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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1995-09-27, Page 7Rabies light touches down in Huron BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff The experts. out -smarting the faxes are using Huron County to get ready for raccoons. They hope a weakness for icing sugar, wax and marshmallow turns the trick in their confrontation with a new strain of rabies that is heading our way. The "almost always fatal" viral disease can be controlled but spreads like wildfire and costs the people of this province tens of millions of dollars per year to both control and for such things as man- datory pet vaccinations, accor- ding to Peter Bachmann of the rabies field unit of the Ministry of Natural Resources. His crew of 35 and three Twin Otters were sitting at the Stratford Airport early Friday morning waiting for the clouds to clear. Their latest mission, since Sept. 18 and lasting until Oct. 6, has been to continue to bomb the various beasts with bait, some laced with vaccine. Foxes and skunks, the traditional carriers of the rabies virus, prefer cod and chicken. Raccoons have a taste for the sugar -marshmallow combo. They like to chew too, hence the wax. There is no need for panic, rabies is no Black Plaque, save for infected animals. The last person to die of rabies in this province was in 1967 and the incidence of the disease in animals in south- western Ontario is only 10 per cent of what it was in the 1980s, when this region had one of the highest rates in the world. There has- only been one recorded case of rabies in a raccoon in Huron County in 34 years, says Dan DeWit of Seaforth, District Veterinarian with the Deparunent of Agriculture. It was the Arctic Fox strain of the virus. What has experts in this neck of the woods very worried is a new strain, carried specifically by raccoons, which abound around here. The new strain isn't in Ontario yet. BOOK 'EM DANO "Any member of the public seeing a raccoon crossing the New York/Ontario border should contact authorities im- mediately," cautions an infor- mation bulletin from the Ministry of Health on the Anti- Seaforth and area pet owners who wish to get their animals vaccinated against rabies can save some money on the procedure today (Wedne- sday) and Saturday at the Seaforth Veterinary Clinic. The local anti- rabies clinic, sponsored by the Huron County Health Unit and vet clinics in the county, is from 1 to 5 p.rn. today, and goes from 8 a.rn. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The cost is $10. For further details call the Seaforth Veterinary Clinic at 527-1760. Rabies Campaign in Huron County. Rabies, whatever the strain, seems to come and go around the world in natural cycles of from five to seven years, that experience has shown humans have helped alter. There have only been three reports of rabies in Huron so far this year, DeWit says, com- pared to 17 last year and 86 in 1993. Fifteen years ago when both Huron and southwestern On- tario had such a high incidence of rabies, it was almost non- existent in northern Ontario and New York State. But that state is where the new raccoon rabies now rages, and stares us in the face across the Niagara Gorge and St. Lawrence River. Like tomorrow, the question is when, not if, it arrives. This new strain surfaced in Florida in the 1950s, Dewit says, and rabies normally spreads at a rate of 20 to 60 kms per year. Fears that raccoon rabies wood cross the border last year weren't realized. Infected rac- coons only got to the outskirts of Lewiston and Lockport, N.Y. before cold weather halted their advance. But only a bridge separates Lewiston from Queenston, Ontario, near Niagara Falls. This province and Huron County have developed Rac- coon Rabies Contingency Plans. Experts and officials in various Ministries are at- tempting to create a buffer zone between the Niagara River and Welland Canal with a trap, vaccinate and release program. "Vaccination is 99.9 per cent effective against this virus," TIM CUMMING PHOTO CANDY APPLES AT CIDERFEST - Two-year-old Jeremy Smith, with mother Brenda, enjoys a sunny afternoon at the Van Egmond Foundation Ciderfest on Sunday. ALBERT ST. DENTURE CLINIC D.R. McTaggart, D.D. ▪ Complete Dentures . • Partial Dentures ■ Relines and Repairs For a free consultation phone 482-1195 • 50 ALBERT ST., CLINTON ". MAY WE BE OF SERVICE... ...For Your Furnace/Oil Requirements CALL US TODAY! DAVE MOORE FUELS LTD. "The Best en, a en'ou Need it Most EXETER 235-0853 TOLL FREE 1-800-266-2931 THEDFORD 296-4858 says District Veterinarian DeWiu. He says customs officials have increased surveillance but nature will prevail and the virus will cross the border sooner than later, perhaps hitch -hiking on recreational vehicle or truck. DeWit says, for instance, that a nest of raccoons was recently discovered in a transport truck in Stratford that had just crossed the border. The invasion may be inevitable, but if enough trapped wild raccoons are vaccinated then released the virus itself can be stopped in its tracks. Many of the techniques for vaccinating wild animal populations were first tested and developed here in Huron County in the 1980s, by bom- bing foxes and skunks with oral vaccines to control the Arctic strain of the disease. That oral vaccination approach has since been used extensively and further refined in Eastern Ontario. PEANUT BUTTER? But the beasts are still being bombed here. The spokesman for the crew that was grounded at Stratford last Friday says foxes and skunks are getting hit with a payload that includes an oral vaccine, but no vaccine for the raccoons yet, they are just bombing them with baits at this stage, still trying to deter- . mine what best tickles their taste buds and how markers move through the raccoon populations in this neck of the woods. The Ontario Ministry of Natural resources has played with about 50 possible flavours of raccoon bait, including peanut butter, chicken, beef, cod, lobster, fresh corn, canned corn and macaroni -cheese. City raccoons and their rural counterparts apparently don't always prefer the same concoc- tions, although all appear to have a sweet tooth and the icing sugar/ marshmallow mix has lots of takers. Studies by scientists in the Barrie area in the last two years found about 60 per cent of trapped raccoons snacked on the chewy sweet. A smaller study in the Rosedale area of Toronto at the same time came up with asimil_ar percentage. A TRUE FACT Curiously enough, there are far more city raccoons per square kilometre than their rural brethren. DeWit says there are now four to five raccoons ppeerr square kilometre in rural On- tario compared to an avera4e of 25 per square kilometre in urban centres of the province. Foxes are similarly denser than one might expect in cities. Bats are also carriers of the rabies virus. "Animals with rabies behave out of character," says a federal agriculture department information bulletin. "They may be abnormally tame, and either attack or cringe. They may startle easily, nm aim- lessly, become watchful and have a puzzled or apprehensive look. They might drool a lot, and often appear un -coor- dinated or partially paralyzed." DeWit says the virus exhibits itself in "dumb" or "furious" forms and attacks the central nervous system of differing species in different ways. It is generally passed through saliva by bites. Rabid cats, about 90 per cent of the time, are furious. Dogs can show either dumb or furious symptoms, usually a 50-50 percentage split. He says it usually takes about 45 days from when the virus is first detected until when it dies. Animals can be rabid and not show it. The virus can incubate undetected from two weeks to two months. The district veterinarian cautions those who might con- sider adopting a raccoon as a pet. When theyare young they are cute, he says, but they get even bolder if they are used to humans when older, but main- tain their wild natures thereby becoming a danger and "real threat". Besides, adopting orphaned raccoons as family pets is illegal, he notes. A St. Marys man was charged with impaired driving after the pickup he was driving collided with a Mitchell school bus near Staffa Wednesday afternoon. The Sebringville detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police says he failed to stop at a stop sign and wasn't hurt. Patricia Lynn Ruston, 43, had minimal injuries and none of the six students on board were hurt. Police say both vehicles had moderate damage. The