UK Pet Care News: June 2026

A busy fortnight for UK pet owners: new dog walking rules arrive at the end of June with much bigger fines attached, a long-standing free insurance benefit is about to disappear, and the fresh dog food aisle keeps growing. Here is what changed between late May and 11 June 2026, and what it means if you own a dog or pay someone to look after one.

New dog walking rules from 29 June, with fines up to £500

The Crime and Policing Act 2026 raises the maximum fixed penalty for breaching a Public Spaces Protection Order or Community Protection Notice from £100 to £500, and councils can apply the higher level from 29 June. PSPOs are the local orders behind lead requirements, exclusion zones on farmland or parts of parks, fouling rules, and limits on how many dogs one person can walk at once. That last point matters if you use a professional walker: the cap applies to them too, so a walker handling six dogs in a four-dog zone is now risking a much larger fine. Check your council’s website for active PSPOs before your usual route catches you out, and if you are vetting a new walker, our guide on how to choose a dog walker covers the insurance and group-size questions to ask. Details via Yorkshire Live.

Dogs Trust third-party insurance ends for renewals from 1 July

Dogs Trust is removing third-party public liability insurance from its Companion Club membership. Anyone renewing up to and including 30 June 2026 keeps the cover for a further 12 months; renewals from 1 July onwards will not include it. The charity says rising membership and a jump in claims made the benefit unsustainable. This cover has been the main route to the liability insurance legally required for exempted XL Bully dogs, so affected owners need an alternative lined up before their renewal date. The full terms are on the Dogs Trust Companion Club changes page.

A third of pet owners now Google symptoms before calling the vet

Research published by Guidewire on 4 June found 31.5 per cent of UK pet owners turn to online symptom checkers before contacting a vet, rising to 54.5 per cent among 25 to 34 year olds. It also found UK owners are the least satisfied in Europe with pet insurance claims: 58 per cent satisfaction against 76 per cent in France. With vet fees still climbing faster than inflation, it pays to know your full cost picture; our annual dog cost calculator puts vet, insurance, food and grooming spend in one place. Findings via Insurance Edge.

Fresh dog food brand Years lands in 460 Pets at Home stores

Fresh food brand Years announced on 5 June that its steam-cooked meals, broths, treats and toppers are now stocked in 460 Pets at Home stores and online, its biggest retail listing yet after earlier deals with Just for Pets and Pets & Friends. For owners, it is another sign that fresh and gently cooked food is moving from subscription boxes into the high street pet shop, which usually means more choice and sharper prices in that aisle. Report from Pet Business World.