TFACS is your resource for everything related toanimal welfare.We have the answers to any of your problems, from cost per animal in a contract, marketing, shelter evaluations, cleaning procedures and what to use, to legislative and ordinance answers. We're here for YOU!!
Annual Report on Animal Abuse
The Animal Legal Defense Fund released its fourth annual report about animal abuse. The report ranks the strength of animal protection laws in every state and U.S. territory.
This year the five states with the least amount of protection for animals are: Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, and North Dakota. Kentucky ranked as the number one worst state in the nation - where animal abusers received the lightest convictions.
The top five states with the most stringent sentencing for abusers and the toughest laws to protect animals were: Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Oregon and California.
Stephen Otto, Animal Legal Defense Fund director of legislative affairs, was pleased with the progress that a number of states have made in 2009. “Many states and territories are continuing to make substantial progress with their animal protection laws. Arkansas, for example, was one of the worst five states last year, but jumped up to 25th overall in the country this year, due to a host of statutory improvements,” Otto said.
“Washington D.C. and Indiana, among others, also made significant advances. Unfortunately, there are still many places where the laws are incapable of providing the legal protection that our country’s animals need and deserve," stated Otto.
He continued by reminding states, “Yet even in those jurisdictions that have today’s best laws, there remain many opportunities for improvement. While animals certainly do not vote, those who love and care about them do, so we encourage lawmakers throughout the country to take heed and commit to working to improve these critical laws.”
The Animal Protection Report ranks states in three tiers - Top, Middle and Bottom. See where your state stands on protecting animals from abuse.
Top Tier: CA, CO, DE, IL, IN, KS, ME, MA, MI, MN, NE, OR, RI, TN, WA, WV, WI, VT and VA.
Middle Tier: AZ, AR, CT, DC, FL, GA, LA, MO, MT, NH, NY, NC, OH, OK, PA, Puerto Rico, SC, UT and Virgin Islands.
Bottom Tier: AL, AK, American Samoa, Guam, HI, ID, IA, KY, MD, MS, NV, NJ, NM, ND, Northern Mariana Islands, SD, TX and WY.
_____________________________________________________
2009 H1N1 Influenza Virus
2009 H1N1 influenza virus confirmed in Iowa cat
November 4, 2009 – A 13-year old cat in Iowa developed signs of a respiratory infection after several people in the household were ill. Preliminary testing was positive for 2009 H1N1 on October 29, and the results were confirmed on November 2. This is the first report of a cat infected with H1N1. The cat has recovered from its illness.
To date, this is the first cat confirmed infected with the 2009 H1N1 virus. Two ferrets, one in Oregon and one in Nebraska, have also recently been confirmed infected with the 2009 H1N1 virus. The Nebraska ferret died, but the Oregon ferret has recovered. To date, there is no evidence that the ferrets or the cat passed the virus to people.
The American Veterinary Medical Association and American Association of Feline Practitioners are reminding pet owners that many viruses can pass between people and animals, so this was not an altogether unexpected event. We are advising pet owners to monitor their pets’ health very closely, no matter what type of animal, and visit a veterinarian if there are any signs of illness.
For more information, view the AVMA’s press release on the Iowa case or visit the AVMA’s H1N1 resources Web page.
Information About Swine Flu
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security:
.People cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products.
People cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products.Most influenza viruses, including the swine flu virus, are not spread by food. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe. No food safety issues have been identified, related to the flu. Preliminary investigations have determined that none of the people infected with the flu had contact with hogs. The virus is spreading by human-to-human transmission. The CDC recommends the following measures to prevent the transmission of flu:
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands frequently and use alcohol-based sanitizers. Try not touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus.Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Try to stay in good general health. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress,drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.
Detailed information and updates on the flu outbreak may be obtained at:
Texas Department of State Health Services
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/ (then click on "Swine Flu")
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/
If you own swine, consider the following practices to enhance the biosecurity on your farm to prevent the disease from being transmitted to your herd:
Workers should shower and change into farm-specific clothes and shoes before entering swine facilities. Establish, implement and enforce strict sick leave policies forworkers presenting influenza-like symptoms.
Recommend that workers with symptoms be seen by a medical provider immediately. Restrict the entry of people into your facility to only workers andessential service personnel.
