Animal lovers are being told to entertain their pets to prevent them getting lonely.

New codes of practice published by the Government are now online for dog, horse and cat owners.

Mental stimulation and ensuring they have access to suitable toilet facilities are two of the recommendations.

Speak to local animal sanctuaries and charity groups – how do they deal with stressed out moggies and under duress dogs?

Do they have a stress management programme for the abused animals they take in before they can then hand them over to a new family?

What about pet owners – would they consider this sound advice or a load of rubbish?