December 23, 2008
SF: APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS DISMISSAL OF ANIMAL WELFARE LAWSUIT
CBS 5, CA - Court has dismissed a lawsuit that claimed animal experiments at the University of California at San Francisco violate a federal animal welfare law. http://cbs5.com/localwire/22.0.html?type=bcn&item=ANIMAL-RESEARCH-LAWSUIT-baglmPosted by sball at 09:20 AM | Comments (0)
Scientist: stem cells could end animal testing - CNN
CNN - Drug testing is an emotive subject not least because of animal testing. So how have anti-vivisectionists greeted the news? Chief Executive at the British . http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/12/22/stem.cell.drug.tests/Posted by sball at 09:17 AM | Comments (0)
Dog Clings to Life and Saves Another
News and Observer - Even with some of the fanciest technology around -- and an owner who loved him enough to pay for it -- the veterinarians thought Clyde, a burly, loose-jointed Labrador retriever, would be long dead by now. http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1339424.htmlPosted by sball at 09:14 AM | Comments (0)
December 22, 2008
FDA Continues To Receive Complaints about Chicken Jerky Products for Dogs and Cautions Consumers
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to caution consumers of a potential association between the development of illness in dogs and the consumption of chicken jerky products also described as chicken tenders, strips or treats. FDA continues to receive complaints of dogs experiencing illness that their owners or veterinarians associate with consumption of chicken jerky products. The chicken jerky products are imported to the U.S. from China. FDA issued a cautionary warning to consumers in September 2007. http://www.fda.gov/cvm/CVM_Updates/ComplaintsChicJerky.htmPosted by sball at 01:50 PM | Comments (0)
Worcester Tech Plans Lab Animal Program
Worcester Business Journal -- Grads could fill demand from biotech industry. http://www.wbjournal.com/news42289.htmlPosted by sball at 01:43 PM | Comments (0)
Competition challenges students to grow in animal welfare knowledge
American Veterinary Medical Association--The eighth annual Animal Welfare Judging and Assessment Competition hosted at Michigan State University Nov. 1-2, 2008. http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jan09/090101nn.aspPosted by sball at 01:40 PM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2008
The HSUS and Procter & Gamble Recognize 'Alternative Awards'
HSUS--The Humane Society of the United States and The Procter & Gamble Company will bestow the North American Alternative Awards on Dec. 18 for outstanding scientific contributions to the advancement of viable alternatives to animal testing. http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/hsus_and_procter_and_gamble_announce_alternative_awards_121708.htmlPosted by sball at 01:08 PM | Comments (0)
New global animal database in testing stage to help zoos manage, find animals
Canadian Press-- This month, a team begins testing a new software system called ZIMS - short for Zoological Information Management System - that will bring together all of the information in data systems that are scattered all over the place. http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5h1LZmzXiptKiCXhYODx58zEFhbQwPosted by sball at 01:05 PM | Comments (0)
December 18, 2008
Nomination of Tom Vilsack as the Next Secretary of Agriculture
Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer Statement: Nomination of Tom Vilsack as the Next Secretary of Agriculture. http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2008%2F12%2F0306.xmlPosted by sball at 10:41 AM | Comments (0)
EpiDerm's Skin Irritation Test Fully Validated in European Union
MarketWatch--Significant milestone met in development and validation of non-animal alternative test methods. http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/EpiDerms-Skin-Irritation-Test-Fully/story.aspx?guid=%7BBCD25149-7EDC-4B2E-8E5D-1E7E8A6911A7%7DPosted by sball at 10:37 AM | Comments (0)
Cellumen Expands Discovery Toxicology Services with Cardiac Hypertrophy Panel
MarketWatch - "The CellCiphr Cardiac Hypertrophy panel is the next step in helping the FDA realize their goal to first minimize and then to replace animal testing within the next 10 years." http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Cellumen-Expands-Discovery-Toxicology-Services/story.aspx?guid=%7B01000A79-615D-40BD-BB2D-2F1843A4FE89%7DPosted by sball at 10:32 AM | Comments (0)
Jana Kohl and Fellow Celebrity Animal Welfare Advocates Outraged Over the Vice President-Elect's Decision Not to Adopt
MarketWatch -"Animal exploitation comes in many ugly forms but puppy mills are recognized as one of the worst," says Bob Barker notable animal welfare advocate. http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Jana-Kohl-Fellow-Celebrity-Animal/story.aspx?guid=%7B05C0B16F-A51D-4572-859E-3C561ABD972B%7DPosted by sball at 10:20 AM | Comments (0)
About 500 Chickens Seized From 2 Farms
