Animal Welfare

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.

DAVIS, CALIF. - As public perception of animal welfare has changed, the need for education has increased, which is why the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine formed the International Animal Welfare Training Institute.

Harrisburg, Pa. - Pennsylvania legislators passed a controversial law aimed at improving conditions for dogs in so-called puppy mills.

New York - New York is the latest state to adopt a tougher stance on steroid use in racehorses.

New York - A Congressional panel earlier this year questioned whether the nation's horse racing industry had the will and ability to regulate itself or whether government intervention would be necessary.