Diamond Pet Foods Issues Product Recall
After discovering aflatoxin in a product manufactured in its Gaston, S.C., facility, Diamond Pet Foods (Meta, Mo.) voluntarily recalled certain Diamond, Country Value and Professional pet food products in late December...

Investors Sue Spectrum
The law firm of Milberg Weiss Bershad & Schulman L.L.P. (New York) filed a class-action lawsuit on Nov. 14 on behalf of people who purchased or otherwise acquired the securities of Spectrum Brands Inc. (Atlanta), alleging that the company and certain of its former officers and directors issued a series of material misrepresentations to the market during the class period...

World Leaders Discuss Ways to Prevent Avian Flu Pandemic
More than 600 delegates from more than 100 countries convened in November for concurrent meetings in Washington and Geneva to identify the key components of a global action plan to control avian influenza in animals and to limit the threat of a human influenza pandemic...

Tax Reform Is Delayed
The National Retail Federation (Washington) in December welcomed news that any major push for tax reform likely would be shelved until 2007 or 2008...

West Hollywood Declawing Ban Is Defeated
It is not against the law for veterinarians in West Hollywood to declaw cats now that the California Superior Court (Los Angeles) has ruled in favor of the California Veterinary Medical Association (Sacramento)...

Bill Would Expand Licensing of U.K. Kennels
The Animal Welfare Bill now under consideration in the United Kingdom would pave the way for legislation to license the home boarding of dogs, according to a spokesperson for the Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs...

New BSE Bill Would Limit Use of Salvaged Pet Food
Based on a Government Accountability Office report showing that feed testing programs sometimes are too slow to prevent cattle from eating contaminated feed, Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) in November introduced legislation to “strengthen the firewalls against prion disease.”...

FDA Issues Bioterrorism Guidance
A new edition of a Food and Drug Administration guidance document to help manufacturers understand record-keeping rules mandated by the Bioterrorism Act is now available, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (Greenwich, Conn.)...

Florida Aquaculture Sales Level Off
Florida aquaculture grew rapidly from 1987 to 1997, but leveled off by 2003, according to a report by the Florida Tropical Fish Farms Association (Winter Haven). The farm gate value tripled from $35 million in 1987 to $102 million in 1997, but evened out at $99.5 million in 2003...

Pet Insurance Volume Is Rising
Pet insurance revenues in North America have jumped 23 percent since 2004 due in large part to pets’ growing status as family members—particularly in households led by empty nesters, seniors, singles and gay couples, according to a report by Packaged Facts (New York), a division of MarketResearch.com...

Retailers Get Good Help When They Meet Employees' Expectations
In an industry notorious for high turnover and seasonal work, retailers continue to face the challenge of hiring and retaining effective employees. According to a recent poll by Maritz Inc. (St. Louis), retail employers can meet that challenge by doing something simple—listening to what employees want...

Petfood Forum 2006 Set for April
Petfood Forum 2006, a production symposium and exhibition, will take place April 3-5 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago...

PIJAC Canada Will Hold Show in Alberta
The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council Canada (Ottawa, Ontario) is adding a fourth show to its roster: It will hold the Calgary Pet Industry Trade Show April 23 in the Big Four Building in Calgary’s Stampede Park...

SuperZoo University Debuts
Taking advantage of the extra day added to SuperZoo 2006, the World Wide Pet Industry Association (Arcadia, Calif.) will launch an expanded program of seminars called SuperZoo University...