The city’s famous bodega cats just got a whisker closer to being legal — and protected — under state law.

A bill in the New York legislature allowing the kitties to legally live in retail stores — while ensuring such things as comfortable quarters, nutritious food and medical care for the hard-working felines — has now made it into committee, a necessary step on its way to potential passage.

“Bodega cats have been doing the work for decades,” said Bodega Cats of NY founder Dan Rimada, who created the petition. “Albany is finally catching up.”

Cats in retail shops are currently not permitted under both city and state health codes and therefore entirely unregulated – leaving the door open for abuse and neglect.

But the bill calls for them to legally permitted and the state Department of Agriculture and Markets to create health and safety “care standards” for them.

Those proposed standards would mandate regular veterinary check-ups and preventative care for the kitties, including vaccinations and mandatory spaying or neutering, proper nutrition and cleaning and comfortable and safe “cat zones” for them to sleep and relax in.

“There are a lot of things that come to mind when you think of New York City, but bodegas – and the cats that live in them – are one of the iconic parts of our city,” state assembly Democratic candidate Keith Powers said before he introduced a city version of the bill as a member of the council in November.

“Bodega cats embody the New York spirit: friendly, welcoming and anti-rat,” said Powers, who is running in a special election this year to help represent the East Village and other parts of Manhattan.90

What do you think? Post a comment.

The state bill would override the current city ban on the cats.

The proposed legislation, introduced by state Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal in May, made it to the assembly’s Agriculture Committee on Jan. 7.

It was inspired by a grassroots online petition to provide bodega owners with medical resources and support programs for their useful pets.

A veterinary practice whose pet ambulance was stolen from a parking space outside a surgery is appealing for the “vital” vehicle’s return.

Bournemouth Vets for Pets in Wimborne Road, Bournemouth, said CCTV footage showed the vehicle being loaded onto a low loader after being dragged from its parking space on 14 January shortly before 22:00 GMT.

Practice owners Leanne and Tom Mowlem said its loss meant home and charity visits and pet transfers were currently no longer possible and appealed for anyone with doorbell or CCTV footage from the time of the theft to contact police.

Dorset Police said inquiries into the reported theft were under way and no arrests had been made.

The Mowlems said: “This ambulance is not just a vehicle to us, it is a vital part of how we care for pets in our community.

“It was specifically designed to allow us to carry out home visits, support local charities and safely transport animals when required.

“Without it, our ability to support local pet owners will be significantly impacted.”

The vets said this was the second time the ambulance had been taken.

They explained that on a previous occasion several years ago it was taken after the surgery was broken into and later recovered.

Prep: 15 mins

Freeze: 4 hrs

Total: 4 hrs 15 mins

Yield: 12 treats

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups plain nonfat yogurt*
• ⅓ cup natural creamy peanut butter*
• ⅓ cup blueberries
• 1 banana
• 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal
• 12 small dog bone treats (optional)

Directions

Step One
In a food processor or blender combine yogurt, peanut butter, blueberries, banana, and flaxseed meal. Cover and process or blend until smooth.

Step Two
Pour into 12 lined cups of a muffin tin (silicone cupcake liners work best for these, but foil liners also work well), filling cups halfway. Top each with a mini dog bone treat, if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours. Pop treats out of pan**, remove liners, and freeze in a zip-top plastic freezer bag up to 2 weeks. Let treat stand at room temperature at least 5 minutes before serving.

Tips

*Do not select items that contain the ingredient xylitol. It is toxic to pets, even in small amounts.

**If using paper liners, let pan stand at room temperature 5 minutes. Using a thin metal spatula or butter knife, gently loosen paper liners from edge of pan before removing.

A dog charity has reopened its kennels six years after it said it was forced to close them.

The St Francis Dogs Home, near Newquay, Cornwall, said it had to close the kennels because they needed urgent redevelopment.

The charity continued to find homes for rescue dogs in that time, but now has 10 new kennels and two isolation rooms which centre manager Beverly Dobson said would complement the organisation’s dog fostering programme.

Jeremy Varcoe, former trust chairman, who cut the ribbon on Saturday, said: “For me it’s a real red letter day. I feel very excited about it – I’m sure the home will prosper.”

The kennels needed repairs and had drainage issues which meant they were not fit for purpose, bosses said.

They added the new kennels now provided a temporary alternative for animals that were not in a fit state to go straight to a new family.

On Sunday on Facebook, the charity said: “Thank you so much to everyone who came to help us celebrate the opening of our new kennels yesterday.

