Addressing the Issue of Animal Homing Part 4

On 13 October 2010, the International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies will turn attention to strategies and codes of conduct for homing animals in urban municipalities.

Passions run deep when the industry talks about homing. Who is the real target as the companion animal industry tries to clean up homing issues?

Discussion of this topic produces questions:

•    Why are retailers and breeders so often the target?

•    Can industry work together to control demand through education and community expectations?

•    Why don’t breeders have a better relationship with retailers?

•    How do the vast number of animals being homed come into our communities every year?

•    How can the industry target sub-standard animals/breeders who access their clients via the Internet?

To read about and comment on the role of pet retailers and animal welfare organizations in relation to animal homing, scroll down to blog posts Parts 2 and 3 below.

To read about and comment on the role of breeders in relation to animal homing, read the blog post for August 20 ... click here.

Join your executive level peers and contribute to the formation of homing strategies at the 5th Annual International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies. Your opinion matters! Register now. Keep informed of Summit events and deadlines on our Summit blog.

Provide your comments to this discussion below.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Addressing the Issue of Animal Homing Part 3

On 13 October 2010, the International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies will turn attention to strategies and codes of conduct for homing animals in urban municipalities.

Animal welfare organizations believe that spay/neuter programs are an important part of controlling overpopulation.

Discussion about high volume spay/neuter programs has produced questions:

•    Are health care providers overcharging for spay/neuter procedures?

•    Who should pay for high volume spay/neuter programs?

•    Can spay/neuter programs support lifetime relationships with community health care  providers?

•    Can industry adopt a code of conduct that provides for all non-breeder animals to be sterilized?

•    Do high volume spay/neuter programs take clients away from veterinarians in the community?

To read about and comment on the role of pet retailers in relation to animal homing, scroll down to Part 2 below.

To read about and comment on the role of breeders in relation to animal homing, check the blog post for August 20. Click here.

For thought provoking questions that affect the companion animal industry as a whole, watch for Part 4 of this series to post on August 31.


Join your executive level peers and contribute to the formation of homing strategies at the 5th Annual International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies. Your opinion matters! Register now. Keep informed of Summit events and deadlines on our Summit blog.

Addressing the Issue of Animal Homing Part 2

On 13 October 2010, the International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies will turn attention to strategies and codes of conduct for homing animals in urban municipalities.

Retailers believe they have the right to sell companion animals at prices the market will bear. 

Discussions about retailers and their practices has produced questions:

·       Who is buying that little doggy in the window?

·       Can retailers become partners in adoption for the animal welfare sector?

·       What codes of conduct and attributes identify a responsible retailer?

·       Is adoption a better model for homing animals from retailers than sale?

·       Should retailers be allowed to sell unaltered animals?

·       Who enforces the codes of conduct for retailer compliance?

For thought-provoking questions about animal breeders and the homing issue click here.

For more dialogue on this topic, watch for Parts 3 and 4 of this series to post on August 29 and 31.

Join your executive level peers and contribute to the formation of homing strategies at the 5th Annual International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies. Your opinion matters! Register now. Keep informed of Summit events and deadlines on our Summit blog.

Provide your comments to this discussion below.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

P&G Issues Voluntary Recall of Specialized Dry Pet Foods

In keeping with its steadfast commitment to animal health and safety, on July 30, 2010, the Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) voluntarily expanded a recent USA only recall of a select number of dry pet foods. 

The recall now includes Iams Veterinary Dry Formulas and some Specialized Eukanuba Dry Formula pet foods sold in veterinary clinics and specialty pet retailers in the USA and Canada.

This recall is a precautionary measure because these products were made in a single, specialized facility where it was determined that some products made at the facility may have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella. No salmonella-related illnesses have been reported and no canned pet food, biscuits/treats or supplements are affected by this announcement.