Friday, April 15, 2011

PA - Puppy lemon law may get new teeth - April 14, 2011

Puppy lemon law may get new teeth. The Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee voted to send a bill (SB27) strengthening the state's 14-year-old puppy lemon law to the Senate floor. The bill, which failed to get a vote last session, comes in response to ongoing complaints about consumers buying sick dogs from breeders and pet stores. Sen. Stewart Greenleaf’s bill would strengthen the law in a number of ways in order to better help consumers recover losses from a seller of a sick dog.

The Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee voted to send a bill (SB27) strengthening the state's 14-year-old puppy lemon law to the Senate floor. The bill, which failed to get a vote last session, comes in response to ongoing complaints about consumers buying sick dogs from breeders and pet stores. Sen. Stewart Greenleaf’s bill would strengthen the law in a number of ways in order to better help consumers recover losses from a seller of a sick dog.

Here's what it does: Extends a consumer’s right to seek reimbursement under the Puppy Lemon Law for incurable as well as curable illnesses. Medical conditions such as hip dysplasia would now be covered.

Extend from 30 to 90 days the time period in which a congenital condition may be certified by a vet in order to recover any losses from a seller. Also, the time period for a veterinarian to certify an illness is extended from 10 to 14 days.

The definition of “unfit for purchase” currently means any disease, deformity, injury, physical condition, illness or any defect which is congenital or hereditary and which “severely affects” the health of the animal. The bill replaces “severely affects” with “a significant adverse effect on” the health of the animal. Greenleaf (R., Montgomery) says by ensuring the health of dogs that are sold in Pennsylvania the bill will help crack down on puppy mills.

Source: Philly Dawg April 14, 2011

Thursday, April 14, 2011

American Veterinary Medical Association Launches MyVeterinarian.com, an Online Search Tool for Pet Owners

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pet owners searching for a veterinarian need look no further than the American Veterinary Medical Association's MyVeterinarian.com.

Only a mouse click away, MyVeterinarian.com provides pet owners with detailed information about veterinary practices from around the country. Whether they're welcoming a new pet to the home, are moving into a new home themselves or are looking for a veterinarian while out of town, pet owners can rely on MyVeterinarian.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

"What makes MyVeterinarian.com superior to other online veterinary search tools is the amount of information we provide about each practice on our site," said Dr. Larry Kornegay, AVMA president and a companion-animal practitioner from Houston, Texas. "There aren't any other sites that give you as much information in one place."

Visitors to MyVeterinarian.com simply type in a zip code if they're looking for a veterinarian in a geographic area. The list that's provided contains everything a pet owner needs to know: The clinic's name, address, phone number and business hours; the medical services provided; the species of animals served; and the names of the veterinarians on staff. Practices can also list their website address, and a map is available to show the clinic's location.

Pet owners can also search the site for specific health and pet-care related topics, such as what clinics might offer dermatologic or behavior services, for example, or where boarding and training is available. A link on the site to the AVMA's Animal Health page provides access to valuable information related to general pet care, emergency and first aid resources, and many other pet-related topics. Access to all of the information on MyVeterinarian.com is free.

"Thousands of practices are listed on MyVeterinarian.com, and we're adding more every day," Dr. Kornegay said. "Pet owners who visit our site can be assured that they are getting information from a trusted source that represents more than 81,500 veterinarians across the country."

The AVMA, founded in 1863, is one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world. More than 81,500 member veterinarians worldwide are engaged in a wide variety of professional activities. The AVMA is celebrating Vet2011, the 250th anniversary of the founding of the first veterinary school in Lyon, France.

SOURCE American Veterinary Medical Association

RELATED LINKS
http://www.avma.org
http://www.myveterinarian.com/avma/vclPublic