“We were so lucky with the amount of people who came, the weather was amazing, everything went to plan and we couldn’t be happier.”

Dobson said: “Our default is always going to be putting a dog into foster because it’s much better welfare for them.

“We get to know the dog better and work out what is the best home for that dog.”

The charity said “having the kennels will allow us to look after even more of them and will be especially useful for emergencies, when a dog has no other place to go”.

Michelle Barley, who fosters a dog called Prince, said: “You create fantastic bonds with them and you get to see them in a nice home environment.

“You are giving something back basically.”

Prices charged by UK vets rose by 63% between 2016 and 2023, and the government’s competition regulator has questioned whether the pet-care market – as it stands – is giving customers value for money.

One anonymous vet, who works for the UK’s largest vet care provider, IVC Evidensia, said that the company has introduced a new monitoring system that could encourage vets to offer pet owners costly tests and treatment options.

A spokesperson for IVC told Panorama: “The group’s vets and vet nurses never prioritise revenue or transaction value over and above the welfare of the animal in their care.”

More than half of all UK households are thought to own a pet.

Over the past few months, hundreds of pet owners have contacted BBC Your Voice with concerns about vet bills.

One person said they had paid £5,600 for 18 hours of vet-care for their pet: “I would have paid anything to save him but felt afterwards we had been taken advantage of.”

Another described how their dog had undergone numerous blood tests and scans: “At the end of the treatment we were none the wiser about her illness and we were presented with a bill of £13,000.”

Mounting concerns over whether pet owners are receiving a fair deal prompted a formal investigation by government watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

In a provisional report at the end of last year, it identified several issues:

• Whether vet companies are being transparent about the ownership of individual practices and whether pet owners have enough information about pricing
• The concentration of vet practices and clinics in the hands of six companies – these now control 60% of the UK’s pet-care market
• Whether this concentration has led to less market competition and allowed some vet care companies to make excess profits

‘Hitting targets’

A vet, who leads one of IVC’s surgeries (and who does not want to be identified because they fear they could lose their job), has shared a new internal document with Panorama. The document uses a colour code to compare the company’s UK-wide tests and treatment options and states that it is intended to help staff improve clinical care.

It lists key performance indicators in categories that include average sales per patient, X-rays, ultrasound and lab tests.

The vet is worried about the new policy: “We will have meetings every month, where one of the area teams will ask you how many blood tests, X-rays and ultrasounds you’re doing.”

If a category is marked in green on the chart, the clinic would be judged to be among the company’s top 25% of achievers in the UK.

A red mark, on the other hand, would mean the clinic was in the bottom 25%. If this happens, the vet says, it might be asked to come up with a plan of action.

The vet says this would create pressure to “upsell” services.

For instance, the vet says, under the new model, IVC would prefer any animal with suspected osteoarthritis to potentially be X-rayed. With sedation, that could add £700 to a bill.

While X-rays are sometimes necessary, the vet says, the signs of osteoarthritis – the thickening of joints, for instance – could be obvious to an experienced vet, who might prefer to prescribe a less expensive anti-inflammatory treatment.

“Vets shouldn’t have pressure to do an X-ray because it would play into whether they are getting green on the care framework for their clinic.”

IVC has told Panorama it is extremely proud of the work its clinical teams do and the data it collects is to “identify and close gaps in care for our patients”.

It says its vets have “clinical independence”, and that prioritising revenue over care would be against the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ (RCVS) code and IVC policy.

Vets say they are under pressure to bring in more money per pet

Vets should be made to publish prices, watchdog says

The vet says a drive to increase revenue is undermining his profession.

Panorama spoke to more than 30 vets in total who are currently working, or have worked, for some of the large veterinary groups.

One recalls being told that not enough blood tests were being taken: “We were pushed to do more. I hated opening emails.”

Another says that when their small practice was sold to a large company, “it was crazy… It was all about hitting targets”.

Not all the big companies set targets or monitor staff in this way.

The high cost of treatment

UK pet owners spent £6.3bn on vet and other pet-care services in 2024 – equal to just over £365 per pet-owning household, according to the CMA.

However, most pet owners in the UK do not have insurance, and bills can leave less-well-off families feeling helpless when treatment is needed.

Many vets used not to display prices and pet owners often had no clear idea of what treatment would cost, but in the past two years that has improved, according to the CMA.

Rob Jones has told Panorama that when his family dog, Betty, fell ill during the autumn of 2024 they took her to an emergency treatment centre, Vets Now, and she underwent an operation that cost almost £5,000.

