Top Stories
Pet Industry Market Recap 2024: Shifting Trends and Strategic Moves in a Changing Landscape
Source: PR Newswire The pet services industry faced challenges in 2024, including shifting consumer behavior, rising labor costs, and declining revenues, particularly in daycare services. In-home pet care gained market share in urban areas, pressuring traditional...
VCA Shrinks Its Urgent Care Footprint
Source: VIN News VCA Animal Hospitals is permanently closing at least 17 urgent care centers across five states, marking a shift from its previous expansion strategy. Originally launched in 2022, VCA's urgent care centers aimed to provide same-day or next-day care for...
Study Links Owner Demographics and Canine Nutrition
Source: dvm 360 A study from the Dog Aging Project (DAP) at Texas A&M University and Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine found that an owner’s age significantly influences their dog’s diet more than their education or income. Researchers analyzed data...
New Animal Food Ingredient Review Process is Approved by AAFCO
Source: dvm 360 The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has approved a proposal from Kansas State University’s (KSU) Olathe Innovation Campus to oversee scientific reviews of new animal food ingredient submissions for AAFCO’s Official Publication....
Pet Sustainability Coalition Secures WPA Good Works Grant to Support Environmental Initiatives in the Pet Industry
Source: Pet Sustainability Coalition The Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC) has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the WPA Good Works program to enhance sustainability efforts in the pet industry. The funding will support initiatives such as promoting eco-friendly...
‘He Was a Gentle Giant’: Owner Mourns Loss of Dog After Attack by Skunk with Rabies
Source: ABC 13 News A rabid skunk attacked a dog named Hagrid in the Forestdale Subdivision of Lynchburg, Virginia, over the weekend. The Virginia Department of Health confirmed that the skunk tested positive for rabies. Hagrid’s owner, Mary Dietrich, heard barking...
Border Collies Out-Sniff Some Hunting Dogs in Scientific Smell Competition
Source: Popular Science A recent study published in Scientific Reports examined how scent detection ability varies among dog breeds. Surprisingly, border collies—a herding breed—outperformed some traditional hunting dogs like golden retrievers, vizslas, and...
Wake County Animal Center Temporarily Closes Due to Canine Illness
Source: CBS 17 The Wake County Animal Center in Raleigh, N.C., is temporarily closing for at least 30 days due to an outbreak of Streptococcus zooepidemicus (Strep zoo), a contagious respiratory illness in dogs. Three dogs at the shelter have died from the disease,...
‘Fast-Acting Poison’ Suspected in Deaths of More Than 30 Animals in Tucson Including Pets
Source: AZ Central JBS has partnered with stakeholders to donate 3 million livestock tags to improve cattle traceability in Pará, Brazil, aiming to track every head of cattle in the state by 2026. Pará, home to Brazil’s second-largest cattle herd, is the focus of this...
JBS Donates 3M Livestock Tags to Boost Cattle Traceability in Pará
Source: iGrow News JBS has partnered with stakeholders to donate 3 million livestock tags to improve cattle traceability in Pará, Brazil, aiming to track every head of cattle in the state by 2026. Pará, home to Brazil’s second-largest cattle herd, is the focus of this...
States Join Prop 12 Appeal to SCOTUS
Source: Great American Crop Twenty-three states have joined the Iowa Pork Producers Association in appealing to the Supreme Court to challenge California’s Proposition 12, which regulates nationwide pork farming practices. The appeal follows the Ninth Circuit Court’s...
Weber County Animal Shelter Euthanizes about 20 Dogs Due to Parvo Outbreak
Source: KUTV A parvovirus outbreak at the Weber County Animal Shelter in Ogden, Utah, led to the euthanization of about 20 dogs. Shelter officials addressed concerns on Facebook, clarifying that the no-kill shelter had to follow American Veterinary Medical...
