Companion Animal News for Week of October 29

House passes PACT Act; Poll: Have you ever suspected a pet owner of animal abuse?

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture, or PACT, Act. If passed by the Senate and signed into law by the president, the law would make certain acts of animal cruelty a federal crime. Potential penalties include a fine, a prison sentence of up to seven years, or both, CBS News reports. Today’s Veterinary Nurse (also published by NAVC) asked its Facebook audience whether they’ve ever suspected a pet owner of animal abuse, to which 88% of the 446 respondents said yes. “We’ve acted in the past to stop the horrific trend of animal abuse videos,” said a statement from Representative Ted Deutch, a coauthor of the bill, referring to a 2010 law strengthened in the PACT Act. Now “it’s time to make the underlying acts of cruelty a crime as well,” Deutch said.

Long Island vet school earns Council on Education approval

Long Island University has received a Letter of Reasonable Assurance of accreditation for its College of Veterinary Medicine, Today’s Veterinary Business (also published by NAVC) reports. The notice of accreditation, from the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Education, means the United States will have 32 accredited vet schools. The University of Arizona recently received its own accreditation notice. Like the University of Arizona, Long Island plans to welcome its first class in fall 2020. The school expects to enroll 100 students annually in a four-year program that uses a distributive education model in which students get hands-on clinical experience at off-campus sites. “With our extensive network of research and clinical partners, including pet hospitals, zoos and animal rescues, the entire region has been enthusiastically anticipating approval of the doctor of veterinary medicine program,” said LIU’s veterinary college dean, Dr. Carmen Fuentealba.

AVMA releases Economic State of the Veterinary Profession report

A new report from the AVMA analyzes the markets for veterinarians, veterinary education and veterinary services. According to the organization, this is the first report bringing together research on all three major economic markets that make up the veterinary profession. The research found that the economic state of the veterinary profession is strong, thanks to the expanding economy. Pet owner demand for veterinary services is strong and practice owners have challenges filling open positions amid record unemployment rates. Still, this economic expansion will peak and slow, and veterinarians should be prepared, according to the report, which is available for free to AVMA members.

Raw meat diets could be dangerous for pets and owners, study shows

The majority of commercially produced raw foods in a recent study contained high levels of harmful bacteria, including strains that could transmit diseases to both pets and owners, Science reports. The research team, based at the University of Zurich, bought 51 different raw meat pet meals, including beef, chicken, horse and lamb, produced by eight different unnamed suppliers. Nearly three-fourths of the samples had enterobacteria levels that exceeded regulations set by the European Union for pet food safety. Antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria were identified in 63% of the samples. Salmonella was found in 4% of the samples. According to the study’s lead author, Magdalena Nüesch-Inderbinen, the results suggest raw meat pet foods are far riskier than thought. She advises pet owners who buy these products to be thorough in washing their hands after handling the food and its packaging, and to be aware of the increased risk of bacterial disease in pets.

Pet food brands named by FDA in grain-free alert see sales loss

The 16 pet food brands named most prominently in June by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in its investigation into cases of canine dilated cardiomyopathy are now experiencing sales declines, according to Nielsen analyst Natasha Davis. Overall, the brands’ grain-free dry dog food sales declined about 10% from mid-July through the first week of October. Nielsen’s data showed that the decline in grain-free dog food sales started in 2018 and throughout the first part of 2019, following the FDA’s previous DCM investigation alerts in July 2018 and February 2019. The 16 brands named in the June notice have seen declines in pet food sales overall as well, Petfood Industry reports.

Covetrus and Idexx announce leadership changes

Veterinary software company Covetrus announced that Benjamin Shaw has stepped down as the company’s president and CEO and will be a strategic adviser to the board. Benjamin Wolin, who currently serves as the company’s board chair, will take the role of acting CEO and president. Diagnostic manufacturer Idexx, meanwhile, announced that its own chair and CEO, Jonathan Ayers, is stepping down permanently after a June bicycling accident injured his spinal cord and paralyzed most of his body. Ayers said in a statement that he would continue working with Idexx as a director and senior adviser to the board. The company’s board of directors appointed executive vice president Jay Mazelsky as president and CEO of the company effective immediately. Mazelsky had been serving as interim president and CEO in Ayers’ absence, the Portland, Maine, Press Herald reports.

Website aims to educate consumers on how to get their dogs responsibly

The Pet Leadership Council launched a website, called Be Dog Smart, for consumers to consult for advice when they’re planning to get a dog. It’s part of a consumer education initiative by the PLC. The site has information to help consumers identify responsible breeders, shelters and pet stores. The organization developed the website in partnership with industry experts involved in responsible breeding, shelter and rescues, animal welfare and academia, according to the announcement on the website Pet Business. It’s the result of a national research project by the council that showed proper education on pet acquisition is an area of importance for customers.

BabelBark highlights value of two-way pet journaling for hospice care

BabelBark, a developer of software for pet owners and veterinary clinics, demonstrated to attendees at a recent conference how its asynchronous two-way pet journal assists clients in obtaining high-quality hospice and palliative care. The pet journal includes a list of medications and compliance logs, diet, nutrition and the ability to record weight changes. For example, if a hospice patient visits a specialist and a new diet or medication regimen begins, each care team member on the platform is notified through the pet journal. The feature “is a critical time-saving tool that can reduce the stress on the entire care team while aggregating all care providers’ observations on one platform,” said Dr. Mary Gardner, a BabelBark advisory board member and cofounder of Lap of Love, a hospice and in-home animal euthanasia service.