Following their inaugural event back in May, which was well received by the Gold Coast community, Dogs on the Green is back on Sunday 29th September.

Dogs on the Green is a free quarterly community market event for dog lovers. You can bring your dog along for a fun day out to socialise with other dogs and support small businesses who specialise in products and services for our much loved furry friends. 

These markets are both dog-friendly and child friendly and you can browse lots of stalls including dog treats, clothing, meals, skincare etc plus food, coffee, ice cream vans and a raffle will be held in support of local rescue groups.

Some of the pet-related stallholders include:

• Ali's Pet Supplies
• Barkley and Pips
• Bella’s Pet Food
• Best 4 Paws Natural Pet Shampoo bars and products
• Biggie's Raw Pantry
• Billie & Co Dog Treats
• Calippo & Co
• Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Rescue Queensland
• Coco Kaboo
• Derek Dog Barber
• Dishy Dogs
• Dog Avenue Fashion
• Doggie Daywear
• Doggylicious
• Dogs Out Doing
• Fed Up Feeders
• 4 Paws & Us
• Frankie and Friends
• Friends of the Hound - Greyhound Adoption Group
• FurrTrition Pet Products
• Gumtree Greys
• Hear No Evil, Australian Deaf Dog Rescue
• Innovative Pet Supplies
• International Dog Training School
• K9 Cakes
• Lillie & Lotte
• Lisa's Pet Products & Pet Minding
• Little Legs Dog & Cat Rescue Qld Inc
• Paw-ta-Potty
• Pluto and Ally Treatery
• Purely Yours
• Snuffle 'ems
• The Little Treat House
• The Naked Paw
• Urban Hound Australia
• Wilko Pet Care

When: Sunday 29th September 2019, from 9:00am to 2:00pm

Where: Benowa State Primary School, Benowa Rd (next to Benowa Gardens shopping centre)

Cost: FREE entry

Please Note: 

These regular events will be held approximately every 3 months at Benowa State Primary School with an upcoming Christmas market to be held on December 8.

Help Save the Rhino on World Rhino Day - 22 September

With all five species of the rhino under threat, Time Pet and Rogz will support Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors through their “Save the Rhino” campaign and raise much needed funds for the Warriors’ animal conservation programs.

To help raise awareness and fight for the preservation of the Rhino, Time Pet will donate 50 cents from every sale of Rogz’s bestselling dog toys to Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors.

Time Pet Director, Heinrich Westenraad, said: “As an Australian with deep roots in Africa, I want Time Pet to play its part in animal conservation.

“While Rogz, who are based in Cape Town, have been supporting rhino preservation activities in South Africa for many years, this is the first time we’re doing something in Australia. If we can’t save majestic animals such as the rhino, how can we care for our pets?

“I cannot think of a better cause or charity to launch our inaugural fundraising campaign. It’ll be the first of many!”

Kingston, Southern White Rhino calf born at Australia Zoo (Qld) - Photo: Australia Zoo

Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors support conservation projects at home and abroad, including a Black Rhino project in East Africa. The 90,000-acre Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya started with 20 black rhinos and has now grown to 120 with the Warriors’ ongoing support.

Time Pet’s “Save the Rhino” campaign runs between now and the 20th of December 2019. Rogz toys can be found all over Australia, in all participating pet specialty stores.

World Rhino Day is on Sunday 22 September.

For more information

Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors – based on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, the Wildlife Warriors are committed to the protection of injured, threatened or endangered wildlife. Established by Steve and Terri Irwin in 2002, the Warriors finance conservation projects at home and abroad.

Rogz – based in South Africa, Rogz is an active supporter of anti-poaching and conservation initiatives for endangered wildlife, including Black Rhino programs in Africa. Rogz is a leading manufacturer of pet products. 

Time Pet – based on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Time Pet has been distributing Rogz since 2000.

The Rhino – all five species of rhino are under threat; three are critically endangered (Black, Sumatran and Javan), one is vulnerable (great one-horned) and one is near-threatened (White).