Fear Free® Expands Reach with the Launch of Emergency & Urgent Care Veterinary Practice Certification
Source: Cision PR Web Fear Free® has launched a new Emergency & Urgent Care Practice Certification to ensure low-stress care for pets in critical situations. This program expands the organization’s mission of reducing fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) in animals by...
Feather in Her Cap Association Names Winners for Outstanding Achievements in Animal Health Industry
Source: Pet Age The Feather in Her Cap Association celebrated the achievements of women in the Animal Health industry at its eighth annual awards ceremony, honoring leaders for their contributions to Veterinary medicine and innovation. Laurie Hueneke Martens,...
AVMA Leaders Discuss How to Strengthen Rural Veterinary Medicine
Source: AVMA News The AVMA House of Delegates (HOD) has urged the AVMA Board of Directors to prioritize resources supporting veterinarians in rural practices. Their goal is to improve recruitment and retention by leveraging data-driven resources, partnering with other...
Why People Are Naming Bugs, Rats and Cats After Their Exes This Valentine’s Day
Source: AP News Animal shelters and zoos across the U.S. are offering unique anti-Valentine’s Day fundraisers, allowing people to symbolically get revenge on their exes while supporting a cause. Options include naming feral cats before they are neutered, or naming...
Richmond Vet Nurse Creates ‘Animalance RVA’ to Transport Pets in Need
Source: CBS 6 News Richmond Veterinary nurse Becky Lacy has launched Animalance RVA, a specialized pet transport service in Richmond to assist pet owners facing mobility or transportation challenges. With over 20 years of experience, Lacy was part of the team that...
Infectious Parasite Found in Invasive Snail Species, Georgia Department of Natural Resources Says
Source: Atlanta News First The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has detected rat lungworm, a dangerous parasite, in invasive apple and mystery snails found in the state. Originally from South America and East Asia, these snails are illegal in Georgia. Rat...
Deadly Virus Spreading in Tenderloin’s Canine Population
Source: The San Francisco Standard A deadly outbreak of parvovirus, a highly contagious and often fatal illness in dogs, is spreading in San Francisco’s Tenderloin and SoMa neighborhoods. Cases have surged since 2022, particularly in areas with high numbers of...
Democratizing Cancer Care
Source: Today's Veterinary Business Precision oncology is revolutionizing cancer treatment for dogs, offering targeted therapies based on tumor DNA. With nearly six million canine cancer diagnoses annually and only 600 Veterinary oncologists in the U.S., most dogs...
New Veterinary Certificate in Anesthesia and Sedation is Launched
Source: dvm 360 A new Veterinary certificate program, Foundations of Anesthesia and Sedation Veterinary Certificate, has been launched to enhance anesthesia competency in U.S. Veterinary practices. Developed by Parnell and IGNITE Veterinary Solutions, the self-paced...
American Bald Eagles are Having a Moment, Ecologically and Culturally
Source: AP News The bald eagle, once an endangered species, has made a remarkable comeback. Once reduced to a single nest in New Jersey in the 1980s, the eagle population has surged to nearly 300 in the state, leading to its removal from endangered lists. The banning...
How Vet Schools are Trying to Address the Mental Health Challenges Plaguing Veterinarians
Source: PBS News Veterinarians face significant mental health challenges, with suicide rates twice as high as the general population. Chelsea Van Thof, a veterinarian, lost her partner and vet school classmate, Peter Tripp, to suicide, highlighting the emotional toll...
‘Perfect Rat Storm’: Urban Rodent Numbers Soar as the Climate Heats, Study Finds
Source: The Guardian Rat populations are surging in major cities globally due to rising temperatures, according to a study published in Science Advances. Researchers analyzed rat sightings and infestation reports from 16 cities, finding significant increases in 11,...
Legislation Supports Murray State Veterinary Medicine School
Source: Radio NWTN Support is growing for the establishment of a School of Veterinary Medicine at Murray State University as Kentucky's 2025 legislative session progresses. House Bill 153, introduced by State Representative Mary Beth Imes with 20 co-sponsors, seeks to...