Total sales over the six months rose to £574.4m while pre-tax profit grew by more than 14% to £38.9m. © 2020 BBC. Pets at Home buoyed by increased pet ownership during lockdown Shares in the company jumped after it reported a 1% decline in sales for the quarter to July 16, surpassing analyst expectations. Harry Potter first edition sells for £68k, Black Lives Matter: Driver charged after crashing into New York protest, Covid: Genes hold clues to why some people get severely ill, Covid: Lockdown had 'major impact' on mental health, Spending Review: Chancellor to announce £500m for mental health. Picture: The YourHarlow newshound, taking a well-earned break He added that […] In the six months to 8 October, Pets at Home saw revenues rise by 5.1%. Pets at Home said the first half of its financial year, which runs between April and 8 October, reflected the entire period since the week after national lockdown was implemented. .css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link{color:inherit;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:focus,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:focus{color:#B80000;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link::after,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited::after{content:'';position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:2;}Coronavirus: 'Look after your mental health this winter', Coronavirus: Pets at Home seeing ‘exceptional demand’, World needs to declare 'climate emergency' - UN. .css-14iz86j-BoldText{font-weight:bold;}Animals have been "a lifesaver" for people struggling during Covid lockdown, according to retailer Pets at Home which has seen sales rise sharply. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Amid the coronavirus lockdown, interest in adopting and fostering pets is soaring. ANIMALS have been “a lifesaver” for people struggling during Covid lockdown, according to retailer Pets at Home which has seen sales rise sharply reports the BBC. "More people have considered having a pet because their lives have changed and they are at home more often," he said. The company sells some small animals and fish but does not sell cats or dogs. Pets at Home is classed as an essential retailer and has been allowed to stay open during lockdown. Find out more about how we use your information in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. The UN secretary general has called on all countries to declare a climate emergency. PET-OWNERS may be panicking about how to look after animals during the coronavirus lockdown, but the good news is that pet stores are allowed to stay open. It said, however, that membership of its Puppy & Kitten Club for new owners had risen by 25% during the six-month period. FTSE 250 retailer Pets at Home (LON:PETS) saw its share price drop by 9.40% to 208.20p (as of 15:15 BST) after the company said that enhanced online sales were unable to mitigate the impact of store closures during current trading. We and our partners will store and/or access information on your device through the use of cookies and similar technologies, to display personalised ads and content, for ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. .css-1xgx53b-Link{font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:#FFFFFF;}.css-1xgx53b-Link:hover,.css-1xgx53b-Link:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Read about our approach to external linking. Read about our approach to external linking. AOL is part of Verizon Media. You can still look after your pets during lockdown PET owners are being assured that pet shops will remain open where possible to provide essentials for animals. The report said: “The impulse buying of pets under lockdown conditions is likely to create long-term welfare problems for these animals. Pets at Home have decided … Chief executive Peter Pritchard said pets had played “an incredibly important role” through a period of “social loneliness”. Don’t buy pets during coronavirus lockdown unless you are sure you can care for them, public told Figures show new owners rushed to get very young cats and dogs home in run-up to lockdown … Many facilities have waiting lists, even for kittens. Mr Pritchard told the BBC's Today programme: "The pet care market has been incredibly strong throughout and I think that tells you an awful lot about people's relationships with their pets and the roles that pets play in people's lives. This means a growth in … Pets at Home is classed as an essential retailer and has been allowed to stay open during lockdown. There is no message on the Pets at Home website, as of Tuesday, 24th March, 2020 to say that their stores will be closing due to coronavirus. The company did not place any employees on furlough and said that it has actually been recruiting more staff. 