collision occurred near the intersection of Perth County Roads 6 and 10 at about 4:05 p.m. • Supplier of all makes of plumbing fixtures and faucets. • Water softeners and conditioners • Water Heaters FOR YOUR REPAIR OR RENOVATION JOBS, NEW ADDITIONS OR NEW HOME Call Jim for a FREE Estimate 345-2636 THE HURON EXPOSITOR, Sopt.mber 27, 1995-7 Firewood Hard MBWOODaple or Ash Limited Time Offer - CaII no - $130./17 cu. yd. Truck Load Delivered within 20 miles Mileage charge Beyond That Large Quantity Discounts When You Haul!!! Craig Hardwoods Ltd. Auburn, Ont. 519.526.7220 WHEN YOU BUY ONE OF EQUAL VALUE AT THE REGULAR PRICE GARDEN MUMS 2 gal. pots 3 for $10.00 Good Assortment of Fall Bulbs Tulip, Hyacinth, Daffodil and more. HURON RIDGE ACRES Inc. Follow Our Signs 1/2 mile west, then 3 1/2 miles north of Zurich or East off Hwy. 21 South of Bayfield at Stanley Sideroad 15, then take first right The HURON COUNTY HEALTH UNIT And The County VETERINARY CLINICS Are offering... For dogs and cats over 3 months of age. Please have them on leashes or in boxes when in the clinic. Cost: $ 0 Includes GST ''er. Animal Vaccinated :ertiricate provided. 'or dogs. The Following Huron County G,,aL ire Participating Blyth Veterinary Services Kirkton Veterinary Clinic Queen St. S., Btyth - 523-9551 19 Orange Ave., Kirkton - 229-8911 Sept. 27, 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Brussels Veterinary Clinic 61 William St., Brussels- 887-6841 Sept 30, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Clinton Animal Hospital RRM 5 Clinton (Hwy. 4 South of Clinton) - 482-3558 Sept. 27, 2:00 p.m. • 5:00 p.m. and Sept 30, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Exeter Animal Hospital 660 Main St., Exeter 235-2662 Sept. 27, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. and Sept 30, 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Goderlch Veterinary Clinic RRM 2 Goderieh - 524-2631 Sept. 27, 1:00 p.m. • 5:00 p.m. and Sept 30, 9:00 a.m. • 12:00 p.m. (50%dinged t firmCartyHrareSoody) Heubner-Rldder Veterinary Hospital 376 Bayfield Rd.,Goderich - 524-8287 Sept. 27, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Sept. 30, 9:00 a.m. • 12:00 p.m. Sept 27, 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. and Sept 30, 11:00 a.m. • 4:00 p.m. Leedham Veterinary Clinic 11 Atfred St., Wingham - 357-2471 Sept 27, 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Sept. 30, 9:00 a.m. • 12:00 p.m. Seaforth Veterinary Clinic Main St. N., Seaforth - 527-1760 Sept. 27, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Sept 30, 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Wingham Veterinary Clinic Rintoul Pool Complex, Wingham - 357.1770 Sept. 27, 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Zurich Veterinary Clinic 44 Main St., Zurich - 236-4301 Sept 27, 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. and Sept 30, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. r SEAFORTH CITIZENSHIP AWARDS THE SEAFORTH RECREATION AND PARKS COMMITTEE IS NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR THE CITI- ZENSHIP AWARDS FOR 1995 IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES: SERVICE TO SPORTS - A person that volunteers his dr her time to sports organizations, or sports in general in Seaforth. CMC SERVICE - A person who belongs to a service club or community organization in which he or she con- tributes many hours of time for the betterment of the community. HUMANITARIAN SERVICE - A person who is considerate of mankind, and is willing to give his or her time to help other people. THESE AWARDS ARE CHOSEN BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY IN A VOLUNTEER CAPACITY. IF YOU KNOW OF SOMEONE THAT FITS THE ABOVE DESCRIPTION, FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW AND MAIL IT TO: THE SEAFORTH RECREATION AND PARKS DEPARTMENT, P.O. BOX 885, SEAFORTH, ONT., NOK 1 WO. DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS IS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1995. would like to nominate- for his/her contribution to Seaforth in (circle one) a) Service to Sports b) Civic Service c) Humanitarian Service Some background information on this person is: My reason for nominating this person is: Signature of Nominator , -