New York bill would ban declawing cats

A proposed bill would ban the declawing of cats in the state of New York. Declawing is already illegal in Los Angeles and several other California cities, but if the bill became law, New York would be the first state to ban declawing. New York’s Veterinary Medical Society opposes the bill, arguing that declawing must remain as a final option for owners who would otherwise surrender their cats to shelters, where many could be euthanized.

FDA cracks down on unproven cancer treatment claims

The Food and Drug Administration has sent warning letters to 14 companies, ordering them to stop making claims about the anti-cancer properties of their products. The products have not been approved by the FDA, and administration voiced concern that people would go to these products instead of seeking appropriate care. The companies have 15 days to correct violations or provide a plan to correct violations.

University of Arizona’s veterinary school proposal rejected

The University of Arizona’s proposed veterinary school has been put on hold until at least 2019. In 2016, the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Education ruled that the university’s plan for a fast-track veterinary school was too flawed to pass. The university appealed the decision but lost the appeal. The council offered to accept a new application in June, but the process to approve that application could take 18 months or more.

Endangered red wolf pups born at Museum of Life and Science

A red wolf female at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, North Carolina, gave birth to a litter of six pups last week. This is the first litter born at a facility since 2002. Red wolves are endangered, totaling about 300 in the wild and in captivity. They were declared extinct in the wild in 1980, and since then zoos, museums, and wildlife facilities have been attempting to bring red wolves’ numbers back up and release some into the wild.

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