Do you insure your pet, and do you shop around for the best deal when your policy is due for renewal?

Many people simply allow their policy to automatically renew, even if the premium is higher (which it inevitably will be), and this so-called ’loyalty penalty’ is estimated to add £4billion a year to the insurance companies’ bottom lines.

The consumer group Which? surveyed more than 1,300 people last year about their pet insurance and reported that it cost £526 to insure a dog aged between seven and 10 years old, up from £456 in 2014.

But shopping around and changing your insurance provider has its draw backs.

A new policy will not cover existing medical conditions and a new insurer could refuse to cover subsequent claims, or might argue that you should have disclosed certain things about the health of your pet.

More worryingly, if you switch to a new insurer you will probably find that your pet’s illness is not covered by them for the first 14 days of the policy.

Most of the major insurance companies have this 14-day rule which, they say, exists to deter fraudulent claims.

You could overlap the old and new policies to ensure a continuation of cover, which may end up being more expensive than simply renewing.

Or you could challenge the renewal quote by researching what other companies are quoting, and then calling your provider and asking for a better deal.

All the dogs, cats and rabbits who are adopted from the ManxSPCA go to their new homes with four weeks’ free pet insurance, and it is the up to their new owners to carry on with the insurance or not.

We’re confident that Devlin, the Staffordshire bull terrier cross Akita, will be off to his new home soon.

He’s a lovely dog and was brought to us because his previous owners had increasing family commitments and didn’t have the time to devote to him.

We only had two Staffordshire bull terriers brought in to our kennels for rehoming in 2018, which shows a real shift in trend; and we’ve never had a Staffie cross Akita before, and so eight year-old-Devlin is a first for us.

Like most Staffie types, Devlin loves people and he just wants to make friends with everyone he meets.

He’s an attention seeker and so he can’t be left alone for too long because he starts to get anxious.

He’s not particularly great with other dogs and so ideally he needs to be the only animal in the house, and he can only be rehomed with older children.

He will make the most wonderful loyal and loving companion for his new owner - please come and meet him if you think that could be you.

Even if you don’t have the time and space for a dog in your life, why not show your support the ManxSPCA and its animals by coming along to our first car boot sale of the year on Sunday, March 24?

It will be held in Shaw’s Brow car park in Douglas, from 11am to 2pm, and will go ahead no matter what the weather because it’s under cover.

And if you’re looking to de-clutter then we still have a few pitches available for just £10 - if you would like to reserve one please call Liam on 851672 or e-mail him on [email protected].