Companion animal welfare notes

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 2008:
The 950-store PETCO chain on November 17, 2008 announced
that it is “phasing out rabbit sales in favor of adoptions.” Said
PETCO spokesperson Lisa Epstein, “PETCO already has strong
relationships with about 70 rabbit adoption groups, including the
Minnesota Companion Rabbit Society, the Oregon Humane Society, the
Animal Rescue League of Boston, the San Diego House Rabbit Society
and the Escondido Humane Society. PETCO is also communicating with
the national House Rabbit Society to build additional relationships
with local chapters and affiliates.”

The BBC, televising the Crufts dog exhibition since 1966,
“is considering ending its coverage of the Kennel Club’s showpiece
event,” reported Stephen Moss of The Guardian on December 5. In
August 2008, Moss explained, “BBC1 broadcast Jemima Harrison’s
disturbing film Pedigree Dogs Exposed, which argued that highly
selective breeding was damaging the health of many pedigree dogs and
undermining their genetic diversity. The Royal SPCA, the People’s
Dispensary for Sick Animals, and Dogs Trust responded by pulling out
of Crufts.” Sponsor Pedigree also withdrew, citing commercial
concerns. The Kennel Club announced in October 2008 that it is
redrafting the show standards for 209 breeds to eliminate rules that
favor dogs with extreme and unnatural characteristics which might
impair their he

The American SPCA has added former Louisiana SPCA chief
executive Laura Maloney as senior vice president for anti-cruelty
initiatives and has promoted attorney Stacy Wolf, with the ASPCA
since 1998, to vice president and chief legal counsel for humane law
enforcement.