DogStar's DogBiz Blog

Xylitol and dogs- poison

Xylitol even in fairly small doses is VERY bad for dogs.
This is a fact and not an internet rumor:

Click here for USA Today article

FDA and Petco Distribution Center:

FDA Requests Seizure of Animal Food Products at PETCO Distribution Center

(http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01854.html)
Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:23:00 -0500
At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Marshals
seized various animal food products stored under unsanitary conditions at the
PETCO Animal Supplies Distribution Center located in Joliet, Ill., pursuant
to a warrant issued by the United States District Court in Chicago.

FDA News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 19, 2008
Media Inquiries:
Kimberly Rawlings, 301-827-6242
Consumer Inquiries:
888-INFO-FDA

FDA Requests Seizure of Animal Food Products at PETCO Distribution Center
Today, at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S.
Marshals seized various animal food products stored under unsanitary conditions
at the PETCO Animal Supplies Distribution Center located in Joliet, Ill.,
pursuant to a warrant issued by the United States District Court in Chicago.
U.S. Marshals seized all FDA-regulated animal food susceptible to rodent and
pest contamination. The seized products violate the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act because it was alleged in a case filed by the United States
Attorney that they were being held under unsanitary conditions. (The Act uses
the term "insanitary" to describe such conditions).

During an FDA inspection of a PETCO distribution center in April, widespread
and active rodent and bird infestation was found. The FDA inspected the
facility again in May and found continuing and widespread infestation.
"We simply will not allow a company to store foods under filthy and
unsanitary conditions that occur as a direct result of the company's failure to
adequately control and prevent pests in its facility," said Margaret O'K.
Glavin, associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. "Consumers expect that such
safeguards will be in place not only for human food, but for pet food as well."

The distribution center in Joliet, Ill., provides pet food products and
supplies to PETCO retail stores in 16 states including Alabama, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.
FDA has no reports of pet illness or death associated with consumption of
animal food distributed by PETCO, and does not have evidence that the food is
unsafe for animals. However, the seized products were in permeable packages and
held under conditions that could affect the food's integrity and quality.
As a precaution, consumers who have handled products originating from the
PETCO distribution center should thoroughly wash their hands with hot water and
soap. Any surfaces that came in contact with the packages should be washed as
well. Consumers are further advised as a precaution to thoroughly wash
products sold in cans and glass containers from PETCO in the 16 affected
states.

If a pet has become ill after eating these food products, pet owners should
contact their veterinarian and report illnesses to FDA state consumer
complaint coordinators (http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html)

Dogfighting Referee gets 13 years.

Dogfighting referee tied to Vick gets 13 years in prison CNN.com

Mandatory Spay/Castration Laws- Not Popular with Public

 

 ================
    Permission to crosspost the below information is granted.      

Mandatory Spay/Castration Laws are Not Popular 
with the Public.
 

A quick review of online polls taken within the past several months  indicate an overwhelming majority of respondents oppose government requirements that pets have their reproductive organs removed.

1. Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, author of last year's sidelined California
    bill AB1634 ran a poll on his website early in 2008 posing the question,
    "Do you support the LA City Ordinance and AB 1634?" The results:
    29.01% voted YES, and 70.99% voted NO. The results are no longer posted
    on his website.   

-     see: http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a40/mainpage.htm  

-     a downloadable PDF with a partial screenshot of the website
    poll is found here: http://petpac.net/ab1634_disaster/   

2. Ed Boks, Director of Los Angeles Animal Services ran a poll on his
    blog asking how Angelinos felt about mandated pet sterilization.
    Results: the public voted about 12% in favor and 87% against such a law.
    The question was supposed to run for almost a month, but was pulled
    after several days. The results are no longer posted on his blog,
    though the results may be found in a search of other online sites which
    noted the results.   

-     see: http://www.laanimalservices.blogspot.com/  

3. A current online poll by MSNBC.com asks, "Do you support legislation
    that would require spay/neuter surgery for pets by ages 4 to 6 months?"
    On June 3rd, 2008 the results are currently 22% YES, 76% NO and 1.6%
    Undecided out of 4,825 responses.   

-     see: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24657403/  

4. PARADE Magazine polled its' readers at Parade.com in April and May
    2008 on the question, "Should owners be required to sterilize their
    pets?" The results: 9% YES (5026 votes) and 91% NO (47,951 votes).
    Total votes were 52,977 as of June 3rd, 2008.   

-     see:
    http://www.parade.com/opencms/opencms/articles/editions/2008/edition_...   

This was actually the second poll run by Parade.com on this question.
    The first poll, taken during March 2008, was ended on 3-27-08 due to an
    'overwhelming response to our poll and the strain on our servers.' More
    robust polling software was used to collect the latter data. The results
    of that first poll were Yes: 22% and NO: 78% (41,798 votes).   

5. In West Virginia, an online poll at gazettemailpets.com asked the
    question, "Do you believe we should have mandatory spay/neuter laws in
    WV?" As of June 3rd, 2008 the poll response is 11% YES (340 votes) to
    89% NO (2868 votes).   

-     see: http://www.gazettemailpets.com/  

6. On June 2, 2008 an online poll was conducted by TV station Channel 5,
    WRAL in North Carolina asked the question, "Do you support requiring all
    pet owners to have their dogs and cats spayed or neutered?" This poll
    provided a number of possible responses, with results as follows after
    one day:   

36% (2037 votes) – Yes, it'll keep unadopted cats and dogs from being
    euthanized   

6% (320 votes)   - Yes, it'll save taxpayer money  

46% (2651 votes) – No, it infringes on the rights of pet owners  

8% (471 votes)   – No, it seems impractical or ineffective  

4% (249 votes)   – Not sure  

42% total voted Yes; 54% total voted NO from a total of 5,728 votes.
  The poll was online for one day, then removed. See: http://wral.com/

 

800 small dogs seized:

Read about it here!

Vick's Pit Bulls

Vick's former pit bulls making progress in rehabilitation at Utah animal sanctuary.

Read the article here.

Toys for Tots! Help us raise the necessary funds:

Toys for Tots:
Please help us raise funds for this very worthwhile project.

Thank you,
Eric Lundquist
from Dogstar and Rational Dog Training

CPAC = Canine Political Action Corps for DogTrainers and Groomers

VERY IMPORTANT new CPAC for many Dog Professionals Please Read in Full.

CPAC is The Canine Political Action Corps, Inc.  We are a 501(c)6 nonprofit organization formed for the specific purpose of monitoring government activity relating to the professions of dog training and dog grooming in order to influence any legislation as early in the process as possible, defeat harmful legislation, and encourage legislation beneficial to the professions.  CPAC is the legislative foundation for canine professionals.

CPAC is the only organization dedicated solely to keeping vigil for pending legislation that would affect the business of dog training and dog grooming and interacting on behalf of those canine professions.

Pit Bulls Out of the Doghouse

As always I am looking for interesting articles portraying the good and the bad in the dog world. This is a rather REFRESHING story of our often maligned dogs known as the Pit Bull.

Link: Pit Bulls Out of the Doghouse - Los Angeles Times.

Service Dogs:

Link: Service dogs still not welcome | Chicago Tribune.

These sort of matters, people claiming a dog is a service dog when in fact it is not, has been a topic of discussion recently on some of the dog training/trainers forums I am on. I thought this an interetsing article and since so current I decided to share it.