LoudounExtra reports Authorities in Loudoun County, Virginia have seized about 500 chickens from two farms suspected of being cockfighting operations and where roosters were found tethered, caged and with body parts amputated, according to county officials and court records. http://loudounextra.washingtonpost.com/news/2008/dec/17/birds-seized-investigation-cock-fighting-lovettsvi/Posted by sball at 10:08 AM | Comments (0)
December 17, 2008
Abandoned horses are on the rise
USAtoday.com -- Horse abandonment is on the rise across the USA, livestock and agricultural officials say. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-12-16-horses_N.htmPosted by sball at 01:31 PM | Comments (0)
Some Wild Mares to Receive Contraceptives
TheHorse.com -- About 70 wild mares from the Cedar Mountain herd in Utah will receive a contraceptive as part of a joint effort between the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to control wild horse population growth on BLM lands. http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=13276Posted by sball at 01:29 PM | Comments (0)
Dolphins Wield tools of the sea
ScienceNews.org -- Some bottlenose dolphins use sea sponges to forage for fish on the ocean floor, perhaps passing the behavior on as a social tradition. http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/39219/title/Dolphins_wield_tools_of_the_seaPosted by sball at 01:28 PM | Comments (0)
KLA: Members Approve Policy On Transportation, Animal Welfare
CattleNetwork.com -- the KLA membership approved policy earlier this month in Wichita calling for improvements in the state’s highway system, producer compliance with approved animal care practices and the preservation of private property rights. http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Content.asp?ContentID=276686Posted by sball at 08:26 AM | Comments (0)
Tiger’s Fate Discussion Gets Unruly in Hallway
2theadvocate.com reports Animal welfare activists are trying to get a Siberian-Bengal tiger relocated to a sanctuary from a truck stop in Iberville Parish, Louisiana. http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/suburban/36281259.htmlPosted by sball at 07:46 AM | Comments (0)
Web Site Issues Pet Amber Alerts
WBalTV.com reports a new service that uses technology to track down lost pets is able to issue the animal equivalent of an Amber Alert.http://www.wbaltv.com/family/18283865/detail.htmlPosted by sball at 07:25 AM | Comments (0)
December 16, 2008
BHS 'shocked' at horse footage
ITV.com reports the British Horse Society (BHS) has expressed distress at the film shot on a farm where horses were allegedly ill-treated in the United Kingdom. http://www.itv.com/News/Articles/BHS-shocked-at-horse-footage-288949547.htmlPosted by sball at 08:30 AM | Comments (0)
Man Agrees to Jail, Fine in Puppy Mill Cruelty Case
Morning Sentinel reports a man agreed to spend a week in jail and pay a $1,000 fine in one of the worst puppy mill cases authorities say they've seen in Maine. http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/5718283.htmlPosted by sball at 08:19 AM | Comments (0)
December 15, 2008
Wild-Horse Roundup Plans Anger Advocates
The Washington Post reports the U.S. Bureau of Land Management has started removing 1,480 horses south of Battle Mountain and plans to begin removing 450 more in January south of Gerlach, agency spokesman JoLynn Worley said. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/13/AR2008121301781.htmlPosted by sball at 02:57 PM | Comments (0)
Cockfighting Ring With Concession Stand Busted
Foxcarolina.com reports 37 Roosters Seized, Including Some Dead Ones. http://www.foxcarolina.com/news/18277575/detail.htmlPosted by sball at 02:55 PM | Comments (0)
Stress and Lack of Exercise are Killing Elephants, Zoos Warned
Guardian.co.uk reports lifespan of captive elephants in zoos half that of wild animals. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/dec/12/elephants-animal-welfarePosted by sball at 10:48 AM | Comments (0)
Why Do Pigs Die During Commercial Transportation?.
Plataforma SINC (2008, December 10). http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081210091035.htmPosted by sball at 10:34 AM | Comments (0)
As the Economic Crunch Trickles Down, Even Animals Are Affected
StarNewsOnline.com reports the recession and economic woes have trickled down to affect even dogs and cats. http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20081215/ARTICLES/812152998?Title=As_the_economic_crunch_trickles_down__even_animals_are_affected_Posted by sball at 10:22 AM | Comments (0)
December 11, 2008
Critical Report on Zoo Elephants Is Debated
New York Times reports living in a zoo drastically shortens the lives of Asian and African elephants. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/12/science/12zoo.html?ref=sciencePosted by sball at 03:56 PM | Comments (0)
With Treats, Dogs Seem to Know What's Fair
The NYTimes.com reports scientists in Austria report in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that a dog may stop obeying a command if it sees that another dog is getting a better deal. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/science/09obenvy.html?_r=2Posted by sball at 11:28 AM | Comments (0)
December 10, 2008
(25th!) NCA Newsletter Now Available Online!
