Animal Welfare

Phoenix -- The Humane Society of the United States filed a class-action lawsuit against Petland Inc. and the Hunte Corp. for allegedly selling "unhealthy puppy-mill puppies to unsuspecting customers."

Springfield, Ill. - An Illinois Senate bill that would have labeled cosmetic ear cropping and tail docking as "animal torture" was cut to the point of removing all substantial policy change.

Reno, Nev. -- An offer from Madeleine Pickens to create a million-acre sanctuary for up to 30,000 wild horses could cost the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) more than it presently pays for long-term holding facilities for horses removed from public lands, according to the veterinary representative on the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board.

National Report - Pet owners are throwing in the towel earlier on veterinary treatment, according to a new DVM Newsmagazine survey.

Sacramento, Calif. -- A bill with a history going back to February 2007 that was scrapped by lawmakers in September and would have required mandatory sterlization of dogs and cats older than 6 months has reappeared on the California Senate floor.

Center for Veterinary Health Sciences issued strongly worded rebuttals to comments by the wife of Texas oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens about how the veterinary school treats animals it uses in teaching and research.

Sacramento, Calif. -- A California lawmaker is seeking to make cattle tail docking illegal.

Lakewood, Colo. -- A new guide to help veterinarians counsel pet owners about behavior problems has been developed by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).

A tax on veterinary services is officially off the table in California.

Springfield, Ill. -- Illinois may declare ear cropping and tail docking "animal torture" if a bill introduced in late January is passed.

Lancaster, Calif. -- Several dog breeds will have to go under the knife in the next few weeks when a municipal law requiring sterilization by breed takes effect.

More than 1 million dogs and cats are at risk for becoming homeless, the ASPCA believes.

Schaumburg, Ill. - Seven of nine resolutions where approved by the AVMA's House of Delegates in January.

Reno, NV. - The spiraling nationwide problem of how to deal with thousands of unwanted horses isn't just about domesticated horses.

Schaumburg, Ill. - Animal welfare ranks as one to the top strategic initiatives for AVMA, for good reason.

Westbrook, Maine - IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. launched a campaign to promote feline wellness, including interactive feline disease prevalence maps for FeLV, FIV and feline heartworm.

This might be an ideal time of year to talk to pet owners about pursuing a healthier lifestyle for their companions.

Schaumburg, Ill. - Ten resolutions - involving student loan relief to prescribing antimicrobials - top the AVMA House of Delegates meeting this month.

National Report - The AVMA Executive Board's recent decision asking breed clubs to eliminate ear cropping and tail docking from breed standards earned praise from animal-rights groups and sharp criticism from the American Kennel Club.

Alameda, Calif. -- Purdue University's School of Veterinary Medicine will follow in the footsteps of Cornell by launching a new shelter medicine program with a grant from the nonprofit Maddie's Fund.

What can be done about the growing problem of unwanted and abandoned horses in America?

Schaumburg, Ill. - AVMA members and leaders differ on association roles in education and animal welfare, according to recent AVMA survey.

National Report - AVMA pledges to help affected food-animal producers by providing information on alternative production systems.

Little Rock, Ark. -- The Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) will not oppose a proposed change to the state's rabies vaccination law, but they do have a suggestion.

The AVMA announced its opposition to cosmetic tail docking and ear cropping Nov. 26.

Lewisburg, W.Va. -- The American Veterinary Medical Association responded to reports that workers at a large turkey farm in southeastern West Virginia treated the birds inhumanely and were videotaped doing so.

Schaumburg, Ill. -- DVMs should report pesticide incidents involving animals to a new veterinarians-only website.

The AVMA is offering assistance to California food-animal producers in the wake of the Prop 2 passage.

On the second try, humane groups in Massachusetts finally succeeding in getting a statewide dog racing ban passed.

Passage of Prop 2 will mean big changes for California's food-animal industry.