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Legal Issues
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Ultrasound salesman given one year’s probation
6/11/2013
Restitution paid; 12-year prison sentence suspended
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Human medical emergencies pose conundrum for veterinarians
6/7/2013
Many are unsure of their responsibility and liability
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Zoonotic disease dangers present legal risks to veterinarians
5/2/2013
Communication key to mitigating liability, experts say
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Ease of Web publishing raises potential for copyright breach
3/11/2013
Ignorance doesn't diminish liability
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When microchips muddle pet ownership status
12/13/2012
Laws outdated; veterinarians caught in middle
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‘Sentience’ statement rouses debate among veterinarians
12/3/2012
AAHA adopts controversial classification of animals
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Ultrasound machine salesman pleads guilty to theft
11/8/2012
Plea follows indictment of Patrick Jackson
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Veterinarians react to allegations colleague dumped dead pets
6/1/2012
Roadside carcass disposal 'disgusting' but not unique, some suggest
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Veterinary diagnostics giant sues multiple practitioners
3/9/2012
VCA Antech alleges breach of extended lab service contracts
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Bayer, Lilly settle dispute over diversion-related advertising
11/21/2011
Elanco must edit claims to veterinarians
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Loan broker accused of bilking veterinarians now sells wellness plans
11/10/2011
Ron Paterson draws more complaints
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More veterinarians sue flea products broker WTF Wholesale
11/4/2011
Claims collectively top a half-million dollars
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Equipment dealer deludes some, aids others
11/2/2011
Ron Sassetti earns mixed reviews from veterinarians
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Pet owners receive $12.4 million in melamine case
10/12/2011
Legal, other expenses claim the rest in class-action settlement
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AVMA asked to acknowledge court ruling in compounding brochure
9/20/2011
Some celebrate while others downplay ruling's significance
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Veterinary compounding out of FDA’s jurisdiction, judge rules
9/13/2011
Franck's wins legal battle against federal regulators
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Complaints mount against gray-market broker WTF Wholesale
8/29/2011
Problems open view into world of flea product diversion
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N.J. bill stalls as legal battle concerning dog's death wages
7/18/2011
NJVMA weighs in on legislation
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ISU settles lawsuit with veterinarians
6/29/2011
Specialty referral practice to pay ISU
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Gilded Lilly? Bayer challenges Elanco claims
6/24/2011
Bayer challenges Elanco claims about diversion, loyalty to veterinarians
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Con artist or lending lifeline? VetFinance Group under scrutiny
6/23/2011
Veterinarians allegedly bilked by broker Ron Paterson
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Scientist fired by Merial alleges Heartgard Plus coverup
6/7/2011
Dr. Kari Blaho-Owens seeks damages, whistleblower protections
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ISU wins first round in litigation against veterinarians
5/3/2011
Specialists barred from competing with ISU hospitals fight back
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Court clears path for pet-food settlement claims payout
4/5/2011
Resolution to melamine poisoning claims years in coming
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Texas bill seeks to waive confidentiality privileges for deadbeat clients
1/26/2011
Legislation would protect veterinarians collecting unpaid debts
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Pet food settlement appeal decided
12/20/2010
Small hurdle remains before claims can be paid
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California veterinarians target unlicensed care
12/14/2010
Conflict between profession, lay practitioners intensifies
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Veterinarian struggles to protect her online reputation
12/8/2010
Practitioner suspects Internet extortion is at play
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Texas veterinarians author legislation to bridle lay dentists
12/3/2010
Judge's order prompts end to regulatory crackdown on unlicensed teeth floating
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Health credit programs: safety net or predatory lending?
