Wednesday's Internet Edition, August 27, 2008.
In fox near Pottsville
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| HOLES-IN-ONE- Having a hole-in-one scored during a golf tournament is rare, but having two in the same tournament is almost unheard of. That is exactly what happened last Saturday morning during the Gary Wayne Schoen Jr. Memorial Golf Tournament. Ronnie Hoggatt of Hamilton (left) aced the par three number two hole, while James McCown scored his on the par-three number eight hole. McCown grew up in Hamilton and now lives in the Austin area. The tournament was completely full again this year with a waiting list to enter. Funds raised are awarded each year to area graduates as scholarships. Staff Photo |
Dr. Mark Crouch reported to the Herald-News this week that a grey fox tested positive for rabies on their place three miles west of Pottsville. Crouch said that the fox was acting strangely and the family’s dog killed it.
Crouch stated, “State law requires that dogs who have been immunized for rabies and who have a positive exposure to rabies to be quarantined for 45 days. Sometimes the rabies vaccine may not provide complete immunizations. Because of this, a vaccinated animal who has a positive exposure to rabies must be quarantined.
According to Dr. Beverlee Nix of the Department of State Health Service, there have been 184 laboratory-confirmed animal cases reported from the 30-county area of Health Service Region 7 that includes Hamilton County during the first six months of this year.
The health department reported two confirmed cases of rabies in Hamilton County through June. This does not include the recent Pottsville area case, since it occurred in July.
Dr. Nix reported, “The number of positive rabies cases in 2008 is 68 more than mid-year last year in Region 7 and the region is on a course to surpass the prior two years’ total positive animal rabies cases. Thus far in 2008, rabies was confirmed in 89 bats, 81 skunks, four raccoons, four foxes, two cats, one dog, one coyote, one cow and one goat.”
Nix also noted, “The supply of human rabies vaccine has been disrupted this summer by unforeseen manufacturing limitations. Vaccine is available on a patient-by-patient basis from the manufacturers for those persons who meet the exposure criteria and for whom the exposing animal cannot be proven negative for rabies. Rumors that rabies vaccine is unavailable are incorrect.
“During this supply disruption, it is critical more than ever that veterinarians, animal control officers, local rabies control authorities, educators, health care providers community leaders and media promote animal bite avoidance, animal bit reporting, domestic animal rabies vaccinations and rabies quarantine and testing of potentially rabid animals.”