With one week to go, the organizers and partners of the inaugural Guinea Pig Awareness Week (GPAW) are urging retailers to show their support for GPAW, which takes place as a week-long digital event from 22-28 March 2021.
Holly Ackroyd, Senior Brand Manager for Burgess Pet Care, which organizes GPAW, said:
“We are really delighted to see that some retailers have already downloaded digital packs, but of course we would like to see even more to join us as we throw the spotlight on these adorable pets with the first ever national campaign dedicated to improving their lives, since they have very specific welfare needs and dietary requirements.
“GPAW aims to help educate current and future guinea pig owners about the best guinea pig food, housing and the proper care and attention these small animals deserve. By working together to send the right message, we can transform the way guinea pigs are cared for.
“GPAW is a great opportunity for retailers to get involved and raise their profile with customers in an engaging and friendly way. We would encourage retailers to get involved by visiting the GPAW website, and downloading a retailer pack containing materials to share with customers and display in store.”
GPAW was created earlier this year when, due to a lack of robust research into guinea pigs, Burgess Pet Care ran online surveys with guinea pig owners and vets, with results showing that:-
- 90% of vets and vet nurses think guinea pig muesli should be removed from sale;
- 94% of vets and vet nurses think feeding muesli contributes to health issues in guinea pigs;
- the most common health issues seen in guinea pigs are dental disease, abscesses and lumps, gut stasis and bladder and urinary issues; and,
- 94% of vets surveyed felt that the most common mistake owners of small animals make is feeding them the wrong diet.
The GPAW initiative has been created by Burgess Pet Care in partnership with the RSPCA, Wood Green The Animals Charity, Blue Cross and PDSA in the UK. It is endorsed by the British Veterinary Association and British Small Animal Veterinary Association.
This year’s GPAW campaign will take place digitally as a virtual festival and will include educational videos, live streams, and Q&As from experts and veterinary professionals, all of which can be accessed on the GPAW Facebook page and Instagram page.
Online guides have been created by the GPAW team to support retailers, which, along with the digital retailer packs, can be found at the dedicated GPAW website.
For more information and expert advice from small animal experts in the veterinary profession, please contact (on behalf of Burgess Pet Care) Dani Sewell, Communications Director at Fred Marketing on +44 (0) 7909 543135 or email [email protected].
