Animal Welfare

National Report -- Six major equine organizations have endorsed a new equine welfare code, according to the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA).

California -- In attempt to get their ordinances approved before a new state law takes affect that will prevent cities from passing legislation that will interfere with state-regulated professions like veterinary medicine, at least five cities have passed or are about to pass laws banning cat declawing.

Livestock housing standards in Ohio now will be set by a Livestock Care Standards Board.

Columbus, Ohio -- Ohio voters today will decide whether or not a state board is needed to regulate livestock housing.

Oklahoma City -- City council members voted unanimously to skip the landfill and give animals euthanized at the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter to Oklahoma State University?s (OSU) veterinary college for use in teaching students and technicians.

Sacramento, Calif. -- Bipartisan support in the California Legislature was not enough to save two animal-welfare laws from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's veto.

Lansing, Mich. -- Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm today signed a new animal-welfare law mandating pen sizes for veal calves, egg-laying hens and pregnant sows.

Washington -- Uncle Sam's animal inspectors hope a proposed new rule under the Animal Welfare Act will make it easier to conduct unannounced inspections at circuses, mobile petting zoos and other animal acts.

New housing requirements for swine, veal calves and poultry were adopted in Michigan after a last-minute push by the Humane Society of the United States.

Columbus, Ohio -- Animal-welfare experts, veterinarians, food-animal producers, consumers and others with an interest in food-animal production are invited to a symposium on farm animal welfare issues Oct. 16 arranged by The Ohio State University's Department of Animal Sciences and College of Veterinary Medicine.

New Orleans -- Another municipal mandatory spay/neuter and breeding-restriction ordinance is under consideration, this time in New Orleans.

Santa Monica has joined San Francisco in trying to limit declawing before a new state law takes effect Jan. 1.

Sacramento, Calif. -- A California bill requiring all dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered by 6 months of age has failed -- again.

A massive public-service advertising campaign will be unleashed Sept. 21 to spur pet adoptions.

Americans today are wrestling with the value of their pets and the laws protecting animals more than ever before. And experts say veterinarians are, and should be, at the center of the debate.

If horse owners and groups allied to them were to contribute money, as many who took part in a recent online survey indicated they were willing to do, they could make a substantial impact toward solving the nation's problem of unwanted and neglected horses.

Methuen, Mass. -- Staff and volunteers at the Massachusetts SPCA?s Nevins Farm have seen a record number of horses surrendered to the facility this year.

Schaumburg, Ill. -- Dr. Cia L. Johnson, newly appointed assistant director of the American Veterinary Medical Association?s (AVMA) Animal Welfare Division, hopes to use her food-animal experience to implement new policies and objectives.

Phoenix -- The attorney for at least six pet owners who filed a class-action suit against Ohio-based Petland Inc. and the Hunte Corp., accusing them of selling unhealthy puppies from puppy mills to unsuspecting consumers, says he will amend and re-file the suit after the original was dismissed by a federal judge in Phoenix.

The demand for better care has resulted in unprecedented interest and involvement of the veterinary community in shelter operations.

Shelter medicine is specialized herd health medicine for small animals.

The economy is the No. 1 reason for a dramatic increase in the number of unwanted horses.

St. Kitts, West Indies - Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine has joined a growing list of veterinary colleges, including those at Tufts and Oklahoma State that no longer perform terminal surgeries.

A ballot issue that would create a statewide board standardizing livestock housing is a step in the right direction.

Portland, Ore. -- Banfield, The Pet Hospital will discontinue ear cropping and tail docking surgeries, the company reports today.

Phoenix -- Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed legislation banning the practice of horse tripping and creating a registry of equine rescue facilities and a public list of those facilities.

New York -- The American Kennel Club (AKC) organized a new AKC Canine Health and Welfare Advisory Panel.

Boston -- A proposed Massachusetts bill aimed at banning the controversial devocalization surgery in dogs has veterinarians barking about public disclosure of client information and infringement of medical practice.

San Francisco -- San Francisco may become the second U.S. city to adopt legislation banning the declawing of cats for non-therapeutic reasons.

Seattle -- Veterinarian volunteers made improvements, not only to an equine rescue facility as announced earlier, but also to two Seattle area pet shelters during the American Veterinary Medical Association convention.