Denver mayor will veto legislation that would end the city’s 30-year ban on pit bulls

Denver’s mayor announced he will veto an amendment which would overturn a 30-year ban on pit bulls, saying he reached his decision after receiving “[more than] 900 emails and a couple hundred phone calls.” The legislation, which was passed by the City Council on February 11, proposed that pit bull owners be required to register with Denver Animal Protection (DAP) and get a “breed-restricted license.” Licenses are already required for all cats and dogs. Pit bull owners would have to adhere to a list of requirements, including paying an annual fee and notifying DAP within eight hours if their dog bites or escapes—and within 24 hours if the dog dies or the owner moves—and limits the number of pit bulls to two per household. . . . more

Coronavirus epidemic snarls science worldwide

Normal daily life has come to a virtual standstill in large parts of China as a result of the epidemic of COVID-19—and so has science. Universities across the country remain closed; access to labs is restricted, projects have been mothballed, field work interrupted, and travel severely curtailed. But scientists elsewhere in the world are noticing an impact as well, as collaborations with China are on pause and scientific meetings for the next five months have been canceled or postponed. The damage to science pales compared to the human suffering; the total number of cases has risen to more than 71,000 according to the World Health Organization, almost 99% of them in China. Still, for individual researchers the losses can be serious—and stressful. . . . more

Cat shot through head with arrow, undergoes surgery

A cat who had been shot through the head with an arrow underwent surgery last weekend at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington, Virginia. The young orange tabby had been found in West Virginia with an arrow that had passed through the right side of his head, inflicting a “horrific injury,” the organization said in an online posting. Remarkably, the arrow didn’t penetrate any major organs or arteries. However, the cat had a very serious infection that had spread from the tip of the arrowhead. Veterinary personnel worked for two hours to remove the arrow, treat the infection, and sew up major wounds. The staff used bolt cutters to take off the tip of the arrow. . . . more

New report reveals huge market for CBD pet products

The booming CBD market has spawned a very interesting subset within its category—pet products. Recently, data-measuring company Nielsen partnered with Headset, a provider of data and analytics for the legal cannabis industry, to unveil a new report that shows there’s a huge market opportunity for CBD pet products. Among its most telling projection—hemp-based CBD products will make up 3% to 5% of all hemp CBD sales within the US. by 2025. Among the report’s other finding: the average price per pound for CBD dog treats is twice that of the average dog treat. . . . more

Dogs could be the missing link for understanding human brain cancer

Diffuse gliomas are a common form of brain cancer. They develop in the central nervous system and affect glial cells in the brain. Doctors find these tumors notoriously difficult to treat, and survival rates are low, with only 5% of people surviving for five years or more. There is an undeniable gap in knowledge about these cancers. Scientists do not understand their molecular pathology or how the glial cells progress to malignancy. However, they do know that dogs are as susceptible to developing gliomas as humans are. Previous research has shown that adult dogs often develop these cancers at around the same age in human years as children, suggesting that there may be a link between brain age and glioma development. . . . more