Volunteers work to bring pet care to rural areas with veterinary shortages
CBSN
The costs of veterinary care in the U.S. are up 9% from just a year ago, but in some parts of the country, the cost of animal care isn't the biggest hurdle: It's finding a veterinarian.
Across the Navajo Nation's 27,000 square miles spread over three Western states, there's a healthcare crisis for animals that live in the rural desert area. There's an estimated 500,000 dogs and cats in the area, many free-roaming, but just three veterinarians to care for them all.
The Banfield Foundation is a nonprofit that focuses on bringing veterinary care to all pets using grants and the Banfield Pet Hospital, which operates veterinary clinics around the U.S. and in several countries. It has handed out $19 million in grants over the last seven years to help community groups across the country buy mobile care units and provide services to animals in needs. Since 2021, $1.3 million has gone to help pets in Native American communities in 11 states.
The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that the U.S. food supply is still "one of the safest in the world," in the wake of a number of foodborne disease outbreaks affecting items ranging from organic carrots to deli meats to McDonald's Quarter Pounders. E. coli, listeria and other contaminants have sickened thousands of people and forced a number of recalls in recent months.
We just had another election with a clear and verifiable victor, overseen by hundreds of thousands of election officials. Those public servants have suffered years of harassment, and despite their successes, are still being accused of taking part in a massive and impossible conspiracy — a conspiracy led by the party out of power to steal an election and cover up all evidence.