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US Department of Agriculture announced last week that a captive white-tailed deer in Macon County has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease. CWD is a neurological disease found in deer, elk and moose.

We have a plan in place and our team is actively working to ensure that this situation is addressed quickly and effectively, said State Veterinarian Dr. Linda Hickam. Fortunately, there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk to humans, non cervid livestock, household pets or food safety.

The animal that tested positive for CWD was a captive white-tailed deer inspected as part of the States CWD surveillance and testing program. Preliminary tests were conducted by the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa.

Upon receiving the confirmed CWD positive, Missouris departments of Agriculture, Conservation and Health and Senior Services initiated their CWD Contingency Plan. The plan was developed in 2002 by the Cervid Health Committee, a task force comprised of veterinarians, animal health officers and conservation officers from USDA, MDA, MDC and DHSS working together to mitigate challenges associated with CWD.

In February 2010 a case of CWD was confirmed in Linn County on a captive hunting preserve operated by the same entity, Heartland Wildlife Ranches, LLC. The Linn County facility was depopulated and no further infection was identified at that facility. The current case was identified through increased surveillance required by the management plan implemented from the previous CWD incident.

CWD is transmitted by live animal to animal contact or soil to animal contact. The disease was first recognized in 1967 in captive mule deer in the Colorado Division of Wildlife captive wildlife research facility in Fort Collins, Colorado. CWD has been documented in deer and/or elk in Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the Canadian Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. There has been no evidence that the disease can be transmitted to humans.

Missouris proactive steps to put a testing protocol in place and create a contingency plan years ago are proving beneficial. We are in a solid position to follow pre-established steps to ensure Missouris valuable whitetail deer resource remains healthy and strong, said Jason Sumners, deer biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation.

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For more information regarding CWD, please contact Missouris State Veterinarian Dr. Linda Hickam at (573) 751-3377, or visit www.mda.mo.gov and click on the Animal amp; Livestock, then Animal Health Division tabs.

Source: Missouri Department of Agriculture

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Whether or not the US is truly going into another recession is still up for grabs.  What is not up for grabs is that earnings are coming in less robust and companies are generally far less optimistic than they were at the beginning of this year.  That is, except for the market around the household pets like cats, dogs, and other beasts of affection.  PetSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ: PETM) has raised guidance and this has the sector tied to pets under the magnifying glass today.

PetSmart runs about 1,200 retail locations throughout North America and its market valuation is over $5.1 billion.  Its shares recently traded above $46.00 today after it raised guidance and the 52-week trading range is $35.27 to $46.60.  It is not normal for retail companies to be trading within 1% or 2% of year highs in the current environment.

PetMed Express Inc. (NASDAQ: PETS) is surprisingly not in the gaining crowd today, yet it aims to help pet owners to save money by buying animal drugs online or over the phone rather than via the pharmacy, pet store, or vets office.  Shares are down almost 1% at $9.30 and its 52-week trading range is $8.51 to $18.87.  This company trades close to the market at about 13-times expected earnings.

Then there is the king of veterinarian centers at 11:50AM EDT: 16.94   0.03 (0.18%)  VCA Antech Inc. (NASDAQ: WOOF).  This one is down 0.2% so far at $16.94 and its 52-week range is $14.73 to $26.29.

What got things going was that PetSmart lifted its sales targets for the third quarter to 5.5% to 6% growth in same-store sales.  It also raised guidance to $0.46 to $0.48 EPS from a prior target of $0.41 to $0.45 EPS.  For the year, that range was raised to $2.46 to $2.52 EPS from a prior range of $2.40 to $2.48 EPS.

All of this only highlights the private equity acquisition of PetSmarts main rival, which is Petco Animal Supplies.  Petco agreed to be acquired in a $1.7 billion private equity buyout in 2006 by Leonard Green amp; Partners and affiliates of Texas Pacific Group.

JON C. OGG

Diane Groves said she has had her eight ducks and six chickens for
several years, keeping them in a pen in her backyard and selling
their eggs to supplement her income.

“They are all brought in at night and not let out until 8 am in
consideration of the neighbors so they can sleep,” Groves told
council members during a work session Monday night.

Earlier this month, a police officer ordered Groves to get rid of
her ducks, which are not allowed to be kept in the city, after a
complaint was made about them.