MEDIA RELEASE, 17th September 2019

Getting closer to our dogs – and closer to parasites!

A recent study by Elanco Animal Health reported on the changing relationship between dog owners and their dogs. 

The changes are particularly striking between dogs and new-generation dog owners, particularly those living in urban environments. Many of these owners regard their dog as an integral member of their family, celebrating their dogs' birthdays, buying birthday presents and cooking special meals for them.

Some people also sleep with their dog in their bed. However, while some people’s attitudes to dog ownership may be changing, there is no doubt that closer interaction with dogs has the potential to expedite the transmission of a number of dog-parasites to people. 

There have been two relatively recent studies on parasites infecting dogs. One focused on intestinal worms in rural dogs in eastern Australia[1] found that over 40% of dogs had evidence of hookworm, one in five (21%) had evidence of whipworms, and another 6% had evidence of roundworms. 

Another study of owned and stray dogs and cats around Australia[2] found that nearly a quarter of all dogs (24%) had gastrointestinal parasites. The findings of both studies reinforce how common parasite infection can be among dogs in Australia and why dog owners need to take steps to protect themselves and their dogs.

What types of Parasites can Infect your Dog?

There are many species of parasites that have the potential to infect your dog – and not all are intestinal worms. A number of other parasites can infect dogs, the most common of which is the water-borne Giardia. However, intestinal worms are also common and they fall into two main groups – roundworms and tapeworms. 

The most common types of roundworms and tapeworms are: 

Roundworms		Tapeworms
Common name	Scientific name	Common name	Scientific name
*Common dog roundworm	Toxocara canis	Flea tapeworm or cucumber seed tapeworm	Dipylidium caninum
Whipworm	Trichuris vulpis	Zipper tapeworm	Spirometra erinacei
Hookworm	*Ancylostoma species and Uncinaria stenocephala	Sheep measles tapeworm	Taenia ovis
		Bladder worm tapeworm	Taenia hydatigena
			Taenis pisiformis
			Taenia serialis
		Hydatid tapeworm	Echinococcus granulosus

((*Zoonotic = infects humans) 

How parasites make the ‘jump’ from pets to humans

A number of these parasites don’t just infect dogs, but they can also infect humans as well. The common dog round worm is the type of round worm that can have the most adverse human health impacts.

Parasite	Intermediate host
*Flea tapeworm or cucumber seed tapeworm	Fleas
*Zipper tapeworm	Water fleas (copepods) and frogs
Sheep measles tapeworm	Sheep
Bladder worm tapeworm	Sheep
Taenis pisiformis	Rabbits
Taenia serialis	Rabbits
*Hydatid tapeworm	Sheep, cattle, kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, feral pigs

(*Zoonotic = infects humans)

Accidental ingestion of common dog roundworm eggs (most commonly by children under five years old) can result in blindness. 

After someone accidently ingests the eggs, for example by putting their fingers in their mouths after coming into contact with their dog or eating soil (pica), the ingested egg hatches in the intestine, a larva is then released which passes through the intestinal wall and migrates around in the body. 

Most larvae are eventually killed by our immune system but occasionally a larva finds its way to the back of the eye and breaks into the human eye through the retina. While rare, there are a number of cases in Australia every year.

Hookworms can also be transferred from our pets to humans. Following the release of hookworm eggs into the environment in dog faeces (dog poo), after a day or so a larva develops in each egg. 

The larvae break out of the eggs and continues its development in the environment (so in grass for example) to the infective stage. The infective larvae are then able to penetrate the skin, which in dogs is usually the skin between the pads of their feet. In humans the larvae penetrate the skin of the instep and between the toes, leading to itchy and painful areas on the feet that if scratched with dirty fingers may become infected. 

Occasionally, larvae migrate into the human intestine and cause eosinophilic enteritis – a disease that can lead to nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and occasionally diarrhoea. 