Twelve days later, Betty was still unwell, and Rob says he was advised that she could have a serious infection. He was told a diagnosis – and another operation – would cost between £5,000-£8,000.

However, on the morning of the operation, Rob was told this price had risen to £12,000. When he complained, he was quoted a new figure – £10,000.

“That was the absolute point where I lost faith in them,” he says. “It was like, I don’t believe that you’ve got our interests or Betty’s interests at heart.”

The family decided to put Betty to sleep.

Rob did not know at the time that both his local vet, and the emergency centre, branded Vets Now, where Betty was treated, were both owned by the same company – IVC.

He was happy with the treatment but complained about the sudden price increase and later received an apology from Vets Now. It offered him £3,755.59 as a “goodwill gesture”.

Vets Now told us its staff care passionately for the animals they treat: “In complex cases, prices can vary depending on what the vet discovers during a consultation, during the treatment, and depending on how the patient responds.

“We have reviewed our processes and implemented a number of changes to ensure that conversations about pricing are as clear as possible.”

Value for money?

Independent vet practices have been a popular acquisition for corporate investors in recent years, according to Dr David Reader from the University of Glasgow. He has made a detailed study of the industry.

Pet care has been seen as attractive, he says, because of the opportunities “to find efficiencies, to consolidate, set up regional hubs, but also to maximise profits”.

Six large veterinary groups (sometimes referred to as LVGs) now control 60% of the UK pet care market – up from 10% a decade ago, according to the CMA.

They are:

• Linnaeus, which owns 180 practices
• Medivet, which has 363
• Vet Partners with 375 practices
• CVS Group, which has 387 practices
• Pets at Home, which has 445 practices under the name Vets for Pets
• IVC Evidensia, which has 900 practices

When the CMA announced its provisional findings last autumn, it said there was not enough competition or informed choice in the market. It estimated the combined cost of this to UK pet owners amounted to £900m between 2020-2024.

Corporate vets dispute the £900m figure.

They say their prices are competitive and made freely available, and reflect their huge investment in the industry, not to mention rising costs, particularly of drugs.

The corporate vets also say customers value their services highly and that they comply with the RCVS guidelines.

A CMA survey suggests pet owners are happy with their vets – both corporate and independent – when it comes to quality of service.

But, with the exception of Pets at Home, customer satisfaction on cost is much lower for the big companies.

“I think that large veterinary corporations, particularly where they’re owned by private equity companies, are more concerned about profits than professionals who own veterinary businesses,” says Suzy Hudson-Cooke from the British Veterinary Union, which is part of Unite.

Proposals for change

The CMA’s final report on the vet industry is expected by the spring but no date has been set for publication.

In its provisional report, it proposed improved transparency on pricing and vet ownership.

Companies would have to reveal if vet practices were part of a chain, and whether they had business connections with hospitals, out-of-hours surgeries, online pharmacies and even crematoria.

IVC, CVS and Vet Partners all have connected businesses and would have to be more transparent about their services in the future.

Pets at Home does not buy practices – it works in partnership with individual vets, as does Medivet. These companies have consistently made clear in their branding who owns their practices.

The big companies say they support moves to make the industry more transparent so long as they don’t put too high a burden on vets.

David Reader says the CMA proposals could have gone further.

“There’s good reason to think that once this investigation is concluded, some of the larger veterinary groups will continue with their acquisition strategies.”

The CMA says its proposals would “improve competition by helping pet owners choose the right vet, the right treatment, and the right way to buy medicine – without confusion or unnecessary cost”.

For Rob Jones, however, it is probably too late.

“I honestly wouldn’t get another pet,” he says. “I think it’s so expensive now and the risk financially is so great.”

In early 2025, a routine appointment at the vets suggested that something was not right with Kobi the cat.

Co-owner Paul Lovatt knew something was wrong: “When he played he would pant heavily and then when he was asleep his neck would pulse.”

They were told to visit a specialist referral animal hospital that only deals with cats and dogs.

“Without the operation he would have died for certain,” said Marie Ruffell, Paul’s partner.

It was discovered that Kobi had additional arteries feeding blood to the heart and was in the early stages of heart failure because of the extra work it was having to do.

The hours-long operation to block some of the circulation routes was one of the most complex of its type carried out at Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists in Ringwood, Hampshire.

“I love the challenge,” said its head of cardiology Tobi Wagner.

He believes Kobi’s case is an example of how far veterinary surgery has come.

