.

We’ve spent the last 25 years caring for and selling pets so it’s fantastic to have such a respected body endorsing just how well we do it.  This award is only granted to those pet shops that pass an independent audit to confirm that they meet the Trust’s highest standards for providing accurate, impartial and ethical advice  -  it gives our customers a quality standard that they can rely on.

Clipsley Pets & Aquatics has now joined a select group of less than 100 recognised Assured Pet Specialists in the country.

How do Pet owners benefit from Assured Pet Specialist status?

With over 2000 pet retailers throughout the UK, when it comes to obtaining advice on your pet or buying a new addition to the family, it can be difficult to know which route to go down;

• the established independent pet shop
• a large chain
• a garden centre that sells pets?

However, with the launch of the Pet Retailer Quality Assurance Scheme by the Pet Care Trust, consumers now have a Quality Standard and Logo that they can rely on.

Why is there a Need for the Scheme?

All pet retailers that sell livestock have to be licensed by local councils.  Although all of them should be inspected to the same standard, the requirements for a pet shop licence differ greatly between local authorities. This leaves better pet shops frustrated with an unfair system that doesn’t recognise quality.

Who Sets the Standard?

With the need for one common Standard for all pet shops, the Pet Care Trust has developed the Pet Retailer Quality Assurance Standard  -  Assured Pet Specialist status.  The Standard has been developed by a variety of experts including vets, a zoologist, small animal breeders and lawyers familiar with animal welfare issues.

How does this Help Customers? 

The Standard covers a wide variety of requirements.

• Checks to ensure that pets for sale are sourced from reputable breeders.
• Accommodation checks to ensure that animals live in properly-sized, clean and hygienic cages
• Diet and husbandry requirements to keep pets fit, healthy and happy are checked.
• Health and welfare standards are set to ensure that if animals become sick they are given immediate treatment.
• Continuous staff training so that any advice given to customers is accurate and trustworthy.

It is not just the animals who are important  -  health and safety standards, requirements for pet products and customer care are all part of the Standard. 

Who does the inspections? 

Assessments are carried out by SAI Global, an independent assurance company with unrivalled experience in auditing standards with a focus on animal health and welfare.  All pet retailers applying must be assessed by an independent expert before becoming an Assured Pet Specialist.

How do I know if a Pet Retailer meets the Standards?

Once the Pet Care Trust is satisfied, the pet retailer will receive their Certificate of Conformity and Assured Pet Specialist logo to display.

How can I find my nearest ‘Assured Pet Specialist’ Retailer? 

To find your nearest Assured Pet Specialist please follow this link.

For more information about the Pet Care Trust visit www.petcare.org.uk