St. Louis Forms Animal Abuse Task ForceOctober 10, 2012St. Louis Cracks Down on Animal Abuse Four months after the torture deaths of five dogs, St. Louis has formed a task force that aims to increase public awareness about animal cruelty and prosecute more offenders.animal abuse, animal cruelty, St. Louis animal abuse, Stray RescueSt. Louis has formed a task force that aims to increase public awareness about animal cruelty and prosecute more offenders.newslineSt. Louis Forms Animal Abuse Task ForcePosted: Oct. 10, 2012, 6:50 p.m. EDT Four months after the torture deaths of five dogs, St. Louis has formed a task force that aims to increase public awareness about animal cruelty and prosecute more offenders. "Somebody who does something violent to animals is more likely to do something violent to people as well," St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay said. "So by standing up for animals, we are standing up for our neighborhoods." The task force—the first of its kind in St. Louis—brings together city government, prosecutors and Stray Rescue of St. Louis, an independent animal shelter, to work toward making the city safer for companion animals and residents. A police officer, Lewis Naes, was named the department's first full-time animal abuse investigator. "This task force is without a doubt one …
SPONSORED CONTENTThe Reality of Veterinary Surgery ErgonomicsOne of the greatest challenges of Work-Related Musculo-Skeletal Disorders (WRMSD) is that they can come on slowly. They can be easy to ignore initially. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) issued ergonomic guidelines to help veterinarians catch problems early. + Learn More
AVMA Convention Ranks Among Fastest Growing Shows In United StatesOctober 9, 2012 The American Veterinary Medical Association’s 2011 annual convention ranked as the 32nd fastest-growing trade show in the United States, according to Trade Show Executive magazine. The magazine factored three traits into its list of the top-50 fastest-growing trade shows: increased square footage of paid exhibits, increased number of exhibitors and increased attendance. Exhibit space at the 2011 AVMA conference in St. Louis, Mo., grew by 15.2 percent, from 40,200 square feet at the 2010 show in Atlanta to 46,300 in 2011. Total exhibitors grew by 7.6 percent, from 263 to 283, and total attendance increased by 3.5 percent, from 8,505 to 8,800. “We’re really pleased that, even in this tough economy, our emphasis on continually improving our programs, services and sales has resulted in a notable increase in our convention size and consequently in this recognition,” said Kelly Fox, director of the AVMA Convention and Meeting Planning Division. “We want to work to ensure that we continue to increase attendance and improve continuing education programs as well as grow the number of exhibitors so that our members will be best served by our annual convention.” …
Purina Invites Public To Vote For Team Cat Or Team DogOctober 9, 2012America's Favorite Pet to Be Decidedteam dog, team cat, PurinaIs the United States a cat nation or a dog nation? That age-old debate may be settled in a vote sponsored by St. Louis-based Purina.Through Nov. 8, 2012, pet owners may choose to become a member of Team Cat or Team Dog via Purina's new marketing campaign.newslinePurina Invites Public to Vote for Team Cat or Team DogPosted: Oct. 9, 2012, 4:30 p.m. EDT Is the United States a cat nation or a dog nation? That age-old debate may be settled in a vote sponsored by St. Louis-based Purina. Through Nov. 8, 2012, pet owners may choose to become a member of Team Cat or Team Dog at www.AmericasPetDebate.com or www.Facebook.com/AmericasPetDebate. For each vote cast, Purina will donate $1, up to $100,000, to Pet Partners, a Bellevue, Wash., nonprofit group that provides animal-assisted therapy to military veterans. The campaign enlisted two celebrities: National Football League legends Terry Bradshaw, a devoted dog person, and Howie Long, a committed cat. owner. "Dogs have been a part of my life since my earliest childhood memories," Bradshaw said. "I can't imagine coming home …
Nature’s Deli Chicken Jerky For Dogs RecalledOctober 8, 2012 For the second time in eight days, Kasel Associated Industries recalled a dog treat because of possible salmonella contamination. The Denver-based company Tuesday urged pet owners to return 2.5-pound packages of Nature’s Deli Chicken Jerky Dog Treats purchased at 57 Sam’s Club stores. The product, marked with the bar code 647263800208 and a best-buy date of 091913 DEN, was distributed in Colorado, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. The Food and Drug Administration detected salmonella during a test of the lot, the company stated. No animal or human illnesses were reported in connection with the product, Kasel added. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning in pets include lethargy, diarrhea, fever and vomiting. People who handle contaminated pet products may show similar symptoms. More information is available by calling Kasel at 800-218-4417 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EDT Monday through Friday. The recall followed one announced Sept. 24, 2012, involving 6-count, 5-inch Boots & Barkley American Beef Bully Sticks. Some of the sticks, distributed at Target stores from April through September under the bar code 647263899189, tested positive …
AVMA Objects Again To Pet Prescription BillOctober 8, 2012 The American Veterinary Medical Association asserted its opposition last week to the proposed federal mandate on prescription writing and encouraged members to voice their opinions about topics covered at the Federal Trade Commission’s Pet Medication Workshop. The FTC has extended the comment period to Nov. 1. The AVMA previously called for support to quash the bill, HR1406, also known as the Fairness to Pet Owners Act, which would require veterinarians to provide a written prescription to pet owners regardless of whether the owner intends to fill the prescription in-house or through a different dispenser. The AVMA’s Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics already state that veterinarians should provide clients with a written prescription when requested. “Essentially this is a solution without a problem,” said Mark Cushing, founding partner of the Animal Policy Group, during one of the workshop’s panel discussions in Washington, D.C. “Veterinarians routinely provide prescriptions to their clients.” The overarching purpose of the daylong workshop was to establish whether the trend of pet medication dispensation shifting from veterinary to retail channels is ultimately good for the consumer. Industry stakeholders from veterinary organizations, businesses, academia, government and veterinarians participated in a …
