Happy Celebrate Shelter Pets Day!
Today is the 10th annual Celebrate Shelter Pets Day. This awareness event is designed to encourage the adoption of shelter pets by having owners tell their pet adoption stories on social media using the #CelebrateShelterPets hashtag.
Be sure to share your story today!
On Monday, November 4th, pups and pros enjoyed a day of golf and fun at San Diego’s Lomas Santa Fe Country Club for FACE’s 8th Invitational Golf Tournament!
This dog-friendly event featured a golf tournament followed by an awards ceremony, live auction, silent auction, and exclusive opportunity drawings.
Thank you to everyone who helped make this fundraising event a success! Enjoy these photos of a few very good dogs!
Today is National Cat Day, an annual event to raise awareness about stray and homeless cats.
To learn more about ways to help cats in need near you, check out these resources, courtesy of the Newsweek website.
The PACT (Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture) Act was passed unanimously in the US House of Representatives this week.
This act would expand on a prior law that criminalizes the production and distribution of animal torture videos. Passage of the PACT Act would criminalize acts of animal torture at the federal level as well.
Representatives Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) and Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) sponsored the bill, which states that any person who intentionally engages in animal cruelty would face federal charges.
A similar bill was introduced in the Senate in February. If the Senate passes the bill and the PACT Act becomes law, convicted individuals will face fines and up to 7 years in prison.
Check out this fact sheet on the PACT Act from Congressman Deutch to learn more.
A sobering new video produced by Dr. Carrie Turnbull of the Staunton River Veterinary Clinic in Virginia might come as a surprise to many pet owners.
The suicide rate among veterinarians is significantly higher than the rate for the general population. One study conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that female veterinarians are 3.5 times and male veterinarians 2.1 times as likely to die from suicide than the general population.
Dr. Turnbull notes in her video that many veterinarians tend to be high-achiever, type A personality types, and they are strongly affected by the stressors inherent in their jobs, such as unsuccessful treatments and patient deaths.
She also notes that vets can experience financial stress and many carry a significant amount of debt for years after veterinary school.
Do you have friends or family in the veterinary profession? Dr. Turnbull recommends checking in with them to see how they are doing and if they are getting the help and support that they need.
You can watch Dr. Turnbull’s video below and learn more about this issue on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s website HERE. There is also a Facebook group called Not One More Vet that provides help for vets in need of support.