10/4/2010
NY state investigation puts veterinarians on the defensive
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Complaint by second ex-Banfield veterinarian hits dead end
9/29/2010
Lawyer seeks settlement with company
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PVP, subsidiaries seek bankruptcy protection
8/23/2010
Veterinarians dismayed by state of company
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PVP faces bankruptcy; veterinarian investors stand to lose
8/12/2010
SEC filings reveal distributor entered into forbearance with lender
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One Banfield complaint dismissed; another lodged
8/5/2010
Cases involve veterinarians fired from the same Oregon clinic
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Veterinarian fired from Banfield sues company
6/1/2010
Alleges hospital values money over good medicine
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University of California poised to appeal $38M court decision
5/6/2010
Class action payout includes former veterinary students
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FDA calls veterinary compounding at Franck’s illegal
4/19/2010
In unprecedented action, agency seeks court injunction against pharmacy
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Sentences handed down in pet-food poisoning criminal case
2/9/2010
Defendants fined total of $35,000, given 3 years’ probation
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AVMA seeks to deter news investigation
1/21/2010
Alleges reporter misappropriated confidential documents
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Drug maker sues compounding pharmacy
12/17/2009
Bayer says Wedgewood infringing on patent
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Confounding compounding
11/23/2009
Legal fog surrounds growing source of veterinary drugs
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U.S. Attorney recommends $35,000 in fines, no prison time for ChemNutra owners
6/19/2009
Judge to decide sentences in melamine contamination cases
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Pet food settlement stalled by appeals
5/26/2009
Legal wrangling over melamine contamination of 2007 drags on
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Flea product swap causes a flap
5/8/2009
Summit's strict anti-diversion contract kicks in
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Dr. Janis Audin dies
4/23/2009
Longtime JAVMA head leaves legacy, official says
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Veterinarians must comply with Red Flags Rule by May 1
4/22/2009
Most practice owners already meet requirements, AVMA official says
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Practice staffer unknowingly buys hot items off eBay
3/24/2009
Investigation ensues after stolen IV pump breaks
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Board complaints rise in Texas
1/16/2009
Consumer awareness, Internet play role in increase, official says
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MVMA pushes animal protection legislation
1/14/2009
Measure directs courts to consider pets when issuing domestic violence protective orders
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Chicago mandatory neuter proposal makes concession to veterinarians
1/9/2009
Amendment relieves DVMs from reporting clients
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Microchips dump legal, ethical baggage on veterinarians
1/7/2009
AVMA attempts to shed light on gray areas of pet identification
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Pet food court settlement hung up by appeals
12/18/2008
23,000 pet owners filed claims to date
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Pet value continues to test veterinary medicine
10/21/2008
Court ruling, roundtable talks feature latest on economic worth
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Decision: United States of America v. Franck's Labs, Inc.
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Court clears path for pet-food settlement claims payout
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April 5, 2011
By: Edie Lau
For The VIN News Service
Four years after pet food contaminated by poisonous melamine killed and sickened tens of thousands of cats and dogs in North America, a court opinion issued today may open the door at last to payment of claims by owners of affected pets.
The opinion by Judge Noel Hillman in U.S. District Court in New Jersey was the last piece of court action required to put to rest appeals of a $24-million pet food settlement approved by Hillman in October 2008.
“I am hopeful that we can begin processing claims shortly,” said Lisa Rodriguez, liaison counsel for the multiple class-action suits covered by the settlement.
According to court documents, 24,344 claims were submitted by the Nov. 24, 2008, deadline. Of those, 20,550 have been deemed payable. The average claim is about $1,283. Allowed expenses included medical attention, lost wages, property damage and the price of replacement pets. The settlement covers claims by owners in the United States and Canada.
The long wait for restitution has distressed and infuriated pet owners. “I will be dead before this settles,” one claimant raged in an e-mail to the VIN News Service last year. “Maybe that is what they hope ... (that) people will forget. Well, I still miss my best friend every day.”
“I’m so frustrated,” another fumed in 2009. “I spent over $6,000 trying to save my little dog but he died anyway.”
The melamine debacle, which precipitated the largest recall of pet food in history, was caused by unscrupulous suppliers in China. They spiked wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate with nitrogen-rich melamine, an industrial chemical, in an attempt to boost the ingredients’ apparent protein content. Wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate are used as protein sources in pet food.
The imported contaminated product ended up at Menu Foods Ltd., a pet-food manufacturer in Canada that was contracted by numerous companies to produce both private-label and name-brand wet pet foods. (Menu Foods Ltd. was bought last year by Simmons Pet Food of Arkansas.)
Many of the biggest names in pet food were drawn into the scandal, including Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Mars Inc., Nestle Purina PetCare Co., Royal Canin, The Iams Co. and Procter & Gamble. Large retail chains such as Wal-Mart, Target, Petsmart, Petco and Costco also were affected. The recall involved more than 150 pet food brands.
The Veterinary Information Network, an online professional community and parent of the VIN News Service, estimates that between 30,000 and 50,000 animals were affected, judging from member surveys and tracking. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has estimated that about 1,950 cats and 2,200 dogs died, based on consumer reports received by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
More than 100 class action lawsuits filed in the wake of the poisonings were addressed by the court settlement of October 2008. Pet owners were invited to submit claims immediately, but payment of the claims has been delayed since then by two court appeals.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third District reviewed the matter and concluded late last year that the settlement was “fair, reasonable and adequate” except for one issue about which it wanted more information.
That issue was related to the limit of purchase claims to a maximum of $250,000. The opinion filed today by Judge Hillman lays out why that purchase-claim limit also is “fair, reasonable and adequate.”
A website has been set up to inform the public about the status of the pet food settlement. However, as of 5 p.m. Eastern today, the most recent update posted was dated Dec. 16.
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