The ability for hookworms to be transferred from our dog’s poo to a human is just one reason why picking up after your dog is so important!

The flea tapeworm also occasionally infects humans. Like the common dog roundworm, this is mostly in very young children living in homes with dogs infected with tapeworms and fleas. The flea larvae feed on shed skin flakes, and also tapeworm eggs, in the bed of the dog or cat. The tapeworm eggs hatch inside the flea larvae and the immature tapeworms stay in the larva as it develops into an adult flea. 

If an infected flea is accidentally eaten by a dog or human a tapeworm develops in the intestine.

The other tapeworm that humans need to be weary of is the hydatid tapeworm. This parasite can be quite dangerous to those infected, including death in severe cases. 

The hydatid cysts occur in livestock and wildlife livers and lungs (offal) but the dangerous hydatid tapeworms are transferred to dogs when they eat raw or uncooked offal or access an animal carcass. 

Dogs may become infected with other tapeworms through eating raw sheep meat or infected with roundworms through contact with the poo of another dog. Once dogs are infected with hydatid tapeworms, they develop in the intestine of dogs. Eggs released by the tapeworms can then be transferred from our dogs to humans causing hydatid disease (cysts in liver and lungs). 

This parasite is less common in humans than 20-30 years ago but is still a risk with cases occurring every year in Australia.

How you to reduce the chances of your dog and your family getting infected by parasites:

#1. Practice good hygiene: 

Always wash your hands after playing with your dog and do not to let it lick your face. This helps minimise the risk of passing on any flea or hydatid tapeworm segments or eggs.

#2. Dispose of your dog’s droppings: 

It’s easy to forget but making this a habit is a great way to remove tapeworm segments or eggs from your environment, which lessens the risk of your family becoming infected. This includes picking up after your dog in public and keeping dog pens, your garden and areas around kennels free of dog poo.

#3. Regularly de-worm your dog: 

You want a product that contains the active ingredient praziquantel, which kills adult flea and hydatid tapeworm and any other tapeworm that may be living in your dog’s intestinal tract. 

Rural dogs with the opportunity to hunt, roam and scavenge carcasses are far more at risk of tapeworm infection and need more frequent de-worming than an urban dog fed commercial dog food and walked in an urban park.

#4. Prevent your dog accessing dead animals or poo from other dogs.

#5. Ensure your dog has a healthy diet and if you wish to feed your dog meat or offal you should freeze the meat or offal for 10 days or cook it well before feeding it to your dog.

Written by David J Jenkins, Associate Professor in Veterinary Parasitology, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University (Wagga Wagga, NSW) for Australian Dog Lover (all rights reserved)

[1] Jenkins DJ, Lievaart JJ, Boufana B, Lett WS, Bradshaw, Armua-Fernandez MT (2014) Echinococcus granulosus and other helminths: current status of prevalence and management in rural dogs of eastern Australia. Australian Veterinary Journal 92; 292-298.

[2] Palmer CS, Thompson RCA, Traub RJ, Rees R, Robertson ID (2008) National study of the gastrointestinal parasites of dogs and cats in Australia. Veterinary Parasitology 151; 181-190

About the Writer

David Jenkins – Associate Professor in Veterinary Parasitology and Senior Research Fellow, School of Animal & Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW.
David was born in the UK and attended the University of London where he completed a BSc in botany and zoology. This was followed by an MSc in immunology also in London. He then spent two years in Indonesia working on hookworms in humans. From Indonesia he went to the vet school at the University of Melbourne where he gained a PhD studying the immune response of dogs to infection with tapeworms.

After his PhD studies David sent 2 years in north-western Kenya as a researcher on a hydatid control program and then returned to Australia as a research officer on a hydatid control program based in Canberra. During the following 18 years in Canberra David undertook studies investigating the role of wildlife in the transmission of hydatid disease in south-eastern Australia. He also undertook commercial research projects for the Australian veterinary pharmaceutical industry testing new de-wormers for dogs and cats against hydatid tapeworms.

