Pets at Home has released a brand new range of products that are designed especially to keep our four-legged friends cool and comfortable as temperatures soar outside.
It was officially recorded as the hottest day of the year so far in the UK yesterday, with temperatures exceeding 30°C in some places, and similar highs are also expected today. The Met Office even believes that record temperatures could be recorded three times over this week, so it’s definitely a scorcher out there.
Taking care in the beaming sun is important for humans and it’s equally, if not more important, to make sure our four-legged friends are well looked-after too.
They do have a furry coat after all.
Luckily, Pets at Home has released a new range and it’s available online and in stores across the UK now.
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The new range has items for spending time in the garden, going out on walks and lounging inside the house, including water bottles, cooling mats, UV cooling tents, cooling vests, pet sunscreen, freezable ice cream dog toys and even a dog-friendly ‘beer’ too, because why can’t they have a tipple too?
Pets at Home
One of the real highlights of the range is definitely the dog paddling pool, retailing at £18.75 – £26.25. It’s carefully designed to be strong, durable and able to withstand excitable pups, and is also shallow enough for dogs to climb in and out of safely with ease.
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If all this wasn’t tail-waggingly good enough, from Wednesday 24th June – Thursday 9th July, selected products in the cooling range will also be included in a 25%-off promotion deal too.
Speaking on the release of the new pet cooling range, Claire Gavin, Director of Creative Development and Innovation at Pets at Home, said: “With foreign holidays seeming a long way off for many, we’re turning to our gardens this summer and getting out and about with our pets in the sunshine, but just as the sun can be damaging to our skin, it poses a risk for the health of our pets too.”
“We know that keeping pets cool during the summer months can be a challenge, so our new range has been created with the health, welfare and safety needs of our pets top of mind, whilst ensuring they can keep cool and have fun in the sun too.”
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Pets at Home
You can find out more information and get your hands on the full pet cooling range from stores nationwide now, or shop online via the Pets at Home website here.
It’s important to check the opening times of your local Pets at Home branch before making any trips in store.
Government grants local councils power to make pavement parking illegal in their region
Emily Sergeant
New powers are being made available to local leaders across England to introduce pavement parking restrictions in their area.
Blocked pavements can create serious barriers for parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users, blind and partially sighted people, and older people, and campaigners say this limits individuals’ independence and makes everyday journeys harder and less safe for them.
So, in a bid to help keep pavements clear and accessible for everyone who uses them, the Government has introduced new local powers.
Following a public consultation – which first took place all the way back in 2020 – the Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed that local leaders will be given ‘new and improved’ legal powers to make it easier to restrict pavement parking across wider areas, rather than relying on the previous approach where action was often limited to individual streets.
The Government has granted local councils the power to make pavement parking illegal in their region / Credit: Samuel Regan-Asante (via Unsplash)
The Government says local leaders ‘know their streets best’ and are therefore best placed to respond to local needs.
Under this new approach, local leaders will be able to decide to take action on pavement parking in their area, while still getting to retain flexibility where they deem pavement parking may still be acceptable.
“Clear pavements are essential for people to move around safely and independently, whether that’s a parent with a pushchair, someone using a wheelchair, or a blind or partially sighted person,” commented Local Transport Minister, Lilian Greenwood.
Blocked pavements can make it harder for parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users and blind or partially sighted people to get around.
That’s why we’re giving local authorities stronger powers to tackle pavement parking and keep pavements accessible. https://t.co/PIqkIw1LF2
“That’s why we’re giving local authorities the power to crack down on problem pavement parking, allowing more people to travel easily and safely and get to where they need to go.”
By putting decision-making closer to communities, the Government says this approach supports safer and more inclusive streets that ‘work better for everyone’.
The DfT will set out guidance to help local authorities use these powers in a ‘proportionate’ and ‘locally appropriate’ way later in 2026.
Featured Image – Sado Lavren (via Unsplash)
News
Ian McKellen to play legendary Salford artist L.S. Lowry in new BBC documentary
Emily Sergeant
Sir Ian McKellen has landed himself an exciting new role, and he’s set to play one of Greater Manchester’s most iconic sons.
One of the most celebrated British actors of all time playing one of the most celebrated British artists of all time? It was meant to be. That’s right, Ian McKellen is set to portray Salford’s very-own L.S. Lowry in the new BBC documentary, L.S. Lowry: The Unheard Tapes, produced by award-winning Wall to Wall Mediaand coming soon to BBC Two and iPlayer.
Marking 50 years since Lowry’s death, this immersive documentary film will focus on the touching and often surprising exchange between the enigmatic artist and Angela Barratt – a young fan whose interviews capture Lowry in his most intimate and reflective moments.
Recorded in the artist’s own living room, these tapes reveal Lowry’s authentic voice, which Burnley-born actor McKellen will lip-sync on screen.
Across these candid conversations, Lowry traces his journey from childhood right through to his final days, sharing the memories and experiences that shaped him both as an artist, and crucially, as a man.
Alongside this deeply personal account, the documentary is also set to explore the dramatic transformation of Salford and Greater Manchester, which Lowry, of course, depicted so prolifically in his work.
“To give play to Lowry through his own voice has been a unique privilege,” commented Ian McKellen as his casting was announced this week.
“These tapes reveal an intimate insight into the artist’s thoughts – his ambitions, regrets and his humour. Anyone like me, who admires his paintings and drawings, will be intrigued and delighted that the artist is brought back to life through his own words.”
Mark Bell, who is the Commissioning Editor at BBC Arts, added: “Marking 50 years since Lowry’s death, and celebrating Arena’s own 50-year tradition of ambitious, intelligent storytelling, this film comes at a very special moment.
“The inspired casting of Ian McKellen and Annabel Smith feels like life imitating art in the best possible way. But this film isn’t just about the life of the artist, it also provides an insight into the realities of urban life in Greater Manchester in the 20th century.”
L.S. Lowry: The Unheard Tapes is directed by James Kent, following his recent Emmy win for Lost Boys and Fairies, with executive producer Morgana Pugh, and producer Hannah Mirsky.
Further broadcast details will be announced in due course.
Featured Image – BBC / Wall to Wall Media Ltd / Connor Harris
Emily Sergeant -
25th June 2020 
