News Briefs for the Week of August 12, 2002
By Marcella Durand for Cat Facts
- High-Rise Syndrome Increases During Summer Months
Boy, it's hot! But if you decide to turn off the air conditioner and open the windows, make sure they are safely and securely screened. That's because cats are especially at risk for what veterinarians have named "high-rise syndrome"-a cat, distracted by a bird or bug, can leap or fall out of an open window.
Many cat owners mistakenly think that cats can land on their feet, and that they won't be injured, but that's totally wrong. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), which has issued a nationwide alert about high-rise syndrome, cats land with their feet slightly splayed apart, which can cause severe head and pelvis injuries. "During the warmer months, we see approximately three to five cases a week at our animal hospital in New York City," says ASPCA president and CEO Larry Hawk, DVM. " Pet owners need to know that this syndrome is 100 percent preventable if they install full window screens and take other simple precautions." Precautions include installing screens on all windows and making sure they are secure, because cats can easily slip through childproof window guards.
- New Committee to Address Animal Legal Issues
It looks like animals may finally get some decent legal representation. In what could set an important precedent for other states, the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) has created a 15-member committee to examine animal-related legal issues, which can range from animal abuse and neglect, to creating wills to provide for pets, to keeping a tiger as a pet. The new committee will also monitor legislation at various levels of government and develop a compendium of statutes and court and administrative decisions.
"The Special Committee on Animals and the Law will be a very practical, problem-solving committee that will look at all sides of the issues," says Lorraine Power Tharp, the president of the NYSBA. "This is not a group with political agendas, but instead includes those who deal with animal matters daily as part of their professions. We are excited about the committee's potential to get to the heart of animal legal issues and to address the needs and interests of the community and our members." In addition to members of NYSBA, committee members include representatives from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Wildlife Conservation Society, as well as veterinarians.
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