Prevent international visitors from entering your facilities. Ensure adequate ventilation in facilities to minimize re-circulation of air inside animal housing facilities. Vaccinate pigs against the influenza virus. Vaccination of pigscan reduce the levels of virus shed by infected animals
Contact your swine veterinarian if swine exhibit flu-like orrespiratory illness, especially if the onset or presentation of the illness is unusual.
Notify your Texas Animal Health Commission area office or theAustin headquarters at 800-550-8242, after you have contacted your veterinarian.
The Texas Animal Health Commission is ready to assist with on-farm investigations, if pigs are present where a known human case has occurred, and to assist with epidemiological investigations with any human cases that may have links to swine in Texas.
More information for producers may be obtained at:
National Pork Producers Council http://www.nppc.org/ Texas Pork Producers Association http://www.texaspork.org/
_________________________________________________
COCOA MULCH
As soon as the weather breaks again many homeowners and gardeners are sure to be outside getting their hands dirty. But veterinarians say a sweet-smelling mulch can be deadly to certain family pets.
"Cocoa mulch is a risk, especially to dogs,” said Dr. Larry Family of Aqueduct Animal Hospital.Found in most home garden centers, cocoa mulch is known for its fine texture and the sweet smell the fresh mulch gives off.“The weird thing is, it smells like a chocolate Pop Tart. That's the best way I can describe it. It really does have a chocolate scent to it,” explained Shane Compton of Hewitt's Garden Center.
But getting past the scent, Family says cocoa mulch can be dangerous if a dog starts eating it. It contains two key ingredients found in chocolate: theobromine and caffeine. Similar to eating chocolate, he says a dog that eats just a few ounces of cocoa mulch could starting having stomach problems and it could get worse if it eats more.
"As time goes on they might act restless, excited, it can produce tremors and seriously seizures,” Family explained.Compton says cocoa mulch is not that popular at his store, but says it has its regular customers who every now and then wonder about the rumors they hear and the effect it has on man's best friend.
“There's always stories on the Internet, but in the 30 years we've been here we've actually never heard of any body's dog getting sick,” Compton said.
Family adds that while pet owners might not know it, the information out there on cocoa mulch is much more than just an urban legend or Internet myth if a dog gets its paws on it. “Puppies are very curious animals. So they've going to be attracted to various things around the yard and it seems to be more severe in the small breeds and it depends on the amount they actually ingest,” Family said.
If you have a dog and a yard Family says the best bet is to just stay away from cocoa mulch.If you're still looking for a sweet-smelling mulch without the potentially hazardous effects Compton recommends any type of cedar product.ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Issues Cocoa Bean Fertilizer Warning
Friday March 14, 2003
Organic mulch fertilizer may pose hazard to dogs.As spring approaches, people will start to tend their lawns and gardens. Many will consider using cocoa bean mulch as a fertilizer. Made from spent cocoa beans used in chocolate production, cocoa bean mulch is organic, deters slugs and snails, and gives a garden an appealing chocolate smell. However, it also attracts dogs, who can easily be poisoned by eating the mulch.
Cocoa beans contain the stimulants caffeine and theobromine. Dogs are highly sensitive to these chemicals, called methylxanthines. In dogs, low doses of methylxanthine can cause mild gastrointestinal upset (vomiting, diarrhea, and/or abdominal pain); higher doses can cause rapid heart rate, muscle tremors, seizures, and death.Eaten by a 50-pound dog, about 2 ounces of cocoa bean mulch may cause gastrointestinal upset; about 4.5 ounces, increased heart rate; about 5.3 ounces, seizures; and over 9 ounces, death. (In contrast, a 50-pound dog can eat up to about 7.5 ounces of milk chocolate without gastrointestinal upset and up to about a pound of milk chocolate without increased heart rate.)If you suspect that your dog has eaten cocoa bean mulch, immediately contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center ( 1-888-426-4435). Treatment will depend on how much cocoa bean mulch your dog has eaten, when the mulch was eaten, and whether your dog is sick. Recommended care may include placing your dog under veterinary observation, inducing vomiting, and/or controlling a rapid heart beat or seizures.
Resources