It was either a noise- or smell-based complaint about the ducks,
City Manager Jane Howington said.

Groves then approached the council, asking it to amend the
livestock ordinance to allow ducks.

Council members agreed to stay the order that Groves gets rid of
her ducks as they reconsidered the issue.

The existing livestock ordinance prohibits livestock in general and
all fowl inside the city limits.

One exception in the ordinance lets people keep chickens, up to 15
hens but no roosters, as long as they do not cause adverse impact
to neighboring property owners.

Other exceptions allow people to keep two pygmy goats and
potbellied pigs as household pets and one horse per acre of fenced
pasture.

Council member Jim Atkinson said he favors making another exception
in the livestock ordinance to allow ducks.

“I guess I’m one of those nostalgic folks who feels like if it’s
possible to have a bit of a farming industry within Kalispell
without problems then we should do it,” Atkinson said.

“I feel like this is another small industry we can support,”
Atkinson said of ducks and their eggs.

Council members Kari Gabriel and Bob Hafferman seemed to
agree.

“I don’t think there’s a big difference between ducks and chickens
… I think it’s fine to allow ducks,” Gabriel said.

Gabriel added she would like to see conditions that prohibit male
ducks, or drakes, which can be noisier, and require people to clean
up the droppings from their ducks, chickens, dogs or any other
animal.

Others were more skeptical about the proposed change. “I understand
the question of where do we draw the line. I thought we had already
drawn that line with chickens,” said council member Jeff
Zauner.

The council asked City Attorney Charles Harball to draw up draft
legislation for the next regular meeting on Nov. 7.

In other discussions Monday, the council formed a subcommittee of
Mayor Tammi Fisher, Hafferman and Zauner to review proposed changes
to the city’s subdivision regulations.

The committee is expected to meet in the second week of November to
review the changes and report back with a recommendation.

Reporter Tom Lotshaw may be reached at 758-4483 or by email at
tlotshaw@dailyinterlake.com.

THE day my cat had to be put down was one of the worst in my life. Even now, I can’t think about that last visit to the vet’s without my eyes misting, a habit I’ve noticed in others as they talk, years on, about a much-loved tabby or dog.

Household pets inspire so much affection, there are some homes where more space is devoted on the mantlepiece to photos of terriers than to grandchildren; where a cat has its own duck-down duvet, but visitors must make do with a travelling rug.

My beautiful white tortoiseshell was old by the time she fell seriously ill, but in 15 years she far outstripped my dilapidated car in repair bills. Rather than leave her untreated, Id have gone to the sleasiest loan shark, yet when her time was finally up, no amount of cash could have saved her.

Ive often wondered what Id have done, though, if the vet had been able to offer a miracle cure for pound;10,000. Would I have said yes? Chances are I would. Id have raised that cash somehow, when I wouldnt have dreamt of going into debt to send money to the starving in Africa.

Its a guilty thought, but as I discovered reading recent figures, I am not alone. The number of owners taking out pet health insurance is steadily rising pound;700m was spent on premiums last year, representing almost a third of pet owners.

Theres also a noticeable increase in those paying vast sums for veterinary procedures so sophisticated they outstrip human medicine. Its not unusual for people to pay ten grand for a dogs open-heart surgery, or pound;8000 for a prosthetic limb. Interestingly, though, nearly everyone who writes these cheques is defensive.

As one owner said of cancer treatment for her labrador retriever, which cost pound;10,000, Non-dog owners may think it was a lot of money but the enjoyment we get from having him is immeasurable. Had she spent the same on a round-the-world cruise, would she have felt the need to justify herself?

The problem is, pet owners know they risk being condemned for coughing up thousands. Some think this outlay is decadent, obscene, a symptom of society literally going to the dogs. How, they argue, can anyone dig so deep for a mere animal when theres an abyss of human misery to be fixed, and a similar donation could save hundreds of lives in Pakistan, or help the homeless on our doorstep?

I imagine that argument has made most pet owners hesitate before signing the surgical consent form. But would any normal person allow a beloved companion to die for want of treatment they can afford, and then donate the sum thus saved to charity?

Harsh though it is, refusing costly help to a suffering animal will not make one iota of difference to the rest of the worlds problems.

