If Rover's running with a little more spring in his step today, it may be because he heard the good news. Banfield—the largest network of animal hospitals in the U.S.—has announced that it will stop performing three painful and needless cosmetic procedures: tail-docking, ear-cropping, and debarking.

Banfield's decision follows that of the American Veterinary Medical Association, which, while getting a lot of things wrong during its recent convention in Seattle, got this one right: It upheld its opposition to these vile procedures.

Dr. Karen Faunt, Banfield's vice president for medical quality advancement, notes, "It is our hope that this new medical protocol will help reduce, and eventually eliminate, these cosmetic procedures altogether."

Amen to that! Here's hoping that next on the list is banning the declawing of cats.

-- by Jeff Mackey