Dog Fight Over Long Island Breed Ban

http://www.longislandpress.com/2010/06/29/rockville-centre-reconsidering-dog-breed-ban/

Pro-Pet Vitamins -- Company Recall -- FDA Info

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm216903.htm

Puppies 'For Adoption' Urgently, Eh? Not Really...

Here's a cute little number I found in my email box this morning. I have not altered the text in any way. I post it here just as a word of caution to kind-hearted souls who may see the subject line and think these dogs are in a shelter.

From: MOSS FRANKLIN
To: newyorktails@aol.com
Subject: PUPPIES FOR ADOPTION URGENTLY
Date: Sat, Jun 12, 2010 1:27 pm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Border Collie Puppies for sale with all this following details below. Puppy Name: EEarl Breed: Border Collie Gender: Male Champion bloodlines: Yes Birth Date: 02-09-2010 Availability Date: Till date. Location: Quitman,Ga.31643 USA Price: $650.00 (Shipping Included) Items Included: Registered Current vaccinations Veterinarian examination Health Certificate Health Guarantee Pedigree Kindly get back to me if interested. Moss Franklin. mossf454@aol.com 212-202-4312 270-282-0923

Pet Insurance Pitfalls; Hospitals Give First Aid to Shelters; Pups in the Puerto Rican Day Parade

Two interesting articles I came across and some other news.
Please bear with me, you'll have to cut and paste URLs in your browser to get to the articles until I find out what's wrong with my 'link' function here. :)

Pet Insurance Coverage Pitfalls
http://www.ajc.com/news/pet-coverage-has-insurance-547011.html

Kaiser center recycles trash into pet beds, aids animal shelter
http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_15291480

Please also visit the New York Tails Magazine Facebook page
for some great photos of the Puerto Rican Day Parade and the rescue group, 'Inky Blue Sea', which represented in the Parade! (And if you like our page, please consider becoming a fan!) More pictures at my other page, 'Diane West'.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-Tails-Magazine-wwwnewyorktailscom/7950415826?ref=ts&v=wall

As well as the New York Tails Magazine homepage, the magazine for the people and pets of New York: http://www.newyorktails.com

Iams Pet Food Recall (and some other cat news)

Iams Canned Cat Food Recall


http://www.justicenewsflash.com/2010/06/10/fda-recall-iams-canned-cat-food-recalled-for-low-levels-of-vitamin-b1_201006104631.html


Other Links (fun and kudos)

http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2010/06/10/2010-06-10_big_cats_like_perfume_too.html



http://riverdalepress.com/full.php?sid=12657¤t_edition=2010-06-10

Is the Pet Food Division of the FDA Smoking 'GRAS'?

Okay, this is one of those things I had to read about three times before I vaguely started to understand it, and most of my career has been spent in medical writing.

FDA Announces Start of Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) Notification Pilot Program for Ingredients In Animal Food



If link doesn't work, cut and paste this into your browser:
http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm214432.htm

Okay, here's what jumped out at me from the FDA-enese:

FDA is implementing a voluntary pilot program to accept submission of notices of claims that a particular use of a substance in food for animals is exempt from the statutory premarket approval requirements based on the individual’s determination that such use is GRAS.

The GRAS notification pilot program will now provide a voluntary mechanism for an individual, called the notifier, to inform FDA of their determination that the use of a substance is GRAS, rather than petition FDA to affirm that the use of a substance is GRAS. (Emphasis DW.)

Is it me, or does this sound like I can call up the FDA as a 'notifier' and say, yep, 'course it's safe, ma'am' and they'll say 'well, okey-dokey then!'

I don't know about you, but if I asked the pilot of the airplane I was about to board what he thought about the plane he was flying and he said 'Well, it's generally recognized as safe', I'd be outta there.

So...Veterinarians Do or Don't Suport the Animal Welfare Act?

Asking truthfully...have to rattle this one around in my brain a bit. Being that everyone is jumping on the puppy mill train I guess AVMA was eventually going to be compelled to make a statement.

However, IMHO, the statement is a bit cryptic. For example, the first para says:
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has developed a model bill and regulations to help states ensure the well-being of dogs bred and sold as pets but not protected by the Animal Welfare Act or similar regulations.

And then later:
The basic philosophy underlying the bill is dogs deserve appropriate care, and it doesn't really matter where those dogs are being kept, whether they're in a shelter or a pet shop or a breeding facility," Dr. Golab said.

There's a heck of a lot of history and background here to read to put it in some kind of perspective...check it out for yourself. You may have to cut-and-paste link into your browser.

http://www.avma.org/press/releases/100603_guidance_states_regulating_dog_breeders_retailers.asp