During this time David also taught veterinary parasitology at the University of Sydney, medical parasitology at the Australian National University (ANU) and the University of St George, Grenada and general parasitology to science students at the ANU. He joined the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at Charles Sturt University in 2008. He teaches veterinary parasitology, supervises post graduate students and undertakes his own research.

World Rabies Day is on September 28 and Australian-based international animal charity Vets Beyond Borders is highlighting the importance of vaccinating dogs to help prevent the spread of the deadly rabies virus.

Rabies kills nearly 60,000 people around the world every year, according to the World Health Organisation. The virus is spread through the saliva of infected animals by biting another animal or a person, and it is always fatal once clinical symptoms appear. An estimated 5.5 billion plus people live at daily risk of rabies¹. Thankfully, Australia is free from this disease.

“Rabies is nearly always fatal but it’s 100 per cent preventable by vaccination,” said Maryann Dalton, CEO of Vets Beyond Borders, which deploys volunteer veterinarians and veterinary nurses across the globe to deliver animal health and community awareness programs where they are desperately needed. 

“Australia does not have rabies. But we need to bring this deadly dog- mediated disease to the Australian public’s attention.”

Rabies warning in Australia

The Australian Government Department of Agriculture is warning the virus could reach Australia’s shores at any time as it spreads across our northern neighbours. There is the risk of yachts or fishing vessels carrying rabies-infected dogs from Indonesia landing on Australia’s northern coastline and mixing with dingoes and community cats and dogs. If these dogs become infected with rabies, they would be a huge threat to the health and safety of the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people living in northern Australia communities.

This year’s World Rabies Day awareness theme is Rabies: Vaccinate to Eliminate and highlights the importance of keeping dogs vaccinated, helping people in need to seek and obtain life-saving treatment (post-exposure prophylaxis), and committing to the 2030 goal of eliminating rabies deaths.

“Dog bites cause almost all human cases of rabies,” said Ms Dalton. “We can prevent rabies deaths through increased awareness, vaccinating dogs to prevent disease at its source, and timely life-saving post-bite treatment for people.”

VBB anti-rabies program eliminating dog-mediated deaths

Vets Beyond Borders has been running animal birth control and anti-rabies programs in India (which carries a third of the world’s rabies burden) for nearly 15 years, providing canine rabies vaccination, humane dog population control, community education and treatment of sick and injured animals.

Vets Beyond Borders Team in India - Preparing to give Rabies Vaccination - Photo Credit (and lead): Edwina Kearney

“VBB’s Sikkim Anti-Rabies and Animal Health (SARAH) program is the first state-wide rabies program and has demonstrated successful near elimination of this dog-mediated disease²,” said Ms Dalton. VBB volunteers desexing dogs in India.

In the last financial year, VBB desexed over 7,000 animals, administered nearly 36,000 doses of anti-rabies vaccine and 290 doses of distemper vaccine, in addition to the medical, surgical and hospital care VBB provides to hundreds of sick and injured domestic animals and wildlife.

During the current financial year, in addition to treating sick and injured animals, VBB will administer 30,000 to 40,000 rabies vaccinations plus approximately 200 distemper vaccinations and sterilisation of up to 9,000 dogs, Ms Dalton added.

“Vets Beyond Borders provides the volunteers and facilitates clinical skill development of local vets,” she said. “We need funds to purchase medical equipment and vaccinations to treat street dogs for distemper, parvo and rabies.”

For more information about Vets Beyond Borders’ animal health and community awareness programs, please visit www.vetsbeyondborders.org

Click here for Vets Beyond Border’s #WorldRabiesDay awareness campaign.

How can you help prevent the spread of rabies?

The Australian Government Department of Agriculture has released an educational video, ‘Keep a Top Watch’ on rabies in the community, as well as information on the signs of rabies.