Bayer Creates New Scholarship To Promote Vet-Client CommunicationOctober 4, 2012 Bayer HealthCare Animal Health is starting a scholarship program, the Bayer Excellence in Communication Award, to encourage students to develop better communication skills, the Shawnee, Kan.-based company reported today. Students from each of the eight veterinary schools initially participating in the program will be filmed interacting with a client in a clinical setting, and faculty judges will determine the school’s winner based on a standardized score sheet. One student from each school will receive $2,500, and the top scorer overall will receive $5,000. “The Bayer Excellence in Communication Award was created to focus attention on the importance of good communication between veterinarians and their clients,” said Ian Spinks, president and general manager of Bayer HealthCare Animal Health, North America. The award is part of the Bayer Communication Project, developed in 2001 with the Institute for Healthcare Communication. The partnership created a communication skills module that veterinary colleges can incorporate into their curriculum. The scholarship is available to juniors and seniors enrolled at: Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine …
ZuPreem Issues Limited Bird Food RecallOctober 1, 2012 Premium Nutritional Products Inc., which makes the ZuPreem line of diets for birds, small animals and exotic animals, announced Saturday that it was voluntarily recalling some FruitBlend with Natural Fruit Flavors premium bird food because two lots may contain elevated calcium levels. The recalled packages have Nov. 30, 2013, “use by” or November 2013 “best by” dates in addition to specific SKU and UPC codes, the Shawnee, Kan., company reported. The bags are labeled for medium/large or large birds. “We apologize for any inconvenience this recall has caused bird owners and their birds,” said David Morris, president of Premium Nutritional Products. “We are working with our industry partners to resolve all related issues as quickly as possible.” Extra calcium was inadvertently present in an isolated batch, the company reported. Recommended calcium levels are about 1 percent of the diet, avian veterinarian Gary Butcher and avian nutritionist Richard Miles reported in the online article “Understanding Pet Bird Nutrition.” Anyone who purchased the recalled food should stop feeding it and return the remainder to the store for a refund, the company added. More information is available by calling ZuPreem’s customer service line at 800-345-4767. The …
Pfizer Solicits Applications For $660,000 In Vet School ScholarshipsOctober 1, 2012Pfizer to Award at Least $660,000 to Vet Studentsvet students, scholarship, vet school scholarship, PfizerPfizer Animal Health and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation are accepting applications from second- and third-year veterinary students interested in receiving $2,000 scholarships, New York-based Pfizer reported today.Pfizer Animal Health and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation are accepting applications from second- and third-year veterinary students interested in receiving $2,000 scholarships.newslinePfizer Solicits Applications for $660,000 in Vet School ScholarshipsPosted: Oct. 1, 2012, 4:15 p.m. EDT Pfizer Animal Health and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation are accepting applications from second- and third-year veterinary students interested in receiving $2,000 scholarships, New York-based Pfizer reported today. Now in its fourth year, the Pfizer Animal Health Scholarship Program will select at least 330 students from the United States and the Caribbean. Recipients will be chosen based on their academic record and financial need, Pfizer noted. A selection committee also will consider the profession's ongoing needs, including ethnic, gender and socioeconomic diversity, and take into account students' professional aspirations. "This scholarship is one way that Pfizer looks to help address the challenges within the veterinary profession to ensure that it has a thriving future," …
AVMA, WSPA Promote Rabies Awareness On World Rabies DaySeptember 28, 2012 The World Society for the Protection of Animals and the American Veterinary Medical Association are among the organizations making special efforts to mark World Rabies Day today. One year after launching its Collars Not Cruelty campaign, the WSPA is expanding its efforts to Senegal, the Philippines and Indonesia. The campaign involves vaccinating stray dogs and affixing them with a red collar to alert locals that the dogs are not rabies carriers. Stray dogs account for 90 percent of human exposures to rabies and more than 99 percent of human deaths worldwide, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 20 million dogs are killed every year in an attempt to stop rabies, the WSPA reported. Meanwhile, the AVMA partnered with the Global Alliance for Rabies Control to produce a multilingual video titled “Rabies: Simple Steps Save Lives.” The 10-minute video, available in English and with French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese and English subtitles, will be used globally to educate people about what rabies is and how exposure can be prevented. It is available online here. “We’re hoping that through this public education …
AVMA Supports Vet School Grads As Job Opportunities, Earnings WaneSeptember 27, 2012 A newly formed committee of the American Veterinary Medical Association has been tasked with helping veterinary medicine graduates as they enter a job market where earnings and employment offers are on the decline. The Early Career Development Committee, announced Tuesday, consists of five recent graduates, two “emerging leaders” who graduated five to 15 years ago, a faulty adviser and a representative of the American Society of Veterinary Medical Association Executives. The committee “will engage young veterinarians in open discussions about the challenges they face and will use that input to help develop new AVMA programs that serve their unique needs,” said Doug Aspros, DVM, president of the AVMA. Networking opportunities and an online community are part of the find-finding effort, the association reported. The committee is being established at a time when veterinary students face a turbulent job market. The percentage of fourth-year veterinary students graduating with the offer of a job or an advanced educational opportunity declined to 61.5 percent in 2012 from 78.9 percent in 2010, the AVMA reported Wednesday. Panel Members The Early Career Development Committee consists of: …
