Regulatory

Denver - New state rules in Colorado place veterinary students under the direct supervision of licensed veterinarians.

Carson City, Nev. - Pet owners in Nevada may now donate some unused medications to a veterinarian or veterinary facility so that they can be redistributed to animals in need.

Lincoln, Neb. - Veterinarians may now apply for a temporary license in Nebraska if they have been licensed in another state with comparable standards.

Washington - The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously voted to restore funding to the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN), but the Senate must follow suit if funds are appropriated for the program in the 2012 Department of Agriculture budget.

National Report - The welfare of some horses has declined since the United States banned equine slaughter plants, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Mobile, Ala. - Alabama is banning the use of gas chambers for euthanasia at animal shelters starting next year.

Carson City, Nev. - New regulations on dog and cat breeders in Nevada include prohibiting the sale of either animal without a sales contract.

Annapolis, Md. - Maryland veterinarians will now have to submit to physical and/or mental examinations if ordered by the state veterinary board.

Oklahoma City - Oklahoma lawmakers will now allow district courts to issue injunctions without bond for several state regulators, including the Oklahoma Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.

Oklahoma City - Commercial pet breeders in Oklahoma must now contract with veterinarians for inspections and establish a hotline for animal abuse reporting.

National Report - More states are passing or considering legislation to mandate pet sterilization by veterinarians.

Omaha, Neb. -- Sergeant's Pet Products issued a voluntary return-and-exchange on its fipronil-methoprene products because they infringe on Merial's patents, the company reports.

Austin -- Texas may soon allow non-veterinarians to perform certain equine dental procedures under the direct supervision of a veterinarian.

Helena, Mont. -- Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer vetoed an attempt by Montana lawmakers to reduce the statute of limitations on medical malpractice claims.

Madison, Wis. - In rural Wisconsin, purebred dogs have been showing up in people's driveways, and some fear irresponsible breeders are dumping their "stock" ahead of new, stricter laws aimed at puppy mills.

Bismarck, N.D. - Non-pharmacist veterinary technicians may now dispense prescription veterinary drugs in retail operations.

Washington, D.C. ? The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) upped the mileage rate deduction to 55.5 cents for the last six months of the year.

Indianapolis, Ind. -- Veterinarians looking to obtain or renew their license now have to submit to state background checks and fingerprinting.

Los Angeles -- Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously in favor of banning the sale of pets bred in ?puppy mills? or ?kitten mills? June 8.

Des Moines, Iowa - Lawmakers are calling for certification for pregnancy testing using ultrasound and embryo-transfer services by mandating that non-DVMs performing such duties be certified by the board of veterinary medicine and work under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian.

Nashville, Tenn. - A fatal car accident involving a woman and her dog triggered new legislation in Tennessee aimed at keeping pets in the back seats of vehicles.

Austin, Texas - Texas legislators hoep to tackle the issue of compensation for the loss of a pet, including non-economic damages.

Montgomery, Ala. - Alabama lawmakers introduced a bill March 29 that would require veterinarians and veterinary technicians to report torture or cruelty to animals.

Carson City, Nev. - Nevada Sen. Valerie Weiner is asking that pet owners be allowed to donate unused medications to animals in need, much like human-health facilities do.

Oklahoma City, Okla. - New rules that passed last August to allow lay persons in Oklahoma to float horses' teeth have been reversed by the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.

Denver, Colo. - Anyone convicted of animal abuse in Colorado will now also have to reimburse the animal's owner for any costs of care of replacement.

Little Rock, Ark. - Horseshoeing, training, the selling of equine medications and certain equine reproductive procedures are no longer a part of the veterinary practice act in Arkansas.

London - The British Veterinary Medical Association and the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe were effective in thwarting a move by members of the European Paliament to limit veterinarians' access to sell veterinary medicines directly to farmers and other animal owners.