The public can help prevent the introduction and spread of rabies by always declaring animals brought into Australia and immediately reporting any suspected case of rabies by phoning the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888

¹ Global Alliance for Rabies Control
² Eliminating Dog-Mediated Rabies in Sikkim, India: A 10-Year Pathway to Success for the SARAH Program. Frontiers in Veterinary Science Journal (March 2017).

About Vets Beyond Borders

Vets Beyond Borders is an international animal charity based in Australia that is operating since 2003 to help improve the lives of animals and humans in developing communities around the world. Through its VetMatch and VetTrain programs, VBB deploys volunteer veterinarians and veterinary nurses across the globe to deliver quality animal health and education/community awareness programs where they are desperately needed.

Our volunteers provide desperately needed veterinary treatment and are actively involved in anti- rabies immunisation (ABC-AR) projects and efforts to humanely control the population of homeless dogs and cats by surgical sterilisation (animal birth control surgery) across the globe. In Australia, VBB’s AVERT (Australian Veterinary Emergency Response Team) program has volunteers standing ready to deliver prompt treatment to animals affected by natural disaster or outbreak of exotic disease.

For more information about VBB programs and how you can help, please visit www.vetsbeyondborders.org/donate-to-charity/

MEDIA RELEASE, 19th September 2019

Created by pastry chef Anna Polyviou, the cake was devoured by all of Scooby’s furry friends 

ZOINKS! Scooby-Doo has turned the big 5-0 and Boomerang (Foxtel Ch 715 or Fetch Ch 255) has celebrated by throwing a huge birthday bash attended by Scooby’s furry friends with Australia’s largest ever dog cake.

To celebrate half-a-century of Scooby snacks, 50 years of meddling kids and five decades of epic mask reveals, chef Anna Polyviou has created Australia’s largest dog cake weighing over 120kg and sitting at over 150cm high. 

Anna said: “The collaboration was my dream job, I grew up watching Scooby-Doo and still watch it with my niece and nephew. It brings back so many happy memories for me enjoying my coco-pops on a Saturday morning trying to solve the mystery with the gang. I’m a big kid at heart so not much has changed, I’ve just moved on to oats.” 

The birthday party, which was held in Sydney, was a cacophony of food, fur and fun with lots of dogs of all shapes and forms who devoured, destroyed and enjoyed the delicious dog cake. Guests included insta-famous dogs, Coco, The Norton Mouse Pugs (pictured) Hugo the Bichoodle and Beren the Lab to name a few.

Dog cake experts, Woof Gateaux boutique pet bakery Sydney, consulted on the project to ensure the cake was sugar-free, dairy-free and wheat-free. 

This meant the dogs could enjoy the nutritious treat without worrying about their waistline. Jason Blachowski from Woof Gateaux Boutique Pet Bakery Sydney said: “It has taken us years to refine and develop a cake recipe that dogs can enjoy. We are thrilled to be a part of the celebrations. As a dog lover, I have always loved Scooby-Doo, I’m pretty sure I often morph in-to the Scooby voice when I am talking to my own dogs...ruh-roh!” 

“The cake took over three months to create, from ideation to realisation, and is a nod to Scooby’s insatiable appetite,” says Robi Stanton, Vice President and General Manager of Turner Australia, which operates Boomerang. “We really wanted to create an event that captures the good memories that Scooby-Doo has made with so many fans around the world. It is an incredible milestone to turn 50, and to still look so good!”

So, if you’re having a ruff day, just pug-get-about-it and enjoy the paw-sitively pawfect video. 


Scooby is currently starring in the brand-new series Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?, where the Mystery Inc. gang will be welcoming new members as they’re faced with some of their toughest mysteries to date.

Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo will be having some of the biggest names in celebrity and pop culture on their team, past and present, fictional and real.

Celebrities that will be helping Scooby and the gang on their mysteries include NBA superstar Chris Paul, recording artist Halsey and Australian singer Sia, Ricky Gervais, Kenan Thompson, Bill Nye, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Mark Hamill, Steve Urkel (voiced by Jaleel White), Batman, Sherlock Holmes, The Flash, Wonder Woman and many more! Catch the brand new series on Boomerang, weekends at 7pm.

