Follow-Up: Canine Distemper in Local Wildlife

The following came in via e-mail from one of our loyal readers of News As It Happens.

Thank you for passing this important message on to citizens.

Please remind people that if there are any food/water dishes left outside they need to be pulled, any plastic containers need to be tossed out, stainless steal/glass containers need to be steralized. Canine Distemper can be spread by a sick racoon simply using a food/water dish that is left out, your dog doesn’t actually need to come into direct contact with a racoon to be exposed to the virus. Please go to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canine_distemper for more information on this disease.

Please remind people to feed animals inside, if they cannot, to at least only put as much food out as their pet will eat, and to pull the food when their pet is done eating or not around.  Keeping garbage secure and in cans with lids on it, in a location that is not accessable to wildlife will not only help in keeping racoons out, but also other wildlife. Bird feeders, especially suet are favorite treats for more than just the birds. Also ripe fruit that has fallen from fruit trees are great eating if your a bear, pick fruit when it is ripe and get rid of what is laying on the ground.

Remember where you live, these are the mountains and the animals were here first, so lets try to adapt, instead of trying to make the animals adapt to us.

Sincerely,