Toys ‘R’ Us Gets Tough with Cribmakers

Toys “R” Us Inc., one of the nation’s biggest retailers of nursery furniture, is forcing cribmakers to build sturdier products to avoid a potentially deadly hazard. Asserting that government and industry safety rules don’t protect children from the hazard, Toys “R” Us is dictating stricter tests and design standards that cribmakers have balked at for years. The company, which also owns Babies “R” Us, has the clout to do so because it sells so many cribs—hundreds of thousands annually. Toys “R” Us is specifying the trees its suppliers can use, the way they attach spindles to crib railings and even the type of glue. Manufacturers that don’t follow the new rules can’t sell cribs in its stores. The move by Toys “R” Us shows that major retailers, responding to parents’ concerns, are using their purchasing power to redefine the safety of children’s products—more quickly and more stringently than government regulators and groups that set standards for the industry.

Please click on the link below to read the Chicago Tribune article:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-cribssep04,0,3920863.story

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.

Plantation, Florida May Require Microchips for Aggressive Dogs

Looking to rein in out-of-control pets, the Plantation City Council is considering embedding a microchip in any dog classified as aggressive and requiring them to attend obedience training. The city also may expand the definition to include dogs that approach people in a “menacing fashion.” The city first crafted a law on aggressive dogs in 2006. It spells out penalties and requires that dogs labeled aggressive be registered with the Police Department and confined at all times. Since then, the City Attorney’s Office said two dogs were voluntarily removed by their owners and another two forced out. Councilwoman Diane Veltri Bendekovic said the numbers may be slightly higher.

Please click on the link below to read the Sun Sentinel article:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbdogbite0905sbsep05,0,1588111.story

For more information on defending medical malpractice and nursing home matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at The Citron Law Firm, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.