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Several animal advocacy groups including the Animal Legal Defense Fund, Compassion Over Killing, the Animal Protection & Rescue League and Farm Sanctuary, along with pro bono attorneys from Steptoe & Johnson, have joined forces to bring a lawsuit against the USDA claiming that the production of foie gras violates the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA), which prohibits the sale of diseased poultry. "The USDA is effectively exempting force-fed foie gras from the scrutiny required by federal law, allowing foie gras producers to market diseased organs as gourmet delicacies," said ALDF executive director Stephen Wells. RELATED: Foie Gras: A Diseased Delicacy Foie gras production ...
When Lisa Carp's Labrador retriever, Zuzu, was diagnosed with leukemia 3 years ago, she was devastated. Zuzu, now 9, began chemotherapy treatments, but Carp wanted to find holistic ways to complement his medical care. Working with Ihor Basko, DVM, a holistic veterinarian in private practice in Honolulu, Carp also began making nutritious meals and booking regular acupuncture treatments for Zuzu. Zuzu's follow-up exams confirm that he is now cancer-free. "Without chemo, an improved diet, and acupuncture, Zuzu, at best, probably only had a few months to live," says Carp. "I am convinced that acupuncture triggered healing in his body. He's now happy and healthy." Bishop, a 7-year-old beagle, ...
Some veterinarians thrive on the thrill of being faced with new situations every day - me, not so much. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy challenging cases, but I like to feel that I'm entering the fray with some level of competence. I suspect that most owners don't want their pet to be the first case of its kind that their veterinarians have ever seen. This is a special concern for the owners of non-traditional pets or livestock, basically anything other than dogs, cats, horses, and cattle. One of the dirty little secrets about veterinary school - strike that, all professional schools - is that there simply isn't time to teach everything you need to know. The schools focus on the most pressing ...
Naturally, one of the best things about my job is dealing with the newborn offspring of my four-legged patients. Although I don't spend all day playing with the foals and calves and lambs, as some people think I do, I do make sure that when there is a newborn on the farm, I at least get to scratch it on the head (if the mother allows!). And while I've said before that there's really nothing better in this world than a lamb, I will challenge my own statement with this: baby llamas and alpacas (called crias) are a close runner-up. Camelids (the term encompassing llamas and alpacas), are strange, fascinating creatures. Originating from South America, llamas have been used as pack animals, ...
Yorkie owner Cathie Cyr keeps an eye on the sky when she goes outdoors with her pets. She lives near a pond where hawks congregate, and she's concerned a bird of prey might swoop down and snatch one of her five pound dogs. So, Cyr does not let Wyatt or Davey, her little Pomeranian, go outside alone. She prevents the "air raid" simply by accompanying the pets outdoors and staying close by, even in her own backyard. That simple solution, animal experts say, is absolutely the best way to keep wild animals at bay. "It's common sense," said Linda Huebner, advocacy director with the Massachusetts Society for Prevention against Cruelty to Animals. "Don't let animals out alone. Don't leave small ...