The treatment cost £12,500 but much of that was covered by insurance and grants given because of the unique nature of Kobi’s case.

Lovatt says that in addition to the surgery, separate vet bills, transport and expenses brought the total value of Kobi’s care to an estimated £21,000.

“He’s probably the most expensive cat in Bournemouth,” he said.

The couple never had any doubts about going ahead with the procedure to save what they referred to as “one of their babies”.

“What Tobi’s done for Kobi… I can’t thank him enough,” said Ruffell.

However, even for more routine surgeries, Wagner worries owners are increasingly not seeking treatment for pets because they worry it will be too expensive.

“It has changed a lot,” he said, adding that many more animals are “put to sleep rather than treated and this is probably somehow financially driven. It’s a sad thing”.

Ruth Parkinson, from Gillingham in Dorset, said she was feeling nervous as she dropped off Peggy, her Jack Russell, at the vet’s hospital reception.

Peggy had a blood vessel that did not close after birth and it was putting her heart under extra strain.

Within 90 minutes she was checked, anaesthetised and in an operating theatre that shares a lot of the same look and equipment as a conventional hospital.

Cardiology clinician Vicki Greet said: “People don’t often realise that the hospital is set up like this. A bit like a human hospital – obviously not quite the same, but modelling that same approach.

“I feel very fortunate, very privileged that I get to do a job that I enjoy.”

This site had an expansion two years ago, doubling its size to 30,000 sq ft (2787 sq m), making it one of the largest specialist-led referral centres in the UK.

Peggy’s keyhole surgery to put a small plug in her artery went well and within 48 hours she was back home with her owner and made a full recovery.

“We definitely feel very responsible to do the very best because we know they’re very precious to the owner,” said Wagner.

Like people, pets can need extra help to stay warm and safe during very cold conditions.

How do I keep my pet warm indoors?

Like humans, animals can be at risk of hypothermia if they become too cold.

The RSPCA says pets can shiver when they are exposed to low temperatures for too long. This is more noticeable in smaller and short-haired breeds.

The PDSA veterinary charity advises giving dogs and cats extra blankets for their beds over the winter months and adding a few more spaces where they can curl up around the home.

Raising their beds off the ground can keep older dogs away from draughts, while cats may like playing or resting in high-up dens or on climbing posts.

Experts recommend extra playtime to make sure pets keep active if they are spending less time outside. Indoor toys can help.

Your pet may want to eat more to help keep their body temperature up.

At the same time, they may also want to drink less, but make sure they have constant access to fresh drinking water to avoid the risk of dehydration.

• RSPCA: Keeping pets safe in cold weather
• PDSA: Pet care advice for winter

Should I still walk my dog during cold weather?

Dogs still need walks during cold weather.

Usually, their fur will keep them warm. But some dogs – particularly those with shorter fur – may need extra help staying warm while outside.

“For most dogs, their own lovely fur coat is insulation enough, but those with thin fur, or who are unwell, very old or young, may benefit from a good winter coat,” according to PDSA’s Gemma Renwick.

“Look for something well-fitting, waterproof but with a comfy lining.”

Walk your dog during the day if you can, or if you have to go out in the dark, consider using LED collars or hi-vis leads to ensure they can be seen.

Be cautious when letting dogs off the lead in the snow, and supervise them closely as hazards may be hidden. Similarly, keep pets away from frozen water as the ice on ponds and lakes can be thin and may not support their weight.

As the temperatures drop, plan for shorter, more frequent walks rather than one long-distance daily hike and if your dog gets wet, make sure you dry them off with a towel as soon as you get home.

Any build-up of salt, grit, dirt or snow can be painful, so owners should check and rinse their pet’s paws.

What about rabbits and guinea pigs during cold weather?

Smaller pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs and ferrets can also feel the cold.

The PDSA says a sudden drop in temperatures can be a shock to the system for the animals, and recommends moving them inside if they live in outdoor hutches.

A shed or car-free garage can offer a good amount of protection from draughts, rain or snow.

If you have to bring your animals inside, try and put them in a room which you can keep a bit cooler than the rest of your home. Turn down the radiators if you can.

If there is no inside option, the charity advises placing a thick blanket or piece of carpet over their outside living quarters to help keep them warm.

Should I keep my cat inside?

Many cats spend a lot of their time exploring the outdoors.

During the day, experts say cats who are used to going outside should continue to do so.

But the PDSA advises making sure can easily get back inside through a cat flap whenever they want, or have a warm outside shelter where they can go.

