Wild Animals

The Forkland convenience center is turning into a dump. Boyle County has removed the fence around Dumpsters as it builds a concrete pad for a compactor and building. Some are taking advantage of the situation by cleaning out their barns or dumping construction debris, said Solid Waste Coordinator Donna Fechter. "People are coming 24 hours a day," Fechter told magistrates Tuesday. "It's a free-for-all. " When the center is complete in September, an employee will make sure that only residential garbage is dropped off. Magistrates agree that the sooner a fence goes back up the better.

LANCASTER - The 2007 rabies vaccination clinics sponsored by the Garrard County Health Department and local veterinarians will be held on the following dates: 1-3 p.m. June 2 at Camp Dick Elementary; 6-8 p.m. June 5 at Paint Lick Elementary; 6-8 p.m. June 7 at Buckeye Fire Department; and 12-2 p.m. June 9 at Garrard County High School. Cost for the rabies vaccination will be $5. Other vaccination will be available upon request. Rabies is an infectious viral disease that affects the nervous system of humans and other mammals.

Farmers and ranchers have 15 days after the disaster occurrence to file a Notice of Loss under the current Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program provisions. Producers who did not purchase NAP coverage should still file a Notice of Loss with the local county office. NAP was designed to reduce financial losses that occur when natural disasters cause a catastrophic loss of production or prevented planting of an eligible crop by providing coverage equivalent to CAT insurance.

Dead animal removal services are free to citizens of Boyle County by calling Nation Brothers at 1-800-633-5677. Their hours are Monday through Friday 6:30 a.m.-4 p.m. You must call before noon on Friday to guarantee pick up that day. Nation Brothers reported that a minimum of 20 dead animals are picked up each week in Boyle County. Using this free service allows landowners to comply with the Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Act section dealing with livestock. Nation Brothers ask that you move the animal away from the rest of your livestock to the front of your farm and have the animal near a road or hard surface.

World Rabies Day 2011 was on Sept. 28. I do realize that this year's rabies day has come and gone before I got the chance to write about it. However, it is never too late to emphasize the importance of rabies public awareness. World Rabies Day emphasizes the importance of vaccinations for pets, caution around wild animals, and control of feral cat and dog populations. The Kentucky Department for Public Health, local health departments, veterinarians and the Alliance for Rabies Control are working together to promote the Sept.

To the editor, Regarding the escape and shooting of Travis the Chimpanzee in Connecticut (Feb. 16, 2009): The staff and board of the Primate Rescue Center are saddened to learn that yet another chimpanzee's life has been lost due to human ignorance. This tragic incident reinforces our message that monkeys and apes should not be kept as pets by anyone, under any circumstances. We look forward to the day when it will no longer be legal - or acceptable - to buy and sell wild animals as "exotic" pets in the United States.

Several Winchester kids are learning to behave like wild animals. Lexington Children's Theatre instructors Meredyth Pederson and Natalie Bruno want students to do their best imitations of jungle animals for a presentation of “Where the Wild Things Are” Friday. The show will be the culmination of a week of work for the students, ages 5-7, participating in a drama camp at the Leeds Center for the Arts, presented by the Lexington Children's Theatre. Each student will take a turn portraying Max, the main character.

Canine distemper virus is another one of those diseases affecting dogs that was thought to be almost eliminated. Distemper is a very contagious virus affecting dogs, as well as some wild animals such as ferrets, skunks and raccoons. It is an extremely serious disease that is, more often than not, fatal. The virus affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. distemper is usually not curable once symptoms have started to affect the dog. The disease was very prevalent in the 1970s, but diligent vaccination protocols had nearly eradicated the disease in domestic dogs.

KINGS MOUNTAIN - When Chester the deer showed up on Lincoln County Property Valuation Administrator David Gambrel's property a few weeks ago, Gambrel knew immediately something wasn't right about his behavior. "I see deer everywhere," Gambrel said. "But I've never had one come up to you like this. " Chester, given the name by Gambrel's neighbor because he limps like Chester on the TV show "Gunsmoke," appeared to be tame. He allowed anyone to approach and pet him and welcomed the attention, Gambrel said.

There is a small group of determined citizens in Jessamine County which have one goal -  stop the I-75 connector. The Interstate 75 project will link Nicholasville to northern Madison County near exit 95.  The project is currently in its design phase, and needs an environmental impact study to be completed before construction begins.  According to transportation officials in March, the 13-mile stretch of road will meet with the East Nicholasville...