So instead of begrudging animals their high-tech procedures, Id say those lucky enough to be able to spend thousands on vets bills are to be applauded for taking their responsibility for these creatures so seriously. Saving an animals life by emptying a savings account should be cause for praise, not pelters.

Theres more to it, too, than simply taking care of ones own. Of late theres been a dramatic shift in attitudes to animal welfare. You dont need to have a budgie to care about the quality of life enjoyed by the hens whose eggs you boil for breakfast.

Relatively few people have gone vegetarian, but theres been a quantum leap in our collective conscience over the way farmers and abattoirs treat their livestock.

That so many of us will spend a fortune giving a pet a second chance surely suggests that society, far from being on the slide, is slowly attaining a position of all-embracing compassion.

After all, if we worry about veal calves, or our poodles impacted tooth, its likely well be even more concerned about the way children or the elderly are treated. Many things are undoubtedly wrong with our society, but spending money on animals is not one of them.

r from Alberta. The topic: loose household pets, in particular, your family pet dog. We have had several incidents of close encounters with loose dogs, with no “owner” in sight, while visiting your beautiful area.

We noticed that there are pet parks in your area where you can take your pets for a friendly walk and meet other families with their pets. Most of the time, your pets have to be on a leash, why? Because they can attack any thing or person at any time. There are good reasons why bylaws are instituted but mostly for the safety of others.

When your pet dog is loose throughout town, it makes it dangerous for your pet as well as those who come upon the animal in question. People will respond to loose aggressive animals in different ways and running away is not one of them. Also with the amount of vehicle traffic in your town, your animal is not safe. They are like children and need to be watched and cared for at all times.

I know that most pet owners are responsible, take care of their animals, take them to obedience school, and willingly own up to any incidents. However, let’s not have an incident where people will be hospitalized or the animal sent to be destroyed. There are many ways to avoid a heartbreak in the family. One of those — take care of your animal by making sure they are at home with you.

Thank you for your consideration of others in your neighbourhood and visitors in your beautiful town.

Elaine McDermid

Whitecourt, Alberta

YOUNGSTOWN A rabies alert has been issued for Bay County for the Bayhead area of Youngstown.

Six people are seeking medical treatment for rabies after a raccoon and stray cat in Bay County tested positive for the viral infection, according to Bay County Health officials.

Four of the people exposed have had rabies vaccinations and the remaining two are seeking care, said Bay County Health Department Administrator Doug Kent. Multiple cats also have been exposed.

This would make it the fourth animal to have been tested positive for rabies this year.

It is common for Florida animals to become infected by rabies, health officials said. For example, bats, skunks, foxes, bobcats, raccoons and otters are all prime candidates for carrying it. Unvaccinated cats, dogs, livestock, humans and warm-blooded animals also can become infected.

Rabies can be fatal. Humans can survive after being exposed to rabies, but they must make sure they receive treatment before the onset symptoms.

There are several ways to remain safe from rabies, health officials said: Ensure that you do not touch wild or stray animals in your area, never adopt wild animals or bring them inside your home, repair holes that may allow wild animals access into your home and secure garbage in a covered container to avoid attracting wildlife.

Kent recommended keeping household pets up-to-date on vaccinations and to keep them inside or on a leash when walking outside.

In any circumstance, if you are bitten or scratched by a wild animal, be sure to wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water immediately. Afterward, call Animal Control or 911 to report the location of the animal and seek medical attention as needed. Also report the injury to the Bay County Health Department. The animal involved in the incident must be tested for the infection in a laboratory.

To report an attack, you can call the Bay County Animal Control at 248-6030 or the Health Department at 872-4720. For more information, call the Bay County Health Department Rabies Control Officer at 850-872-4720 ext.1125.

An earlier version of this story appears below:

YOUNGSTOWN A stray cat found acting aggressively in the Bayhead area has become the fourth animal to test positive for rabies in Bay County and the second in that area, according to a news release from the public health department.

Rabies is a fatal viral infection that is passed in saliva from the saliva of an infected animal. Humans and warm-blooded animals are vulnerable to rabies infections.

Once symptoms of rabies are present, the animal or human will die. When exposed to rabies, humans can survive if they receive post-exposure rabies medication in a timely manner, well before the onset of symptoms.

