Pet owners worry about drug safety

Authorities and pet owners are beginning to raise serious questions about the safety and effectiveness of animal medicines, mirroring worries over human drugs like the painkiller Vioxx.

Tested on just a couple hundred animals, a drug meant for pets is less apt than a human one to show all its failings until it reaches the market, veterinarians say. More than 700 drugs have been approved for pets, but many others are used legally without explicit approval for animals.

Most pet drugs were first developed for people. But each species of animal — even varying breeds — may react differently to the same drug.

Further, animals can't say if a drug makes them feel bad.

"I can't tell until you see something physical," said Laurryn Simpson of Commerce Township, Mich., who founded the Web site dogsadversereactions.com

Animal Shelter Push Bill Banning Exotic Pets

If owning a bear or lion sounds better to you than a dog or cat you better hurry, lawmakers in Iowa are looking to make owning these types of animals illegal.

Animal shelters across Iowa are pushing for a new law that would make it illegal for Iowans to own or possess many "dangerous animals."

Over the years the Iowa Animal Rescue League has been asked to find homes for the once-cuddly wild pets, but due to the increase in numbers it's becoming harder and harder to find them homes.

Maria Tiller of the Black Hawk County Animal Control says, "It's a public safety issue. Some of the animals are escaping which causes a threat to the residents in the area."

Many cities including Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, and Iowa City already have ordinances banning people from owning these types of animals.