Ideally cats should stay inside overnight during periods of very cold weather.

The charity also recommends providing litter trays inside, even if your cat usually goes outside so they have a warm toileting option.

How should I care for chickens in the winter months?

Chickens and hens are incredibly resilient and should typically cope well with a bit of cold weather, the British Hen Welfare Trust says.

However, during extreme conditions, the charity recommends:

• making sure your birds have a robust shelter, and that any hen houses are insulated
• for larger hen houses, putting a cardboard box on its side for your hens to sleep in
• checking their water supply regularly to ensure it hasn’t frozen
• checking boundaries regularly to ensure they are safe from predators. Fence posts may become loose in wet weather, giving foxes or badgers easy access to the animals

The team behind an animal rescue centre which says it is at full capacity has warned the situation is “going to get so much worse”.

Second Chance Animal Rescue in Southampton is currently looking after about 50 cats and 20 dogs and wants to extend to nearby land.

But Rose Milne, who set up the centre 40 years ago, said it was not getting a response from the council.

A Southampton City Council spokesperson said the land was currently under a 10-year lease and had a “very restricted range of uses”.

Ms Milne said the centre had an influx of animals every year between September and Christmas.

She added: “When the children go back to school then what you have is the dogs are causing a pain or the cats who just need more attention, so they are abandoned because they start wrecking the house.”

Lola Glide, who also works at the centre, said having more space would be “perfect”.

She has adopted a puppy called Luna who was left with the team after her elderly owner tripped over her.

Ms Glide said the situation would get “so much worse” as people would just abandon pets if they could not find space at a rescue centre.

A Southampton City Council spokesperson said: “We understand the desire of Second Chance Animal Rescue to expand its premises and Southampton City Council is grateful for the excellent charity work it does.

“The land we believe they are interested in is currently under a lease for a period of 10 years.

“Additionally, the proximity of the nearby land to Southampton Airport runway means that it can only be used for a very restricted range of land uses.”

Prep: 15 mins

Bake: 20 mins

Total: 35 mins

Servings: 122

Ingredients

• 2 5-ounce cans solid light tuna packed in oil, drained well*
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon dried catnip

Directions

Step One
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.

Step Two
In a large bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

Step Three
In a food processor or blender, combine tuna, 1/4 cup beaten egg white, and catnip. Cover and process or blend until completely smooth (keep the machine going; it will get there). Gently fold tuna mixture into remaining beaten egg white until just combined.

Step Four
Transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with a 1/4- to 1/2-inch round or star tip. Pipe 3/4-inch dollops onto the prepared baking sheet.

Step Five
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until dried and treats easily release from the parchment. Cool treats completely before storing.

Tips

*It is important to use solid light tuna and not chunk light tuna. We found that chunk light tuna is softer and moister, resulting in treats that don’t bake properly.

Storage: Transfer cooled treats to an airtight container. Store at room temperature up to one month.

The EcoWaste Coalition and the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) marked the campaign through an “Iwas PapuToxic” activity Sunday at Ayala Malls Vertis North in Quezon City, where pet owners and their animals joined a short parade inside the mall to remind the public of the dangers of loud and toxic celebrations.

Organizers said firecrackers and fireworks can cause severe stress and trauma among pets and stray animals, particularly dogs which are more sensitive to sound than humans.

PAWS executive director Anna Cabrera said loud explosions during New Year’s Eve often leave animals trembling, hiding or trying to escape, with some experiencing prolonged distress.

She added that animals kept outdoors are especially at risk, urging pet owners to keep their dogs inside their homes during the festivities to protect them from noise and smoke.

Beyond animal welfare, the groups also raised concerns about the health and environmental impact of widespread fireworks use.

According to EcoWaste Coalition, New Year’s Eve celebrations typically lead to a spike in air pollution due to toxic smoke, fine particles and other pollutants that can aggravate respiratory illnesses, particularly among children, the elderly and people with existing health conditions.

EcoWaste Coalition national coordinator Aileen Lucero encouraged the public to consider safer, non-toxic ways of welcoming the new year, such as using reusable noisemakers made from household or recycled materials instead of firecrackers.

The groups said celebrating without fireworks can help prevent injuries, reduce waste and air pollution, and spare animals from fear, while still allowing families and communities to welcome 2026 in creative ways.

The “Iwas PapuToxic” campaign has been conducted annually since 2006 and supports the government’s efforts to reduce firecracker-related injuries and pollution during the holiday season. (PR)