23 more cats rescued from animal hoarder’s property

Nearly two dozen more living cats have been rescued from a Madrid, Iowa, property where a man lived with hundreds of living and dead cats in horrendous conditions. The Animal Rescue League (ARL) is now caring for 142 cats rescued from in and around the home of 65-year-old Dennis Carlson. 194 dead cats have also been found on Carlson’s property, including some being stored in refrigerators. Carlson is facing multiple charges of animal neglect and failure to properly dispose of a dead animal. The ARL has been working at Carlson’s home since last week to find living cats and take them in for veterinary care. Two kittens were reportedly found trapped in a box in Carlson’s home. Every surface of Carlson’s home is reportedly covered in at least six inches of cat feces. . . . more

Police, FBI investigating shooting death of South Jordan veterinarian

Numerous questions remain after a South Jordan, Utah, veterinarian was shot and killed Saturday night in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For the past two years, Cody Wrathall, DVM, worked as an equine veterinarian at South Valley Large Animal Clinic, which is 585 miles away from where Wrathall was killed. According to Albuquerque police, the 43-year-old father of three entered the Nexus Brewery and Restaurant holding a gun. An off-duty FBI agent, who happened to be inside, drew his weapon and fired. . . . more

California man bitten after kicking mama bear who attacked his dog

A Southern California man proved his love for his dog when he defended it from a bear attack, according to police. Authorities received a 911 call Monday afternoon from a woman reporting that her neighbor had been bitten by a bear, Sierra Madre Police Chief Jim Hunt told ABC News. The small mixed-breed dog had confronted a bear cub who wandered into the yard on Hermosa Avenue in Sierra Madre, Hunt said. When the mama bear saw the dog acting aggressively toward the cub, she attacked him. The resident was afraid that the bear was going to kill his dog, so he went up and kicked the bear. . . . more

Ohio State University to build 35,000-square-foot veterinary hospital

Veterinary students at The Ohio State University (OSU) are set to receive more comprehensive hands-on training, thanks to the introduction of a new 35,000-square-foot hospital. The Frank Stanton Veterinary Spectrum of Care Clinic will train students to manage patients across the entire range of care, including alternative diagnostic and treatment techniques. Students will also become familiar with a range of clinical procedures and post-visit care protocols as well as fine-tune their practice- and business-management skills. The clinic will also offer a realistic private practice environment to enhance the clinical training of students in all four years of OSU’s veterinary program. . . . more

Don't kiss your pet hedgehog, US health officials warn as Salmonella hits 17 states

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has again warned pet owners against kissing and snuggling their hedgehogs as a Salmonella outbreak linked to contact with the animals spread to 17 states. The CDC said 27 people had been infected with a strain of Salmonella typhimurium, including two people who were hospitalized. Forty-two percent of the patients are children 12 or younger. This particular Salmonella strain was identified in samples collected from 10 hedgehogs in Minnesota, where five cases have been reported. Other states with reported cases include California, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. . . . more