AVMA releases latest US pet ownership demographic information

The American Veterinary Medical Association recently released its US Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook, compiled based off a survey conducted every five years.
According to the survey, conducted in 2012 and based off of numbers from December 31, 2011, the percentage of households that made no trips at all to a veterinarian between 2006 and 2011 rose 8 percent for dog owners and 24 percent for cat owners. In 2011, the percentage of dog-owning households made at least one visit to the veterinarian fell 1.7 percent from 2006 to 81 percent in 2011. The percentage of veterinarian visits by cat owners fell 13.5 percent from 2006 to nearly 55 percent of cat owners.
“Unfortunately, the report reveals that fewer dogs and cats are seeing the veterinarian regularly, and that’s something that the AVMA and every companion animal veterinarian are concerned about. Pet owners across the country need to remember to bring their pets into the veterinarian – at least once a year – to maintain optimal health,” said says Dr. Douglas G. Aspros, American Veterinary Medical Association president.
Additionally, the survey includes a breakdown of pet ownership by state. 
The top 10 pet-owning states in the USA in 2011 were: Vermont (where 70.8 percent of households owned a pet), New Mexico (67.6 percent), South Dakota (65.6 percent), Oregon (63.6 percent), Maine (62.9 percent), Washington (62.7 percent), Arkansas (62.4 percent), West Virginia (62.1 percent), Idaho (62 percent) and Wyoming (61.8 percent).
The 10 states in 2011 with the lowest percentage of pet-owning households were: Rhode Island (53 percent), Minnesota (53 percent), California (52.9 percent), Maryland (52.3 percent), Illinois (51.8 percent), Nebraska (51.3 percent), Utah (51.2 percent), New Jersey (50.7 percent), New York (50.6 percent) and Massachusetts (50.4 percent).
The data also revealed Arkansas as the state with the most dog owners, where 47.9 percent of households own a dog, while Illinois was the lowest state for dog ownership with 32.4 percent of households owning a dog. The top cat-owning state in 2011 was Vermont, where 49.5 percent of households owned a cat, while California had the lowest rate of cat ownership at 28.3 percent.

Alltech's 27th International Symposium approved for continuing education credits

Both the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists and the American Association of Veterinary State Boards have approved Alltech’s 27th International Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium for Continuing Education Credits.
ARPAS has determined a maximum of 12 hours will be earned for attending Alltech’s symposium, entitled "The Game Changers: Creative Concepts for Agribusiness to Respond to Relentless Commoditization and to Innovate for a Greener Future." ARPAS members will self-determine how many CEUs are earned at the symposium based on the actual number of presentation hours attended, and may report their CEUs on the ARPAS website at www.arpas.org or by downloading and submitting the CEU reporting form.
The AAVSB's Registry of Approved Continuing Education committee has approved the symposium as meeting the standards adopted by the AAVSB. The maximum CEU for veterinarians under the AAVSB RACE program will be 12 units. Delegates must register their CEUs by submitting a certificate of attendance, which will be available at the symposium information booth.
The symposium will be held at the Lexington Convention Center in Lexington, Kentucky, USA, from May 22 through 25, 2011.

AVMA offers answers about dry petfood and Salmonella

The American Veterinary Medical Association recently posted on its website an FAQ section related to dry petfood and Salmonella.
The content addresses questions the association has received given the recent petfood recalls due to possible or confirmed Salmonella contamination and a manuscript recently published that reported 79 cases of human Salmonella infection from 2006-2008 associated with contaminated dry dog and cat food.

AVMA convention attendees give back to the community

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)'s annual convention expected an attendance of over 9,000 veterinary professionals looking to expand their knowledge and help local animals, at the event held July 31 through Aug. 3 in Atlanta.
The convention offered sessions on topics like animal welfare, food safety, trends in pet ownership and advances in veterinary medicine. Convention attendees also had access to over 250 companies and organizations in the exhibit hall, showcasing high-tech surgical instruments, the latest equipment for pets, petfood and educational materials, among other industry-related products.
AVMA convention also gave veterinarians and attendees a chance to give back by volunteering their time to the "Our Oath in Action" event, which helps to refurbish local animal facilities. Additionally, a "Trails for Tails" 5K run/walk event was held by AVMA to raise funds for animal welfare programs and the PAWS animal shelter in Atlanta.
“Making a difference in the lives of people and animals is the reason we chose the veterinary profession,” said Ron DeHaven, DVM, chief executive of AVMA. “Whether it is in practice, at home or even during a continuing education conference, improving animal and public health and welfare is essential to us. Knowing that Atlanta shares our passion for animals, we have expanded what used to be ‘AVMA’ 5K run into a community event.”

US pet and owner statistics reported

Examiner.com quoted American Veterinary Medical Association statistics to state that about 60% of all households in the US have a pet. Other data reported include:

• According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), about 65% of US pet owners acquire their pets free or at a low cost.
• Most US pets are obtained from acquaintances and family members. About 15 to 20% of dogs are purchased from breeders, 10 to 20%of cats and dogs are adopted from shelters and rescues, and 2 to 10% are purchased from pet shops. (Source: Ralston Purina and NCPPSP)
• At least 20% of cats are acquired as strays. (Source: NCPPSP) Many strays are lost pets that were not kept indoors or provided with identification.
• More than 20% of people who leave dogs in shelters adopted them from a shelter. (Source: NCPPSP)
• Spaying or neutering pets costs less than raising puppies or kittens for one year. Neutering costs less than spaying at most vets.
• The average annual cost of basic food, supplies, medical care and training for a dog or cat is US$400-700.
• About 75% of owned pets are neutered.