The NCA Newsletter is now available for download from their website http://www.vet.uu.nl/nca/newsletters/current_issue! This Newsletter, is published by the Netherlands Centre Alternatives to animal use.Posted by sball at 01:36 PM | Comments (0)
ESAC Has Validated Two Further In-Vitro Skin Irritation Methods, November 2008
After the successful validation of two in-vitro models for the study of skin irritation last year, the ECVAM Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC) has endorsed the scientific validity of two further in-vitro skin irritation tests on its 29th meeting held in November 2008. Both tests are based on reconstructed human epiderms and measure or predict the same biological or toxic effect as the fully validated and accepted reference method (see also the ESAC Statement, of April 2007). http://ecvam.jrc.ec.europa.eu/f_home.cfm?voce=m&idvoce=6Posted by sball at 12:49 PM | Comments (0)
Cat May Have 9 Lives But 1 Face: Boston Vets Reattach Face Of Kitty Slashed By Fan Belt
Baltimore Sun reports veterinarians performed a surgery to reattach the face of a cat. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/custom/offbeat/sns-ap-odd-cat-reattached-face,0,5267459.storyPosted by sball at 11:45 AM | Comments (0)
Tracking Deadly Viruses' Spread from Animals to Humans
CNN.com reports Central Africans with limited food supply kill "bush meat". The hunters are exposed to potentially deadly zoonotic viruses that spread around world. http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/12/08/pip.zoonotics/index.htmlPosted by sball at 11:11 AM | Comments (0)
Woman 'pregnant' with Monkey Convicted of Smuggling
CNN.com reports a Washington woman faked pregnancy to hide sedated monkey under her blouse to smuggle to monkey from Thailand to the US. http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/12/09/monkey.smuggling/index.htmlPosted by sball at 11:09 AM | Comments (0)
December 05, 2008
Lawyers Turn Career Into Pet Project
Chron.com reports animal law has become growing focus among attorneys. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6148024.htmlPosted by sball at 01:49 PM | Comments (0)
December 04, 2008
Dogs Chase Efficiently, But Cats Skulk Counterintuitively
EurekAlert.org reports a Duke University study shows dogs depend on an energy-efficient style of four-footed running to catch their prey, but cats seem to have evolved a profoundly inefficient gait, tailor-made to creep up on a mouse or bird in slow motion. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-12/du-dce120308.phpPosted by sball at 02:36 PM | Comments (0)
Global Conference Aimed At Implementing Animal Welfare Standards
JAVMA reports the AVMA CEO is encouraging veterinarians worldwide to take responsibility for implementing animal welfare standards. http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/dec08/081215z.aspPosted by sball at 02:21 PM | Comments (0)
December 02, 2008
Service Dogs and the Restaurant Industry
PizzaMarketplace.com reports restaurant operators can avoid litigation, or even worse, a criminal citation, by educating their employees about how to treat customers with service dogs. http://www.pizzamarketplace.com/article.php?id=12610Posted by sball at 03:20 PM | Comments (0)
Tissue Engineering: Strengthening Industry Competitiveness While Reducing Animal Testing
Lifescience-online.com reports the goal of tissue engineering is to recreate the whole or part of human tissues in vitro. http://www.lifescience-online.com/articles.html?portalPage=Lifescience+Today.Articles&a=1015Posted by sball at 03:16 PM | Comments (0)
Aurora Organic Dairy Announces Completion of Validus Animal Welfare Review Certification at Organic Dairies in Colorado and Texas
Organic Dairy Company Scores "Excellent" Rating After Comprehensive Review of Animal Welfare Practices and On-Farm Inspections. http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Aurora-Organic-Dairy-Announces-Completion/story.aspx?guid=%7BB4C8B292-17C7-4917-A415-A3AA4F41C432%7DPosted by sball at 03:15 PM | Comments (0)
Cute Though They May Be, Pets Do Not Make Good Christmas Gifts, Experts Say
The Tribune-Herald reports making a present of a pet isn’t fair to the recipient or the animal, according to animal welfare advocates. http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/12/01/12012008wacpetsasgifts.htmlPosted by sball at 03:12 PM | Comments (0)
Elephant Exhibit Underway at L.A. Zoo Raising a Ruckus
The LA Times reports a city councilman and animal welfare advocates worry the 3.6-acre 'Pachyderm Forest' won't provide enough space and are concerned about overall care. Zoo officials say they're mimicking the wild. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-elephant1-2008dec01,0,1863726.storyPosted by sball at 03:11 PM | Comments (0)
2 Mich. Counties Dropped From Bovine TB Risk Zone
ChicagoTribune.com reports areas in two Michigan counties no longer are considered potential high risk zones for bovine tuberculosis in livestock. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-mi-bovinetuberculosi,0,6595308.storyPosted by sball at 02:25 PM | Comments (0)
Division Over Animal Testing Laws
LabNews.co.us -- "The original animal testing laws must be updated, but has the EU gone too far or not far enough?" http://www.labnews.co.uk/laboratory_article.php/3990/2/2/division-over-animal-testing-lawsPosted by sball at 02:23 PM | Comments (0)
December 01, 2008
Serious Horse Play to Help Train Fire Crews
Wiltshire Times & Chippenham News reports a dummy horse has been bought by Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service in the UK to help firefighters train in animal rescue. http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/inyourtown/wiltshire/3934360.Serious_horse_play_to_help_train_fire_crews/Posted by sball at 11:42 AM | Comments (0)
Protecting The Travelling Pet, British Veterinary Association
Taking your pets abroad. Your guide to diseases encountered abroad. Produced by the British Veterinary Association Animal Welfare Foundation. http://www.bva-awf.org.uk//resources/leaflets/BVA_AWF_Taking_your_pets_abroad_1008.pdfPosted by sball at 11:34 AM | Comments (0)