COLUMBIA, Missouri: It's a lovely spring morning in a quiet country town. While the weather is a bit nippy, it's otherwise just right to let the horses out of the barn for some much-needed exercise.

The ranch-hands take bits and bridles and start saddling up the horses. However they can't help but notice that the cinches are a lot tighter this time around. Why? Well, to be blunt, our horses are getting fatter.

MELBOURNE, Australia: The evidence doesn't lie. A local council in the state of Victoria will use DNA testing in a world-first trial to help bring canine offenders to heel in cases of animal attacks, according to newspaper The Australian.

NEW YORK: The first drug designed specifically to combat America's army of porky pooches has hit the shelves.

MISSOURI: Authorities have warned horse owners to be on the lookout for supplies of bad hay after equines across the country were found to be suffering from malnutrition, or even poisoned.

SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota: A recent string of cat deaths in a quiet little neighborhood is making police and residents nervous.

In just ten days, five cats have been found dead at the Cactus Hills Mobile Home Park in Sioux Falls, according to news website KeloLand.com.

VICTORIA, British Columbia: Have traditional canine breeding techniques gone to the dogs?

A naturally-occurring mutant gene creating 'musclebound freak' bully whippets in certain strains of racing whippet has highlighted the conflict of interest between traditional dog breeders, owners who race their dogs and biotech companies who tweak the canine genetic code purely for reasons of profit.

VIENNA, Austria: Scientists have been amazed by dogs displaying near-human levels of sophisticated awareness during controlled experiments.

MISSOURI: Wormed? Check. Flea collar? Check. Neutered? Check. Canine testicular implants? Erm, check.

Neutering can be a difficult process for both dog and owner to undergo. While it is an essential step for many pets to enjoy a happy stress-free life with their families, the guilt pet owners can feel over the pain and disfigurement such a procedure may cause can leave owners wondering whether they did they right thing.

FORT COLLINS, Colorado: A biotech firm has announced it has successfully bred the first puppies selected for birth via a sex-selection test.

Biotechl firm XY Inc said via press release it has succeeded in producing five sex-selected offspring, three male and two female black Labrador Retriever pups.

SACRAMENTO, California: A law forcing pet owners to de-sex their mixed-breed dogs and cats, described by critics as animal "genocide", is a step closer to reality.