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'Resilient' pet market. Pets at Home has confirmed it will stay open for essential items for your pets. Restrictions on households weighed on trade in the first quarter before a 12.7% jump in like-for-like sales in the second three months. Expand. “The long-term requirement is the lifetime of the pet and, with more people working from home, more people can have pets at home.” Pets At Home was allowed to stay open during lockdown … image caption Charities are worried people only want pets for lockdown "If you are considering getting a pet during these uncertain times, it's important to … The company warned of uncertainty because of the pandemic and said: "At this stage, absent any escalation of restrictions, or other significant disruption to our operations, we now anticipate full-year underlying pre-tax profit to be in line with the prior year. And demand for pets has never … The FTSE 250 retailer has been allowed to keep stores open during the lockdown period, but shut non-essential parts of the firm such as dog grooming services and selling pets. He added that the change in more people working from home had allowed them to get a dog or a cat. To enable Verizon Media and our partners to process your personal data select 'I agree', or select 'Manage settings' for more information and to manage your choices. The survey found 38% of new owners bought a puppy as they would be at home during lockdown. Pet owners face a difficult time during lockdown (Image: Getty) Like supermarkets, rules and restrictions have been placed on pet shops across the UK. Pets at Home - … The chain of pet stores and veterinary practises will … No-deal Navy threat 'irresponsible' - Tory MP, Hundreds missing after Nigeria school attack, Trump's latest, legal longshot doomed by Supreme Court, Covid: Homeless left struggling for shelter. Total sales over the six months rose to £574.4m while pre … Harry Potter first edition sells for £68k8, Black Lives Matter: Driver charged after crashing into New York protest9, Covid: Genes hold clues to why some people get severely ill10. "It has been a lifesaver for many through this incredibly challenging period for everybody in the country.". He added that during the early days of lockdown one of the few reasons people could go out "was to walk your dog". Higher demand for pets during the coronavirus lockdown has helped to drive Pets at Home to better-than-expected trading figures for the past quarter. Pets at Home said that while strong merchandising sales had helped to offset the closure of grooming salons and lower vet service revenue during lockdown, there were “tangible signs of an increase in animal owners as people adopted new attitudes to work and leisure pursuits” after lockdown. Vets are still operating during the lockdown, but … Yes. You can also still click and collect, but items may take up to 14 days to arrive in stores. Pets at Home charges £2.95 for delivery on orders under £39. Read more: Shakespeare: Lockdown pups give Pets at Home a boost Sales jumped 4.2 per cent compared in the six months to October to the same period last year, with almost a … 12.39 EDT. Pet grooming services such as Pets At Home’s Groom ... states that leaving home to seek veterinary care for an animal is on the list of acceptable reasons for leaving your home during lockdown. However, Pets at Home's share price dropped by 7.3% to 388p in early trading. Coronavirus: 'Look after your mental health this winter', Covid: Homeless left struggling for shelter. You can unsubscribe at any time. Photograph: Alamy. Total sales over the six months rose to £574.4m while pre-tax profit grew by more than 14% to £38.9m. By Dearbail JordanBusiness reporter, BBC News. Chief executive Peter Pritchard said pets had played "an incredibly important role" through a period of "social loneliness". ", Julie Palmer, partner at professional services firm Begbies Traynor, said: "Looking ahead, with the value of the resilient UK pet market set to hit £7bn next year and the nation's love affair with pet ownership showing little sign of abating, chief executive Peter Prichard's optimism for the future appears well justified.". However, she added that the retailer would be "mindful of the dampening effect of social distancing measures in store, which may impact margins over the all-important Christmas period and into the first quarter of 2021". "Pets at Home is benefiting from a rise in pet ownership during lockdown and a growing trend of pet food premiumisation. Pets linked to maintaining better mental health and reducing loneliness during lockdown, new research shows Sep 25, 2020 Pets may protect against suicide in older people Information about your device and internet connection, including your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Verizon Media websites and apps. Pets at Home is classed as an essential retailer and has been allowed to stay open during lockdown. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy Controls. Video, Covid: Homeless left struggling for shelter, Brexit: No-deal Navy threat 'irresponsible', says Tobias Ellwood, Zodiac Killer: Code-breakers solve San Francisco killer's cipher, Nigeria school attack: Hundreds missing in Katsina after gunmen's raid, Covid: Christmas five-day relaxation period 'a mistake', Ruhollah Zam: Iran executes journalist accused of fanning unrest, US Supreme Court rejects Trump-backed bid to overturn election, Merlin's beard! Orders above this amount are free. 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