Although there is no evidence of puppy-farming on the island, or intensive breeding of other companion animals, residents regularly purchase pets from the UK and Ireland and bring them back home.

Whilst many purchasers might be wary of a buying a pet from what obviously looks like a farmed environment (a row of sheds, for example) there is an increasing number of households in the UK and Ireland that re-sell farmed pets and effectively act as intermediaries or ’black market pet shops’, thus by-passing consumer law.

The puppy-farming industry, in particular, is becoming more and more sophisticated in its marketing practices and is producing and selling ’fashionable’ puppies to meet demand.

Although the UK has an Animal Welfare Act, and Ireland has an Animal Health and Welfare Act, there is a huge variation in local authorities’ approaches to enforcing such legislation.

Thus the welfare issues associated with farming companion animals in an intensive manner with very little stimulation often go unchecked, resulting in pets with physical and behavioural problems becoming more prevalent.

Last week an organisation called Care And Respect Including All Dogs (CARIAD) convened a meeting with the UK’s leading animal welfare charities, such as the RSPCA and Dogs Trust, and the Kennel Club to try to find a way forward. Sweden was highlighted as a country that deals effectively with the puppy-farming industry, where buying and selling of puppies has to include a one page ’puppy contract’ by law.

If you must purchase a pet from the UK or Ireland, or you are buying from someone locally who has recently brought the animal to the island, go and see the animal’s parents and make thorough background checks. The RSPCA’s ’puppy contract’, available on their website, is lengthy but it is a good guidance document.

Behaviour issues in pets almost always have a root cause, and responsible owners need lots of commitment, empathy and patience to resolve the more complex problems such as aggressive behaviour.

This is exactly what Albert needs - he’s a typical terrier (probably a mix of several breeds) and he can be aggressive without any obvious triggers.

Our vet has now diagnosed a root cause for his grumpiness, namely a heart condition that is likely to have made him feel very uncomfortable. He will need to be on medication for the rest of his life (he is only five) to control the condition and the ManxSPCA can help to pay for this if necessary.

We have seen an improvement in his behaviour since he started on the medication and so we’re confident that he will continue to progress.

Woodie, on the other hand, doesn’t have behaviour issues but he has more reason than most to be a difficult dog because he has had at least three owners in his five years and seems to have been passed from one person to another.

This is probably because everyone loves him - he is immediately likeable and super friendly with people and other animals. But he is a typical border collie in that he needs lots and lots of exercise and stimulation. He seems to have had little in the way of training on the lead or with recall, and he would benefit immensely from further training because he is such an intelligent dog. Woodie deserves a forever home with new owners who fully understand what he needs and the commitment that dog ownership entails.

We also need people to show their commitment towards our tearooms because the road closure near B&Q, coupled with the ongoing closure of the road to Peel, have made it more difficult for customers to travel to Foxdale.

Please make the extra effort to get to us, and remember that the ManxSPCA is now running the Tearooms and so your custom will support our rescue animals. Tracey and the team will be open all through Easter, including the two bank holidays, from 10am to 4pm, and animal viewing times will be the usual ones of 1pm to 4pm.