For the first time, a state has specifically said that a companion animal has visibility in a divorce proceeding beyond that of property and that the court may award custody on the basis of what is best for the dog, not the human owners. In a first, Alaska divorce courts will now treat pets more like children even though, in the eyes of the law, animals are considered property. It makes Alaska the first state in the country to require courts to take “into consideration the well-being of the animal” and to explicitly empower judges to assign joint custody of pets. Also, At least five dogs have been sickened and one has died after eating canned dog food. The reason is a barbiturate, Pentobarbital, has been found in one lot of the food. The manufacturer is recalling five lots of 12-ounce cans of dog food which were distributed in 15 states. Pentobarbital is frequently used to euthanize dogs and cats, which calls into question what the beef protein really was. Also, in Germany, there’s a legal difference between pet owners. Dog-owners are taxed for their pet, while cat-owners currently aren’t, though some say that should change. An estimated 13 million cats call Germany home and that doesn’t include stray cats. German officials say those policies help prevent shelters from being overrun and allow them to stick to a ‘no-kill policy.’ Also, your pet’s dental health is a key factor in controlling fatal organ failure. Unlike humans, infected gums can lead to bigger problems than bad breath. It’s common for ‘out of control’ teeth tartar to lead to kidney failure as infection travels through the bloodstream. February is National Pet Dental Health Month and we have tips and tricks to help your pet live a long healthy life. One of the tricks is to avoid anesthesia free dental cleanings, because they don’t work and could actually cause problems.