Infection

A 31-year-old Florida man was arrested Tuesday after Volusia County deputies discovered his dog suffering from extreme neglect and starvation. The animal, named Tanner, was found covered in sores and infections, weak and in urgent need of medical care.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said the dog was surrendered by its owner, Johnathan Meyers, and taken to an Animal Services shelter for emergency treatment. Investigators reviewed Tanner's veterinary records and determined Meyers had subjected the dog to a prolonged pattern of neglect. Meyers was charged with aggravated animal cruelty, resisting officers, and possession of drug paraphernalia after a meth pipe was found during his arrest. He denied the allegations of neglect while being detained.

Authorities said Tanner has since gained weight and shown improvement from his infections, with officials expecting a full recovery and eventual adoption placement.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro accused Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of contributing to two measles-related deaths in the state, saying rhetoric from Kennedy's agency has "real-life consequences" and reflects reliance on unvaccinated messaging over medical expertise. Kennedy pushed back, calling Shapiro's remarks "a replay of Democrats' COVID playbook," citing fearmongering and political exploitation of disease fears.

Pennsylvania's health department described the fatalities as "measles-associated deaths" rather than deaths caused directly by measles. One case involved a newborn whose Lancaster County coroner attributed death to a spleen laceration, though postmortem testing found a measles infection acquired before birth. Critics note infants are not eligible for MMR vaccination until 12 to 15 months old, raising questions about how the deaths were characterized in initial media coverage.

The dispute highlights ongoing tension between state officials and federal health leadership over messaging on vaccines and infectious disease, with each side accusing the other of misrepresenting facts for political advantage.

Florida's Department of Health has formally proposed a rule change that would remove hepatitis B, varicella, Hib and pneumococcal vaccines from school entry requirements for PreK-12 students. The proposal would also expand the state's religious exemption to cover "moral" or "ethical" beliefs and alter participation in the state immunization registry. Because the changes come through administrative rulemaking rather than legislation, they can take effect without a legislative vote.

The move follows a legislative session in which broader vaccine exemption proposals failed amid strong public opposition, including a December workshop in Panama City Beach where parents, physicians and public health experts raised concerns. Polling cited by advocates shows roughly eight in 10 Florida voters, across party lines, support maintaining current school vaccine safeguards. The rule comes as measles has resurfaced in parts of the state, though measles vaccination is not affected by this proposal. Public comment on the rule, filed under Proposed Rule 64D-3.046, is open through FLRules.org until September 14.