[bcbirdclub] Re: Alert for all birders who visit Burkes Garden , VA
- From: "Roger Mayhorn" <rmayhorn@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <annamcrae@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Buchanan County Bird Club" <bcbirdclub@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2010 23:27:34 -0500
Thanks Anne, we appreciate the heads up.
Roger Mayhorn
compton Mt
----- Original Message -----
From: Anna McRae
To: Buchanan County Bird Club ; Bristol Birds ; va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ;
WV-BIRD
Sent: Friday, December 03, 2010 10:30 PM
Subject: [bcbirdclub] Alert for all birders who visit Burkes Garden , VA
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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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