[bcbirdclub] Alert for all birders who visit Burkes Garden , VA
- From: "Anna McRae" <annamcrae@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Buchanan County Bird Club" <bcbirdclub@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Bristol Birds" <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "WV-BIRD" <WV-BIRD@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2010 22:30:00 -0500
From a newspaper article in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Wednesday ,
December 1, 2010;
Burkes Garden, Va. Officials have confirmed the discovery of a rabid skunk in
the Little Town area of
Burkes Garden, marking the eighth confirmed rabies case in Tazewell County this
year.
Brian Stanley, environmental health manager of the Cumberland Plateau Health
District , said the skunk
entered a kennel where the two dogs were being kept and attacked them.
The skunk was submitted for rabies testing following the attack. While no
human exposures were
reported, the two dogs were euthanized. The dogs were puppies and too young to
be vaccinated.
Dr. Robert Parker said, "Animals must be six months old before they receive the
vaccine. The
puppies were bitten by a confirmed rabid animal.
Farther along in the same article the report of rabid animals continued;
In the past year, Mercer County, West Virginia ( which is adjacent to Tazewell,
County, Va.),
there have been six incidents of rabid animals, including a recent incident on
Nov. 12, 2010
in Princeton,WV where at least seven people were exposed to the disease by a
long-haired
black cat.
According to Melody Rickman, RN,BSN, six people initially reported being
scratched, bitten
or both by the cat and received vaccinations. Later, another resident in the
neighborhood
where the cat was found also began undergoing rabies vaccinations..
Meanwhile, health officials in Tazewell County are asking that anyone with
knowledge of
the rabid skunk in Burkes Garden, Va., or possible exposure to this rabid
animal to
immediately notify the Tazewell County Health Dept. at 276-988-5585 or the
Tazewell
County Animal Control Office at 276-988-4160. Residents are also asked to
report
any other suspicious animals.
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Please excuse the length of this e mail . Burkes Garden is such a favorite hot
spot for
birders from the two Virginias, Tennessee and North Carolina and some might not
be aware
of the rabies problem . Since we know that when there is a Bald Eagle,
Rough-legged
Hawk , L. Shrike, Red-headed Woodpecker in view in binoculars, scopes, birders
tend
to be very focused on birds ...and might not be aware of other critters which
may have rabies.
Please be careful !!
Ann McRae
Bluefield, WV Mercer County
December 3, 2010
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