Law & Ethics

A new bill will prevent cities and counties from passing laws banning state-approved veterinary medical procedures.

Seattle - The Utah Veterinary Medical Association wants the AVMA to lay off the "hard-line slant" it took when the policy on ear cropping and tail docking was changed late last year.

Philadelphia - The waiting room was full at the Radbill Animal Hospital when a man walked behind the reception desk and confronted a technician.

Albany, N.Y. - New York veterinarians may have to certify some animal breeders if a bill is passed by state legislators.

One of the more stressful times in a veterinarian's employment relationship is contract-signing or contract-renewal time.

Horse owners open to reopening of U.S. processing plants, according to survey.

A California Senate bill that would have placed limits on antibiotic use in food animals has failed.

National Report -- North Dakota and Oklahoma are the latest to join a growing number of states that have passed laws to make things easier for veterinary volunteers during declared emergencies.

Montpelier, Vt. -- Several states are considering laws that would allow pet owners to recover emotional damages for the loss of companion animals, but Vermont is no longer one of them.

As more governments look to enforce mandatory sterilization, the AVMA is standing firm in its opposition to the programs.

There are new reasons to exercise care during initial examinations.

Washington -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will host additional listening sessions regarding the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) in California, Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina and South Dakota.

Is it legal to break up packages?

It's been difficult to hear persistent reports about unwanted or abandoned horses in recent months. But here's the good news: You can help save unwanted horses. And in some cases, finding ways to help the animals you love can even lead to increased client confidence and trust.

Legislation targeting breeders is becoming quite common. But state veterinary medical associations usually don't get involved.

Tallahassee, Fla. -- A bill that started as a mandatory spay/neuter proposal and was altered into a sterilization fundraising program has been dropped altogether by Florida lawmakers.

Montpelier, Vt. -- Vermont lawmakers have approved a bill that aims to protect animals and children from ingesting antifreeze.

The House of Representatives is considering a bill to ban transporting horses in double-deck trailers.

For nearly 20 years, equine dentistry has been considered a veterinary act in Oklahoma.

A new law that could ban ownership of nonnative animals is being debated in Washington.

Columbus, Ohio -- The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is targeting Ohio's farming practices in an effort to change housing requirements for farm animals.

Columbus, Ohio -- Ohio is the latest state to take on so-called "puppy mills." Legislation was introduced last week that would establish stringent guidelines for those operating breeding kennels in the state.

Pets die every day, but when it happens on the veterinarian's table should the doctor be forced to pay?

New legislation would prohibit euthanization of healthy wild horses and burros on federal lands.

Finding ways to generate revenue and cut costs can make you indispensable

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."

Wisconsin - Veterinarians in the rural Midwest were warned of a possible new trend -- teen-aged girls reportedly taking veterinary medications meant to induce abortion in cows to perform their own abortions.

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.