Brits love their pets. According to research from the Pet Food Manufacturers Association, 46 per cent of households have a pet and the UK pet population (including fish) is now a whopping 65 million.

Fish kept in tanks are the most commonly owned, followed by pond fish, coming in at positions three and four respectively are cats and dogs. It’s perhaps surprising to learn that there are around nine million dogs in the UK compared to eight million cats. But what does this all have to do with the price of fish? Well, this is National Pet Month!

A surprisingly large percentage of the custom canvas prints we make on behalf of customers feature animals of all kinds and we see some fantastic photographs of people’s pets in particular. Plus, we’re always sharing cute images of cats and dogs and other pets over on our Facebook page and on Twitter too. We’ve even shared some hints and tips for photographing man’s best friend in the past.

Still, we’re always on the lookout for new and interesting ways to feature pets in prints and recently we came across the work of John Daniels, released to coincide with National Pet Day which took place on April 11^th . Among the photos of cute canines and fun felines, we were reminded how props can play a role in portraits of all kinds. While it’s always nice to capture pets at play, you may want to make a game of your next photography session and bring in a theme or some props of your own. Just remember not all pets like to dress up! Keeping toys and treats on hand should ensure you can attract attention when required.

This year’s theme for National Pet Month is ‘pets and the elderly: enjoying later years together’. In light of the theme, members of the public are being asked to consider both the positive impact pet ownership can have on older people and also the difficulty often experienced in placing older rescued pets in forever homes. If you’ve enjoyed a long term friendship with an animal, why not celebrate by creating your own throwback canvas print of you together? Hunt out a photo of you and your pet looking your best in your younger years and share it with us on our social media pages or upload to our site to transfer to canvas.

Will you be doing anything special as part of National Pet Month? Perhaps you’re planning a special treat or a photoshoot of you and your pet(s) together? Whatever you do, we hope you have a fantastic time and capture plenty of moments to treasure.