“A Frankenstein monster”: Why the Labradoodle creator regrets breeding the dogs

Wally Conron, original breeder of the popular crossbreed Labradoodle says he regrets creating the breed—and the craze around it that followed—which he now calls “a Frankenstein monster.” Conron described how the Labradoodle and hype around the dog have veered far from his original purpose in mixing a Labrador retriever and a poodle. “I released the reason for these unethical, ruthless people to breed these dogs and sell them for big bucks—that’s my big regret,” he said. The Labradoodle was first bred not for its cute face or scruffy hair, but to solve a problem. . . . more

Vermin, anyone? Louisiana company turns invasive swamp rodents into dog treats

The state of Louisiana is upping the bounty on nutria rodents that devour and ruin thousands of acres of marshland in coastal Louisiana every year. The rodents have been eating away at the state’s marshland, which protects already-vulnerable Louisiana from major storms. The wetlands absorb wind and rain and help sustain wildlife, but they have been virtually eliminated by pesky nutria as their population continues to grow. A ramped-up market for nutria meat could help the state reverse course on the destruction caused by the swamp rodent. Marsh Dog, a dog food company based in Baton Rouge, believes its company is one of the keys to preserving the state’s marshland. It has opened a new market for nutria meat, from which it will produce dog treats. . . . more

Elanco to cut 250 jobs

Elanco Animal Health says it is eliminating approximately 250 jobs across multiple locations and departments in an effort to “enhance productivity and drive efficiency.” Cuts include discontinuing research and development operations in Prince Edward Island, Canada, as well as ceasing some operations at its site in Wusi, China. Elanco says it expects to realize at least $12 million of savings in 2020 from the restructuring, but adds doing so will cost approximately $50 million, with about $30 million relating to non-cash-asset write downs. Elanco recently acquired Bayer’s animal health division in a transaction valued at $7.6 billion. . . . more

FDA cautions pet owners not to feed pets Performance Dog raw pet food due to Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is cautioning pet owners not to feed their pets any Performance Dog frozen raw pet food after a sample tested positive for Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono). Two samples of different finished products collected during an inspection of Bravo Packing, Inc., the manufacturer of Performance Dog raw pet food, tested positive for Salmonella and/or L. mono. One of the products sampled had not yet been distributed. The FDA is issuing this alert because Performance Dog raw pet food represents a serious threat to human and animal health. Because these products are sold and stored frozen, The FDA is concerned that people may still have them in their possession. . . . more

TripAdvisor will no longer sell tickets to sites that breed whales and dolphins

Online travel giant TripAdvisor is making a big change to its policy on animal attractions. The company announced it will no longer sell tickets to or make money from attractions that breed or import captive whales and dolphins. According to TripAdvisor, the move is the latest refinement to the company’s animal welfare policy, which was launched in 2016. The policy outlines specific experiences and events TripAdvisor will not sell tickets to, including events in which animals are “forced to perform demeaning tricks or other unnatural behaviors.” TripAdvisor confirmed that large attractions like SeaWorld will be affected. . . . more