About Scooby-Doo

For 50 years, the Mystery Inc. gang has entertained Scooby-Doo fans with zany hijinks, action-packed adventures and engaging mysteries that have captivated viewers of all ages. What started as a Saturday morning cartoon, exploded into an enormously successful franchise encompassing multiple spin-off series, original animated and live action films, consumer products and much more. Now fans have the opportunity to enjoy the original series which launched Scooby-Doo into worldwide stardom.

Scooby-Doo follows the adventures of four teens, Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and his lovable, but cowardly Great Dane, Scooby-Doo, as they travel far and wide in their stylish van, the Mystery Machine, to solve mysteries involving ghosts, monsters and other supernatural forces. Their entertaining adventures are always filled with hilarious hijinks and sometimes even catchy musical moments. Through teamwork and clever investigation, the teen sleuths solve case after case, while unmasking the villains who are usually behind each of the mysteries they encounter.

About Boomerang

Boomerang provides light-hearted and fun moments, showcasing a mixture of internationally recognised comedy and fantasy series to more than 144 million households worldwide, including 34 million in Asia Pacific. Favourite shows include Tom and Jerry, Mr. Bean, Grizzy and the Lemmings, Scooby-Doo, The Garfield Show, My Little Pony and The Looney Tunes Show. A companion channel to Cartoon Network, Boomerang is a dynamic and quirky place where girls and boys can be inspired, laugh and play with the whole family. In Asia Pacific, Boomerang is owned and operated by Turner, a WarnerMedia company.

MEDIA RELEASE, 18th September 2019

Pooches and Pinot new VIP dog-friendly private tours taking Melbourne by storm

Turning 6 months old today, Pooches and Pinot is a tour company that offers private dog-friendly wine tours of the Yarra Valley! 

Guests are treated like VIPs on these tours as all their guides are local and well known in the valley so you will be greeted  like long lost friends at every distillery and cellar door you visit, which makes all the difference!

Your puppy is also welcome inside the cellar doors so they will have the best day. 

What can you expect during your Pooches & Pinot Tour?

The company is unique in that they offer private wine tours for people with their dog, visiting all the best pup-friendly Yarra Valley boutique wineries and distilleries. You can be picked up from Melbourne and surrounds or from your Yarra Valley accommodation.

They operate two Mercedes touring vans - so they can take a solo traveller, couples, a family, or a group of four friends, out on their very own private tour for a half day or full day.

Two brave Pugaliers sitting on Brucey the Unicorn at Helen & Joey Estate

You will have a ball, enjoying gin tastings at Four Pillars, cider or beer paddles at Detour/ Napoleon / Watts River Brewery, and cellar doors galore. You could even have a cake made for a special occasion to be served up at one of the cellar doors with candles to blow out, glasses of bubbles and making everybody join in the singing!

If people are travelling without their dogs or sadly don’t own their own, they will also (crazily) offer to lend you George (their Schnoodle) or Henry (their rescue Koolie) for the day!

The Dog’s Bollocks is the all singing all dancing option - where your full day tour will be upgraded to include a crazy blog written about your tour from your dog’s perspective, with fabulous photos, a two-course winery lunch plus you'll be shouted a bottle of their favourite Yarra Valley wine. 

Your pooches may not get to taste the pinot (shame) but they inevitably will get a lot of love and attention from other visitors and staff at all of the cellar doors visited plus they are out for the day with their pawrents so they are happy while their folks are sipping wine - what’s not to love really?

Price & Where to Buy

RRP: from $89 pp (4 people) for a Half Day Tour; from $179 pp (4 people) for a Full Day Tour.

For more details or to book, please visit poochesandpinot.com.au

You can read past customers' testimonials here.

MEDIA RELEASE, 18th September 2019