pet connection

Welcome to the end of a long, wild year.

Killing another myth from the recall: Although Teh Internets are wonderful, and you can find all sorts of fascinating information, some of it is flat out wrong.  To wit, rumors alleging that all the money due to plaintiffs in the 2007 pet food recall case against Menu Foods has been soaked up/absconded with/embezzled/stolen by the law firm and now there’s nothing left.    Good conspiracy theory, albeit wildly inaccurate.  Dr. Marion Nestle concisely debunks it over at Food Politics.  While  it’s certainly unfair that the money is still tied up in appeals, it’s definitely all there.

From the Department of WTF: Gina sent me this story out of Seattle, which I had to read not once, not twice, but three times for it to fully sink in.   Question for you: If you take your dog to a kennel, then come back some days later to pick him/her up, would you be able to recognize your dog?   Two families (not just one) couldn’t. To the kennel folks:  Quality control is important.  You know, nametags and stuff.  To the owners:  Perhaps you should consider spending more time with your dog so that you can remember what he looks like.

It was Christmas Day when the Petersons, still puzzling over the changes in their dog, realized she wasn’t really Bella. Stacey Peterson joked that perhaps Bella had changed so much that she didn’t have a gap between two of her teeth anymore.

When they looked, she didn’t.

“Clearly this dog had all her teeth,” Peterson said. “And that’s when things started to make sense.”

Psst. Don’t drop your kids off anywhere, OK?  We don’t want to read about you in the news twice.  KThnx.

Ketamine recall expanding: Teva has been in trouble before, as noted here by Christie.  Now, a new chapter: After five cats in Texas died, Teva  expanded their ketamine recall:

According to the FDA, reported problems with Teva’s ketamine include lack of effect, prolonged effect and death.

I’m not a veterinarian, but I’m pretty sure that in an anaesthetic, none of those are considered desirable outcomes, particularly the last one.

Dogfighting tied to RICO: The RICO laws cover racketeering, and were designed to go after organized crime.   Now, the state of New Jersey is considering legislation to treat the heads of dogfighting operations as if they were Mafia dons.

Under the senators’ plan, a dogfighting organizer or financier would face much stiffer sentences: five to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $150,000, or both. Because being a leader could trigger the state’s RICO laws, the penalty would grow if the organizer was convicted of a violent offense or gun crime in connection with dogfighting.

The state also could seize the profits garnered by dogfighting leaders.

Let’s hope so.

Dog sitters, take note: In Wisconsin, a woman allowed a friend to stay with her briefly, along with her two dogs.  One of the dogs attacked someone.   Who’s liable?  The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled the homeowner is, even though it wasn’t her dog.

State law says a person who owns, harbors or keeps a dog is liable for damages the dog causes. Seefeldt’s attorneys argued that she was not the dog’s keeper because the owner was in full control of them at the time of the attack.

Evidently not full control….

Continuing the series on ending pet homelessness: This is direct from the Fabulous Christie Keith (bet you didn’t know that Christie is her middle name.  She’s very modest.) … This Monday, January 4, there will be a chat over at PetHobbyist (where she’s an editor) specifically devoted to networking between rescue groups and shelters.   Details here.

I love my vet: My colleague Phyllis DeGioia gets last mention here, on the important, though often unseen wonderfulness of vets everywhere.  We share her with Veterinary Partner and VIN News Service. She rocks, everywhere.

OK, gang, that’s it for me for 2009.  I hope everyone has a safe, peaceful and happy new year.  See you in 2010!

Photo credit: LaiLa: Stacey Peterson