This page is for veterinary professionals. If you are thinking of getting a new pet, you can take our Get Petwise quiz and find out which pet is most suited to your lifestyle

'Which Pet?'

Have you ever wanted to turn back time and reach an owner before they took on their new pet?

Would you have encouraged that client to choose a different pet? Choose a different breed? Buy from a reputable breeder instead of an unknown trader via an online advert?

The 2018 PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report found that 5.2 million pet owners did no research at all before taking on a new pet. With only 35% of pet owners being familiar with the Animal Welfare Acts, it’s no surprise that UK pet owners are still struggling to meet their pet’s welfare needs.

Veterinary professionals are key to changing this situation.

We’ve developed a ‘Which Pet?’ consultation framework to help the veterinary practice team educate prospective owners before they choose a pet. We want to help get the right pets into the right homes where their welfare needs are understood and can be met by their new owners.

This consultation framework aims to help potential owners take on pets that are most suitable for their lifestyle, ensure they know where to appropriately source their new pet and how to care for their chosen pet’s five welfare needs. If we can equip owners with this information from the start, we hope to help achieve a happier, healthier pet nation.

Running your own ‘Which Pet’ consultations

The 'Which Pet?' framework puts veterinary practices at the centre of the pet-owner bond, reaffirming vets and nurses as the experts on animal welfare in local communities.

Get started by taking our FREE e-learning module which will guide you through the process of taking your own ‘Which Pet?’ consultations. Please note: this e-learning module isn't accessible on some mobile devices. We recommend viewing it on desktop and laptop computers. 

You can also download our 'Which Pet?' toolkit below. It's a bundle of useful documents to help get you started, including:

  • A guide to delivering Which Pet? consultations for your veterinary team
  • A booklet to help clients decide which pet is right for them
  • Editable posters so you can promote the consultation to potential pet owners.

 Help potential pet owners ‘Get Set for the Right Pet’!

With our support materials and elearning module, you will have everything you need to run your own ‘Which Pet?’ consultations and start getting the right pets into the right homes in your local area.