The Bay County Health Department is urging all animal owners to make sure their pets are currently vaccinated for rabies. A vaccinated pet is a barrier between the owner and an infected wild animal.

The rabies cases have been typical in Bay County this year.The first three rabid animals identified were raccoons and themost recent case was a feral cat. Both animals are among the most likely to be afflicted with rabies infections, along with bats, skunks, foxes, bobcats and otters, according to the release.

To further protect you and your family from rabies:

• Dont touch wild animals or stray domestic animals. Teach your children to stay away from animals that arent theirs.
• Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. Do not try to nurse sick animals to health. Call animal control or an animal rescue agency for assistance. No animal is too young to have rabies.
• Never touch a bat. If you find a bat in your home or in another public area, call animal control or the Bay County Health Department immediately. Bats teeth are small and bites are not easily detected. Any physical contact with a bat is considered a possible rabies exposure.
• Dont leave pet food outside overnight. It will encourage raccoons to occupy areas near or in your home.
• Repair holes that allow wild animals access to your homes attic and crawl spaces.
• Secure garbage in covered containers to avoid attracting wildlife.

    When Gregory Popovich adopts homeless cats, dogs and other
four-legged animals from animal shelters, he gives his pets a
forever home as well as a professional theatrical career.

    Popovich Comedy Pet Theater, a Las Vegas-based performing
group made up of humans and household pets, will stop in Long Beach
this Sunday for a show at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center.

    The family-friendly show, which is the first in the nation
to bring ordinary housecats on stage, features vaudeville-style
acts filled with a combination of physical comedy, circus tricks
and theatrics, Popovich said. Known internationally for juggling
from atop a freestanding ladder, Popovich is a fifth-generation
circus artist who grew up living with his family’s circus pets in
Russia.

    All of the animals in Popovich’s show are rescues. Popovich
said he adopts the animals from shelters because his mission –
besides entertaining audiences — is to use Popovich Comedy Pet
Theater to show that shelter animals are talented, exceptional
creatures that need loving homes.

    “I came to the US in 1990 and I was thinking about
starting my own show,” he said. “I was inspired and surprised when
I visited an animal shelter and saw how many nice looking pets were
there. I picked up one kitty cat almost 17 years ago, and now I
pick up a kitty and puppy each year.”

    Rather than training the 10 dogs, 15 cats, parrots, geese
and mice who perform in the show, Popovich said he is a talent
seeker who looks for animals with strong personalities.

    “I never take an animal back to the shelter,” he said. “For
example, I have a dog who is lazy, and he doesn’t want to do
nothing. So I made a role for this dog — he plays a student who
doesn’t do his homework, and every time I confront him, he hides
behind the desk.”

    The animals live with Popovich and his wife and daughter in
Las Vegas, where he said he purchased two homes that share a
backyard so the pets would have plenty of living space. When
traveling, the animals and human performers ride in air-conditioned
trailers.

    “These are happy pets, and people can see that on stage,” he
said. “Each pet has something interesting to do, and I let them do
their favorite thing… For example, one of my cats, Mischa, loves to
jump. So I incorporate his love for jumping into my show. Another
cat of mine, Sugar, loves to climb, so I let him show off his
climbing abilities.”

    As an animal lover, Popovich said he uses the show to
promote pet adoptions. Popovich Comedy Pet Theater typically
partners with area animal shelters during its tours to feature
adoptable pets. Also, the group typically partners with at least
one local animal-related nonprofit to help raise money for the
cause.

    Popovich and his talented pets have appeared on “The Tonight
Show” with both Johnny Carson and Jay Leno. Also, Popovich
published the book “You CAN Train Your Cat” in 2009.

    Tickets to the 3 pm show on Sunday, Sept. 25, at the
Carpenter Performing Arts Center are $28 for adults or $18 for
children.

    For tickets, visit www.carpenterarts.org or call
985-7000.

MANVILLE, R.I. (WPRI) – A local pug has garnered national attention for his rugged appetite.

Harley the pug was given the 3rd Annual Hambone Award for having the most unusual pet insurance claim of the year. Harley managed to eat and subsequently pass more than 100 rocks.

