OSCAR Helpline 0800 195 8000 - Free Behaviour & Nutritional Advice
The Free Helpline Service
Need help and advice? contact us and we'll do our best to assist. The Free OSCAR Helpline has helped thousands of pet families over the years.
We aim to answer your questions fully within 5 working days. Bespoke advice from our experts is a valuable asset to our customers and we're proud of the service we offer.
Meet the Experts
Behaviour: Shelley Aspden BSc (Hons) MSc
Sit! Stay! Come back! Our dogs don't always behave in a way we'd like them to. All our pets can be a little confusing; their behaviour can leave us concerned, worried or sometimes in fits of laughter. Most worries can be addressed with the assistance of our behaviourist Shelley Aspden BSc (Hons) MSc. Shelley is often the one to answer the helpline phone and will answer your enquiries and give practical advice specific to you and your pet.
Shelley Aspden, Pet Behaviour Counsellor is a Provisional Member of The Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC) and a Full member of the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers (IMDT).
Working with Oscar since 2004 Shelley is a credit to our team. Her MSc in Animal Behaviour includes further research/study in: Techniques for Behavioural research, Genes selection & design making, Animal Behaviour, Behavioural and evolutionary ecology, Brain & behaviour, Behaviour research project. Your pets are in safe hands!
Simply contact Oscar, call 0800 195 8000 or email helpline@oscars.co.uk regarding any problems you are encountering with your pet family and we'll do the rest.
Nutrition: Dr David Frape PhD, BCs, FRCPath, CBiol, FLBiol
Perhaps you're concerned or curious about what to feed? Are you getting the very best nutrition for your pet family? Maybe the fully disclosed ingredients on our packaging is something you've never seen before and would like an explanation? We'll forward your question to our expert nutritionist Dr David Frape (PhD, BCs, FRCPath, CBiol, FLBiol) who is always at hand to listen to questions and replies with a bespoke message within 3 working days. With a wealth of experience (not to mention qualifications) Dr Frape knows everything there is to know about pet nutrition and choosing the right diet.
"Faced with a nutritional question that is not part of our normal agenda then David’s response is prompt and detailed. Great to have that sort of back-up support."
Tom Cartmale (Stoke)
Common Helpline Nutritional Issues
Pet Education Resource by the PFMA
Offering free advice on all aspects of pet care. Ideal for youngsters and parents and a great place to start when looking for a pet
PFMA members believe education is key in achieving our aim of responsibly owned pets that are happy and healthy. So, PFMA took the initative in 2011 and hosted an Education Symposium for organisations involved in pet welfare education to find ways of working together. The Education Alliance was formed, whose members are all united by a belief that children and young people should be educated about caring for animals and the importance of providing for an animal's Five Welfare Needs.
PFMA commissioned research into the public and teachers’ views on pet education finding: 89% of the public, 78% of primary teachers and 70% secondary teachers think teaching responsibility through learning how to care pets is important But 60% of primary and 85% of secondary pupils are missing out because their schools don’t teach about pets at all.
Working with the Education Alliance members, the PFMA has created a free website for anyone interested in educating children and young people called Pet Education Resource It makes searching for pet information simpler. The website will give access to all their excellent resources in one place.
The website includes:
- Free downloadable resources accessible through easy links split into different categories from Early Years to Website Fun
- An interactive map which makes arranging an educational talk or visit to a pet establishment much easier
- A pet calendar so you can keep up to date with what's happening in the animal world
Teachers welcome this new resource, with 68% of primary teachers surveyed agreeing they are likely to use an educational website such as this.
"Trying to organise a trip or outreach is always time consuming and it is great that all the resources are accessible from one website, saving me from having to search individually."
Debbie Lavelle, teacher at St Vincent’s Primary School in London
Pet Welfare Education: Improving the lives of pets and people through education
