Petplan Equine, the UK’s leading specialist equine insurer, and sister brand Petplan are staging a nationwide “Like to Help” campaign with the aim of funding 1,000 microchips for Blue Cross pets and horses. The insurers will be inviting horse lovers across the country to support the campaign throughout May and June — National Microchipping Awareness Month — by visiting their Facebook pages and clicking “Like to Help”.
Every click received will help Petplan Equine and Petplan to reach their target of microchipping 1000 Blue Cross pets and horses. If you would like to help simply visit Petplan Equine’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/PetplanEquineUK and click the “Like to Help” button to help microchip a Blue Cross Horse.
Each year, Petplan Equine a renowned advocate of responsible ownership and effective horse management, aims to support the essential work of equine charities.
With the much-publicised Horse Crisis deepening as a result of over breeding, fly grazing, and the recent economic crisis — which has led to more horses at risk and, in some cases, being abandoned — equine welfare and rehoming charities like Blue Cross are all reporting huge increases in horses needing to be taken into care. This places the charities’ resources under even greater pressure.
“Each horse taken in by Blue Cross must be microchipped before it can be rehomed which is why Petplan Equine is lending its support by donating microchips”, explains Charlotte Collyer, senior marketing executive at Petplan Equine.
In addition, the theft of horses and equipment in the UK each year is on the increase and runs to hundreds of thousands of pounds. “A horse going missing whether through theft or straying is every owner’s worst nightmare” says Charlotte.
Blue Cross and Petplan Equine urge owners to view microchipping as an essential part of horse ownership and, crucially, take responsibility for keeping their details up-to-date.
“Such a straightforward method of identification is essential to improve horse welfare and make a better link between horses and their owners” explains Kath Urwin, Blue Cross horse centre manager.
A microchip therefore helps to prevent a lost or stolen horse becoming resident with a charity. “This allows charities like Blue Cross to concentrate their efforts on rehabilitating and rehoming those horses that don’t have homes to return to which we hope will help to reduce the burden placed on charities” explains Charlotte.
“Petplan has supported the Blue Cross for 13 years and over this time has raised a massive £1.3m to help care for our animals. We’d like to say “thank you” to Petplan Equine for its commitment to helping to rehome pets and horses in the UK” said Vanessa Rossiter, Blue Cross Fundraising.
If you’d Like to Help Petplan Equine and Petplan in its endeavor to donate 1000 microchips to Blue Cross animals hurry along to www.facebook.com/PetplanEquineUK and click “Like to Help” and then remember to “share” the page with friends so they too can help meet this ambitious target.