The award was created by Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI) to educate the public about the unexpected things that can happen to household pets. VPI is the nation’s oldest and largest provider for pet health insurance.

• The Providence Journal: Harley’s road to stardom was a rocky one  

More than 4,000 votes were cast on VPI’s website in September to determine the winner among the 12 nominees. The nominees were picked out of more than a million claims received by VPI annually.

According to Lori Laverdiere, Harley’s owner, the pug never showed any interest in eating rocks, or any other foreign object for that matter.

“I’ve had Harley for six years, since he was a puppy, and he’s never done anything like this,” said Laverdiere. “It just goes to show that you never really know what dogs will do, so you have to be prepared for everything.”

Laverdiere discovered Harley’s ailment upon her return from a trip. 

The rocks clogged Harley’s entire intestinal tract and filled half his stomach. He couldn’t eat or drink anything without vomiting.

Once Laverdiere realized the severity of the condition she rushed the dog to the animal hospital, where it was discovered just how many rocks Harley had ingested. It was decided that the rocks were small enough for the dog to pass without surgery. He was given medication to help with that and kept overnight for monitoring.

Harley made a full recovery within a couple of days.

“Foreign body ingestion can be a common occurrence in dogs, but Harley’s incident of eating and safely passing more than 100 rocks is a rarity,” said Carol McConnell, DVM, president and chief medical officer at VPI. “Pets have an unpredictable nature.”

As the 2011 VPI Hambone Award winner, Harley will receive a bronze trophy in the shape of a ham, along with a “swag bag” filled with toys, treats and an emergency pet kit.

Things will get a little catty in Mallow this weekend as feline finalists battle it out for glory at the Hibernian Hotel on Sunday, 25 September.

It might sound like a Miss Cork contest, but these beauty queens are of the furry variety and all part of the Cork Cat Clubs annual show.

Corks cats are cream of the crop and they will all be on show from Sphynx cats to Persians. The show will feature over 120 of the beloved furry felines of members of the Cork Cat Club and around 25 different breeds.

The 31st annual event will take place from 12.30 to 5pm and the line up features breeds such as Maine Coons, Exotics and Ragdolls, as well as the rare breeds of Sphynx and Siberian.

And just in case you think the show will only celebrate the rare breeds, the show will keep it real with a range of household pets also on show, so those beloved fur balls at home will get their deserved glory too.

Cats will be purring their way to success as the titles they will be battling for include Best in Show 2011 and victory in the new Pedigree Pets section.

This show will also be the first one in Ireland to feature the new Hibernian class, which coveted by grand champion cats from all over Ireland, with each feline finalist receiving an ornate rosette from Cork Cat Club to commemorate their achievement.

Cat admirers, owners and all feline fans will also be able to get top advice from experienced vets, Claire Meade of The Cat Hospital in Glanmire and Laurence OSullivan of Acorn Veterinary Clinic in Mallow.

The club is a non-profit organisation, established in 1970 by Cobhs Cecilia Baker, and is dedicated to promoting the health and welfare of all cats in Cork, as well as promoting education of the public about felines. It also strives to encourage breeding of the highest standard.

The club is always open to welcoming new members from Cork or beyond for its once-a-month meetings in Ballinlough in Cork.

Members of the public are welcome to come along to the show if they wish to buy pedigree cat or if they have questions about their own feline pets.

Tickets are from euro;10 for families to euro;2.50 for OAPs and children and are available at the door. For more information about the show or the club, email info@corkcatclub.com.

On Sept. 25, the Prince William County Animal Shelter will hold a free open house from noon to 4 pm The open house is designed to foster fun and provide information about the shelter and common household pets.

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The family-friendly event will have free food, door prizes, a moon bounce, face painting, and other childrens activities.

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Families can learn about local rescue groups, veterinarians and animal-related businesses at the informational booths, and they can tour the animal shelter and the childrens farm. Adopt a new pet or get a rabies vaccination or microchip for your pet.

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The police departments Mounted Patrol and K-9 units will be in attendance with their gear and are willing to answer questions.

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The animal shelter is at 14807 Bristow Road in Manassas. For more information on the open house, call the shelter at 703-792-6465 or visit www.police.pwcgov.org and search for Animal Shelter Open House.