Beverly Hills, LA Ban Cat Declawing

If you're in Missouri, maybe

(NEWSER) - Had Gary Korkuc not been pulled over by cops with good hearing on Sunday night, the meowing cat in his trunk might have wound up fried with the peppers and onions it was marinating in . But would that have been legal? Maybe in Missouri, writes Brian Palmer for Slate . Only a few state specifically outlaw pets as food. In New York, where Korkuc lives, people are not permitted to "slaughter or butcher" domesticated cats and dogs, but whether you can sup on them (or turn a hamster into dinner) is not explicitly stated. More»

If vacation isn't vacation without Rover, consider one of these ten pet-friendly towns or your next trip

(NEWSER) - Man's best friend has become a member of the family, so why shouldn't he get a break, too? Make it fun and easy to travel with your pet by visiting one of these hound-hangout towns MSNBC recommends:

1. San Diego, CA
2. Long Beach, CA
3. Carmel, CA

Calif. legislation would require owners to 'fix' cats and dogs

(NEWSER) - Legislation that would require Californians to "fix" their cats and dogs has captured the state's attention, inspiring more more controversy than any other measure this year, including an assisted-suicide bill. TV legend Bob Barker backs the spay/neuter bill, but groups like the American Kennel Club don't want the state involved, the LA Times reports. More»

34,000 plants growing in Topanga State Park

(NEWSER) - A $100 million marijuana plantation was destroyed by a police raid in Topanga State Park in Los Angeles on Friday. The 34,000-plant operation deep in the park's back country is the largest busted by cops in the Santa Monica Mountains in seven years, reports the Los Angeles Times . No one was arrested, but three men were spotted fleeing the scene. Park rangers and sheriff's deputies discovered the operation after finding a dam that was diverting water from a creek to irrigate the plants in the park, which is located entirely within LA city limits. More»

Oblivious texter nearly walks into new neighbor

(NEWSER) - There goes the neighborhood. A black bear apparently sick of roughing it in the wilds of California decided to check out a suburb 10 miles north of Los Angeles in the Verdugo Mountains area. The bear was spotted lounging on a lawn before investigating several backyards, shooting him to the top of the list of suspects tearing through trash bins the last few weeks, reports AP . One pedestrian was so focused on his cell phone that he didn't notice his new neighbor until the last minute—then sprinted to safety. Despite the bear's powerful jaws and giant claws, the three-year-old male appeared to be "pretty mellow," said one ranger. He was eventually tranquilized while napping under a tree, and removed to a woodsy area where the taxes aren't so high. More»